by Ophelia Bell
His cock pressed even tighter and hotter into her, stretching her with each violent thrust. Her eyelids fluttered closed from the pleasure. He was keeping her on the edge to draw it out, she thought.
Corey smiled smugly in the monitor, the only thing she could see from her restricted vantage point. Just before his half of the screen went blank and she lapsed into the distracted spasms of a body-gripping orgasm, she heard him murmur, “You’re welcome.”
Breath of Destiny: Chapter 5
Corey sat back in his leather desk chair staring at the now blank screen in front of him. In spite of the cool air in his office he was sweating and his dick was impossibly hard. Jesus, the two of them could set off fire alarms as hot as they were. He’d enjoyed inciting them, forcing Erika to give in just once and see her lose control to the point of confessing a deep desire he believed she’d always had. He still remembered a time when he’d imagined being that man with his cock buried balls-deep into her, her harsh cries carrying those words to his ears.
He’d never have satisfied her, though. It was a fact he’d figured out early on in their friendship. He loved powerful, self-assured women, but Erika had the kind of personality that needed a more flexible man. Corey could never have been that man for her, so he’d left Eben to it. Flexible seemed to be in Eben’s repertoire. And in Geva’s.
That didn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate watching her fall apart when the right man fucked her. Dragon, he corrected himself. He’d been doing that a lot lately but wondered if it really mattered. They weren’t really all that different from humans.
He clutched his baseball in one fist, picturing Erika’s gradual crumbling. He felt a little guilty, but she had needed the wake-up call. She was near thirty. If she didn’t figure it out soon, she’d be in denial for the rest of her life. And they didn’t have time if what he’d learned so far was true. None of them would take in the first year. Not one of the brood would conceive a child no matter how much they wanted it.
As the Queen’s proxy he knew the requirements. The Council strictly monitored and rationed magic to the brood. The magic they needed to conceive. The idea disgusted him, but he was loyal to Racha first, so he couldn’t tell them. He could only hope they stood together to make the Council change that one ridiculous law.
In the meantime, Corey was forced to watch all of them try to prove their need to procreate. They all wanted it, but come next year, there would be no new dragons unless they could convince the Council to let them assemble the Verdanith. Making the artifact whole again would take the power out of the hands of the Council and give it back to the Brood.
Maybe Racha was right, though. Maybe it took enough raw need between two partners. He had enough right now after watching that display.
He buttoned up his shirt and tightened his tie, then grabbed a stack of random files to hold in front of his crotch before leaving his office.
“Mr. Monaghan,” his secretary started in surprise when he opened the door.
“I have a meeting with Ms. Aris. Hold my calls.”
“Yes sir.”
The elevator took him up the one floor to her office. Six seconds was how long it took. He’d counted it multiple times, and counted again. How else do you pass the infinity it takes you to get to the woman you love?
The doors opened directly into her lobby. No hallways existed on the top floor. Her secretary, a bright young woman named Heather, lit up when she saw him.
“Is she busy?” he asked.
“No sir. Go right in.” She beamed at him and he tried to ignore the way her eyes drifted up and down him a few times before he passed through the doors.
“Racha Aris, CEO” was plastered on the heavy wood door.
She sat at her desk, intently reading something—most likely the latest financial reports for the company she had inherited from her father when he had died, and assumed control of six months ago. She’d slipped into the role her father had filled with very little effort aside from Corey’s explanations of how the modern world worked. He felt a little ineffectual now, to be honest. She was blindingly intelligent, he’d realized quickly once they were out in the world. She picked up on everything—social nuances, technical jargon, even the subtleties of corporate slang that irritated him to no end.
She didn’t move from her position when he entered the office, but there was an almost imperceptible shift in her posture once he was there. Their game, he thought. She would ignore him until he forced her to pay attention.
“Erika called.”
Racha’s head jerked up and she stared at him. Jesus, she was beautiful. Her green eyes were wide and expectant, her hair caught up in a pair of carved jade combs, with dark curls escaping. It was the end of the day and she was just a little oblivious of her appearance on days when she had few meetings, like today.
“You’re carrying files. You couldn’t e-mail me their location?”
“You’re observant,” he said.
“What did Erika say?”
“She was calling to petition, like the others.”
Racha laughed. “You must be joking.”
“No, and she was convincing. Very convincing.”
Racha’s eyes drifted back down to the manila folder he held in front of his hips. Her posture shifted again as she swiveled to face him. She crossed her legs and he admired the way her snug skirt rode up her thighs a tiny bit.
“So we have five petitions for my brother to take to the Council. The Council controls the sixth, so we just hope for now that they’ll approve. Shall we celebrate?” She glanced to the wet bar on the other side of her office, but Corey had in mind some other lubrication to enjoy besides the expensive liquor she kept available for clients.
“Yeah… I think we should.” His voice came out rough. He walked into the room with purpose, and tossed the folders onto her desk a second before he knelt in front of her. She was flushed already, her eyes wide when he slipped his hands up her thighs and pushed them apart maybe a little too forcefully. But he needed her and was too impatient to be gentle.
He shoved his hands up beneath her skirt, found the waistband of her panties, and tugged hard. She lifted up just enough for him to pull them down. Her shoes went along with the expensive lingerie she liked and he shoved her skirt higher, pulling her hips forward.
“She always gets you worked up.” She threaded her fingers through his hair and bent to kiss him.
“Powerful women get me hot. You like it,” he murmured against her lips.
“I love it.”
While they kissed he let his fingertips slide between her thighs. With his other hand he unbuttoned her blouse and unhooked the lacy little front-hook bra she wore.
Pleasing her was the apex of his day. Since learning who she was and the scope of her family’s influence he’d been intimidated, but this was one situation where he still felt in control. Being the master of her pleasure was the thing he’d craved and now he had it, every day. He’d arrived at her office earlier than usual today, but needed this as much as he knew she did.
“I love you,” she breathed. He smiled around her nipple and enjoyed the harsh exhalation when he plunged two fingers into the scalding wet depths of her pussy and began rubbing her clit with his thumb. He’d make her come at least once before he gave himself to her. It was his way of asserting himself and she’d yet to complain about it. Today he had a lot of himself to give.
She cried out and pulled his hair, tugging his face back up to hers to kiss him savagely while her orgasm shook her. He quickly lifted her out of her chair and shoved the objects on her desk aside to make room.
The glow from her climax hadn’t subsided yet when sank into heaven a moment later, his hard, aching cock throbbing in contact with the wet sheathe of her pussy. He kissed her while he fucked her, only half conscious of her hands busily unfastening the buttons of his shirt and pushing it off
him. His pants fell forgotten around his ankles. Nothing remained besides the godforsaken tie around his neck. The tie had an abstract green pattern that now draped across her breasts as he bent over her, burying himself inside her sweet depths over and over.
He came hard. His body shuddered and tensed. He took a breath and met her gaze. She smiled up at him in that worshipful way she had during these moments. Her hand grazed the glowing mark on his chest.
“Maybe this time?” she said, hopefully.
“I’m not done yet,” he said, beginning to slowly fuck her again. He intended to give it all to her today before he stopped. Every last drop. The way she tilted her head back and sighed when he moved inside her again just made him hotter. Her bare, creamy breasts bounced slightly with each thrust and she reached behind her head to grip the edge of her desk for leverage. Her strong legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him into her with rhythmic tugs. She wasn’t done yet, either.
By the time they were done, he’d climbed halfway onto her desk and her head and shoulders were draped over the other side, her slender legs both hooked over his shoulders while he fucked her into oblivion.
He pulled her up and shifted them both back to her desk chair, where he seated himself with her tucked onto his lap.
“Maybe this time,” he murmured into her neck, darting his tongue out to taste the sheen of sweat that coated her skin. She ran both hands down his cheeks and pulled him in for a deep kiss. When she drew back, her expression was resolute.
“It could take decades, but we have time.”
“You don’t sound like you believe that,” he said, caressing her pale thigh where it rested across his.
“The sooner we conceive the more time we have with our children after. The hibernation comes so quickly. I was a late child. I just remember seeing how distraught my parents were when I had to leave. Or my mother, at least. Father was away at the time.”
“Fucked up law, if you ask me,” he said. Corey rarely articulated his opinion of dragon law, but this was one he firmly believed to be bullshit.
“I don’t make the laws. You know that.”
“That doesn’t mean I have to like it,” he said, but he did know. Even though she was the Queen, her role was more of an enforcer than anything. Her brother was the one with the Council’s ear. Now with the entire Court in agreement that the Verdanith should be assembled, he hoped something might change. He’d at least like to surprise his mother with one more grandchild before she gave up on him entirely.
Racha’s desk phone trilled, its red light flashing. The sound jolted them both out of their intimate moment. She sighed and kissed him quickly, then leaned to answer the call.
“Ms. Aris, your four o’clock is here.”
“Thank you. I’ll be right there.” She slid off his lap. With a breath, her clothing shifted and rematerialized in perfect organization, her mussed hair adjusted itself into a perfect coif on her head. She still looked flushed and satisfied when she turned to survey Corey, still sitting naked in her chair with his pants around his ankles.
“You should sit in on this meeting. Not naked, though.”
Corey stood and dressed. “It’s your father’s publicist, right?”
“Yes, but that’s not why I’m meeting with her. She was Father’s mate at the end of his life.”
“You don’t sound enthusiastic about meeting her.”
Racha’s shoulders tensed, but she was already striding toward the door after confirming he’d put himself back together sufficiently to greet a guest. “She’s not my mother.”
Corey wanted to ask more questions, but she’d already opened the office door and was walking back toward him with her guest behind her. Corey quickly swiped a hand through his hair, then did a double take when he saw the lovely woman behind his lover.
He’d have known the confident carriage anywhere, even without seeing her face and the head of blonde waves that spilled over her shoulders. She had haunted his dreams for a year until he’d finally allowed himself to move on.
“Ms. Jillian Valenti, allow me to introduce you to Mr. Corey Monaghan, our Chief Technical Officer.”
“Hello, Corey. Long time, no see.”
“Hello, Jill.”
Breath of Destiny: Chapter 6
Erika roused herself from a lazy nap to find Geva seated near the bed, naked and watching her with a sleepy smile. The new haircut threw her. She was used to his insanely red hair that grazed his shoulders. Now he actually looked kind of respectable, not the wild dragon man she’d fallen for.
She still loved the look. Especially when he greeted her naked like this.
“It glows even when you sleep.” He glanced at her lower abdomen.
Her mark tingled in response to his appraisal. Heat rose to her cheeks and she pulled the sheet up to her navel. “That must make you very happy.”
“Insanely.” He grinned. “Aren’t you?”
She sighed. “It’s complicated. I don’t deny the desire is there, and obviously it’s very real if my mark is telling the truth. But it’s been six months since we got back. I’m itching for a new expedition. A baby would complicate my work.”
“More than I’ve complicated it?”
“Maybe. At least I can take you with me. That is, if you can go.” There were all kinds of arguments to the contrary. She’d known plenty of archaeologists who had raised kids in the field. Even given birth in the field. She could be hardcore like that. But didn’t she owe it to her kid to be more responsible?
“We do have a new expedition—the one to find my sister.” Geva gave her an expectant look. She wasn’t completely oblivious to his need to please her. She adored it, if she were being honest. The way he’d couched this particular plea made her love him more, but it was still too complicated.
“Which we can’t begin until we get that artifact assembled. Will it just tell us where she is, do you think?”
“Our legends say once it’s assembled it must be taken to the Mother’s birth place and affixed to her shrine. Then She will speak to us, bestowing the wisdom we seek.” He propped his elbows on his knees, ready to give her any other incentive she needed. She felt suddenly self-conscious that a man like him was looking to her for help and validation.
“Your mother or the Mother?”
“The Mother.”
Erika’s gears began to turn. A true expedition, provided the Council approved. Nothing else mattered to her in moments when she had a clear objective.
“Where’s this shrine?”
“Only the Council knows the precise location, but there’s sufficient available lore for us to find it without their help.”
Erika snorted. Of course only they knew. She enjoyed how Geva seemed to grow more excited at her own enthusiasm.
“Well, first things first. Let me call Corey back and find out if he has any news. It’s already been a week.” She snatched her phone from the bedside table.
Her friend answered on the third ring with a grumbly, “Monaghan.”
“Hey, Cor. What happened to your secretary?”
She heard a curse on the other end of the call. “Jesus, Erika. I was planning on calling you when I woke up. You’re probably the most impatient woman I know. I have no idea how that man lives with you.”
Erika glanced at Geva who was laughing quietly. She’d forgotten how keen his hearing was. She glared at him and he mouthed “sorry” to her. “Where are you, Cor?”
A deep sigh met her ear through her phone. “I’m not at the office… It is only 4 AM on the East Coast, you know? It’s not like I was sleeping anyway. My calls are usually forwarded directly to my cell when I’m offsite.”
“Sorry I woke you.”
“Fuck you, you aren’t sorry for anything. I’ll just get right to it anyway. I have good news and bad news. Mostly bad news.”
Erika
tensed. Corey didn’t sound optimistic and considering his ‘yes man’ attitude, his tone worried her. “What is it?”
“The Council approved our request.”
“That’s incredible! When should we bring you our piece of the artifact?”
“Not so fast… We’re missing a fragment. We thought the Council had the sixth, but it turns out they don’t. They lost it centuries ago.”
Centuries ago? Her blood went cold at the implications, but her brain immediately kicked in to compensate. ‘Centuries ago’ was her favorite phrase. It normally made her a little wet to hear, but this time the situation was more complicated. She averted her eyes from Geva’s. An expedition was what that meant, but she knew she shouldn’t be happy about a delay in finding Geva’s sister. Either way, she needed to make sure Geva heard from someone else’s mouth what they needed to do, no matter how sharp his hearing was.
“I’m putting you on speaker. Say that again.” She tapped the screen of her phone and set it down on the bedside table.
“I said, the goddamn Council has lost the sixth piece of the fucking artifact. Racha’s gone to meet with her brother to try to figure out what to do about it. And we have other problems, too.”
“Do they affect us finding the damn thing?” Geva asked.
Erika raised an eyebrow at his outburst. He was actually starting to sound a little like her.
“Not exactly, but they may affect how the Court proceeds. I believe you want the Verdanith for the reason you asked for it, but I know you, Erika. I know there’s another reason.”
She started to object but he cut her off.