Dederic glances back and his eyes shoot to mine in shock.
He drops Alderon’s lifeless body and hurries towards me, stepping over Celestra before hauling me roughly into his arms. His beautiful face drops to mine and he presses his mouth over my face and hair. I soak in the smell of him, the feel of his skin and the sound of his voice. Tears are pouring down my cheeks, and I try and wrap my arms around him, but the shackles prevent me from holding him fully.
“Little fire,” he murmurs and rubs a soothing hand over my face and down my bare arms. I reach for his face and he allows me to pull him towards me and plant fevered kisses to his mouth and jaw.
The battle behind us finishes quickly - Alderon’s soldiers are no match for the Dragons.
“I’m sorry.” I sob over and over, and he whispers gentle words onto my lips.
“It’s over. I’ve got you,” he says and plants a gentle kiss on my forehead. Warin approaches, keys jangling in hand and takes stock of the cuffs on my wrist.
“Found the keys on one of the bodies,” he murmurs and sets to work finding the match. When the iron falls free, Dederic rumbles a low growl at the raw flesh there.
“I’m okay,” I whisper reassuringly.
“We need to go. Signal the others. Odin!”
His yellow-eyed number two comes jogging over, covered in ash and sweat and gore. Dederic hands me to Odin, who holds his arms out on instinct, but I see the way his eyes go wide with shock as my weight settles into his arms.
“Hold her while I shift,” he tells Odin who raises a questioning brow. “Her feet are cut to shit; I don’t want her walking on them.”
Odin flexes his jaw and holds me carefully while Dederic moves away and shifts to Dragon. The creature growls and follows us with his snout as Odin walks me over and lays me delicately in the proffered black claw.
He gives a gentle, brotherly tug on my hair and backs away before Dederic shoots us skyward. I watch the circle of fire and death fall farther and farther away as I close my eyes and wait for home.
Healing
A sharp sting is the first thing I notice when I wake. My eyes crack open and I take in the familiar stone walls and the smell of salty sea air filtering in through a large window. Another uncomfortable pinch causes me to yank my foot back, but a warm hand holds me firmly in place.
I prop myself up on my elbows and see Dederic sitting at the end of the bed, cleaning the dirt and debris from the cuts that are crisscrossing the soles of my feet. He reaches for a cannister of ointment and begins rubbing it gently into my skin.
“That stings,” I say and try unsuccessfully to roll out of his grasp.
Churning green eyes glance up at me briefly before returning to the task at hand. He wraps my foot in gauze, the same as the other, and places the tray of water and ointment and bandages carefully on the floor.
“Thank you,” I say quietly.
Dederic reaches towards me and clamps his hands under my knees, pulling me roughly down to the edge of the bed so that my legs drape over the arms of the chair he has pulled up. I squeal in surprise and haul myself back up onto my elbows. I’m still wearing the white nightgown and my hair is a tangled mess that reeks of smoke.
“I’m sor-” I start, but he slides an arm around my waist and pulls me all the way into his lap so that I’m straddling him in the chair.
He kisses me roughly - teeth and tongue licking and biting their way across my throat and chest. Special attention is paid to the delicate markings near my collar bone and his hum of satisfaction vibrates through my limbs.
I moan at the feel of him and rake my fingernails over his scalp through his thick brown hair, pleading for more.
“Up,” he commands in a gravelly voice and lifts my arms up over my head. He slides the nightgown over my head and tosses it to the side, immediately laving attention on my breasts. Dederic cups them and pushes them up towards his mouth, licking and sucking and scraping his teeth across the sensitive pink buds.
Need thrums through me and I rock against him, sliding along his length and straining for more delicious pressure. I claw and pull at his shirt until he finally reaches back and rips it over his head. His flesh is hot and salty, and the ghost of war paint still dots his flesh, layering on top of the other markings covering his beautiful skin. I kiss a path across his neck and shoulders and trace the rough stubble on his jaw with my palms.
He reaches between us and slides two fingers along my slit. A growl rips from his throat as he discovers the wetness there, and he captures my mouth and slides his tongue over mine. His tongue and fingers mirror each other as he works me into a steady, sensual rhythm. I ride his hand and let myself drown in the smell and taste and feel of him over every part of me.
My breathing becomes ragged and I can feel myself flying closer and closer towards that rush of pleasure.
He stands suddenly, and I wrap my legs around his waist, straining to pull him closer to where I ache for more. He grips my hips with both hands, holding me just far enough away that I protest loudly at the lack of friction. My back presses firmly against the wall and he reaches between us to free his cock.
“I need you,” I gasp into his mouth.
He bites my bottom lip and slides himself slowly into my wet folds. I moan in pleasure at the feeling of fullness and tilt my head back. His hand grasps my wrists and pins them up over my head as he works himself in and out, over and over, until I am a tightly wound bundle of need.
I try and grind against him, but he has me fully under his control and he pleasures us both at his pace.
He eventually drops my wrists and slides his strong hands under my thighs, pulling my knees up so that every thrust lands him deeper inside of me. He picks up his speed and pounds inside of me faster and faster, my breasts bouncing and our flesh slapping together in an erotic rhythm.
I tense and cry out, exploding into a million sparks of pleasure. My voice is raw and hoarse, and I moan his name like a prayer. He captures my mouth again and finds his own release, pulsing inside of me and spilling his hot seed with a growl. We’re both slick with sweat as we ride the echoes of our orgasms, rocking and grinding slower and more languidly.
My breathing starts to slow, and my muscles go limp as Dederic pulls back and shifts me in his arms so that I fall against his chest. He walks us over to his massive bed and lays me down before sliding in front of me in the bed. Wrapping an arm under my head and one over my waist, he massages me soothingly until our heartbeats calm.
A long while passes and the silence grows uncomfortable. I’m scared to pull my face back from this place next to his heart and see what kind of anger or disappointment or hurt is carried in his expression. I keep my forehead planted firmly on his chest and try and drink in this moment with him.
“Little fire,” he whispers and bends his head towards me to nuzzle into my neck.
I keep my eyes clamped shut and don’t answer him.
“Seda,” he tries again and strokes a large palm over my hair. “Come here. Let’s get you clean.”
My eyes peel open, and he pulls away and slides an arm under my knees and another under my shoulders. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he takes me into his spacious bathroom, turning on the water to fill a white marble tub. He places me gently in the water, careful to keep the bandages on my feet dry, and proceeds to wash me gingerly with a soft towel and a square of lavender-scented soap.
His hands are gentle and soothing as he rinses my hair and wipes the dirt and blood from my skin. I relax completely and lean my head back against the cool stone of the bathtub.
“Does this mean you aren’t angry with me?” I ask quietly over the musical whisper of the water.
“I’m furious,” he murmurs and picks up a brush to comb through my hair.
I close my eyes and swallow hard while his deft hands smooth through my tangles.
“I’m so sorry,” I say.
“I know.” He nods.
I turn and lean against the edge of the
tub, pressing my forehead to his.
“I couldn’t let him find this place. That day when Eira and I tried to disable the trap… I saw Alderon at the river. At first, I tried to tell myself that perhaps my mind was playing tricks, or that if someone really had been there, that they wouldn’t have recognized me. But I knew. When Moris mentioned the war camp at that council meeting, I knew Alderon had come for me. I just assumed that my father was in on it and they wanted to bring me back to Illburn.”
“You could have talked to me,” he says, but I shake my head.
“I heard you tell Hector that you didn’t want me anywhere near the conflict. I thought if I told you my plan you would have locked me away and we would have lost our chance to make things right.”
“I would never do that to you,” he says. His voice is even but I can feel the sting of hurt in his words and it causes my chest to pull and squeeze with regret.
“I know. I know. But when I heard you talking to Hector, my entire life was a series of being locked up one way or another. I knew I could help Ruarden and I didn’t want you to have to choose between being worried about me and doing what your people needed,” I say, and he kisses me.
“You are my people,” he whispers, and I feel tears stinging my eyes.
“You are a newly crowned king. Everything you do ̶ every decision you make ̶ is going to be scrutinized. I didn’t want people to think you were bending to the will of your human-”
“Stop,” he commands and wipes away a stray tear with his thumb.
“It’s true, though. You know I’m right,” I whisper.
Dederic stands and holds out a towel, helping me step out of the water and drying me off. I hold the soft material around my body, and he carries me to the chair by the window and sits me on his lap.
“Seda. I have been doing this for a very long time. I cared for and respected Sarvos for as long as I knew him, but he was tired and frail for ages. He had a good heart and a desire to heal our relationship with the humans which I shared. But for the most part he allowed me to oversee how things were run here.
I’m a few hundred years old. I have lived and worked and fought with these men for decades. They know who I am. They know that I love my people, and that I would never do anything to jeopardize our progress. You also underestimate how well loved you are by the rest of your family here. Every one of those men asked to come with me today. They asked to be there and fight to bring you back home.”
I swipe at my tears and hate how thoroughly tangled everything became. I know that my heart was in the right place, but just as Dederic said, I should have trusted him more. I should have remembered that he is not a man who would stifle my voice and crush my will - he is smart and kind and loving and strong enough to empower those around him instead of tearing them down.
“I love you,” I whisper into his skin.
He kisses me and meets my gaze.
“I love you, human. And I’ll make you a deal, I swear that I will always listen to you and take your thoughts and feelings and needs into account when things happen… and perhaps you would be willing to grant me the same privilege. Perhaps we can agree to be upfront and honest from the beginning and work through our differences together,” he murmurs and pulls his fingers softly through my damp hair. “I will never restrict your freedom here. But I would like to be in the loop when you have something up your sleeve.”
I meet his gaze and am overcome with love and respect for him all over again. I trap my lips between my teeth to stop from apologizing again and simply nod my head. A small dimpled smile lights his face and he kisses me gently.
“What happened with the human camp?” I ask cautiously after a moment.
“They surrendered quickly when they realized they had been left as a sacrifice for their commander. We brought them back and questioned them about the location of the city and what was likely to take place.” My eyes go wide and my head jerks back in shock.
“They surrendered? Where are they now?” I ask.
“They should be back to the Cave City ̶ Illburn ̶ in the next day or so. We offered a trade. Information and assistance spreading the truth about what happened, in exchange for their lives and an alliance between our two cities,” he says calmly, and my mouth drops open.
“You secured an alliance with Illburn?” I squawk, and he smiles.
“I’m capable of reason and strategy, you know,” he teases gently, and I am quiet for a few moments as I let the magnitude of this news settle into my brain.
“I’m truly sorry. For trying to handle everything alone. For not trusting you to believe in me. For lying. And I’m sorry for leaving. I thought it was what needed to be done,” I tell him sincerely. My heart is brimming with emotion and regret at having hurt him and putting us all in a terrible spot.
“You have a big heart and I admire you for it. You were willing to sacrifice everything because you love immeasurably. You put everyone else before yourself. It’s one of the things I’m drawn to in you. And it’s one of the reasons that I think I’ve known for a while that you are worth fighting for - as a member of this pride, as a lover and as a mate.”
My heart stops at this declaration. I know how seriously Dragons take a commitment to their mates. It’s lifelong and permanent. The fact that Dederic is king, though, I assumed he would seek out another Dragon female. Someone beautiful and regal and a born leader.
“You need a queen, not a human who is more trouble than she’s worth,” I murmur, trapping my bottom lip between my teeth at the pain of saying those words out loud.
“I need you. I know humans do things differently, but I would make you a good mate. I am strong,” he says and places my fingers along the taut, corded muscle of his arms. “I can provide for you.” He plants a small kiss on my lips. “I will be faithful. Attentive. Generous,” he says, and I smile as love and hope and happiness swell in my chest. “Think about it,” he says and ducks his gaze quickly away.
My heart tugs and cracks at seeing this wonderful man making himself vulnerable and open for me.
“I don’t need to think about it,” I say and shake my head slowly. “I love you with everything I am. I want to spend every day for the rest of my life with you. I want to make this world better with you. I’m yours.”
Dederic grins and smothers me with kisses. We spend the rest of the night wrapped around each other, making love and talking about the future until I fall asleep in his arms.
Epilogue
Three months after Dederic secured an alliance with Illburn, the city seems to be moving in a better direction. Free from Raimund’s stranglehold, the citizens have begun rebuilding above ground ̶ and while there is a lot of work left to do, there is hope again for everyone.
A soft knock sounds at my bedroom door and Lily quickly opens it. I glance over my shoulder and smile at a polished-looking Odin, his black hair shining and hanging loose down his back. Those yellow eyes widen and the barest hint of a smile tugs at his mouth.
“Do I look presentable?” I ask.
He stays silent as ever, but he tilts his head as if to say Don’t be ridiculous.
“You look like a goddess,” Eira chirps and adjusts the long train of my white gown. It’s a beautiful creation of white lace and small gemstones beaded through the bodice.
“It’s a beautiful dress, Eve. You outdid yourself,” I say sincerely and look to the small raven-haired woman across the room. She smiles and nods as a pretty blush spreads across her cheeks.
“It suits you, Seda,” she says, and I smooth a hand down the delicate fabric. It’s soft and whispers musically with every step I take.
“We need to get moving, ladies.” Alina claps and all six of us jump into action.
Cecily adorns each of the women in a crown of beautiful flowers and fragrant greenery. They file out ahead of me before Odin pulls my hand through the crook of his arm. Cecily places a bouquet in my other hand and kisses my cheek before following the other women down the hallway.
“You clean up nicely, Odin,” I say, and he snorts as he leads me through the castle and out into the courtyard behind the others.
My heart is pounding and I become aware of my breath puffing out in nervous little pants. Odin’s yellow eyes slide to my face and he tsks and gives me a steady, reassuring look.
“This is happening,” I breathe.
The buzz of conversation from the gathered crowd reaches my ears, and I stop and take in the magnitude of the day and everyone who is present to witness it.
“Tell me truthfully,” I say to the dark-skinned giant at my elbow, “do you think he’s making the right choice?”
Odin angles his body towards me, and my eyes are pulled from the mass of people in front of the throne room to his chiseled face and the silhouette of his frame. He watches me silently for a moment and I notice the bob of his throat.
“He is lucky to have you. We are blessed to claim you as ours,” he says in that beautiful voice of his.
My eyes prick with tears at his words, and the fact that he felt strongly enough to voice them for me in this moment. I squeeze his arm gratefully and smile.
Eira clears her throat and waves us forward. The hum of voices is quiet, and a light, happy beat drums over the courtyard. The crowd parts and the other women file ahead of us to the white steps in front of the throne room. Ismeina stands at the top draped in long white robes and her own crown of flowers. My breath catches at the man standing beside her.
Dederic looks resplendent in his black uniform; a tailored black jacket and pants that accentuate the size and strength of him, and the gold crown glinting in the sunlight. His face cracks into a huge smile when he sees me, and the love and happiness in his eyes makes my heart squeeze.
Odin walks me to the bottom of the steps and Dederic comes forward to offer his hand and bring me up onto the steps with him and Ismeina. My magic purrs at the contact and filters through my fingers to wind itself around his essence. He kisses my cheek and we turn to face Ismeina as the ceremony begins.
Song of Smoke: A Dragon Shifter Romance (The King's Series Book 1) Page 24