by Donna Grant
“It doesna confine you. Instead, it cradles you, offering its beauty and solitude for those who answer its call. It’s wild and free. It’s fierce and unbreakable. It’s home.”
Rachel had the urge to board a plane right that moment and travel to Dreagan so she could see all that he just spoke of. In his words, his soul was laid bare.
In those precious few moments, she saw just how much Dreagan meant to him. It was in his heart and his psyche. It anchored him in a way that spoke to her, answering a plea she hadn’t realized she held.
His arm wrapped tighter around her, drawing her into his warmth. She was suddenly cold. It was a bone-deep chill that she feared she might never shake.
Because he’d made her think of the past, of her home where she had been deliriously happy. In a naïve, childish way she’d assumed life would always be so wonderful.
Until it wasn’t.
“Lass, talk to me.”
She heard the worry in his words, heard the deepening of his voice. Unable to help herself, she lifted her face in order to see him. “I’m fine.”
“You’re no’. What is it?”
“You love your home.”
There was a beat of silence before he said, “Aye.”
“You’re lucky.”
“Did you no’ love your home?”
“I loved it with all my heart.” A picture of her parents and sister flashed in her head.
He didn’t ask questions or push for an explanation. No, he did something even worse. He simply held her, letting her drift with her memories.
What was wrong with her? What was it about Asher that kept her from her plan? Why did she allow his words and actions to push past her end goal?
She knew what he was from her research about Dreagan and what little Sam had told her regarding those who lived there. She knew Asher wasn’t human, but a dragon in the guise of a handsome man.
Sam had showed her how deceitful and devious the Kings were by hiding their true selves and using magic to keep humans from a large portion of the sixty thousand acres that was Dreagan. All the Dragon Kings were cunning, beautiful liars who had conned an entire race into believing they were as human as the rest of them.
Sam also cautioned her that the Dragon Kings easily seduced women, but they could also turn on a dime and kill without hesitation. The seduction she believed, but the killing…? That she wasn’t so sure of. Sam hadn’t provided any proof of a King killing a mortal, and neither had her research.
Perhaps that’s why she hadn’t felt any fear with Asher. Though she wasn’t sure why she didn’t pull away and put some distance between them. Why didn’t she feel the same revulsion for Asher as she had two days earlier?
Rachel put her hands on the cold metal of the railing and drew in a shaky breath. Asher’s other hand came to rest atop hers. It was a simple gesture, but it rooted them to that spot, that very instant.
Her gaze was on their hands even as he gently turned her to face him. His fingers brushed her chin. Slowly, her eyes rose to his. The hand he had on her back pulled her closer––and she didn’t resist. She wasn’t sure she could, even if she wanted.
And she didn’t want to.
Every nerve ending sizzled, crackled with excitement and…anticipation. She held her breath, unsure of what she felt or why she was experiencing it.
Then his head lowered and she didn’t care. Their breaths billowed from their lips, mixing together before vanishing into the night.
She gazed into his striking green eyes and saw the lights reflected in his depths. But more than that, she saw the hunger, the yearning within. Her stomach quivered at the tangible desire swirling between and around them.
No longer did she feel even a hint of the cold. Every one of her senses was filled with Asher. And she…liked it.
When his lips touched hers, something electric zapped through her, causing her to suck in a sharp breath in surprise. He pulled back enough to look at her. This was the time she should call it a night, walk away and regroup for the next day.
Instead, she lifted her face to his. She had to experience more of him, to feel his kiss and know his taste.
When his mouth claimed hers, his tongue slid along the seam of her lips. They parted for him, on their own accord, granting him access to do as he wished. His arms wrapped around her, holding her securely. With a sigh, she melted against him.
She tasted the whisky on his tongue. The exotic taste mixed with his kiss caused her blood to heat. Her hands splayed on his chest before moving upward to lock around his neck. With a groan that rumbled his chest, he deepened the kiss.
Then something strange happened. Warmth spread through her, settling low in her belly. At first she thought she was going to be sick, but the more he kissed her, the more the warmth grew––until it was a fire.
And did it rage.
It burned brightly, scalding her with its intensity. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. And she didn’t care. All that mattered was that he continue kissing her, taking her further along this incredible journey.
Then that wasn’t enough. She wanted…no, she needed more. As if sensing her thoughts, he turned her so that her back was to the railing. His heat surrounded her. Every breath she drew into her lungs was filled with his scent of dark amber and mahogany. The longer they kissed, the more fiery and out of control their kisses became.
It was Asher who gradually pulled away. She struggled to find words, to tell him she didn’t want it to end. Her lids slid closed when his thumb ran over her bottom lip and he groaned.
She leaned into him, hoping he would kiss her again. This feeling…this sensation…was awful and amazing. She didn’t know whether to fight it or give in, but her body didn’t give her a choice.
Asher didn’t say a word as he laced his fingers with hers and turned toward the hotel. They walked in silence once more, becoming more in tune to him with every step she took. She could literally feel their souls intertwining and melding.
She should be scared, and she was. But she was also excited and aroused to the point that she wanted to crawl out of her skin. He’d done that to her. When no other had caused even a hint of desire, he had brought an inferno.
When they reached the elevator of the hotel, he pressed the eight button for his floor and looked at her. She knew what he was asking. Her mind warned her to leave for the night, but her body begged her to experience more of what he had so easily unleashed.
She stood beside him, facing the door. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him grin. It was a pleased smile, one that said her decision made him happy.
Almost as happy as she was.
Chapter Six
Asher didn’t want to think about the passionate kisses he shared with Rae or why he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. The more he tasted and touched, the more he craved.
The more he hungered.
As they walked into the penthouse suite, all he cared about, all that mattered was the woman beside him. Desire burned deep, swirling through his muscle and bone like tendrils of flames.
It consumed him until he thought he might go mad with the force of such passion. Lust he’d experienced before, but this was so much more. It went beyond the physical.
He thought of all the Kings who’d found mates, and it stopped him dead in his tracks. Why was he thinking about mates? But then he knew––Rae.
Their hands remained joined as he bolted the door and walked her into the suite. Her dark eyes burned brightly, her lips still swollen from his kisses.
His already straining cock jumped as he thought of taking her in his arms again. He wanted to mark her as his, to claim her in such a way that everyone who looked at her would know she was his.
It should scare the hell out of him. But all he felt was a kind of peace. As if his soul had found what it had been looking for. Which couldn’t be right. He’d been satisfied on his own.
He halted and faced Rae. She turned to him, her wide lips slightly parted and the puls
e at her throat beating wildly. He unbelted her coat and slowly released each button. Then he pushed the thick garment over her shoulders.
It fell to the ground at her feet, forgotten as she put her hands on his chest. She hadn’t seemed to notice that he’d gone into the night with nothing more than his suit, and that was fine with him. He didn’t want to answer any questions.
Her hands ran down the front of his charcoal gray suit as if feeling the fabric. Then she unbuttoned it. Those dark, seductive eyes of hers lifted, staring at him through her thick, black lashes.
And just as he’d done, she smoothed her hands up to his shoulders, shoving the jacket off. He shifted his arms so the garment slid off with a slight whoosh. His hands rested on her waist, feeling the curve of her hip. A moan stirred when she bit her lip and moved closer. The woman had him aching already, and he hadn’t even begun to make love to her.
In the millions of years he’d been on the realm, he’d had many women. But not a single one was anything like Rae. He saw the desire in her eyes, but there was hesitancy as well. As if she wasn’t sure what to do.
The fact she was so confident in their conversations and flirting—this stunned him. She needed to know she could do whatever she wanted.
He saw the way she gripped his shirt at his throat with both hands. He gave her a smile. “I’m yours, lass. Do what you will.”
Her gaze lowered to her hands, and a slow smile pulled at her lips. Then, with a yank, she tore open his shirt.
He had to fist his hands not to grab her as she gazed at his bare chest with blatant pleasure. Her touch was soft as her fingers glided over his chest and stomach. She grew bolder and flattened both hands on him as she caressed over his torso. It wasn’t long before he yanked off the shirt so she could touch more of him.
The pleased look on her face made it even harder for him not to undress her as he longed to do. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her hands on him, learning him.
All of a sudden, her caresses stopped. He opened his eyes to find her gaze locked on his tattoo. It had been a part of him for so long that he sometimes forgot it was there.
Her eyes were fastened on his left arm where the dragon sat perched between his shoulder and elbow with the appearance of its long talons sunk into Asher’s skin, with its wings tucked against him. The dragon had a snarl, his head facing Asher.
He wondered how Rae saw the tattoo. Would she question the mix of black and red ink that couldn’t be duplicated? Would she wonder why the dragon was on that arm?
Remaining still, he waited as she ran her finger down the tail of the dragon, from his elbow to the point of his wrist and back up again. Then she let those same fingers glide over the dragon’s wings and body before stopping at the head, which was at his shoulder.
After a moment, her gaze shifted to his. There was something altogether different in her eyes. He didn’t know what it was, but he didn’t like it. There was no way he was going to lose what had flared to life so effortlessly between them. He cupped her face with both hands and kissed her.
It wasn’t a slow, sedate kiss like earlier. It was carnal and erotic. He shamelessly seized her lips in an attempt to once more reveal the woman who so eagerly tore open his shirt and touched him.
There was a heartbeat of panic when she didn’t respond, then with a sigh, her arms wrapped around his neck. She returned his kiss with wanton abandon that made his balls tighten.
He then slowly walked her backward to his bedroom, never breaking the kiss. Rae’s passion matched his own. He’d never encountered a woman who could make him ache as she did.
In the bedroom, he broke the kiss long enough to pull her sweater over her head and toss it aside. Beneath it she wore a silvery strapless bra that he found insanely arousing. It was Rae who removed her shoes and unzipped her pants. His mouth went dry. The flaps fell open, revealing her naval and the lacy edge of her panties.
No longer could he hold back. He grasped Rae, yanking her against him and kissing her savagely. Her hands plunged into his hair, nails scraping his scalp as she clutched handfuls of hair.
A frenzy took them as they continued to kiss and remove the remainder of each other’s clothes. In a matter of moments, they were skin to skin. He ran his hand down her spine and over her hip. He loved the feel of her silken skin and the way her body reacted to his touch.
He sucked in a breath when her long fingers wrapped around his cock. The kiss ended as he looked down at her. She stroked him as if it was the only thing she wanted to do. A bead of pre-cum formed and she smeared it over the crown of his rod before she brought her thumb to her mouth and wrapped her lips around her finger, sucking.
Something inside him snapped. He had to be inside her, right then or die. His arms lashed around her before lifting her and laying her on the bed. Her long dark tresses fanned around her as she reached for him. He knelt between her open legs and leaned down to kiss her once more.
He reached between them and cupped her breast, feeling the weight of it as her nipple hardened in his palm. With a shift of his body, he groaned before taking the peak into his mouth and teasing it with his tongue.
She moaned loudly, her back arching off the bed as her nails dug into his shoulders. He suckled the nipple harder to hear her cries of pleasure.
When he moved to her other breast, he tweaked the turgid peak with his fingers before wrapping his lips around it. Her cries grew louder by the moment while her hips rocked against him seeking release to the growing passion.
He wanted to spend hours loving her––and he would. But at that moment, they were both too worked up for a lengthy session of lovemaking. He flattened his palm on her stomach and moved his hand downward until he reached her sex.
Her legs fell open and her breath locked in her lungs. He lifted his head to look at her while he lightly ran his fingers over her swollen sex. He helplessly thrust his hips when he found her wet. How he wanted to plunge inside her right that instant, but somehow he held back. He slid a finger inside her, then added a second before thrusting.
Her breath released in a rush. He couldn’t take his eyes from her face as surprise and pleasure washed over her in varying degrees. Her hips began moving in time with his fingers, silently urging him on.
He let his thumb swirl over her clit. Her entire body tensed for a second before she cried out, wanting more. He pumped his fingers faster, teasing her clit with every other thrust.
Sweat broke out over his body as he fought to keep control over his need. Asher then moved between her legs and replaced his fingers with his tongue.
“Asher,” she moaned.
He held her hips in place as he flicked his tongue over her swollen clit. With her cries filling the room, he teased her until her body began to tighten.
Only then did he rise up. She opened her eyes, their gazes meeting. He guided himself to her entrance. Then he watched her eyes widen as the head of his cock slid inside her. Her hands twisted the covers when he slowly pushed himself forward until half of him was inside her. Then he pulled out and thrust hard, seating himself fully.
She screamed his name and reached for him. He placed his hands on either side of her head as he began to drive into her. Soon, they were clinging to each other as the passion rose high.
He rocked his hips faster, plunged deeper, and when he felt the walls of her tight sex clamp around him a second before she screamed his name, he lost all control and climaxed with her.
As her body milked him, he found himself floating high from the exquisite pleasure.
Minute by minute, they came down from the euphoria but remained locked in each other’s arms. For the first time in more years than Asher could remember, he felt as if fortune had finally smiled upon him.
Because in his arms was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Chapter Seven
Rachel knew it was wrong to stay with Asher, but every time she tried to talk herself into leaving, she couldn’t manage it. She was comforta
ble with his strong arms around her. He made her feel sheltered and secure.
Odd since he was the thing she was supposed to be afraid of.
How had it happened? How had she found herself in his bed? There had been a brief second when she saw his dragon tattoo where she recalled what her goal was. Then she promptly forgot all about it when he kissed her again.
She didn’t want to admit it, especially not to herself, but she had a feeling she experienced her first run-in with desire. And it had been glorious.
That could be the only reason. Why else couldn’t she keep her hands off him or her clothes on? What other reason was there for her to keep kissing him? Or for her to want him to make love to her? Or to forget about protection?
It wasn’t just the desire, it was the absolute pleasure she found in his arms. The man––dragon––must be a master. Then again, if she’d been around since the beginning of time, she’d be a master at sex too.
The suite was quiet as Asher slept. A part of her had actually wondered if the Dragon Kings did sleep, but she had her answer. She turned onto her back and stared at the ceiling.
She was up to her neck in this shit. And that’s what it was. Shit.
Not once had she ever used her body for a story. Though, technically, she hadn’t actually used her body. It had been freely given because there had been no way she was walking away from such amazing kisses.
He wasn’t supposed to be this wonderful. He was gallant and charming and a true gentleman. It was an act. She needed to remember that. It was all just an act so that the Dragon Kings could continue on as they always had.
But what was their end goal? Surely they didn’t want to hide forever. That made her stop. Why had they been hiding? If they were as powerful as she’d seen in that video, why hadn’t they taken over the world? Why were they doing everything in their power to turn attention away from that leaked video?