The Dragon Protector

by Noah Harris

  He didn’t recall ever telling Frankie the truth about why he’d withdrawn from them all, Clara and Portia included. It was all him trying to be someone he wasn’t, with someone he didn’t belong with. It was more of the same he’d dealt with his entire life, and it had been too much.

  “Our marriage was doomed from the start, but I was the only one who saw it. We had too much against us.” Ronnie frowned sadly at him, and then reached out to pat the back of his hand. “But they let me stay here. We’re still a family,” he said emphatically, looking at Ronnie again. He felt like he had something to prove, that he didn’t abandon people. Even if things didn’t work out, he stuck around. He could be a good partner, a good father. He could. “I’m grateful that they wanted me to stay. And for Frankie. She had the wisdom and strength to let me go, even if it hurt her. I know it did, and still does. Everything is complicated,” he sighed finally. Ronnie’s frown deepened and he nodded, pulling away slightly.

  “Frankie’s a strong person,” he agreed slowly, and then looked up and down the tunnel. He smiled, a forced smile, Jack noticed with a jolt. “It does all sound very complicated.” Jack cleared his throat and nodded, watching him cautiously. What had he said? He’d known, known he was going to mess it up. “I am really sorry I added my own problems to it, I definitely made your life harder. I didn’t know you were, uh, balancing so much. So, I ‘m sorry for that,” he said, and then smiled sadly and patted Jack on the shoulder. Jack opened his mouth but struggled to find anything to say. How could Ronnie have gotten all that from what he’d said?

  Ronnie stood up stiffly and helped Jack to his feet, and Jack carefully got up, his half-healed hand still panging every now and then. He nodded jerkily at Jack, keeping his eyes at face-level with obvious effort, and then turned and started walking down the tunnel toward the entrance to the first-floor parlor. He watched his figure recede, darken in the low light of the tunnels, Ronnie’s name on the tip of his tongue. Still naked, he knew he wouldn’t be able to follow Ronnie up into the rest of the house, he’d have to get back to his room, get dressed, find Ronnie again, if he hadn’t already perhaps left in a disappointed rush. He didn’t have time for that.

  He took a deep breath and set off after him, breaking into a jog. He closed the distance between them in seconds and reached out for Ronnie’s arm, spinning him around and pulling him against his chest. Ronnie looked up at him in surprise, fighting for only a moment and then relaxing against him. There was silence between them and all around them as Jack considered it, the thing they hadn’t gotten to do before he’d left the room, leaving Ronnie alone. Before Ronnie had snuck out and found him. Before he’d come clean and said whatever it was that upset Ronnie.

  He leaned down quickly and kissed him, chastely, feeling the sparks travel from his head all the way to his toes, the chill down his spine, the tingle in his fingers as he held Ronnie tighter. Ronnie didn’t react at first, and Jack broke the kiss, keeping his eyes closed tightly but loosening his grip on Ronnie’s arms.

  Then, in the darkness, he felt Ronnie’s lips press against his again, tentatively for just a second, and then more insistently until Jack responded. He pulled Ronnie up and against him harder, so he was on the tips of his toes, and Ronnie threw his arms around his neck.

  “Can we go back,” Ronnie breathed against his lips, leaning back and looking up at him with wide eyes. “To your room?” Jack nodded down at him, heart thundering in his chest and grabbed Ronnie’s hand. He led him back through the tunnels, making sure to detour around the scene of the fight, he knew his blood would be splattered on the ground and the walls from where Ronnie had accidentally shot him. Regardless of the fact that his hand was healed now, he didn’t want to upset Ronnie again.

  Eventually, trying to keep his breathing even, he ushered Ronnie into his room. Ronnie looked around for a moment as Jack tidied up, he nudged the bag of weapons under his bed and threw a pair of old sweatpants into his dresser. He seemed sad, watching Jack with sympathetic eyes.

  “What?” Jack asked, breathing hard.

  “I just…it’s so different down here.” Jack gazed around his mostly bare room, at the single picture of Portia framed on his bedside table, and the clock nailed to the wall. “From upstairs,” Ronnie clarified, and Jack nodded. “I want to make your life warm,” Ronnie said quietly, and Jack’s stomach flipped.

  “I-I don’t need stuff,” Jack said, taking a step toward Ronnie, who was looking up at him earnestly. “I think I just need you.” Ronnie smiled, his eyes squinting, shining, and he leaned up and kissed Jack softly.

  Jack kissed him back, sliding his hands along Ronnie’s lower back. Ronnie shivered as he did so, and then hissed when his cold hands skimmed under his shirt.

  “Your hands are cold,” he giggled, and Jack grinned against his mouth, then kissed down his throat.

  “I thought you wanted to warm me up?” he asked, and Ronnie laughed and then gasped in Jack’s ear. Jack was nibbling along his collarbone, licking the hollow of his throat, digging his fingers into the soft skin of Ronnie’s hips. They were lithe and muscled, and they flexed under his hands. He felt Ronnie’s hands layer over his and stop them from exploring, and then he pulled them off his body.

  He stood back and pulled his shirt off slowly. Jack swallowed, reminded of the motel, Ronnie in the bathroom stripping. When his shirt was off, he flushed under Jack’s gaze. His freckles blazed on his skin, like constellations. Jack sucked his cheeks in.

  “I have to tell you something,” he said gruffly, and Ronnie looked up at him encouragingly. “When we were at the motel, you left the bathroom door open. I wasn’t watching you, but…I tried not to,” he said quickly, and Ronnie bit his lip giddily.

  “Can I tell you something?” Jack nodded, letting his eyes wander every few seconds. He wanted to look at Ronnie’s face, his high cheekbones spattered in freckles, his arched brows that framed his face, his eyes that sparkled in the low light, but the rest of him was too tempting. “At the motel, when you went to change. I-I saw you, you were naked. Like you are now,” Ronnie said, his face getting more red as he looked Jack up and down.

  Jack knew he was blushing at the sight of his erection, formidable and throbbing. He said nothing, though, wanting Ronnie to finish, wanting Ronnie to tell him what he’d been hoping for.

  “I…this is so embarrassing, actually,” Ronnie said, covering his face. He kept it covered as he spoke. “I don’t know if I can say it. I, um, watched you and, and…”

  “I saw you,” Jack said, the words bursting from him. Ronnie dropped his hands, gaping at Jack, then he turned around, moaning shamefully into his hands again. “You don’t have to be embarrassed,” he said quickly. “I’ve never felt like this, with anyone. The motel was torture. I wish Lucy hadn’t been there.” Ronnie groaned again and Jack approached him, hugging him from behind, leaning his head down. “Don’t be embarrassed. I liked it,” he said, feeling his own cheeks flare. The honesty, the vulnerability, it made him feel alive, all these words he’d never said out loud. He didn’t feel like himself. He felt…better. Like a real person.

  “Are you sure you don’t think I’m creepy or something,” Ronnie said, and Jack laughed again. Then he leaned down and nibbled Ronnie’s ear, pressing his member against Ronnie’s back. Ronnie made a noise, something like a pleasurable hum and a laugh.

  “I don’t think you’re creepy,” Jack assured him, reaching around to the front of Ronnie’s pants and fiddling with the button and zipper. He kissed Ronnie’s shoulders as he did so, biting every now and then just so he could see the mark. The dragon inside him felt possessive, ecstatic, full of fire. He’d been telling the truth, he’d never felt like this before. He breathed harshly against Ronnie’s freckled muscular shoulders as he slid his pants down, and Ronnie gasped when Jack’s hands brushed against his member in the process.

  “I’ve never felt like this with anyone, either,” Ronnie murmured, turning and looking over his shoulder coquettishly at Jack.
Jack kissed him and slid his hand into Ronnie’s briefs, closing his fingers around his length. It was warm and pulsing in his hand, and he squeezed it lightly, eliciting a whimper from Ronnie. “I-I know you said humans can’t sense it,” he whispered in between moans. “But I felt like I could, ever since we met.” Jack felt an energy explode in him, like fire, and he kissed Ronnie harder, grinding against his ass as he thumbed the tip of Ronnie’s cock. He wanted to make him feel like he was being worshipped, like Jack couldn’t get enough of him, because it was true. He wanted to make Ronnie fall apart in his hands over and over, shouting his name. “Jack,” Ronnie whined.

  Jack stepped around to face him, and Ronnie looked into his eyes passionately. He reached down and grasped Jack’s cock in both hands, stroking slowly, and Jack leaned down and kissed his neck again. He backed Ronnie toward the bed, hooking one arm around his back to lower him slowly onto it. Ronnie looked angelic laying on his dark sheets, pale and illuminated, scattered with stars. Jack sat up and looked at him for a moment, but as he leaned over to resume kissing him, Ronnie leaned up, face-to-face with Jack’s member.

  Jack watched as he cupped it in his hands and licked it from top to bottom, his eyes rolling back from the pleasure. Ronnie continued to kiss and lick his length, the warmth in his chest and gut building. Then Ronnie took the tip in his mouth and sucked on it gently, and he grunted and felt himself spurt in Ronnie’s mouth uncontrollably, his hips jerking forward.

  Ronnie held onto his hips and took Jack’s spasming cock in his mouth a bit further, as much as he could, swallowing all his juices. Then he leaned back and wiped his face, grinning up at Jack. But Jack wiped his forehead and looked away in embarrassment, it had been so long since he’d been touched like this by anyone, never mind his fated mate. He’d only lasted a few minutes, and he felt shame spread through his limbs.

  “Uh,” Jack began, clearing his throat, but Ronnie got to his knees and faced Jack, gently touching his scruffy chin. He looked up at him lovingly, and Jack felt all his embarrassment disappear. He kissed Ronnie, tasting the saltiness on his lips, and then gently fell on top of him, reaching down to fondle Ronnie’s member.

  “Your turn,” Jack whispered roughly in his ear, and Ronnie giggled breathily as Jack kissed down his chest and stomach. He sucked on a spot above Ronnie’s hips and Ronnie whimpered. Jack stopped when he’d left a purple spot there. His dragon purred. Mine.

  Jack reached Ronnie’s twitching cock, returning the favor. He licked up and down its length, tonguing the veins here and there, circling his tongue around the swollen head of his member. Ronnie mewled as Jack took advantage of the difference in their sizes, he could nearly fit the entirety of Ronnie’s member in his mouth, and he did so, letting it bump against the back of his throat. When he did, Ronnie gasped.

  He slid Ronnie’s cock in and out of his mouth, reaching up to cup his package and massage it. Ronnie threw his head against the pillows and arched his back.

  “Jack,” he gasped, but Jack only sucked harder. With his other hand he pushed Ronnie’s legs up over his shoulders and prodded his entrance with his finger. He wasn’t wet, Jack remembered with a jolt that only shifter omegas were self-lubricating. Jack wet his finger with the saliva that was dripping down Ronnie’s cock and then massaged his entrance for a moment. He released Ronnie’s member from his mouth with a pop, then reached under his bed. He had lube in his bag of weapons from his travels. It was rare, and he was sure he wasn’t as experienced as beautiful, charming Ronnie, but he always kept it with him just in case.

  “Why’d you stop?” Ronnie pouted, and then his eyes lit up when he saw the bottle Jack was holding.

  “I’m not stopping for long,” Jack said teasingly, his voice rough from lust. He squirted some lube onto his fingers and then bent back down, taking Ronnie’s entire cock in his mouth and spreading the lube on his entrance. He pushed one finger inside and Ronnie moaned, half in pleasure, and half in pain. Jack continued his oral ministrations as he slowly slid his finger in and out of Ronnie, who was thrusting weakly into Jack’s mouth.

  “Jack, I’m…” he gasped, and then he was thrusting harder, his hips moving erratically, spurting into Jack’s mouth. It tasted like heaven, and Jack swallowed it all, sucking harder on Ronnie’s cock until he was sure he was empty. He continued moving his finger in and out of Ronnie, who was whimpering. “Stop, Jack, I can’t handle it,” he moaned jerkily, but Jack just leaned up and sucked on his throat. He paused, pressing his finger deep inside him, grinding his newly erect cock on Ronnie’s leg. Ronnie reached down and fisted his hand around the base of it, and then nodded shakily, breathing hard.

  Jack pulled his finger out and then, when he re-inserted it, added another. Ronnie pushed himself into the mattress, whining in Jack’s ear as Jack’s fingers explored him, curling inside.

  “Is this because,” he gasped. “You’re my mate?” Ronnie asked, gasping and squeezing his eyes shut. Jack growled in response and bit his collarbone, grinding his cock harder against Ronnie’s hand and hip. “I’ll take that…as a yes,” he whimpered. “Oh!” he squeaked when Jack carefully inserted another finger. He could feel Ronnie expanding to take his three fingers, and he could also feel Ronnie’s cock getting hard again, poking against his stomach. Jack shifted and reached over to pump more lube onto his hand, then down to hold their lengths together, sliding them along one another. Ronnie moaned loudly, pulling his knees up to rest against Jack’s thighs.

  “Are you ready?” Jack growled in his ear, and Ronnie whimpered and nodded his head desperately. Jack adjusted himself, licking the bites he’d left on Ronnie’s shoulder as he did so. He lined his cock up with Ronnie’s slick entrance and then slid the head in. Ronnie winced and Jack stopped.

  “I’m sorry, you are huge,” Ronnie laughed breathlessly, and Jack kissed him hard.

  “Just relax,” Jack whispered in his ear. “I’ll go your speed.” Ronnie nodded, letting out a shaky breath, and pulled his legs up higher, wrapping them around Jack’s waist. He looked up at Jack, his eyes shining, and Jack felt his heart jump into his throat. His dragon was chanting in his chest; mine, mine, mine.

  “Okay,” Ronnie whispered, staring into his eyes. His mouth opened wide, and his eyes rolled back as Jack pressed himself further inside, feeling Ronnie stretch around him. “Oh, oh,” he whimpered. Ronnie’s member twitched against Jack’s stomach, and Jack continued, slowly, torturously slowly, to push further and further in. The warmth and the tightness and Ronnie’s sex-saturated scent was mind-blowing, and he panted in Ronnie’s ear. “All the way,” Ronnie finally begged, and Jack grunted, pushing himself deep inside Ronnie until he was up to the hilt. Ronnie shuddered and breathed deeply, and Jack leaned back and watched him worriedly.

  “Are you sure this is okay?” Jack asked, and Ronnie nodded, a funny smile on his face.

  “This is so much more than okay,” he laughed, then kissed him tenderly. “Now please move,” he said more seriously, and Jack obliged, pressing their foreheads together. When he pulled out Ronnie moaned loudly, and when Jack entered him again, more fluidly this time, he looked down to watch Jack’s cock disappear inside him. “Wow,” he gasped, and then nodded insistently. “Please.”

  “My pleasure,” Jack growled, wrapping his arm under Ronnie’s back and pulling them close together. He began to roll his hips, the pleasure of sliding in and out of Ronnie’s welcoming, tight entrance wiping his mind clean. He thought of nothing else but Ronnie, the way he sounded when he was drunk, the way he laughed, the way he looked at Jack when he thought no one else was looking. It was so obvious now. He sped up slightly and Ronnie wrapped his arms around his shoulders, digging his nails into his back. He could feel Ronnie’s slick cock sliding against his stomach every time he moved.

  Ronnie’s moans started to sound more pitched, and he began to cry out Jack’s name as he went faster. Jack panted in his ear, the pleasure building to his breaking point. He felt his cock starting to swell, he was going to orgasm
, and he was going to knot. He leaned back, slowing down slightly, tingling and sweating, his vision starry.

  “Don’t stop, just like that,” Ronnie whimpered, arching his back at Jack’s slowed movements, but Jack wasn’t sure he could keep going without going too far. He wiped his forehead, watching Ronnie’s perfect body contort and stretch beneath him, his cock pink and leaking.

  “I have to,” Jack grunted, feeling like he couldn’t breathe. It was too much, stopping was too hard, but he had to. Ronnie looked up at him, his eyes clearer than ever, and Jack stared at him. He didn’t look overcome by lust, he looked possessive, triumphant. Like he’d gotten exactly what he wanted, and he wasn’t about to let it go. Jack panted and Ronnie reached up for his hips, pulling him against him so that he buried himself deeper inside. Ronnie let out a cry, still maintaining eye contact with him, and Jack felt himself let go, finally, of everything. Nothing else mattered.

  He fell back down onto his elbows, leaning over Ronnie, and Ronnie grinned and kissed him passionately, their lips parting, their tongues exploring one another’s mouths. Jack grunted and continued moving, slower than before, savoring every movement, touch, feeling.

  The pleasure built faster than before, his rhythmic movements bringing them close to the edge. Ronnie dug his fingers harder into Jack’s back, moaning with every thrust, bringing his hips up to meet Jack’s. Jack felt his cock swell again, the pleasure too much, Ronnie’s breath on his neck too much, his desperate purring and moaning too much, and he squeezed his eyes shut, slamming his hips jerkily into Ronnie’s and burying himself deep, lodging himself there and filling Ronnie with his juices as stars burst in his vision which was Ronnie, just Ronnie, his mouth open wide, his head pressing into the pillow, his back arching and his cock spasming against Jack’s stomach, shooting his fluids onto their chests.