Deception_Paranormal Romance_Dragon Shifters and Immortals

by Laxmi Hariharan

Dora tugged Rage’s sleeve. “Zach is on our side, you can trust him.”

  His lips pursed. Rage drew in a breath and released it. He raised his chin, angling his body slightly to shield her. “Dora trusts you.” His voice was curt. “That is enough for me.”

  Zach nodded. “Fair enough, dragon shifter.” He folded his hands over his chest. “You are free to stay here in Seychelles…for the time being.”

  Was it her imagination, or was there a hint of humor in his voice? In all the time she’d known Zach, he’d never cracked a joke. She’d always sensed the light-hearted streak running through him, but he had never revealed it so openly.

  The emotions they were flushing into the Web were having an effect on her leader, too. It was breaking down barriers and allowing the Elysians to reveal their true selves.

  “I owe both you and Vance.” Zach clapped Vance on his shoulder. “Would the three of you accept my invitation? Stay as my guests and attend the meeting I have called tomorrow with my core team to update them on what has happened here?”

  Rage rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck muscles. “Is that wise? Having a dragon shifter in the midst of the Elysians?”

  Zach cut the air with his palm. “It’s time for them to accept that the future is going to be very different, one where species must live and work together.” His stance was arrogant; he was every inch the leader of the Elysians.

  Zach was back in charge. She no longer had to fear staying in her own land.

  This was a big moment. Tibor and Vesta had been defeated. Her brother was safe. Her shoulders relaxed. “Bran. I’d like to go to him.” She raised her chin.

  Zach’s features lightened. “Both you and Bran put yourself at risk for our people. You took on the rebels and helped defeat them. You will be rewarded for it.” He took a step toward her.

  Rage growled in his throat. He thrust out his chest and widened his stance. Tension radiated from his big body.

  Dora placed her palm in the center of his back. She sent a pulse of reassurance down the mating bond. Rage didn’t change his position.

  Warmth filled her chest, expanding it until she thought she’d burst with joy. She had Rage. She had her mate by her side. She’d never be alone again.

  Zach paused but showed no signs of backing down. He raised his chain and met Rage’s gaze. Alpha to alpha. “The dragon shifter is right to be possessive of you.” The corners of his eyes crinkled. “You were brave and fearless, Dora. Yet you also followed your heart. You gave no thought to your own survival. You did what was best for your dragon shifter and for your clan.”

  Pandora’s cheeks flushed. She wanted very much to hide her face against Rage’s broad shoulder, but she was no longer the shy empath. She was a woman who knew her mind, who knew her heart’s desire. She was confident, and powerful, and happy in her own self.

  Zach held out a hand. “I would be very privileged if you accepted the position of chief empath on my council.”

  Pandora stiffened. Her heart hammered. Her father had been a strong empath. He’d hoped to work his way toward a seat on the Council. Tibor had ended his life before he’d succeeded.

  She stepped around to stand in front of Rage. Her spine was straight. She drew herself up to her full height. She was very conscious of Rage’s broad chest behind her. Heat from his body curled around her waist, soothing her, bleeding into her. It gave her the courage to meet her leader’s gaze head-on. “I accept.” She gripped Zach’s hand. “On one condition. You let me read you.”

  32

  Rage

  A few hours later

  Rage followed Pandora into a small building that was set apart from the main area of Zach’s house. He was willing to trust the Elysian male at Pandora’s insistence but was relieved not to have to spend the night in such close proximity to him.

  The wounds of having been shut in and tortured by Tibor and Vesta were still fresh in his mind.

  Yet Zach had acknowledged how powerful his mate was. He’d done her the ultimate honor by asking her to join his council. Perhaps Zach was different? Rage was willing to give the Elysian leader a chance to prove himself.

  In front of him, Pandora walked across the living room, to the bedroom that was tucked away in a corner of the little house. She flung open the windows. The wind rushed in, bringing with it the scent of the sea and salt, laced with the smell of jasmine. Her scent. It tugged at him. Desire pulled low in his belly.

  He reached out a hand only to let it drop. He wanted her so much. When he’d found her body laid out, her skin cold to the touch, he’d been sure that he’d lost her.

  It had driven him half out of his head with fear.

  To find her alive and standing here facing the sea was amazing. Her scent flowed over him and made his pulse beat fast with anticipation. He wanted to kiss her, run his fingers over the curve of her waist, to place his lips in the hollow at the base of her neck, and breathe in her essence.

  She was so fragile, his empath, his mate. He couldn’t bear to let anything happen to her.

  “I can sense you, dragon shifter,” she said without turning. “I can feel your beast stirring inside.”

  He curled his fingers at his sides. “Do you know how much I want you?” He closed the space between them and stopped next to her.

  The breeze picked up the stray hairs that had come loose from her braid and blew it to the side and across his chest.

  She turned and placed her fingers on his cheek. “Yet you hold back.” Her voice shivered over his skin.

  His nerve endings tingled. On the psychic plane, the energy of his dragon brushed up over his skin. His beast wanted to get through to her.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.” He swallowed and looked past her at the colors that bled from the setting sun into the sky. “For so long I carried my beast as a formless, shapeless creature that did not know what it was. You let it free and gave me purpose.”

  Her silver-green energy licked around the amber glowing heart that was his dragon. Desire raced through his blood.

  Raising herself up on her toes, she touched her lips to his neck, running them down until she reached the hollow at the base.

  His pulse beat against the softness of her lips.

  She slid her fingers under the cloth of his shirt.

  Sizzle.

  Her touch arrowed straight to his groin. His limbs trembled. He caught her hand in his. “What are you doing?” He growled.

  Her lips twisted. “Isn’t it obvious that I am trying to seduce you?” She twined her free hand around his neck.

  She tugged his head down.

  He went willingly.

  Their lips were so close. Her sweet breath seared his cheek. Her eyes glittered. The scent of musk was heavy in the air. She was turned on.

  As was he.

  “You’re pushing it, babe.” Heat flushed his skin.

  “Oh good!” She gripped his waist and jumped up.

  He brought his hands around to curve them over her waist.

  She hooked her ankles around his waist. Her thighs clung to him. Her hips cradled his arousal.

  The breath slammed out of him. “Fuck, Dora.”

  “Thought you’d never ask.” A shudder ripped through her muscles.

  He grabbed her hips and held her in place against his throbbing middle.

  When she thrust her breasts into his chest, his pulse jumped. His desire was a hard column that strained his pants.

  Yet a part of him hesitated. His dragon was newly woken. He still didn’t trust the animal to hold back. If something were to happen to her… His breath caught in his chest.

  He slid his hands down to squeeze the firm flesh of her bottom.

  She must have sensed the emotions warring inside him. She cupped her palms around his face. “Let go, Rage. Trust me.” She couldn’t have said anything that was more perfect.

  His dragon growled and pushed to break free.

  Why was he fighting this desire that was tearing him apart? “I
want you.” The rightness of those words sank into his blood.

  He dropped all restraints on the psychic plane. His dragon leaped toward her through the mating bond.

  33

  Dora

  The amber essence of his dragon twined with her silver-green, lighting up the mating bond. A pulse of such wanting came down the bond, so powerful and dense that it slammed into her chest. Mixed with it was fear and love—so much love that goosebumps rose on her skin.

  This man wanted her more than he could ever reveal through words. She was so drawn to him, and that she was an empath only heightened the chemistry between them. It was like a silent dance on a plane where there were only the two of them.

  Heat from his body, his desire, his lust, all of it mixed and swirled around her.

  Her pulse raced. She needed him to take her, to peel back the layers she had hidden behind all these years so she could live with herself again.

  He nipped at her fingertip, then closed his mouth around her finger.

  Little sparks of desire vibrated out down her hand. Her nipples pebbled, and she rubbed them against the hard planes of his chest.

  His cheeks flushed. “I wish I could court you and shower you with the gentler things you deserve.”

  Warmth flooded her chest. “All I want is you.” She traced his lips with her fingers. “I see you, dragon shifter. Your hopes, your fears, your need for me. I feel it all.” Rising up, she nipped his chin. “Show me how much you love me.”

  A growl rumbled up his chest. His pupils blinked vertical, amber sparks flaring, drawing her in. “Your last chance to back away.” He gripped her hips and thrust his hardness against her soaked panties. “If we go through with this, I have no idea what my dragon can do. It would mean we are bonded, that nothing can come between us.”

  Her throat closed. In his arms she was never just an empath. She was a woman confident of her sexuality. That he desired her, but yet held himself back, simply turned her on even more.

  He’d never hurt her.

  His beast was fiery and wild, and yet she felt the gentleness at its core. She just had to make him trust himself, too, so they could move past the restraints he had placed on his beast.

  “I can handle you, dragon shifter.” She taunted him. “Question is, can you handle the heat, fire-breather?” She raised her chin, daring him.

  His jaw firmed, and the skin around his lips tightened.

  She sensed the exact moment he dropped all pretense.

  Those vertical-slit eyes flared with sparks as if there was a fire that had been lit deep inside him. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  Her skin crawled with anticipation. His voice tugged at that hidden feminine part of her. The pulse between her thighs quickened. She felt herself go wet.

  When his lips swooped over hers, she was ready. She plunged her fingers into his hair, holding his head in place.

  She opened her lips, allowing his mouth to dance with hers. She swirled her tongue against his, kissing him right back. Sucking on him, drawing from him, meeting him thrust for thrust.

  His heart thudded, his breath hitched. A low rumble rent the air.

  The scent of dragon fire teased her nostrils. Her eyes flicked open to find the tips of his hair were sparking amber-green fire. She darted a look at their joined bodies.

  Flames licked over them, entwining them even closer.

  “You’re burning up, Rage.” The words whispered out of her.

  He shuddered. His eyes blinked open. He glanced down, and his nostrils flared. “My fire does not harm you.” The surprise in his voice sparked a tingling in her chest.

  “I’m your mate.” Delight seared her heart, hot and heavy and possessive. “Your dragon will not hurt me.” Just then, the moment was so perfect that she knew even if she died she’d have no regrets.

  The muscles of his shoulders relaxed under her palms.

  His lips parted in a slow smile. “You know what this means, right?” His words sent a pulse of apprehension racing through her.

  She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak.

  He gripped her chin with one hand and with the other massaged the curve of her bottom. “It means I’m going to make love with you until neither of us can walk straight.”

  She shivered but didn’t look away, reveling in the promise that flared in his possessive gaze.

  She’d become the aggressor, to tease him into relaxing and letting himself be. Was she ready to deal with his beast, his true self that she’d unleashed?

  34

  Rage

  When he’d looked down and saw the fire that enveloped both of them, it had turned him on. He hadn’t realized until then just how much being a dragon mattered to him. But seeing his mate wrapped up in flames brought out something animalistic in him.

  For so long he’d wanted to hide the misshapen monster inside, out of fear it would hurt those around him. Then she had reached out to his dragon. She’d helped him face his fears and reveal the beast within.

  He stood before her, unmasked. Would he scare her?

  All he saw was her eyes shining up at him, and her lips curved, the plump flesh glistening.

  He trailed his fingers down her throat to where her breasts thrust up at him. He slid his hand around the flesh and squeezed it.

  A shudder ran through her, and her tongue flicked out to touch her lower lip.

  An answering fire pulsed through his blood. He couldn’t wait anymore.

  Turning, he made for the bed in the center of the room. He lay her down, his touch gentle.

  When he made to move back, she scissored her legs around him, holding him captive.

  Her thighs flexed, and her strength took him by surprise.

  “I have you now, I’m not letting you go.” Her lips parted.

  Her shirt had ridden up, showing the creamy expanse of skin above her waistband. He wanted to reach out and touch it. Slide his fingers over her curves and sink into her moist center.

  Liquid heat scorched his veins. His throat closed.

  Reaching down, he gripped the hem of his shirt and took it off in one sweep.

  She inhaled. The sound cut through the space between them. Her gaze seared over the planes of his chest, down to his waist to where his desire was evident. He grew even harder.

  Her eyes widened. She reached out and ran her palm over the cloth that stretched over his arousal, gripping his length through his pants.

  His stomach muscles clenched, and heat flushed his skin. A groan tore out of him, the power of the dragon coursing through him.

  “You’re beautiful, Rage.” Her voice was husky.

  He narrowed his gaze on her, his cheeks flushed.

  “You say the most amazing things.” Only his empath could make him feel as if he were strong enough to win every battle in the world.

  She knew his insecurities and his deepest fears. With her, he could be himself. “Only you could see my true nature and still find me desirable.”

  Something that was knotted inside him dissolved. It was as if he’d finally given himself permission to be who he was.

  “I want you, Rage.” Gripping his arm for support, she half arced off the bed. “I want to see you buried in me, I want to feel you coming inside.” Her head fell back, and she bared her neck.

  His shoulders shuddered.

  He’d thought he was the more dominant? He’d been mistaken. She owned him, body and soul. For her, he’d do anything—fight enemies, even unleash his true self. He’d rip out his heart and lay it at her feet. For her he’d bare his spirit

  His nails slid out. Using his claws, he sliced through her pants and her underwear. The cloth tore with a ripping sound that had the goosebumps on her skin rising.

  She unlocked her legs from around him and raised her hips.

  He peeled the fabric from her and threw it to the side. She lay there exposed, the pink flesh between her legs throbbing.

  Saliva pooled in his mouth.

  Ci
rcling her ankles, he pulled her even closer.

  She squeaked, and her lips trembled.

  Pushing her legs apart, he placed them over each of his shoulders.

  She was spread out for him, her skin flushed with heat, her thighs clenched.

  Leaning in, he blew over the soft curls of her mound.

  Her belly quivered, and her breasts rose and fell.

  Bending down, he licked her sweet flesh.

  She hissed out a breath. Her nails dug into the skin of his neck.

  He licked her nub.

  She screamed, and her heels pressed into his back. Her fingers plunged in his hair, urging him closer.

  But he wasn’t giving in that easily. “Patience.” He nipped the soft skin of her inner thigh.

  Her back arched off the bed.

  With the heel of his hand, he rubbed at her core as he proceeded to kiss her center. He darted his tongue in and out, mimicking the actual act of love making.

  He sensed the pressure building inside her, growing and filling her. She groaned and bit down on her lower lip to stop herself from crying out.

  Heat from her sank into his skin. Her heels rose, and her toes dug into his back.

  He squeezed the soft flesh of her thighs that begged for his touch. He cupped her breast with his free hand, tweaking the hard nipple.

  Her head fell back exposing her neck. A sheen of sweat covered her forehead and her chest.

  His arousal throbbed.

  She gripped his wrist and yanked his hand up toward her mouth, biting down on the edge of his palm. Her breath shuddered over his skin, raising goosebumps.

  Blood flowed straight to his groin, and he had to part his legs farther to accommodate his hardness.

  His dragon snarled, asking him to claim his mate.

  Yet he waited.

  He thrust his tongue inside her and licked up the moisture that trickled from her center.

  She tasted so hot and sweet and just so erotic. The heavy scent of her desire was all around him. It drove him out of his head with wanting.