by Imogen Sera
She moved up, then down, as his cock sank deeper. He gripped at her hips, holding her as she rode him, watching her lovely face as she fucked him. Her eyes were half closed, her hair a wild halo around her face. Her pretty pink lips were parted, slightly, and he watched as the tip of her tongue darted out to wet them. She moved faster, harder, and when she was close he held her hips in place above him and thrust into her, powerful and insistent, and a moment later she was quivering, clenched around his cock, gripping his forearms tightly and breathing his name. He spilled into her as her walls still gripped him, pulsing rhythmically.
She’d fallen forward with her face on his shoulder, still locked around him, looking up at him with love in her eyes. He held her there, kissed her nose, then pulled a blanket over them up to cover her shoulders.
“Get some sleep, Maggie,” he said, stroking her back.
She stretched to press a kiss against his neck. “Good night, love,” she murmured sleepily.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Maggie awoke wondering if she was still dreaming. It was early; the cracks in the boards over the windows were unlit. Caelian surrounded her. His bigs arms were wrapped around her, making her feel tiny and delicate. His leg was thrown over hers, his bare chest was pressed against her cheek. His heart beat echoed in her ear, slow and strong, and she savored the feeling of being so surrounded by the man she was in love with.
The thought hit her suddenly, and then she couldn’t let it go. Love? It seemed so soon, so sudden, and yet not at all. He’d spent months writing faithfully to her, baring his soul and his secrets to her, all so that she could know him. She’d fallen for him, utterly and completely, and it seemed so inevitable. When he told her what she was to him, all those months ago, he was certain they would be together and be happy. She’d watched his heart break as she told him about Bradley, but it hadn’t taken Caelian long to get back to being sure that eventually this would happen.
And he was right. She loved him. She wanted to wake him up and shout the news at him, but she also didn’t want the whole world to know just yet. This was a sacred, fragile, private thing. So she slowly untangled her limbs from his, collected her clothes from the floor, and dressed before tiptoeing down the stairs to the parlor where the four sisters slept.
They were scattered on various surfaces, all illuminated by the orange glow of the fire burning low. Juliette slept on the floor, closest to the door, with Eloise next to her, reaching toward her sister in sleep. Scarlett and Elisabeth, the oldest and youngest sisters, were crowded together on the chaise. Scarlett held onto Beth as she slept, the younger sister stretching nearly as far along the chaise as the older sister did.
“Maggie,” she heard whispered quietly, and turned to see her mother standing in the hallway.
“Mama?” she asked hesitantly. Her mother had lucid periods, occasionally, but it had been months since the last time she’d been able to have a conversation with her. Maggie was afraid she would never have one again.
“Come sit with me, sweet girl,” her mother said, and Maggie followed her across the hall to the front room.
They sat side by side on the couch, Maggie leaning into her mother’s side and clasping her hand tightly.
“Tell me what’s happening, Maggie. Where are we?”
“Tell me what you remember,” she said gently, “and I’ll fill in the rest.”
Her mother’s breathing quickened. “You were sick, sick like when you were a baby, and again when you were a child. You had those awful blisters on your pretty face. We thought you were safe after the first time, but you got them again and again. But this time they took you from me.”
“I’m better, mama,” she said, squeezing her mother’s hand. “They took me to Dragongrove for treatment. I’m all better now.”
“Where are we?”
“We’re at Juliette’s house. Do you remember her? I’ve told you about her,” she said, and when her mother nodded she continued. “Her husband is gone, it’s just her sisters and us here. And a friend of mine. We’re leaving Haverbrook. We’re going somewhere safe.”
“We’re leaving?” the older woman asked. “Bradley’s letting you go?”
Maggie shook her head. “We don’t have to worry about him. He’s not in charge of our lives anymore.”
“He provides security, Maggie.”
Maggie furrowed her brow. “He did, yes. That’s why I agreed to marry him in the first place. But I can’t do it anymore.”
Her mother watched her, deep lines creasing in her forehead. “I’m sorry that you did. I do appreciate that you always take care of me.”
Maggie leaned into her mother again.
“Where are we going?”
“North,” Maggie said. “Where my friend lives.”
The older woman stared at her for a moment. “Your friend the dragon?”
“You remember that?” Maggie asked, astonished. Her mother never remembered what happened when she was in her state. “Yes. My friend the dragon. He’ll keep us safe, and once we’re there we can have new lives. He has a brother that might be able to help heal you.”
“You believe this? You’re sure he’s not carting us off to have for dinner?”
Maggie giggled and shot her mother an incredulous look. “I’m sure. I’ve been there, mama—” a frown crossed her face, “—I left you and found him there. It’s lovely, there, they live in a palace and there are gardens and lakes and fountains and everything you could imagine.”
“A palace?”
Maggie described what she had seen to her mother. The gleaming turrets, the fountains and ponds, the incredibly handsome men- dragons- who all called it home. She told her about her journey then, and why she had decided to leave. She mentioned Caelian only briefly, but her mother shot her a knowing look.
“He’s important to you?”
Maggie found herself blushing slightly. “Very.”
“And you love him.”
“I don’t know,” Maggie lied.
“I think you do know,” her mother said.
Maggie drummed her fingers along her leg. “I never expected this,” she said, after a minute of silence. “I was married to Bradley, and I took whatever little affection he showed me. I didn’t think I would ever be in a position to fall in love.”
Her mother stroked her hair, gently. “But you have.”
Maggie nodded against her shoulder. “I’m so scared, mama.”
“It’s very scary,” her mother said, rocking her daughter gently. “But you’re clever and you’re sweet and you’re a good judge of character. If you think things will be well then I know they will.”
“I don’t know what I think,” Maggie said. “Caelian was so angry at Bradley today, he was fuming. It was a normal reaction for him, of course, but I was frightened of him. I feel so broken.”
“Time will help, sweet girl,” her mother said. “You’ll get there. I know the fear you mean, and it’s faded for me, when I have my saner moments.”
Maggie’s eyes were wet with unshed tears. “I hope his brother can help you.”
Her mother nodded, her chin against Maggie’s messy curls. “You’ll be alright. Whatever happens, Maggie, I know that you’ll be alright. You’ll do what you need to do and be alright.”
They sat like that for a long time, in silence, the cold air of the night surrounding them. When the first light of dawn peeked through the cracks of the windows Maggie looked up at her mother and realized she was sleeping, her chest moving slowly under Maggie’s head.
The lucid moments were few and far between, but Maggie treasured them.
.....
Maggie awoke to an aching neck and the smell of smoke. A moment later Eloise ran into the front room.
“There you are!” she said, her chest heaving. “They’re trying to burn the house down!”
Maggie was alert instantly, and glanced up at her mother. She still had her arms protectively wrapped around her daughter, but the warm gaze she’d
trained on Maggie last night was replaced with a blank stare.
“Where’s Caelian?” Maggie asked Eloise as she extricated herself from her mother and stood.
“Out front, trying to talk them down,” she said. “Edward and Bradley are there, and Beth’s intended.”
Maggie sighed. “We need to get out of here,” she said. “What are your sisters doing?”
“Grabbing what they need, Caelian told them to. He asked me to find you and your mother. Is she—?” Eloise trailed off, studying her mother.
Maggie shook her head. “She’ll need help,” she said. “And Scarlett.”
“What should I do?” asked Eloise.
“Fetch what you need and come right back. I don’t know what we’ll do, but we can figure this out.”
Eloise nodded and ran off. Maggie’s glanced at her mother’s fixed stare, sighed, and turned from the room.
She could hear raised voices from beyond the front door, and as she considered opening it to see what was going on it swung wide and Caelian stalked in, then slammed and boarded it behind him. He caught sight of her, strode to her side, and embraced her.
“We have to leave,” he said into her hair. “They don’t care what I offer, they just want you and your friend. You’re not safe here.”
Maggie shuddered slightly against him. “How do we get out?”
“I have an idea,” he said grimly.
Five minutes later everyone had been gathered into the back kitchen, all of the sisters with satchels of various sizes.
“We’re not going out the front,” Caelian said, “I can’t protect all six of you with them right there. I also think it’s unlikely that the side door is unguarded. Juliette, I hope you’re not particularly attached to this house.”
Juliette laughed at that. “Please feel free to damage it in any way that you wish.”
Maggie watched him expectantly, and in the midst of the chaos he shot her a warm smile that nearly brought her to her knees.
“We’ll make our own door,” he said, turning his gaze from Maggie. “I’ll need to shift before we leave the house. This room isn’t quite big enough, there will be some damage to it when I do, so I’ll need you all to wait there,” he gestured to a distant corner of the room. He glanced at Maggie’s mother. “I’m going to burn the wall. Scarlett and Magda should get on my back, you four stay behind me until we can leave, and then stay close.”
Maggie nodded and looked around. Scarlett looked horrified, Juliette and Eloise were staring wide eyed, and Elisabeth was grinning widely. Maggie ushered everyone over to the corner he’d indicated, and then turned to watch. A deafening crunch later, and the room was destroyed. The wall against the hallway was now a gaping hole, and large pieces of plaster fell from the ceiling. Caelian’s head was turned, watching them, and Maggie helped her mother forward. Maggie used a table nearby to climb on his back, and reached her hand to Scarlett who was being guided by Eloise.
“Like this,” she said, positioning Scarlett where it was most comfortable, and placing the blind girl’s hands on the raised ridges she could hold. “Hold on tight,” she said, and then reached down to help her mother up.
Her mother had begun trembling slightly, her gaze still blank. Maggie helped her get seated between Scarlett’s legs. “Please stay calm, mama,” she said, and was thoroughly surprised by the small nod she received.
She climbed down and joined the other girls where they stood. Caelian was watching her, and Maggie nodded at him. He turned his massive head to face the back wall, and then the world was engulfed in flames.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The group walked down the road, several hours later, making quite a sight. Caelian held Maggie’s mother in his arms as he wore his too big, too short pants, which he’d delightedly pulled on, thanking Juliette profusely for having saved them. Eloise and Scarlett walked with their arms linked, as did Elisabeth and Juliette, so Maggie walked alone, grateful to have time with her thoughts.
Leaving town had been easier than she’d worried it would be, and had only required a furious roar and a warning breath of flames to make her husband flee. Not husband, she reminded herself for the millionth time.
She’d been frightened of Caelian for a moment, when it happened. The monstrous power scared her, but she had to acknowledge that it had never been turned against her, nor did she ever expect it to be. He’d been nothing but good and kind and endlessly patient with her, but she worried that even his patience would have a limit. It wasn’t his fault that she was distrustful, but he suffered for it. Guilt gnawed at her as she watched him, gentle with her mother, kind to her friends, and saving her in a way that she hadn’t ever thought was possible.
They avoided towns, worried that news about a dragon shifter had traveled faster than they walked, but around the time that night fell Juliette and Eloise decided to slip into the nearest town to find something for the group to eat, at least, while everyone else waited just off the road, nearby.
Caelian had propped up Maggie’s mother against a tree, and Maggie checked her over quickly and helped her to drink some water. She sat next to her then, and pulled Caelian down on her other side, clasping his hand and kissing his jaw quickly. Elisabeth chattered on about her strange dreams and how she’d just known that a dragon would come and rescue them, then proceeded to grill Caelian about every aspect of his life. He answered her questions enthusiastically, and Maggie was pleased at how quickly time seemed to pass until Juliette and Eloise returned.
They had bread and meat, and it was divided and eaten quickly, before they continued on their way. Walking to Arnes would take weeks, but they were really just trying to put space between themselves and Haverbrook while waiting for the assistance that Caelian had requested.
As night deepened and their pace slowed they decided to make camp, and managed to find a small clearing that was suitable. It wasn’t visible from the road, but they’d be able to easily hear anyone who passed by.
Caelian made a fire while the sisters arranged makeshift bedding from they clothes they’d brought along, and Maggie was a little jealous of the warmth they’d have until Caelian guided her to a spot right next to the fire, and then had slid behind her, wrapping his arms protectively around her. He was lovely and warm against the cold air, and she was drifting off before she knew it.
.....
Caelian held Maggie close to him, feeling her heartbeat under his palm. He was reminded of the night, months ago, when he’d held her until dawn. He was pleased that this was becoming a habit.
He finally felt as if he could breathe again. Everything since she’d been asleep in his bedroom had been a whirlwind, but now they were headed to Arnes, help was on the way, and the threats of Haverbrook were a full day behind them.
Anger coursed through his gut at the thought of it, at the thought of Bradley; how Maggie had been in his bed every night since she was a child. She would be treasured in Caelian’s bed. She would sleep beside him every night, and he would worship her until she no longer feared him; because despite her sweet words and tender touches, he could see the way she stiffened sometimes at things he said, and the way she watched him constantly, as if trying to gauge his mood.
He couldn’t share a bed with her, he realized. Maggie had been plucked from her home as a child to share the bed and home of a man who was nothing but cruel to her. The most freedom she had ever known was her perilous journey to Arnes, and it hurt him to realize why she had spoken of it with so much joy. It was the first time in her life that she hadn’t been under the thumb of some man who only cared that she existed for selfish reasons. She would never be under Caelian’s thumb, and he needed her to understand that.
She would have her own bedroom, he decided then, and she would occupy her days however she wished. If she wanted to spend her nights in his bed, being worshiped, so much the better, but he wouldn’t ever press the issue. Maggie would be the master of her own destiny, and he hoped to fit into whatever it was. She was his mate,
and he adored her, but he wasn’t entitled to her. He would prove his worthiness to her for the rest of his life.
With that thought in mind he eased his grip around her waist, kissed her cheek softly and shut his eyes.
.....
Maggie awoke to the sounds of conversation, and was disappointed to find that at some point Caelian had gotten up. She blinked against the morning sun, her face chilly but Caelian’s fur cloak tucked snugly around her body. Her eyes struggled to focus, but once she heard an unfamiliar voice she sat straight up.
“I like what you did with the house, Caelian, are you making a habit of burning people’s homes?”