The Dragon's Discovery (Lochguard Highland Dragons Book 6)

by Jessie Donovan

  His brother Hamish jumped in. "Aye, well, our father used a cane toward the end. So maybe it has more to do with that, even though our dad was strong and stubborn to his last breath."

  Alistair hadn't talked about his father in years. They all still loved him, but he'd been severely injured and poisoned by some humans. The dragon hunters hadn't been as organized ten years ago, but the internet had allowed like-minded individuals to gather and carry out their bloody deeds.

  His mother huffed. "Of course he was. Try putting the three of you together, and you'd start to get an idea of your dad's stubbornness. He probably could've been clan leader if he'd aimed for it, but he’d wanted to spend more time with you three and settled on being a builder." His mother stared down at the bairn in her arms and said softly, "He was a good male, the best. And he would've been proud of you all."

  Silence fell, and Alistair tried to think of what to say. His mother hadn't been so forlorn over his father in over a year, thanks to the old nutters courting her.

  He may think the two males were both a wee off in the head, but Archie and Cal had made his mother happy again. And for that, he was grateful.

  Kiyana's mother spoke up. "I know how that goes, too. I think your husband and mine would've gotten along well."

  His mum met Carol Barnes's eyes. "Probably, unless they were trying to outdo the other when it came to stubbornness."

  The two older females smiled at each other, showing Alistair something else he'd missed over the last few months. Kiyana had said their mothers were friends, but maybe they were closer friends than he'd thought.

  His dragon said, That's a good thing. She and Lorna MacKenzie used to be this close until something happened. Mum needed a new friend who understood the pain of losing a mate and found it in Carol.

  Wee Roman cried, and his mother handed him back to Alba. Once the lad was nursing, he quieted right down.

  The sight reminded him of what he'd be soon himself—a father.

  And he couldn't be more impatient if he tried.

  Kiyana cleared her throat. "Since small silences are rare here—and I'm not complaining, just stating the facts—there's something Alistair and I want to share officially." She glanced around the table. "Although I think everyone already knows, given how Hamish likes to talk."

  Hamish looked sheepish, but Alistair couldn't be mad at his brother.

  After sharing a glance with him, Kiyana said, "Alistair and I are having a baby in just over eight months' time."

  Graham's son Hugh grimaced. "Another cousin? We aren't going to fit around the table soon. And I don't want to babysit it."

  Everyone chuckled, but it was Hamish's son Cody who jumped up in his chair and did a little dance. "I want another cousin. They'll be younger, and smaller, and I can be in charge."

  Cody's mother tried to get him to sit down, but since she still nursed wee Roman, Cody easily jumped off the chair and raced over to him and Kiyana. The lad tried to whisper but didn't quite manage it. "Although if it's a girl, I'll be her protector. She'll be safe with me. No one will ever be able to hurt her."

  Since Bruce on his lap was trying to mimic his cousin's earlier dancing, Alistair first had to get a better hold on the lad before he managed to grip Cody's shoulder and squeeze lightly. "I know you'll do a fine job, Cody. Lad or lassie, you'll be a good protector."

  Cody looked at Kiyana. "But don't name him Nigel. Or Neville. Or Jumba-something. Maybe I should help name it. I could pick a better one."

  Kiyana laughed. "We'll see, Cody. We'll see."

  Alistair's mother clicked her tongue. "Get back in your seat, lad, and finish your dinner. Us adults want to celebrate Kiyana and Alistair's news, but first you need to eat and go to bed."

  Cody's shoulders slumped. "But I don't want to go to bed. I want to celebrate, too."

  Hamish motioned for his son to go to his seat. "Go on, Cody. Sit down as your grannie asked."

  The boy trudged his feet but eventually made it. And as chatter filled the table, Alistair tried his best to keep smiling and hide his impatience. Because he'd wanted to whisk his mate away as soon as possible to not only talk with her, but claim her again.

  However, if his mother was serious about celebrating, he may not get to do it for hours yet.

  His beast spoke up. Let her celebrate. It'll give our mate time to rest before we take her again.

  Kiyana laughed at something someone said, and he studied her. He couldn't help but smile as his family continued to entertain her. After everything that had transpired over the last few months, his female deserved the levity. They had their whole lives to look forward to, and he could afford to spare a few more hours with his family.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Kiyana had a slight sugar high from the juice she'd had to drink in place of wine—Meg only had extremely large glasses, and she'd ended up drinking every last drop—and resisted tagging Alistair's side and running ahead. "I think we should take moonlight walks as often as possible. It's quite a bit calmer than I ever imagined Lochguard could be."

  The corner of Alistair's mouth ticked up. "It's not always the case, although if things ever become safe and free of worry from our enemies, then I'll take you on a walk along the loch at night. It's even more beautiful. Nearly as beautiful as you."

  She stopped and turned to face Alistair. "The wine has made you a bit more poetic than normal, hasn't it?"

  "Maybe a wee bit, but it's all you, Kiyana." He searched her gaze and then added softly, "I love you, lass. And that changes a male."

  Her heart skipped a beat. "You love me?"

  He raised a hand to her cheek and lightly caressed it with his thumb. "Aye, I do. I've been bursting to tell you for days, and always held back. But after dinner with my family, I can't keep it in anymore. I love you, Kiyana. And I hope I can be the male you deserve."

  Tears prickled her eyes. "You already are, Alistair. You've done so much to try and protect me, even when it meant running away from your home and everything you knew. Not to mention you fought to the end to keep me safe, even when you could've killed yourself in that village." She stepped closer, placing a hand on his chest. "You already are a man others should look up to." She paused, debating if she should say the words back.

  But at the thought of not saying them, her mind screamed, "Say it!"

  Kiyana had come a long way from arriving on Lochguard with a goal of keeping her distance so she could observe everyone as objectively as possible.

  She was all but mated to a dragon-shifter she admired and loved, not to mention she cared deeply for his family. On top of that, she'd become good friends with Arabella, Holly, and Gina.

  Her life and future were on Lochguard, and all because of the dragonman in front of her.

  Leaning closer, she tilted her head up. "I love you, too, Alistair Boyd."

  With a growl, he closed the distance between them and took her lips in an urgent kiss. She opened immediately, stroking her tongue against his, wanting to be as close to him as possible.

  This was her mate, her friend, and the father of her child. And currently, the clothes on her skin felt like concrete blocks, keeping her from the closeness she craved.

  Breaking the kiss, she said, "Our cottage. Let's get there as soon as possible."

  His hand traveled to her arse and lightly squeezed. "Someone's as impatient as me, I see."

  "Alistair," she half-heartedly scolded.

  He chuckled. "Aye, lass, I agree with you. I want to show the female I love just how much she means to me. And your naked body should most definitely be for my eyes only."

  She glanced down. "Can you attempt to run with that cane?"

  "I'm going to bloody try, even if I look like an idiot doing so."

  As he took her hand and started moving as fast as he could manage, Kiyana couldn't stop smiling. Alistair loved her, and she couldn't wait to see how he told her with his body.

  And maybe, just maybe, he'd let his dragon come out to play, too.
/>   ~~~

  Alistair would feel the aftereffects of his attempt at running in the morning, but he didn't care. Kiyana loved him, and every fiber of his being urged him to strip her down, torture her slowly with his mouth, and then claim her.

  His dragon paced inside his head. Yes, I want to claim her, too. You haven't let me. She's mine, yours, ours.

  He hesitated, keeping his worry tightly concealed from his dragon. Maybe. You're still recovering from the drugs. Kiyana carries our bairn. We can't take risks.

  His beast growled. I would never hurt her, ever. I want her. I don't remember the mate-claim frenzy. I need to make her ours, too.

  Their cottage came into view. Maybe. Let me tease her slowly first, and then we'll see.

  That's not much of an answer.

  But it's the one I have.

  Not wanting to do it, he constructed a complex maze inside his head. Alistair had never had the need to do it before, but Finn and the others had taught him during his recovery in the surgery, just in case.

  His beast roared, but the walls held.

  Alistair released Kiyana's hand to better climb up the three steps and open the door. He'd barely stepped inside when Kiyana slammed the door and closed the distance between them. "I love you."

  The words released his pent-up desire, and he hauled her against him, taking her lips in a rough kiss.

  He licked and nibbled until she parted her lips for him. Alistair didn't wait to dive in and twirl his tongue with hers.

  No shy, reluctant lass, Kiyana battled her tongue against his, the both of them trying to dominate the other. As her tongue tried to win, he moved a hand to her arse and rocked her against his hard cock.

  She moaned into his mouth, and he did it again, wishing the material under his fingers would instantly disappear.

  Since he'd promised not to rip any more of her clothes without asking, he broke the kiss and growled, "I want you naked. Either you do it, or I'm tempted to break my promise to ask before shredding your dress."

  She smiled, the sight sending even more blood to his cock. "I like this dress too much. So sit on the couch and I'll take it off."

  He growled even louder, but she stepped back and walked into the living room, her hips swaying seductively, beckoning him to follow.

  More than eager to see every inch of her delicious skin, he made his way to the sofa and sat down. Kiyana kept her back to him and slowly dropped her dress, letting it pool at her feet.

  Holy fuck, she was wearing a thong, showcasing almost every inch of her lovely brown skin. Alistair drunk it in, positive he'd never get his fill, and itched to nibble his way around to her front. "More, show me more. I need to see all of you, love."

  She slid down the straps of her bra, turned it around to undo it, and the lace floated down to join the dress on the floor. Glancing over her shoulder, her voice was husky as she said, "Should I keep the heels on or take them off?"

  "On, most definitely on. But if you don't remove that thong in the next few seconds, I'm going to tear it off with my teeth."

  He expected some sort of warning or retort. However, Kiyana slowly shimmied out of her thong, blessing him with every soft curve and gentle valley of her body, and he did his best to commit it to memory.

  Not that he hoped to ever need to rely on memory. Kiyana was his female, and he would treasure her every day as she deserved. Still, he wanted the images to hold on to for when he couldn't be at her side.

  She kicked away the scraps of material and turned around. He met her eyes before pursuing down to her already-hard nipples, her soft belly, and down to the apex of her thighs.

  His mouth watered as the scent of her arousal grew stronger. "Come, love. Let me slake your itch."

  Her fingers moved between her thighs, and as she began to play with her pussy and clit, his cock pulsed.

  Fuck, his female was perfect.

  As she increased her pace and bit her lip, he couldn't sit and watch any longer. Alistair lowered onto the ground and crawled over, loving how she spread her legs wider for him as he reached her. Gently taking her hand, he pushed it away and looked up. "My turn."

  Her molten gaze made his dragon roar even louder, but the maze held. She nodded. "Make me scream, Alistair."

  With a growl, he settled into the best position to lap at her pussy, her sweet honey driving him even madder.

  As he continued to lick, lap, and tease, he would only barely brush her clit with his thumb every few seconds. Some males may want to hurry her orgasm, but Alistair knew building up made her come harder.

  And he wanted her to come harder than ever before, screaming his name, and later saying she loved him again.

  Just remembering the words from earlier made him thrust deeper. Her hands went to his hair, and she said, "Yes, there. I'm so close. Alistair. Please."

  Never wanting to ever disappoint his mate, he rubbed her clit in fast, hard circles, her little moans and groans growing louder as her nails dug deeper into his scalp.

  He pressed her hips more against his mouth with his free hand while he also pressed hard against her sensitive bud. She yelled out his name as her nails dug deeper, her pussy convulsing around his tongue.

  Even when she relaxed against him, he slowly lapped his fill, loving the taste of her orgasm in his mouth.

  His dragon rammed harder against the walls of the maze, reminding him that Alistair didn't have an unlimited amount of time before his beast could take control.

  He gave one last lick and began his journey to her face. Alistair kissed Kiyana's belly—his lips staying a few extra seconds to honor the child growing inside—between her breasts, where her neck met her shoulders, and finally took her lips in a slow, lingering kiss. She sighed into his mouth as her hand ran between them, to stroke his hard cock through the fabric of his trousers.

  He groaned at the pressure of her fingers and Kiyana broke the kiss to murmur, "Now it's your turn. I need to see you, feel you, have you inside me." She searched his eyes for a second before adding, "I want all of you, this time, Alistair. Show me your dragon. I'm not afraid."

  His beast roared, and Alistair hesitated a second.

  And yet, he knew if he kept hiding his dragon away and never allowing him out, it'd not only put strain on him and his beast; on top of that, it might even push Kiyana away.

  Cupping her cheek, he kissed her nose before replying, "We'll try. But if anything happens, you promise me that you'll run to safety."

  "I believe in your dragon, Alistair." He grunted, and she raised her brows. "I do. I love all of you, but if a promise is what it takes, then yes, I promise to run if I feel threatened."

  Nodding, he brushed her cheek one last time before stepping back and stripping off his clothes. He created a small opening in the maze and spoke over his dragon's roars. We'll share. But first, calm the fuck down.

  To his surprise, his dragon settled down and grunted. Hurry up. I want her, I need her, she is ours.

  Since he didn't sense any malice, Alistair slowly took down the maze and let his dragon out.

  He hoped with everything he had that he wasn't making a fucking mistake. Alistair retreated to the back of his mind and waited to see how his beast would react.

  ~~~

  Kiyana's lust-haze cleared a fraction when Alistair's pupils turned to slits and stayed that way.

  His dragon had finally come out to play.

  Alistair's voice was a bit deeper as he said, "You're my mate. I want you. Now."

  The orders didn't faze her, and Kiyana closed the distance between them. However, instead of kissing him, she took his cock in her hand and lightly squeezed. "Then take me."

  With a growl, Alistair's dragon batted away her hand, turned her around, and placed her hands on the back of the sofa. "Like this. I want you like this."

  The human half of Alistair would've kissed her back, lightly caressed her skin, and took his time in entering her.

  However, his dragon spread her legs, pressed his cock at
her entrance, and thrust deep.

  Still sensitive from her orgasm, Kiyana moaned. Not wanting to scare Alistair's human half, she arched her back slightly, and his dragon took the hint, pulling out and slamming back in, over and over, making her boobs bounce in time to his movements.

  He placed one of his hands over her belly. But whether it was to steady her or to acknowledge their baby, she had no idea. Alistair's dragon-laced voice kept murmuring, "Mine, you're mine. My mate. Always. Always."

  "Yes, yours. Both of yours. I love you."

  At her final three words, Alistair's dragon roared and moved faster at the same time his fingers found her clit. She dropped her head, each stroke building tension.

  Somewhere in her hazy mind, she knew this was important. Because Alistair's semen made her orgasm automatically, and yet his dragon was trying to make her come beforehand.

  Surely his dragon had returned to his normal self.

  Then Alistair's warm fingers pressed harder, and lights exploded in front of her eyes as Alistair's dragon stilled inside her. She could tell the instant he came because her orgasm crested back up, sending wave after wave of pleasure throughout her body.

  By the time her body finally calmed down, Kiyana's knees threaten to buckle.

  However, before she could say anything, Alistair's dragon pulled out, spun her around, and guided her to the nearest wall. Hitching her leg around his waist, he positioned his cock at her entrance and stated, "Again."

  Alistair's dragon had threaded dominance into his voice, but she wasn't going to let it sway her. Especially since she'd read how the first interaction with a dragon could dictate how the relationship could go for the rest of time. "Once more and then it's Alistair's turn again."

  "But I want you many times. You're our mate. I don't remember the frenzy, so I need to make new memories."

  Alistair still hadn't told his dragon the full truth. Maybe there was a reason for it, and she'd have to ask him later.

  For the moment, she never looked away from Alistair's slitted pupils and said, "Once more and then it's Alistair's turn. You can play again tomorrow."