by Leela Ash
“I… uh, no.” It seemed a strange shift of topic – until Judith explained.
“That’s where my family is. I can’t find it. There’s a Criehaven near Matinicus Rock in Maine, but that’s not right.”
“Leave it to me.” Maya straightened her shoulders, delighted to have one sensible task in this weird day. “I’ve got tons of colonial maps here. Maybe it’s an old name for some other island.”
“Thank you. Thank you.” Judith bolted for the elevator. Leaving Maya with her books, her maps…
…and a terrible fear.
What on Earth was going on at APEP? Kidnapped children, assassinations, visions of Were-Rabbits… the list of insanity went on and on. She had no idea what to feel about it, or believe.
Well, I know one thing I believe: I believe I need more facts. You can’t build a solid plan using shaky data.
Judith believed her family was held on an island called Criehaven. That was one fact she trusted. Whether she was right or not, Maya intended to find the place.
Chapter 4.
All afternoon, Maya fretted. Come dinner-time, she picked listlessly at her salad, worrying about Judith. Far into the night she sat up, staring blankly at the television, until sleep finally pulled her under.
As soon as her eyes closed, she woke up again.
Ugh. Give it up. Go to bed already.
She rose to her feet – and as she did, cool silk whispered across her skin.
Her yoga pants and t-shirt had vanished, replaced by a gauzy white gown that pooled around her as soft as a cloud. The tv had disappeared too. And when she peered over her balcony, NYC had been replaced by the blazing orange leaves of an endless autumn forest.
A dream. This has to be a dream.
Yet, she could feel the carpet underfoot, taste the lingering bitterness of the beer she’d drunk. For a second, she wavered, unsure whether she slept or not. But common sense won the day. Of course, she was sleeping. NYC wasn’t going anywhere.
And the apartment had shifted in a dozen small ways. No garbage can. No microwave. A beautiful painting of Lady Godiva now graced her living room wall. Maya wandered into her bedroom, curious what other curiosities her dream might offer.
A man lay upon her bed, sleeping. A man she knew: Jamie Wolfe.
Maya giggled at the silliness of it all.
At the first sound, he awoke, spinning to the side. He rolled out of bed, landing in a crouch. All he wore was a tiny sash of black silk wrapped around his hips. Which almost didn’t survive his athletic dodge to the floor.
“Oh, wow,” she chuckled, “I must have been really impressed with you.”
Somehow, she was now carrying a golden chalice, decorated with gems and an etching of a sinuous dragon. Maya put it down. Immediately, it reappeared in her hands. She did that a couple more times, amused by the dream’s obstinate magic.
Her dream guy, however, groaned. “Oh, no. No, no, NO! You can’t do this to me!”
Before she could explain that she wasn’t really running this dream, he dashed past her toward the balcony. “What are you doing?” he screamed at the sky. “Are you a complete idiot?”
Maya drifted up behind him and peered up at the empty heavens. “Who are you talking to?”
“My Dragon.”
“You have a dragon? Neat!”
Jamie shot her a cold, withering glare. “I am a Dragon.”
“So… you’re talking to yourself.”
His stare chilled even further. “To my soul. Let me guess. You’re human, not a Shifter, right?”
“What’s a Shifter?”
“Wonderful.” He turned his back on her and returned to glowering at the sky. “She’s a Fang. A human – the weakest of the weak. And you want me to Claim her?”
None of that made any sense (which was almost comforting, given the dream’s strange vibrancy). More like the normal idiocy of her dreams. Meanwhile, clouds gathered overhead. Dark, menacing thunderclouds that set the sky boiling.
“And you know I can’t Claim anyone now! Plus, a smart Hare can sense a Dragon’s Mate. You know that!”
No flashes of lightning, but thunder rumbled overhead. A deep, echoing growl of discontent. Maya peered up, hoping to catch a glimpse of this ‘Dragon’.
Jamie shied away as she joined him at the railing. “I’m not Claiming you.”
“Okay. Whatever.” She chucked her cup off the balcony. It promptly reappeared in her hand, like some enchanted yo-yo. “This is the freakiest dream I’ve ever had.”
“It’s the Rite of Claiming.” He grimaced. “That doesn’t mean anything to you, does it?” She shook her head.
Jamie continued in a sing-song, sarcastic tone. “When a Dragon meets the woman it is fated to be his soul mate, they share a dream. It’s called the Rite of Claiming. He shows her his soul. He has a dagger.” He raised his left hand, which did indeed grasp a long black-handled knife, curved like a fang. “He dips it in that cup that you can’t ditch and Claims her. Then, they consummate their union and are bound together for all time.”
“Oh, that’s cool!” Maya tilted her head back and shouted up at the ominous clouds. “Two thumbs up, Dream! You’re starting to be really interesting.”
Jamie shot her a disgusted look. Then froze, eyes widening in shock. “I’m brilliant,” he whispered. “Absolutely brilliant. This is perfect.”
Huh. Her dream guy seemed awfully fond of himself.
Delight lit his face, setting those emerald eyes sparkling. And when he turned that wild, delirious grin on her, Maya found her heart melting. Damn, he was gorgeous.
“Let’s do this.”
Have sex? Well, sure, the thought of him naked, hard, pressed against her, took her breath away. But… “Didn’t you say there was some reason we couldn’t?”
“Yeah. Now I’m saying we can. I mean, this is a dream, right? Where’s the harm?”
“Good point. What the hell!”
How did you do this in a dream, though? Sure, she’d had sexy dreams before. In them, sex just sort of happened. Here, there were choices. Things just didn’t move ahead on their own. She half believed that, if she wanted, she could turn on the tv and watch movies until she woke up.
Nope, scratch that. The tv had vanished. Still, this ‘dream’ possessed a very undream-like reality.
So, what to do? How did you make love, on the spot, to a guy you just met? Well… ditching the magical cup seemed like a good first step. It was hard to make love holding a goblet.
Carefully, she placed it on a table. “Stay… stay… good cup.”
Poof. It popped back into her hand.
“Eh, that’s going to make things tough. Here.” Jamie tapped the cup with his dagger. “I, Jamie Wolfe, Claim you, Maya Graham. You Claim me back?”
“Sure.” Giggles spilled out.
Until a roar split the sky overhead.
“NO CLAIM WITHOUT TRUTH! SHOW HER!”
Maya shrieked.
“Way to go, a-hole,” Jamie yelled back. “You scared my Mate. Let me handle this my way, okay? Sex first, then we’ll do the whole ritual thing, okay?”
Recovering from the shock of that noise, she started snickering again. “Is that the Dragon?”
“Yeah. Let’s see if he’s going to give us any wiggle room in this Rite.”
Jamie took the chalice from her and placed it gingerly on the table again. This time, it stayed put. He added his dagger, waited…
Neither moved. “Whew! Okay, Fun Stuff first, ritual second. Work for you?”
“Sure!” Maybe she’d wake up before the boring part came. Though this did take her back to her first question: what now? Taking off her clothes was probably a good next step. Maya began to haul her silk robe over her head.
“Whoa, hold on. What are you doing?” Mock outrage lit Jamie’s face.
“Getting undressed?”
“What’s the hurry? Are you planning on throwing me on the bed and taking me? I mean, that can be hot and all, but…”
“Okay,” she snickered, “what am I supposed to be doing in dream sex?”
“Forget it’s a dream. Do what you’d normally do.”
“Normally, I’d go out to dinner with you a couple of times. We’d talk. We’d get to know each other. After maybe a week, we’d decide if this was something we wanted to do.”
“Yeah.” He rubbed his chin. “We’re not going to have a week.”
“And you’re a figment of my imagination. I don’t want to get to know you.”
“Tell you what. Let me handle this. Why don’t you have a seat on the bed? I’ll be right back.”
“Sure.” As he ducked out of the room, Maya strolled to her bed. Cream satin sheets, untroubled, lay on her side. On his, the bedding was rumpled. She smoothed them… then shivered as her fingers felt the lingering heat of his body.
What a strange, rich dream! Bending down, she leaned close to the pillow where his head had lain – and caught the faint, musky scent of a male body.
Such detail, such… realism.
Footsteps approached, and she straightened as Jamie returned bearing two crystal goblets filled with a scarlet liquid. “What’s that?”
“No idea. I found a pitcher of it in the kitchen. No label, but it’s good, and strong. To us.” He handed one glass to her and saluted her with his own. “To Dragon and Mate.”
“To us.” Cool, not cold, the liquid spilled down her throat. Sangria. Red wine, laced with the sweet tang of oranges and spices. Shot through with brandy then left a pleasant burn. It was autumn made liquid, the blood of the harvest, and it filled her body with its delicious glow.
Maya closed her eyes, lost in that taste. When she opened them, Jamie was watching. Emerald eyes, deep and bright, studied her. Relishing the curves of her hips and breasts. Feasting on the sight of her long, muscled legs.
“You are so beautiful,” he murmured. “Gold and bronze. The Daughter of Summer.”
If only she had such words for him! Unlike her, he wasn’t Summer’s child. Brown hair, not honey-blonde, curled against his broad forehead. His chiseled cheekbones, sharp chin and full lips hadn’t bathed in the sun’s rays for hours, like her own body. Taut, lean, and powerful… a man didn’t get a body like his by lounging around a pool.
No, if any season claimed him, it was Spring. Those emerald eyes, shot through with flecks of gold, were the green of new leaves just after a storm. And the bulge appearing beneath his tiny sash whispered promises of love and pleasure and new life. He was like a fairy lover from some folk song, come to steal her away to a greenwood tryst on the eve of May Day.
Leaning close, Jamie kissed her, soft lips pressed against her own. The sweetness of the wine mingled with the taste of his mouth. His tongue darted forward, exploring her, savoring her. Too soon, he drew back, leaving her hungry for more.
One hand brushed the gauze of her gown aside, baring her long legs. “Do you run?”
“Yes.” Desire roughened her voice, deepened it.
“It shows. I love a strong woman.” His hand glided down her thigh, tracing the lines of her muscles. “Your body hides its power beneath curves…” A kiss, on her hip. “…and softness.” Another, on her thigh, summoning a flush of warmth between her legs. “It’s a subtle power. Not a man’s brashness.”
Lips and hands flowed across her body as he scattered kisses past her knees, down her calves. Maya leaned back against her pillows, letting the adoration of his mouth calm her. Worries, fears, the hassles of work… all fell away. Leaving nothing except the pleasure of his touch, the feel of his mouth against her naked skin.
Broad hands cupped her heel. Strong thumbs stroked the sole of her foot. Kneading, easing muscles long ignored. Maya sighed at that sweet, novel sensation. Tension flowed away, leaving her as soft as butter in those hands.
And then, his mouth joined them. Lips closed around her toe. Sucking, teasing. His tongue flicked along her skin, hinting at other, deeper pleasures yet to come.
With a murmur of pleasure, she closed her eyes and let him worship her, toe by toe.
Finally, that sweet, sensuous play paused. Maya opened her eyes and found Jamie kneeling at the foot of the bed, gazing across its satin length with devilish, twinkling eyes.
One farewell kiss to her ankle, then he slid her legs apart. Slick satin breathed across her skin. Now his mouth rose once more, nibbling at the inside of her calves, brushing her thigh. Higher it glided, and her passion grew with it. Each kiss brought him closer to her most secret places. As his tongue licked against the skin of her thigh, curly brown hair brushed the cloth that hid her sex from him.
Heat blazed, a fire that set her heart hammering. Slower, stronger kisses, inches away from her clit, taunted her. Time and time, she felt the swish of his hair brushing against the thin cloth of her gown. All that separated her womanhood from his hungry mouth.
Jamie paused, staring up at her, green eyes glittering through tousled bangs. Measuring her readiness. Close, so close that his breath warmed her sex, summoning a flush of dampness. Maya ached, yearned for him to bury his face between her legs and end her desperate need. Or, better yet, to throw aside the small silken band that hid his manhood and take her, then and there.
No lover had ever brought her such exquisite joy. Yet, to her Dragon, this was not enough.
He passed over her sex, winning a faint, disappointed whimper from her. A kiss on her belly, the feel of lips and cloth pressed against her skin. Then he slid forward, over her.
As he did, his lean, powerful body slipped across her. His muscled chest pressed, warm, against her sex. Pushing aside the thin gown that had concealed her. Between her legs, muscular hips glided. Their touch inflamed her, and she wrapped her legs about him. Pulling him closer. Turning that gentle stroke into something fiercer. Still, his body slid through, higher and higher, until she felt the silk-covered bulge of his manhood rub against her crotch.
A moan escaped her, a cry of primal need.
Jamie gritted his teeth, eyes closed, struggling against his own wild passion.
But why should he? Couldn’t he feel her damp eagerness? Wasn’t her need obvious in her eyes, in the harsh panting that shook her body? “Now,” she whispered. “Take me now.”
“Not yet,” he gasped.
He slipped the strap of her gown off her shoulder and down, revealing her breasts. Eager hands cupped them as they joined, lips to lips. His first kisses had been gentle, playful, testing the newness of her body. These kisses were different. Rough with longing, fierce with need. She wove her arms around him, fingers tangled in his hair as his thumb circled her nipples.
One leg still pressed against her sex. As their bodies writhed, locked in passion, its hard, hot strength rubbed against her crotch. As her ecstasy grew, Maya found herself wrapping her legs around his, time and again. Pulling him closer as her hips ground, helplessly, against his body. Every time it happened, she forced herself to release him – lest her desperate, treacherous body find some lesser release.
Not the full consummation that she needed.
Panting, Jamie pulled away and sat back on his heels. Breathless, Maya gazed at his rock hard cock. The writhing of their bodies had, at some point, dispatched the useless sash.
He was as ready as she. Their needs, their passions, matched.
Yet, when he lowered himself, it was not to drive into her, to take her and claim her as she wanted.
He swept aside the folds of her gown and pressed his face into the eager wetness of her sex.
A hot tongue lashed across her, found the hidden treasure of her clitoris. Lips that whispered promises to her toes closed around it, sucking, rubbing.
Pleasure exploded through her. Maya arched, crying out with need. Of their own will, her legs closed, pulling him hard against her.
Fingers joined those lips. Stroking her. Driving her wild. Her hips bucked, she ground against him…
“No!” she gasped. “Wait! It’s too much, I…!”
With a
liquid wave of pleasure, she came. Lost in that moment, her back arched and she wailed in purest ecstasy.
Mingled with disappointment.
As she collapsed, panting, her sorrow strengthened. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. That was just… that was so good, I…”
“It’s okay.” Wincing, he stood and wrapped a sheet around himself. Stealing the sight of his long, hard cock from her still-eager eyes.
“No, wait! Let me do something for you. I mean…”
“I’m fine.” His smile was a grimace, though, and he turned away. “I have to go now.”
“What?”
No, seriously, it couldn’t end like this, could it?
“Wasn’t there, um, something we were supposed to do with the cup and dagger?”
Anything to hold him here another minute. To give her a chance to win him back.
Shuddering with his own passion, Jamie shook his head. “Maybe some other time,” was all he said.
And then, she woke up.
Chapter 5.
Like two prize fighters pummeling the crap out of him, rage and agony slammed into Jamie. All morning, they’d been at it, from the moment he’d awoken from the dream. Now, as he rode the elevator toward Lucian Fowler’s office, the attacks doubled.
The Rite! his Dragon boomed. You defiled our most sacred Rite!
“If that’s what it takes to win, then so what? Who gives a damn about some ancient tradition?”
Rage. The world melted into a red blur under the fire of his Dragon’s fury. He felt its anger spiraling, twisting back on itself. Then its maw, filled with razor-sharp fangs, closed on its own shoulder. Pressure… lights exploded behind Jamie’s eyes as that powerful jaw clamped tight. Piercing through scales that could shrug off bullets… writhing, ripping…
“Stop!” His legs gave out beneath him and he crumbled to the floor, screaming.
It’s a trick! A trick, I swear!
The pain didn’t relent at all. Oh hell, what if he actually Fell? What if his idiot Dragon couldn’t see the long plan?