by H. C. Brown
“Oh, darling, as much as I hate to stop you, I must or we will be doing this all day.” Lumos lifted her to her feet and drew her into his arms. He suckled the bite marks in her neck. “Although I ache to taste your sweet folds, we must make haste.”
She fell against him, boneless. “Will we be alone tonight?” Heat filled her cheeks.
“I will find a place.” He smiled down at her. “Do not be ashamed. Pyro understands our needs… This insatiable longing for me is normal during the mating fever.” He chuckled. “I must tell you this overpowering desire will get worse once your moonfire begins. When this happens, we will hide away where no one can disturb us.” He adjusted his clothing. “Do you forgive me for making you this way, little one?”
“I should thank you. I had no idea what to expect… You… This passion… Gods, Lumos, I crave you every second now.” She dashed a hand through her hair. “This moonfire you speak of, do you really believe this desire I have for you can get any stronger?”
“Aye. In fact, you will be insatiable for three days perhaps more.” Lumos grinned. “But I will be there to love you and I will in every possible way. Dragonfae have incredible stamina.” He groaned. “Gods, we must leave. Your body tempts me so. Just look at me, I am ready for you again, my love.”
Chapter Five
Tusuns—the realm echoed its name, dry and as hot as a brush fire. Beneath the burning twin suns, the sandy wasteland gave little shelter. Heat shimmered from the baked terracotta rocks and reflected from the sand unmercifully. In every direction, hordes of giant lizards basked in the sunlight with striking skins of red and white stripes or yellow with blue spots. As they flew overhead, the large, frilled reptiles scattered in all directions, disappearing into cracks and fissures in the never-ending rock face.
Concerned for their safety in this unknown realm, Lumos scanned the area ahead with his dragon sight. They had flown over the insufferably rough terrain for most of the day, stopping each hour to rest. The animals had required copious amounts of water and once restored to size, had all registered their distress at the intolerable heat. After a short discussion with Pyro, he had cast a sleeping spell over the animals before allowing him to re-miniaturize the horses and Brew. The water sacs were diminishing at an alarming rate, and in the distance, a red glow warned of an approaching sandstorm. They must find shelter soon because a sandstorm could tear Faeries’ wings to shreds, and peel the skin from their bodies in a short time.
With a sigh, he gazed down at Thalia. She slept in his arms under a spell. He had cast a protective shroud over her to shield her fair skin from the twin suns’ glare. Although her skin had changed to reflect his coloring, she was not yet Fae. Her long hair tumbled over his arm and glistened like flames—gods, how he loved this female. He would gladly die for her.
At first, he thought the gods had challenged him with one so damaged, but now he understood Cymbeline’s reason for choosing her for his mate. Thalia’s dark magyck, cleansed by the sacrifice of her mother, would make the Dragonfae bloodline stronger. His sons would have the ability to control and destroy dark magyck. Sweet Thalia would be his perfect mate. She had the courage of a warrior and she loved with the heart of a dragon. This had not been a test for him. No, he would not believe such a thing because her love and trust in him could only be a regarded as a reward of the highest caliber and nothing less.
“There.” Pyro pointed into the distance. “A cavern and it looks wide enough to take the horses.”
“I see it. Damn, we do not have much time before that storm hits.”
“I think we should move out again as soon as the storm passes. As far as I remember, the Gate is over the next mountain range. I would estimate less than an hour from that cavern by my reckoning.” Pyro frowned “Have you ever been to the realm of the Trill?”
Lumos tipped back his wings and started to descend to the cavern. “No, but I do know of the man creatures bred from pigs, the Boars, and their disgusting habit of slavery.” He landed on the small plateau in front of the mouth of the cavern. He placed Thalia in the shade and folded his wings. “Why?”
“Well, if we return to Drakka via Twin Falls we must travel through three Nomag realms before we get to Farrell. I know Trill has a Gate that links directly to that realm.” Pyro placed the bags on the ground. “If we encounter either Boars or Shadow Walkers in Trill, we could rest at Farrell and replenish our powers. You cannot think of meeting the challenge for Drakka without at least a day’s rest.” He scooped the horses out of the saddlebags and waved a hand over them. He stood back as they returned to normal size. “I assume Farrell has not changed and it still contains both Fae and shifters?” He grabbed the horses’ reins, turned away, and headed inside the cavern.
“Aye, we will be welcome there, and I have visited that realm often enough. The cavern appears empty. I cannot see any tracks leading in or out of the entrance, but should we not check it before we take Thalia inside?”
Lumos stared after Pyro’s retreating form. The ancient one had not so much as peered inside the cavern. They had seen many unusual creatures in this realm. Gods only knew what lived inside the cave. He decided to leave Thalia safely with Brew rather than put her at risk. He bent to retrieve the miniature basket from her top pocket. A second later, Brew slid out of the basket like a black snake and blinked up at Lumos. “Look after Thalia while I make sure the cave is safe.”
“You should wake her. I cannot save her from an attack.” Brew stretched languidly.
Lumos touched Thalia’s head. “Hello, sleepyhead. I want you to wait here with Brew. I will be back in a few minutes.”
“Gods, it is so hot here.” Thalia stretched. “Have we got far to go?”
“No, but a sandstorm is imminent, so we need to take cover for a while. I am going inside to make sure it is not inhabited by anything nasty, so do as you are told and wait here.”
Thalia scratched Brew’s ears. She licked her parched lips and glanced around for a water skin. The sky had changed from a brilliant azure to pale apricot—a cloud of dust shielded the burning twin suns. Getting to her feet, she peered around the large rock in front of the cave entrance and a gaping black maw set deep in the rock face greeted her. She heard the echo of Pyro’s voice and the sound of the horses’ hooves crunching on gravel from inside the cave. She moved closer to the sounds and waited just inside the mouth of the cavern. A shout met her ears, followed by Argos’s scream, and the sound of frightened horses. Gods, what had happened?
Unconcerned for her own safety, Thalia moved into the cave, and created a light globe. She spun the pearly globe before her to illuminate the way. Another noise filtered through the blackness, this one sounding as if a pile of gravel had tumbled to the ground in a rush. Then the sound of the horses’ hooves clattering on the stone floor grew louder. The beasts appeared from the darkness, their eyes rolling in terror, closely followed by a great cloud of red dust. The horses bolted from the cave and gathered, flanks quivering, on the edge of the small plateau.
She heard Lumos swear from deep inside the cave and peered into the darkness. A wave of white magyck hit her with a gentle caress, holding her against the wall. She reached out with her mind. Dragon, tell Lumos I am safe.
A blinding crack of lightning lit up the cavern followed quickly by another. She pressed her back against the wall and gasped inside the cave in terror. A hoard of spiders as big as dinner plates charged the Dragonfae warriors. The spiders streamed from every nook and cranny in an undulating wave of red eyes and black, hairy legs. “Spiders!—Oh my—Oh goddess! Lumos, I do not know what to do.”
Deep in the cave, magyck burst in flashes of brilliant white and blue. The Fae stood side by side, hands raised, throwing spells at the furry army. Lumos moved with cat-like grace from one side of the cavern to the other, his body shimmering in a blue haze of magyck. Light shot from his fingertips, heating the rock until it wept with tears of molten lava, sealing the fissures. Beside him, Pyro danced from one foot to the ot
her, sending sheets of white magyck across the ground to incinerate the shrieking spiders.
Frozen with fear, she gaped at the carnage in morbid fascination. A wave of nausea hit her and the stench of burning flesh accosted her nostrils. Dragging her attention from the terror, Thalia turned toward the horses. To her dismay, Argos screamed in alarm and rearing up danced, pirouetting on his hind legs. She could see the whites of the terrified beast’s eyes. The horse had moved dangerously close to the edge of the ravine, his every step dislodging more earth on the crumbling perimeter. Above, the sky had turned blood red—the suns barely visible through the whirling sand. At her feet, a roaring wind blew the sand into twisting spirals. In moments, red dust caked her face.
Thalia grimaced and pulled the neck of her shirt over her nose. She blinked frantically to clear the dirt from her eyes. The storm rose up like an orange tsunami and crashed over the top of the mountain range. Argos reared and snorted, calling the other horses to his side and herding them against the rock face. Strengthening her resolve, she pushed away from the wall. She must act now or the horses would fall to their deaths. Trying to keep her voice calm, she called to the stallion. “Argos, bring the horses here. Come on, boy.”
To her surprise, the horse calmed at once and danced sideways toward her with the other beasts following close behind. Collecting up the reins, she pulled Argos behind the massive boulder, and edged back inside the cavern. The two Dragonfae had moved deeper inside the cave but the warriors battled on, sending up great clouds of steamy brimstone in their wake.
Her hair lifted from her back, charged with the residual magyck and the long strands hung suspended in the air around her not buffeted by the howling wind. She glanced down at Brew. The cat gave a long warning yowl and his fur stood out from his body like a brush. Heart pounding, Thalia edged her way out of the cavern. The wind whipped at her body, tearing at her clothes. Turning at the entrance to check the horses, she gasped at the sight before her. Oh no!
Fear suffocated her. With shaking hands, she clutched the rock face for purchase, trembling in horror. Through the swirling, red dust cloud, Thalia spied a swarm of spiders, with black waving feelers, creeping onto the plateau. The insects poured over the rim and headed straight for her. As they formed a line along the edge, she shuddered at the insects’ red, beady eyes and sharp fangs.
With legs threatening to collapse at any second, Thalia drew up her magyck. A shudder of revulsion shivered down her spine. She formed a fireball and let the bright orange sphere spin, glowing like a sun on her palm. The disgust she held for the spiders fueled the spell, turning the rich, orange globe into a black spinning fury. A strange calm fell over her. In her hand, she held the power of life and death. In that instant, time stopped still. Thalia ignored the roar of the wind, the life-threatening danger, and stepped outside her body. She calmly noted the position of the horses, and the massive rocks hovering above the plateau. To avoid a landslide, the massive ball of dark fire had to land at the very edge of the precipice.
With crystal clarity of mind, she took aim and launched the destructive spell toward the spider army. The black fire struck the ground in a roll of thunder and spread out with lethal force. The mountain shook with the whine of an earthquake and a crack opened across the plateau. Seconds later, half the ground in front of the cavern slid away. The spiders crashed down the ravine with an unholy screech. Dust billowed up in a spinning plume, hovered for a split second before catching the wind and peppering Thalia with debris.
Shivering, she peered nervously from left to right and scanned the edge of the precipice for any sign of the spiders. Fighting a wave of debilitating exhaustion, she leaned unsteadily against the rock wall. I hope nothing else will go wrong in this godforsaken place. Lumos was right—using such power is exhausting. Goddess, I will not be able to fight again for a while. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably. Through the howling wind, she caught a noise from inside the cavern. She spun around with a hand raised in defense. Lumos walked out of the gloom toward her, his dusty, dark hair whipping around his face in the wind. She stumbled toward him and fell into his arms.
“Little one, you are safe… It is over.” Lumos held her close to his chest and stroked her back. “Come inside out of the storm. Do not worry, everything is under control and Pyro will see to the horses.” He held her away and his gaze raked over her in concern. “Gods, you look awful. What happened to you out here?”
She hardly recognized Lumos. Red dust and debris covered him from head to toe. The blue shimmer usually surrounding him had diminished significantly and his eyes, goddess, had lost their luminosity.
“Me?” She cupped his face. “I watched you fight. I have never witnessed so much magyck. You are exhausted. Tell me, what must I do to help you?”
“This is a magyck realm, sweetness. The storm alone will replenish our powers in a few minutes.” Lumos squeezed her buttocks with a comforting familiarity. “Now tell me what happened here. I thought a dragon had landed on the plateau. The entire mountain shook.”
“The s–spiders, gods, they were coming up the ravine.” She buried her face in Lumos’s neck. “I used dark fire, but this time it was different—stronger. Lumos, look over there. I destroyed half the plateau.”
“I am so proud of you. Do not worry, I asked the Nightdragon to boost your magyck to keep you safe. The power of the dragon is sometimes overwhelming, but you will soon adjust.” Lumos lifted her chin. “Sometimes, it is good to have a dragon. Can you understand that now, butterfly?”
She stared into his deepening emerald gaze. Goddess, he wore his heart in those deep pools. She smiled and brushed the dirt from his face. “The Nightdragon is you, Lumos, a part of a whole, and yes, I do understand.” She sighed. “The spell, aye, it was different this time. I think we need to talk. I want to know how to control dragon power but not now. My head is filled with the horror of those disgusting spiders.”
The clatter of horses’ hooves and Pyro’s voice echoed through the cavern. Thalia turned in Lumos’s arms to greet Pyro’s cheery smile.
“That was close. The storm is raging outside.” Pyro narrowed his eyes at Lumos. “Look at the pair of you. Have you forgotten how to use the fresh and clean spell? Come here and I will clean you up.”
“We are fine, thanks, and yes, I am familiar with that spell, but my first priority was Thalia’s safety.” Lumos stood away from her and inclined his head. He regarded her closely. “There, is that better, little one?”
She giggled. Lumos’s magyck had spilled over her, cleaning her from head to foot with a tickle. “Aye, thank you, but I doubt I will ever repair the damage to you, Lumos. You are orange from head to foot.”
The air around Lumos shimmered and he stood in perfect order, grinning down at her like a monkey. She flared her nostrils to inhale his warm, masculine scent. The delicious aroma wrapped around her in a sensual hug. At once, her womb clenched, dampness seeped into her folds. Her mind filled with the luscious memory of his heat buried deep in her ass, the slide of his huge bulk tormenting her shattered nerve endings. His mouth twitched into a smile, and his attention rested on her breasts. She did not have to look down at her shirt to know her tingling nipples strained against the tight fabric. She cleared her throat to get his attention. “You do that so well.”
Lumos gave a throaty growl.
She met his sultry gaze. “I mean the fresh and clean spell.” So dry, her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, she coughed. “I am so thirsty. Do we have any water left?”
“Yes, Pyro replenished the water. I will have to teach you that spell, too.” Lumos led her into the cave. “We may be here for some time. We are lucky, Pyro knows this realm well. He said these sandstorms can last for hours.” He pulled her close. “We will eat and wait out the storm. This cavern goes way back inside the mountain and there is a rock pool just around that bend.” He pointed down a dark passageway. “It would be a perfect place for us to spend the night if necessary.” He nuzzled her cheek. “Y
ou smell so delicious. I can almost taste your arousal.”
She slipped her arms around his waist and rubbed against him. “Mmm … that would be nice, but Pyro would hear us. I am not sure.”
“Do not deny me the chance to love you.” Lumos brushed the hair from her face. “You are changing, sweet butterfly. Your skin is like mine and soon your ears will become pointed, but you will require more of my seed to complete the change.” Lumos smiled down at her. “Pyro told me to make sure you were content. I am ignorant about such things and having no father nearby to consult on the matter, I asked Pyro for his advice. He understands your needs … our needs.” He stroked her hair from crown to tip. “I cannot wait to see your wings—will they be the color of autumn leaves like your hair?” He groaned. “Then I will be able to taste your lips and sink my cock deep inside your hot, little pussy. Gods, Thalia, I cannot wait.” He bent his head to suck on the mark on her neck sending waves of passion straight to her core. “You want me, too, do you not, sweetness?”
Thalia melted against him, wanting him with every breath. Gods, she had become addicted to him, his scent, and the glorious taste of his seed. With a moan, Lumos rubbed his hard shaft against her belly. She cupped him and under her palm, his massive dick strained against the skin of his pants. In a gentle caress, she scratched her nails up his swollen shaft and smiled. “You know I do. I am just embarrassed with Pyro so close by. I know I will scream when I climax.” She glanced up at Lumos. “Does that happen to all females … the screaming?”
“Many make a noise during sex. I believe this is natural but this desire you have for me is the beginning of the mating heat. Gods, your screams drive me crazy—in a good way. I love your little sobs of joy, too, and knowing you scream in ecstasy for me alone.”