Freed by Her Dragons (The Inmate of the Dreki Dragons Book 2)

by Ginna Moran

  “I’m fine, really. Thank you for protecting me, but I need to get out. I need to tell the Drekis about Rose.” I wade through the thick mud toward the steps to climb out of the tub.

  Snatching my wrist, Tiernan pulls me hard enough that I fall into him. “Theo will inform them.”

  We sink under the mud together, my body flush against his. A shock of electricity zings from my groin and to the rest of me, setting my body abuzz. Tiernan snakes his arm around my waist and hoists me upright, wiping the mud from my face with his big hand. I gasp a breath and blink, trying to orient myself from going under with him.

  Tiernan groans deep in his throat, the sound vibrating through me. “Fuck, Delphia. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pull you down with me.”

  His chiseled chest presses against my boobs, drawing my attention to every place our bodies touch. I shiver at his closeness and how hard his cock feels trapped between my legs because he lifted me off my feet and it had nowhere else to go. Digging my fingers into his shoulders, I hold onto him, trying my best not to squirm. He realizes our position and accidentally—or maybe purposely—flexes his cock.

  My. Traitor. Vagina. This bitch needs to chill. His cock is covered in mud for fuck’s sake.

  “Please forgive me,” he adds, his voice softening. “I just didn’t want you to go, Delphia.”

  “Call me Nova,” I say, the words coming breathy from my lips. “I no longer go by my birth name. It carries a lot of negativity for me.”

  “Your father will be saddened to know that. He chose your name, you know,” Tiernan says, loosening his hold on me.

  I slip from his arms and to my feet, trying my best to ignore the sensation of his cock shifting with me. “Which is exactly why I don’t give a shit about it. He wasn’t there to teach me to appreciate it, and he obviously doesn’t care now.”

  Tiernan’s jaw tightens. “Because he’s not here?”

  “If he wanted to bring me to Magaelorum, he should’ve come for me himself instead of having sent Rhett. None of this—” I snap my mouth closed.

  Can I truly be mad at a man I never met for something he couldn’t predict happening? I’m not sure. I want to be. I want to be pissed and take it out on the world. But a more reasonable part of me knows that every bad thing that has come from this brought me to my mates, who are the best things to ever happen to me. I’d have never met Maddox, Rowan, and Kash otherwise. They had a contract with the High Council that was as long as a mortal life. Without being falsely accused, we’d have never crossed paths, and I’d have never known what finding the ones my soul calls to was like.

  Tiernan reaches up and touches my cheek, combing the muddy tresses of my hair from my face. His green eyes spark with his dragon fire, and I find myself inching closer to him as I lose myself in his stare.

  And then he leans in and kisses me, just grazing his lips to mine, gauging my reaction. I stand frozen and cling onto him. My mind whirls with a dozen thoughts. My heart beats out of control, banging around my chest hard enough that I’m sure Tiernan can hear the erratic thrums. I should push him away. I should slap him for not asking me if it was okay instead of stealing a kiss, but damn it. I crave more. My attraction to Tiernan surprises me. This moment alone with him and seeing him vulnerable shows me a side I didn’t know he had.

  He eases away from my mouth without getting carried away, leaving me yearning for more. I never expected such a sensual kiss from a hulking, tatted, dick-pierced, hot-headed, entitled man. I know he has a wild, aggressive side, but it’s like he wants to prove to me he’s capable of treating me like someone precious to him.

  “I just wish things could’ve been different,” I murmur, stretching on my tiptoes to rest my head on his shoulder.

  “Me too. I’m sorry for everything that happened to you, Nova.” He strokes his hand up my back to keep me close in a warm embrace like he knows this is what I need. “Our clan never gave up looking for you. I hope you know that. It was our duty as your intendeds to find you, so please don’t blame your father for our shortcomings. I pray to the fates that you don’t hold it against us, either.”

  “I’m trying not to,” I respond, breathing in the wild scent of mud mixing with his skin. “You have to understand where I’m coming from. I had no idea that Magaelorum existed. I grew up believing I was mortal. In the Mortal World, things are different. I had no expectations for my love life nor had I even considered a serious relationship.”

  “You must’ve been shocked to find the Drekis.” Tiernan guides me to sit down with him, and I let him, despite knowing what I’m supposed to be doing. My curiosity keeps me here, and I’m afraid if I leave now, Tiernan might not open up like this again.

  I sit beside him in the tub, letting him hold my legs across his. “I think I was more surprised about discovering my whole life was a lie. Or that creatures were kidnapping mortals. How ruthlessly warlocks killed...”

  “Mortals do the same.” Tiernan’s eyes search mine. “But even so, I still can’t fathom what it was like or how hard it was. We should’ve been faster to find you. Tried harder over the years. We’ve given a lot to locate you just short of asking Ambrose to practice dark magic, which is why Rhett took over. He knew the Mortal World unlike us. But now I know why we couldn’t. The fates didn’t want us to find you first.” Without having to ask, I know he thinks the reason is because of the Drekis, and maybe he’s right. “If only things were clearer. I feel like you’re my intended, Del—Nova. I know it might be wrong of me to demand you give me your time, but I’ve been waiting my whole life to meet the stolen Drakovich princess of the Litendrake Clan. I know you’ll accept me. It’s undeniable in my soul.”

  He slides his hand from my knee and up my leg, stopping at my thigh. His thumb grazes the sensitive skin where my leg meets my pubic bone, and I close my eyes in anticipation. But he doesn’t move further, just testing me for my reaction. He is a charming asshole if anything, claiming that he knows I’ll give in to him. And fuck, he might be right.

  I swallow my nerves and open my eyes, meeting his cocky-bastard smile. He knows he’s getting to me, wearing me down, and now I feel easy as fuck. It’s been like a day, and I already think about kissing him again and experiencing what his cock would feel like inside me—if his and his brother’s piercings are the magical gift Theo claims them to be.

  “You know, your certainty makes me want to resist you,” I say, finally managing to get my shit together to stop thinking about how close his finger is to stroking the spot that will make me scream in pleasure. “The fates chose the Drekis as my mates. How can you be so sure that I’m the one for you? That I’ll be with you?”

  “You were raised in the Mortal World,” he says simply, finally shifting his hand back down my leg. “From what I know, it’s not uncommon to mate and breed with those your soul doesn’t call to. You were raised to bond with others, were you not? We don’t need the fates to bind us to enjoy each other’s company.”

  He’s right about that. I’ve had plenty of one-night stands over the course of my travels with Galaxy Gold as one of his Sky Dancers. I bonded with him, Star, Orion, and Mars as if they were my true family.

  “I’m not breeding with you or anyone. You’re a bit mistaken over the concept. Mortals tend to have sex for fun and not for the sole purpose to procreate.” The mud engulfing us rises in temperature, warming my core. I can’t believe I’m having this conversation, naked in a tub, with a man who thinks he has a right to claim me and thinks I’ll accept it.

  “Is that what you’d like?” he asks, his face lighting with a smile. “I mean, to have sex for pure enjoyment? Because that’s one of the reasons I’ve enhanced my cock for you.”

  “Are you sure it’s not because you enjoy some pain in your dick? Don’t think I’ve forgotten your erection over me roughing up your cock.” I say it teasingly, trying to play his game of discovering my sexual enjoyment.

  Grabbing his leg under the mud, I pinch his muscular thigh with enough pressu
re to make him shift. Tiernan snatches my wrist so fast that I don’t have a chance to process him moving it to his cock. I automatically lace my fingers around his thick girth, my whole body humming in shock and surprise by his gesture.

  Linking his other hand to the back of my neck, he jerks my head closer, stopping just short of my mouth. “Would you like to find out, Nova? Like I said earlier, I don’t play these games. If you’re not serious with your desires, don’t taunt and tease me. I don’t want to scare you. My dragon grows wild.”

  Scales prickle over his skin and he releases a small breath of fire. The heat dries the mud over my breasts, cracking the dirt coating. His cock throbs in my fingers, reminding me I still clutch his junk as my heart, body, and mind war with each other over what to do and how to think and feel.

  Blowing another breath, Tiernan clears the cracked dirt from my skin to expose my breasts. I sit frozen, my chest heaving, my heart threatening to escape my ribs. Tiernan leans forward and drags his tongue over my excited nipple and up to my throat. I moan softly, the lust rising in me stealing away my good senses.

  Our mouths meet, and Tiernan kisses me harder, deeper, more passionately than before. I grip his cock in my hand, slowly rubbing my fingers up its intimidating length. Slipping his tongue over mine, he explores my mouth, clutching my neck to keep me to him.

  I shift more onto him, wanting to tease him with my body.

  Tiernan yanks away from my mouth, his green eyes scorching with orange fire. Smoke puffs from his mouth, sending the sweet, burning scent of marshmallows through the air. His eyes flick back and forth, his gaze devouring my expression like he tries and fails to listen to my mind. I try to lean in to kiss him again, but he turns his head with a groan.

  “Not like this,” he mutters, sliding me off his lap. Standing up, he climbs out of the tub, spilling mud everywhere. “I’m sorry, Nova. I have to go.”

  What in the actual fuck?

  I scramble to get to my feet.

  Tiernan spins around and holds his hand up, stopping me from following after him. “You may stay here until I return. I just—I need to speak with my brother. I can’t take you as I want until you know. I will not let an agreement ruin things for me.”

  I don’t get a chance to respond and demand he tell me what the hell is going on. Grabbing a towel, he exits the bathroom, abandoning me in the mud bath, the heat of the moment still clinging to me, though it fades and chills as the seconds tick by.

  “Nova...” The soft whisper of a voice trickles through my mind.

  I blink a few times, trying to figure out if I imagined it or not.

  “Nova, come to me,” Ambrose says, his voice growing louder in my mind. “I need your help. Please.”

  I wasn’t imagining things.

  “Monosum ratitian vo de.” The lights dim in the bathroom until one blinks in sync with my heartbeat. “Come to me. The lights will lead the way.”

  Chapter 15

  Confrontation

  MY FEET SLAP THE COOL polished stone steps as I descend down a long, winding spiral staircase. It’s creepy as hell, the only light trickling through the palace coming from flickering sconces below. In the Mortal World, I’d have hauled ass away from wherever I was if some whispering, haunting voice told me to follow some blinking lights, but I suppress my human rationale the best I can, reminding myself that I’m a fucking fire breathing dragon. I am the beast people should be afraid of, especially if they mess with me.

  After what feels like twenty-million levels, I finally reach what I think might be the basement—or I guess, the dungeon—of this mountain palace. The quiet hum of magic in the air coaxes me to follow the blinking lights. I don’t even bother looking around, knowing that no one will see me dressed in one of Tiernan’s long shirts with dried mud plastered to my body. And if they do? Fuck them. They probably wouldn’t recognize me anyway.

  “Almost here, princess,” Ambrose says, his voice humming through the air instead of in my mind. “Hurry. We’re running out of time.”

  I pick up my pace, jogging across the expansive cave-like room, containing only a few crates stacked along the walls. I reach a dark hallway and hesitate, the icy air sending a chill shivering through me. I half-expect to hear the roar of a monster or maybe the cry of someone other than Ambrose chained to the wall of this dark dungeon, but it’s just a stone corridor with dim lighting. There aren’t dozens of cells hidden in this mountain. This isn’t like the Maximum Magical Penitentiary. All it seems to be is an actual basement.

  “My room’s at the end of the hall. Only a Darkonian can open the door.” Ambrose’s shadow shifts along the light coming through a crack beneath the door, his silhouette moving as he disappears deeper into the room.

  I frown and stare at the metal door without a door handle. “Okay, so how do I—”

  It swings inward with a whoosh, the electric magic sparkling through the air. I hug my arms over my chest, the intensity of Ambrose’s silver stare stopping me in place as it roves over me. His fingers curl into fists, and he narrows his eyes, looking at me as if now that I’m here, he wants me to go away.

  “Your mate-bond to Prince Theo allows you access to anywhere in the palace,” he says, answering my unfinished question. “Now come in and close the door.”

  I suddenly don’t want to.

  My instincts want me to spin on my feet and run away.

  Something in Ambrose’s eyes stabs into me, and I can’t pinpoint what it is. My throat tightens as if he ignites my magical collar, but his hands remain clenched at his sides. He doesn’t move or chant a spell, so I know it’s in my head.

  “Close the door, Nova,” he repeats, striding closer.

  I flinch and scramble back, a wave of panic washing over me. Ambrose catches me by the waist and spins me into the room, kicking the door behind him. I screech and summon dragon fire into my hands, preparing to fling it at him.

  “Nova, what’s wrong?” he asks, holding his hands up in surrender. “What did I do? Why are you afraid?”

  My throat burns, my words sticking to the tip of my tongue.

  Shuffling closer, Ambrose closes the space to me. He tilts his head, searching my eyes for answers I’m not quick to give. Heat zings through my veins, my dragon threatening to burst free in the small space, the first room I’ve come into which can’t accommodate my massive size in my dragon form.

  “Can I touch you?” Ambrose asks, shifting his weight between his feet. “I want to check something out.”

  My head bobs without consulting with my mind, and I stiffen under Ambrose’s icy fingers. Pushing my dirty hair from my face, he gently presses the tips of his index and middle fingers to my temples. With the slight pressure, the fear coursing through me lessens until I can focus without needing to flee. It’s in this moment that I realize the fear was never mine to begin with. It belongs to Theo and came on so powerfully and intensely, I mistook it as my own.

  I grimace, my heart throbbing, my soul feeling as if it weeps inside me. “I need to go. Something’s wrong with Theo. It could be Rose.”

  “I felt the intruder leave, and adjusted the shields. She can’t return.” Ambrose combs his fingers into my tangled hair, stopping me by holding my head. “Theo is fine, princess. The only thing he fears right now is you.”

  “Me?” The word comes out sharply with a gasp in confusion. That’s fucking crazy. Why would Theo be afraid of me? Why would he panic?

  “I don’t have the answer as to why, but it’s the truth. He’s my familiar. We’re connected mind and soul. While he and Tiernan purposefully block me out, I can still decipher that something is wrong involving you. Did he do something wrong? Please don’t tell me you rejected him.” Concern lines Ambrose’s questions as he continues to lock me in his stare. “Is that what kept you away?”

  I press my lips together, a dozen thoughts swirling through my head. “I haven’t seen Theo since we returned.”

  “But you’re wearing...” Stepping back, he gives me a
once-over. “That’s not Theo’s shirt.”

  Warmth blooms in my cheeks under his scrutiny. And damn it, do I feel like I fucked up. Ambrose gawks at me, his thoughts clearly splashed across his face. My time with Tiernan was obviously unexpected, and now I feel like I have to defend myself.

  “It’s not what it looks like,” I snap, grabbing onto his arms to get him to let go of my head. “And even if it was, it’s none of your damn business.”

  “I—I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to assume anything.” Ambrose scratches his fingers against the back of his neck and tips his head back to stare at the glittering mineral-embedded ceiling.

  I follow his gaze and finally take a moment to peer around the room. While the ceiling isn’t vaulted, it’s still spacious. A neatly made bed rests on top of a wooden platform with etchings all along the sides. Dozens of bookcases line the walls, full with all sorts of books, bottles, and trinkets. An open curtain reveals an altar separated from the rest of the room, and I want so badly to explore and look at everything.

  “Nova?” Ambrose asks, drawing my attention back to him. “Is that okay?”

  I was so distracted by the room that I missed what he had asked. “Um, what?”

  “I asked if I could start my shower for you and get you something clean to wear. And then we can talk about the Darkonians...and what we know.” He flicks his gaze to the door. “I have some concerns I’d like to discuss.”

  “But why?” I can’t stop the question from escaping my mouth. “Why do you care? You serve the Darkonians. Shouldn’t you confront them yourself?” Because damn it. With Rose managing to find me...I think we have worse problems.

  Ambrose flares his nostrils and fidgets, messing with the hem of his shirt. “I—I have a moral obligation to ensure I’m not dragging you into something that the fates will obliterate me for. As you imagine, this situation is...unusual. Dragons haven’t been free to find their fated mates for probably a millennia. Every clan works with a particular coven and arranges unions for females and allying clans.”