by Crymsyn Hart
Savanna waited while the butterflies in her stomach turned into dragonflies that bit at her insides. She wasn’t sure if Drake would keep his promise. She hoped he would. Too many circumstances made her wonder if he was faking it all. Savanna had seen inside of his mind, and his feelings had been real and raw, and then that wall had returned.
Savanna looked out the window at the torches bobbing below as others made their way down the mountain so they could clear the roads. Many of them were extended family of the dragons in the mountain. They may not be able to shift, but they carried the potential. If that happened they came to the mountain. Some were spellcasters who went to be trained on how to wield magic. Savanna just wanted to know where she fit in the whole scheme of things. They had treated her well and not like a freak. Ralag tried to understand her abilities. She tried to understand them along with dealing with the emotions brought on by her separation from Meruke. She hated crying herself to sleep because of the empty pit in her stomach from not having the dragon there. He was so close and yet so far away.
“Oh, my love. You’ve suffered unjustly because of my ignorance and stupidity,” Meruke whispered in her thoughts.
His voice was so much like Drake’s, and yet so different, that she could tell the uniqueness. Savanna opened the door. Outside was the dragon she loved, inside the body of the man who couldn’t stand her. He took her breath away. His hair was unbound and hung in dark waves around his shoulders. His tanned skin glistened in the torch light from the hallway. He wore nothing but a pair of loose fitting red pants. His toned chest was riddled with a few scars and a little bit of hair sprinkled over his pecs. His smoky eyes drew her in. It was difficult to believe that this was the same man who had thought her nothing more than a servant a few days ago.
“Hello,” she squeaked out.
“Hi. Will you permit me to enter?”
Savanna didn’t answer, but she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his chest. He embraced her as the tears flowed freely from being separated from him. He was with her. Even if it was for one night she wanted to relish it. She inhaled his smoky scent and enjoyed the warmth of his flesh. She didn’t want to stop. Savanna wanted to hold him forever. After all the hardships she had been through, she knew that what the Great Dragon had said was true. There was one left worth breaking. Her heart. And it had been broken because of the events and Drake’s dismissal of her. However, she hoped this was a way for her to mend it and the dragon she loved. He lifted her from him and shook his head.
“No, love, you shouldn’t ever have to cry. Seeing you this way breaks my heart, because I can’t fix this. I’m sorry for all these troubles I’ve brought upon you. I’ve always wished to return home, but I think the price has been too much for you to bear.”
She sniffed and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “Sorry. I’m not normally the sniveling type, but knowing you’re here, at least for tonight, and what could happen. I...”
He smoothed the hair from her face. His sorrow and hurt were mirrored in his eyes. “I’m so sorry. There’s not enough words in the universe to show my gratitude for what you’ve given up for me.”
She touched his face. “Yes, I gave up my home, but I died for you.”
“I know. I felt you slip away, and I couldn’t stop it. Tell me, love, what can I do to ease this heartache and loneliness I’ve caused you? I want to spend the next ten thousand years making up for it. I could shower you with jewels. Give you anything you wish. Ask me and I will make it so.”
“If only you could.” She felt along the bond they had shared. Drake was not interfering. Instead he was silent and observing. Feeling the two distinct personalities within him disheartened her. Savanna had no idea how she would get them back together, but right now she wanted to be with him. Nothing else mattered.
Meruke wound through her mind and wove them as tight as possible until she hit a wall. In his eyes, she saw the fathomless depths to his wisdom and power. He trailed his finger down her cheek so she felt every indentation of his fingers. The depths of his love for her seemed never ending, like all the stars in the sky, and the passion brightened her mind’s eye.
“I love you, Savanna. Please know that.”
It warmed all of her, and she wanted nothing more than to float in that feeling. “I love you, too.”
Meruke stepped inside and closed the door. The longer she was with him, the more everything in her relaxed. “You look like a princess. Technically, I think you’re a queen, considering I’m a king, or I was. But I’m not complete without you at my side. You and Wyeth. I miss him too.”
“I can get him...”
“Not tonight. I’m trying to placate Drake.”
“That’s fine.”
“I don’t mind having you all to myself. I rather enjoy it. My beautiful mate.”
She blushed when he said that. He kissed her throat and she lost all sense of herself. She trailed her fingers over his chest to feel his solid muscles and smooth flesh. He fumbled with the ties on her bodice and struggled to get them untied until he growled in frustration. His palms brushed over her nipples and they hardened. She met his tongue with her own as the other palm pushed up her skirts so he could cup her pussy and rub her clit. Savanna almost lost herself to the ecstasy firing in her soul, but something was missing still.
“I can’t. I’m sorry.” She broke the kiss.
“Isn’t this what you wanted?” Meruke asked her, but she heard the edge of Drake.
“It is, but I need to show you something.” Savanna thought about the time she had been dead. It lingered in her mind, and she recalled all of her feelings and the remorse that went with it. She knew that he would see all of her memories. She had done this with Wyeth, and because of the time Meruke had shared her mind to make love she figured he would see her memories. They were so tightly wound. Savanna showed him how he looked, twisting and thrashing on the ground as they fought together, the two parts of himself. He had to know. “I can’t go through that again. I can’t watch you destroy yourself. I don’t think dying once more is an option, either. It’s not an experience I want to relive.”
He pulled away, but he lingered in her mind. Savanna made sure he relived the pain of what happened to her when she was shot. Wyeth had given her his strength so she could live, and he had almost died himself. Meruke and Drake hadn’t known how close Wyeth had come. Maybe Wyeth hadn’t known, either. Savanna took his hand and placed it over her heart.
“I need you and Drake to hear me.”
“We’re listening,” he whispered.
“I know you’re two halves of the same coin. And I love both sides. You picked me up from the rocks and saved me in more ways than you can ever know. I get that I’m not ideal, no matter what you say or what this mate bond that we share is. But after everything, I do know one thing.” She took his hand from her heart and pressed her palm to it, feeling the heat of the fire that burned within him. “You’ve always denied I was your mate because I couldn’t share your fire.”
She embraced that heat and pushed it out with all her strength so that it blazed. The flame encompassed both of their hands. She pulled her hand away and the flame balanced on her palm. It didn’t burn, but it was an exertion for her to hold onto it. It burned blue and then white. “Does this prove it to you?”
The astonishment in his eyes made her smile. “Yes.” He answered, but it wasn’t Meruke that responded, but Drake. She sensed the change in him and heard it in his voice. The awe was there and finally acceptance. “I didn’t believe. The first time in your world, with all the differences, it could have been a fluke. But here...”
She touched his cheek. “I know.”
“Can you forgive me?” Drake asked.
“I can, but we can’t go on like this. You have to go back together.”
“How?” The duality in his voice surprised her.
“Make love to me. Claim me as your mate.”
“And if it doesn’t work? What then?”
“It has to work. Have faith. It’s what got us here and brought me back to you.”
“Faith and love.”
Her dragon kissed her again, as Drake receded, and took the flame from her hand, squelching it in his palm. He pushed his tongue into her mouth and she met his. As held her, the coolness washed over her and the fire was extinguished inside of her. Savanna entwined her arms around his neck. She pressed closer to him and felt every curve of his body. A small moan moved from her chest and came out of her throat. He raked his fingers down her sides, scraping his nails down her dress, shredding the fabric. He broke the kiss and held onto her. “Oh my, love.” The sound of his voice was desperate, as was his grip on her. Meruke crushed her to him. “I need you. I can’t wait.”
He clawed at her dress, trying to get it over her head. She laid a hand on his chest and stopped him. Savanna untied the ribbon at her top and pulled the rest of it out of the laces. When that happened she was left in nothing but a corset and under skirt. He licked his lips. The hunger in his eyes bordered on insanity. Meruke passed his whole hand over the tops of them in one long stoke. Savanna’s eyes fluttered as she exulted in his caress. The heel of his palm rested against her heart.
“You feel the fire between us?” he said.
“Yes,” she breathed. The fire seemed to encompass her, as though she were bathed in it. Her heart hammered in her chest as the blaze ignited within her. This time it burned hotter than anything she had ever felt before. There was no pain to it, the way it had been before when she had channeled it. Instead, a pleasurable sensation fanned out from her heart and wove around all of her nerves, making them tingle. Savanna whimpered as she curled her toes and could hardly stand since her knees were weak. Meruke caught her elbow with his other hand and held her up lightly, but even the slight brush of his fingers over her exposed flesh made gasp. “What’s happening?”
Meruke laid his entire hand over her heart. When he did, her eyes fluttered shut and her back arched. She bit her tongue to keep from crying out as a spear of pleasure shot straight through her and the tip landed between her legs. She clutched her thighs together. It was only the start of an orgasm, and yet it seemed her whole body was electrified.
“This is how the bond starts. The way it should have started,” he murmured next to her ear. “It begins with the spark which was ignited when I lifted you from the rocks. The flames of our desire were fanned with our first coupling, and this is when the fire becomes a storm and blazes within. It spreads from the heart and transforms the soul, because that’s what I’m sharing with you, a piece of me. Just as you give me a piece of you.”
Savanna heard what he said as he took her hand and laid it over his heart. She was in a semi-trance as his voice and the heat worked on her. “Does it hurt?” She heard herself say.
He nipped the end of her ear. “Not in the ways you think. That part comes later.” He pressed his teeth into her throat. They were sharp, but he didn't break the skin. Savanna grabbed his arm and tried hold on to herself as the burn within her consumed her and it seemed she was doused with pure lust. “I need you. Now.”
“As you wish.” Meruke stepped away from her. He slid his pants to the ground and stepped out of them. Savanna licked her lips at the sight of his cock. She shimmied out of her over skirt and was left in her panties and corset.
“You are so fuckable right now,” Meruke said to her, but she also heard Drake in his voice as well.
Savanna plucked at the laces of her corset behind her back before she turned to him. “Mind giving a girl a hand?”
“Absolutely.” He plucked the long strings from her corset until it was loose enough that she could breathe.
“I’d say you were an expert at getting these undone.”
“I wasn’t celibate in the last four hundred years or when I wasn’t sleeping. I did travel and got used to all kinds of women’s under garments. Does that bother you?” Meruke asked, and the surety in his voice faded away.
Savanna turned and unbuckled the top buckle. His eyes were trained on her finger as she slowly traced the boning in the garment. It was thrilling to see how much power she had at the moment. The hunger in his eyes and the need were nearly as bad as hers, but knowing she could determine how fast or how slow this happened was something she had never thought about until now. Meruke licked his lips when she unfastened the second one. If she was insecure about their getting together, then the idea of him having more experience than her would have bothered her, but it didn’t. Her dragon only had eyes for her. “Not at all, because I know right now all you see is me.” The third one came undone, enough so that she could pull open the corset a bit and tease him with a glimpse of her breasts.
The heat he had infused within her only made her only grew hotter, and it empowered her as well. It gave her the courage and the knowledge that she was his equal. She might not be able to do things like turn into a dragon, but Meruke or Drake was never going to look at her differently again. He would see her for the woman he was mated to. Savanna cupped his cock and ran her fingers along the sensitive skin before trailing her fingers over his powerful thighs, walking around him and touching his ass. She slipped her hands under his and planted kisses along the center of his back, down his spine.
“Savannnaa,” he drew out her name into one long groan.
She took his prick in her hands and worked him until he grew harder under her touch. As she did, the bond between them tingled, and she could feel his mounting pleasure. It took some concentration, and she was able to focus on what she was doing to him instead of getting swallowed whole by the intensity of their connection. She had also been practicing with Wyeth. She kissed Meruke and stood on tip toe, and planted her lips along his neck. As she did, she was overcome with the sensation to bite him until she tasted blood. Nevertheless, Savanna didn’t indulge in that urge.
The dragon groaned again and threw back his head.
“More?”
He didn’t answer as she came around and kissed his chest, taking one of his nipples into her mouth. She swirled her tongue around the pert bud, tasting the smoky flavor of his flesh. It was all she could do to stay focused as his dick pushed against her stomach. She bit down a little harder and sucked on it more, teasing the other one with her fingers as she pinched. Meruke growled and set her back. Savanna was about to say something, but he gripped her corset and, with a flexing of his muscles, ripped the rest of it off and threw it to the ground. He lifted her up and placed her on the bed. His nostrils flared and his face flattened some. His pupils were slitted. He smiled at her, and when he did, his tongue flicked out long, slender, and forked. His teeth were a little sharper than they had been before. Her heart thumped harder as he slid his hand along her thighs. His nails were sharper and left pink trails in her skin. He met her gaze and ripped off her panties. Savanna squeaked as he spread her legs wide. Meruke’s smile widened, more than humanly possible. She took in a breath and couldn’t help the lump of heat that settled in her throat.
He looked up at her and his brows knitted together. “You’re afraid.”
Savanna hated to admit it, but she hadn’t figured he would alter his shape when they were making love. “I-I trust you.” Her voice wavered, but she didn’t move her gaze from his. Instead, she reached her hand out to him. Meruke wound his fingers through hers and held onto her.
His lips turned up in a tense smile. He placed a kiss between her breasts, but didn’t break eye contact with her. “I wouldn’t.” The dragon flicked his long tongue up her belly. “Hurt you.” He nestled his head between her dark curls. Meruke darted the tip of his tongue over her clit and Savanna jumped. He tightened his grip on her hand as she buried the other in the bedspread.
“Do you wish me to continue?” he crooned in her mind. He moved his tongue over her throbbing bud once more a little faster.
Savanna held her eyes shut. Meruke moved his tongue in a way it slid along her clit and slipped inside of her pussy as well. Her back bowed off the b
ed. She cried out and couldn’t do anything else but let him pleasure her.
“You never answered my question. I can go faster,” he chuckled and did exactly that.
Savanna thrashed on the bed. It seemed too much for her to handle as his tongue darted inside of her and pleasured her all at the same time. “Please,” she screamed. Her body was awash in light. Pinpoints of light flared along her the backs of her eyelids. She was aware of all of the little manipulations he did, and each time Meruke slowed down and sped up, she thought her heart would burst out of her chest. And even as he filled her with his tongue, she longed for cock buried within her. Through their bond, she sensed the enjoyment he got out of this, but it was more in knowing she was drowning in their coupling. It seemed she couldn’t catch her breath, and when she was close to it, he brought her to another orgasm until her mind was awash in flame and she didn’t think she could take any more. Yet she craved it.
Her lover brought her down slowly. Meruke lay the length of her and guided her hand to his prick and used it to rub him. “You do this to me.” He kissed her throat. This time his nips were harder and each brought more bliss than the last one.
“I need you, Meruke,” Savanna whimpered, not sure she had the stamina to continue.
He trailed his finger over her mouth. She tried to suck it between her lips, but he was too quick for her. “I know you do, love. But tell me, do you feel it?”
“Feel what?” It seemed she would break out of her skin the longer he laid next to her and they didn’t join as one.