Marked By Fire

by Meg Ripley

  Wade gave him a feeble smile in return. “I suppose that’s true. But now that I know, I can’t tell anybody. They would come after you, and probably in a more ferocious manner than I ever could.”

  “You’re not going to tell anybody?” Lance raised an eyebrow.

  The old man threw his hands in the air. “How could I? You’re a dragon, but you’re a good and honorable man. I haven’t worked out all the details yet, but it’s clear that you’ve been protecting Sabrina from…him.” He flung a finger across the room at Max’s corpse. “And I have a pretty good feeling you lied to me about there being other dragons, but I know why you did. I won’t ask you again. It’s your business, not mine.”

  Despite all they had been through, Lance wanted to trust him. Sabrina’s uncle could have made himself Lance’s number one enemy, but he was refusing to do so. At least for now. It was the most Lance could hope for. “I appreciate that.”

  “I suppose it’s time for me to go. I think I’ll head off to Alaska and take a cruise. That seems like a normal thing for an old man to do, and I definitely need normal.” He rose to his feet but stared regretfully at the dead dragon.

  Sabrina pushed herself off the couch, headed for Max’s still form. She wrapped her delicate hands around the bloody dagger and yanked it from his flesh. His blood clung to it in congealing lumps, and she wiped it off gently on the already-ruined rug. “I believe this belongs to you.”

  Wade took the weapon sadly, but he nodded his thanks. “Maybe there’s one other thing I’ve achieved out of all this.” He looked at Lance and then back at his niece. “I’m pretty sure you’re a believer now.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  “You look amazing,” Lance whispered as he ran his hand down the silver dress Sabrina had picked out for the party.

  “You don’t look too shabby, yourself,” she replied. “But I’m not so sure everyone else is happy to see me.” She looked around the large ballroom at The Club, studying each of the people, wondering which of them were shifters. Lance had explained that most of them would be, but it was hard to imagine there were so many dragons in one room. Still, she knew she had the most handsome one on her arm.

  She hadn’t let herself be away from him for more than a few minutes at a time since the battle that had taken place in his apartment. She’d come too close to losing him, and she found herself needing to feel the heat of his body now more than ever. They had taken refuge in her apartment while his ‘connections’ cleaned up the mess at his place. There was no time or energy for anything more than eating and catching up on their sleep.

  But getting dressed up for the ball had brought back her energy, and she couldn’t stop looking at her date. “They throw one heck of a party, don’t they?”

  “Nobody knows how to live it up like dragons,” he said with a shrug as he grabbed a drink off a passing tray.

  A heavyset man threaded his way toward them through the crowd, his dark eyes shifting constantly between the two of them. “Rockland, aren’t you going to introduce me?”

  “Mr. Cross, Sabrina Holland. Sabrina, Mr. Cross is the President of the Darkblood Society and the owner of The Club.”

  She put her hand out to shake his. Though she knew it would feel completely normal and human—just as Lance’s did most of the time—part of her still expected to find a few scales. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

  “Lance has told me all about you. I assure you, the introduction is only a formality,” Mr. Cross said with a grim smile. “I usually make it a point to not have anything to do with humans, but it’s my understanding that you already know quite a bit about us anyway. You could have told everyone about Max and Lance, but I appreciate your discretion.”

  “Of course,” Sabrina assured him with a smile.

  “You two enjoy the party,” Mr. Cross said gruffly. He stormed away, with Bruno following closely behind him.

  “He’s friendly.”

  A new song began to play, and Lance took her in his arms, gently swaying back and forth to the music as he looked into her eyes. “He’s got a lot on his shoulders. The Society has many dragons to protect, and he takes the responsibility very seriously.”

  “There’s something I still don’t understand.” Sabrina’s hand trailed up Lance’s arm and rested on his shoulder. She could feel his strong muscles through his tuxedo jacket, and she had to pull herself back to the subject matter at hand. “You killed another dragon. Why are the Darkbloods giving you an official membership and throwing this big party in your name?”

  Lance looked around uncomfortably at the crowd. He hadn’t wanted to go that evening, claiming they could have just as much fun staying in together, but they both knew it was an obligation they couldn’t miss. “I don’t think they would approve of one shifter killing another if the circumstances were different, but Max was a bit of a troublemaker. He’d had a few close run-ins with other dragons, and Mr. Cross knew he was getting out of control. It was only a matter of time before something happened.”

  “So, that was it?” Not that eliminating Max wasn’t a big deal. Sabrina was more than happy to know that he could never again corner her by the copy machine or demand that she go out to dinner with him. He had been an awful man, and she felt much safer knowing he was no longer in the world.

  “Not exactly.” Lance pulled her tighter against his body as another couple slipped through the crowd, but he didn’t loosen his grip once they had passed. “I refused to tell your uncle about the other dragons, even though he was going to kill me. I didn’t even give Max away. They’ve decided they can trust me, which is what being a part of the Society is all about.”

  Sabrina looked up at her date, admiring his dark hair and blue eyes. He was so gorgeous—and he was all hers. She could see the fire of the dragon inside him, but she wasn’t worried; Lance would always keep her safe. “It’s a shame we had to come here tonight,” she said softly.

  He had been scanning the crowd once again, but he gave her a startled look. “Why do you say that? You seemed happy to be getting dressed up for it.”

  “I was,” she replied coyly, “but I can’t do what I want to do here.”

  “And what is that?” It was a challenge as much as a question.

  “Prove to you just how much you mean to me.” She stopped dancing long enough to push herself up on her toes and press her lips to his. Her body came to life as they kissed, reminding her once more why she had gone out with him in the first place.

  He broke the kiss but kept his forehead pressed against hers. “I don’t think anyone will notice if we leave for a little while.”

  Her chest heaved as adrenaline shot through her system. She wanted him, badly. “Where would we go?”

  “Mmm.” His breath was hot against her skin, and she cherished it. “Anywhere you want. There’s that nice big bed at your place. Or a hotel. Or I could ask for a room here at The Club. Or we could do it right here on the dance floor for all I care.”

  “My place is fine,” she replied as she brought her leg out of the slit in the long skirt of her dress and ran her knee up the side of his leg.

  Without another word, Lance was escorting her out of the ballroom and past the foyer. A different bouncer stood guard at the door, but he only gave them a passing glance as they tumbled out onto the sidewalk and ran for Lance’s car. It was difficult to move quickly in her heels, but Sabrina would rather have aching feet for the next week than have to wait any longer to make love to Lance.

  “I can’t believe it’s taken us this long,” she said as he pulled away from the curb and into traffic. She ran her hand up his leg, dangerously close to the hardness that had developed inside his pants. “You know, you could have taken advantage of me plenty of times by now.”

  “I guess you could say it’s been a nice build-up,” he said with a smile. “Or maybe I was just waiting for you to take advantage of me.”

  Sabrina studied the low profile of the center console and grinned. “Okay.” She reached over an
d unzipped his pants, pulling his member out into the night. Bending forward so that her head was buried in his lap, she took his length into her mouth.

  “Oh!” The car jerked slightly and straightened out again. “That wasn’t what I was thinking, but I’ll take it.”

  His cock grew as she slipped her tongue up and down the length of it, treasuring what had seemed to take forever to earn. Sabrina buried him inside her throat, licking and sucking at the base of his length. The gear shift dug into her ribs, but she didn’t care. Lance had endured unbelievable pain to defend her and keep her safe, and she would do anything for him. She sucked harder as she felt the car making the sweeping turns of her parking garage.

  “You keep that up, and I’ll be finished before we even get there.”

  She lifted her head to meet his gaze, taking his manhood in her palm, “Fine by me as long as you’ll be ready to go again.”

  “No.” He parked the car swiftly, slamming on the brakes and yanking the key out of the ignition. “I want you. I want to come inside you.” He zipped up his pants and leapt out of the car, jogging around the back of it to let her out.

  Their lips crashed in the elevator on the way up to her apartment, their tongues tangling, their hands exploring. It was late and none of the other tenants were around, but Sabrina wouldn’t have cared if they had been there. Let them see who she was and what she had now. She wasn’t ashamed. This wasn’t some cruel man she had to hide. He was good to her, and the whole world needed to know about it.

  They stumbled into her apartment, unwilling to let go of each other long enough to unlock the door and close it behind them. As soon as they were inside, Lance scooped her up into his arms. “Sabrina, I—”

  She pressed her finger to his lips. “There will be plenty of time for talking later. Right now, just show me.”

  He brought her to the bedroom, letting her down gently as he began kissing her again. The heat of his body had increased, and it soaked into her skin like sunshine. His fingers worked furiously at the zipper on the back of her dress until it fell into a silvery puddle on the floor.

  “You look so good in this,” she said as she ran her hands across his broad shoulders and down his chest. The tuxedo truly was a good look for him. “Almost so good I don’t want to take it off of you. Almost.” Her hands went inside his jacket and pushed it away so she could undo the tiny white buttons on his shirt. She forced her fingers to stop shaking so she could do this right instead of ripping every garment from his body.

  A moment later, they stood face-to-face and completely naked, admiring the unclothed aspects of each other’s bodies. Sabrina took in the smooth planes of his human form, from his wide chest to his chiseled abs. He was nothing but pure, slim muscle. His new tattoo, the one that formally marked him as a chosen member of the elite Darkblood Society, was still healing on the inside of his wrist, yet quickly. She got on the bed and climbed back toward the pillows, beckoning to him with her finger.

  “Not so fast.” Lance grabbed her by the ankles and pulled her forward. “I think it’s time I returned the favor.” He bent over and sank down between her legs, instantly bringing a flood of electricity to the most sensitive parts of her body.

  She clasped at her breasts as he expertly flicked his tongue over her core, her muscles twitching with excitement. Lance paid attention to what pleased her, moving his tongue faster and faster as she came closer to her peak. He licked a finger and slid it inside her, timing the movements with those of his tongue.

  “Come up here,” she begged as she felt the intensity building inside her. “I want you. I need you.”

  “Not yet.” His voice was a vibration against her skin, and it sent her over the edge. Her hands flung out to grab at the sheets, twisting them in her fingers as she bucked against his mouth. His strong hands held her by the hips, determined to make her ride out her entire orgasm as he relentlessly continued his ministrations.

  When her waves of pleasure had finally begun to ebb, he looked up at her with a grin. “You didn’t think I was going to let you get away, did you?”

  He had sated her once, but it wasn’t nearly enough. “Come here,” she beckoned, reaching for him and pulling him close.

  Lance held his body over hers, teasing her entrance with his hard cock before he thrust himself deep inside her. He filled her in a way that she’d been longing for all her life, but she hadn’t really understood before then. It was an animal instinct that made her crave him, and while it had control of her body, she thought of nothing but pure, raw sex.

  He kept his weight off of her with his arms, but it felt so good to have his powerful muscles sliding against her as he pumped his hips. Lance was completely dominating in bed, but he would never harm her; he was the dragon who would keep her safe, the dragon who would satisfy her as no human male had ever been able to do.

  “Oh,” she moaned as a jolt of electricity shot through her body.

  “What is it?” he asked softly. He kissed her fully on the mouth, then moved on to her ear so she could speak.

  She was almost embarrassed to admit what was happening, but she was sure he wouldn’t mind. It was only a boost to his ego, after all. “I…I’ve never been able to come in this position before.”

  He buried himself even deeper inside her, making her spread her legs wider before wrapping them around his body. “And now?”

  Sabrina closed her eyes, concentrating on the ball of energy that was building up at her very center. The head of his dick was hitting her in just the right spot, commanding her to find her satisfaction once again. He had taken her breath away, and it was getting hard to speak. “I might. But I want to ask you a question first.”

  “You have room in your head for question? I must not be doing this right.” He curved his neck to kiss her breast, pulling her nipple into his mouth and caressing it with his tongue. His mouth was hot against her skin. Everything about him was hot, and she found herself pressing her breasts toward him for more.

  It was all too much, and it felt so good. Still, there was one thing she needed to know. She had nearly asked him several times, but it had never seemed to be the right moment. Between breaths, she finally managed to get her question out: “I was wondering…if you have to…be in human form to do this…”

  Lance let her nipple go so he could look at her once again. A mischievous grin took over his face as his hips began moving faster, pounding her into the mattress.

  “Well, mostly.”

  Two great green wings sprouted from his back, their leathery expanse fanning out over the two of them. His member thickened as he came, bringing Sabrina right along with him. His heat was a flame inside her, burning out everything but this moment together. She screamed her pleasure as she dug at his shoulders with her nails, tension and release fighting for space within her.

  Eventually, the sensation subsided into a quiet urge—one that let her know she would be happy to have another round later. Lance laid next to her, his arms around her and his wings gently fanning the air.

  She reached out and tenderly touched the edge of one. It was bone covered in scales, and she traced it down to his shoulder blade before gently probing the soft skin that stretched between the hard ridges. “Does it hurt when you do that?”

  Lance caressed her jawline, her throat, her arm, her breast; so gently that it was impossible to believe he could transform into a dragon. “Sometimes. It depends on what I’m doing. If I just decide to let my wings out for no reason, then no, it doesn’t feel very good. It takes a lot of energy to shift, and controlling it is difficult. But if I have other energy that I’m releasing,” he smiled, “then it’s completely different.”

  “That amazing.” She held her hand up on the other side of his wing, able to see her hand right through the green translucent skin.

  “You’re amazing,” he countered. “Sabrina, I’ve never felt for a woman what I feel for you. When I came to work at Carlton and Corbin, I was determined to stay away from any humans as
much as possible. That’s usually pretty easy for me, but you made it completely impossible from the moment I saw you. I was so aware of you, I felt like an animal stalking its prey.”

  “You could have fooled me,” she replied playfully. “I was so attracted to you, but I wasn’t even sure if you liked me as a secretary. You were so distant; I was worried I was going to end up throwing myself at you by the end of the year, maybe literally.”

  “You can throw yourself at me all you want, Sabrina, and I’ll always catch you. I love you.” He pressed his lips to hers, sweetly, gently. His wings folded around them so that he embraced her doubly.

  Sabrina pressed into him, unable to get enough. “I love you, too. You know, most women are looking for their knight in shining armor, but I found my dragon in emerald scales. I think the fairytale works out much better this way.”

  “Agreed.”

  In his wildest dreams, Lance never thought he’d be able to trust another human—let alone fall in love with one. But this sassy, green-eyed beauty changed everything.

  And as they both quietly drifted into a blissful, satisfying sleep, neither imagined their hearts could feel so full.

  THE END

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