by Celeste Raye
"Please, let that be the case. If all the food reserves are contaminated, it will be catastrophic. We brought food and seeds for more, but without your supply, we'll all go hungry more often than not. Any more crops brought in by refugees will have to be tested before they get anywhere near the storage facilities. What about the first village, the one near here? Didn't they bring crops?"
"Most of what was given to the city had been in storage. The fresh vegetables were watered by an unaffected waterfall. The villagers had ceased to use the water from the contaminated one as soon as it began to lose its color. We have all eaten from their contributions, and I believe it is pure," Maxxus explained.
"Rain can be contaminated too. It could cause problems with the crops, but I think Kelan's efforts to fix the atmosphere may have kept the radiation to an acceptable level. We'll see as soon as I get done in here. Until we find the correct formula, we'll have to keep using others as patches and hope that's enough to keep us from total destruction."
"Do your best. No one can ask for more than that. I am glad you are here." Maxxus's eyes sent a message, making it clear his statement meant more than a general welcome. His worry and concern for the planet did not mask the desire he felt for Josie. The heat in his gaze promised a special, private welcome to be administered as soon as possible.
Maxxus
Maxxus became frustrated as the days passed. His hands itched to touch Josie, and his body ached from denial. For two weeks he had to hold back his desire as Josie worked day and night testing and retesting the air, ground, and water. Her land rover left before dawn and returned after sunset. Even then she was not content with her research. She wished to travel farther, perhaps spending days away from the city.
Maxxus fought against the idea. Reports from his scouts were trickling in. Small patches of dead trees and grass were discovered across the planet, yet most of the villages claimed to be doing well. Two more groups came trailing in, having been forced from their homes by the scouts when it was found that they were eating only stored food and it was running low. New communication devices had been delivered to the outlying villages, so communication was now simple once more. Maxxus declared that Josie's studies should be confined to the nearest problem areas. He did not believe she would discover anything far away that she could not find here. Reluctantly, she agreed.
During the two weeks of testing, Josie tried three more formulas. Each seemed to help for approximately forty-eight hours, then deteriorate. The citizens were losing confidence in her ability to save Talonia, and that made her fight harder. She slept less and worked more. Maxxus could see how thin she was growing and the dark circles beneath her eyes. She had to rest, and he was ready to force it upon her.
When her hovercraft arrived in the darkness, he was waiting in the shadows near her ship. She must have sensed him there, for her head spun back and forth, searching for the life she felt, but could not see. She stumbled from exhaustion on her way to the ship's ramp. Maxxus reached out and caught her, sweeping her up into his strong arms. She stiffened, but soon relaxed as she recognized Maxxus.
"Put me down. I'll be fine in a second. My legs were just a little wobbly."
"It is more than that, and you know it. You have worked yourself into illness. I will not allow it to continue. I know what you are feeling. I have been there myself, but you cannot help if you are ill, or worse yet, if you die. I command you to take tomorrow off and rest. Kelan will deploy the newest formula, and you have covered the area over and over. Nothing more can be done for now," Maxxus told her.
Josie's eyes shot flames as she replied, "You can't command me to stop. You're not my king. I make my own rules, and I know my own body. I'm fine. I'll rest when I say, not you."
"You are being childish, and that is not like you nor is it acceptable to me. It proves my theory that you have reached your limit. You will rest. I will force you to. "
"You can't force me to sleep. My mind will continue working even if you lock me up," she argued.
"Then I will give your mind a better topic to consider," Maxxus said. His head lowered, and his lips met Josie's in a kiss that stopped her brain from functioning. "This is what you need, and so do I. I have waited for you long enough. We both knew the truth the moment you arrived two weeks ago. You are my mate. Do not try to deny it."
"I wasn't going to," she whispered. "Kiss me again. I need to feel your desire. I thought the words I had heard from your lips that day were all in my head. You've stayed away from me all this time, and I began to doubt what I felt between us."
"Spend tonight and tomorrow in my arms. I will erase all your doubts, leaving my mark upon your soul. We will be refreshed and revitalized through our joining. Let me show you how it is between destined mates."
"Won't we be missed?" she asked, though at that moment she really didn't care.
"Anyone who it matters to will figure it out. I have not endeavored to hide my feelings about you. They have been prominently displayed every moment since you stepped off the ship. If no one noticed, then they have not been paying attention."
Josie raised her eyebrows in question. "I haven't noticed. Are you saying I wasn't paying attention? I'll have you know I breathed in tandem with you whenever you were near. Your scent gives me goosebumps and I watch every step you take. I memorized the muscles of your chest that first day and dream of them at night. Don't tell me I wasn't paying attention."
Maxxus's chest rumbled with laughter against her side. "You really like to spar with me, and you have no consideration for the fact that I am king. You are perfect. I must assume, however, that my chest kept you distracted from what was below it. My desire has, shall we say, stood out prominently at all times."
Josie blushed charmingly as she caught his meaning. "I...I guess I missed that," she stammered.
"You will no longer," Maxxus answered. He allowed her to slip from his arms, sliding slowly down his body. The friction made their skin sizzle and she soon found he had been telling the truth as her center felt his hardness pressing against it. His mouth found hers and she opened her lips to let his tongue sweep inside. The heat burned through her chest, dropped past her core, bringing wetness, and ended in her legs causing them to shake.
"Come away with me," he begged. She nodded her agreement against his rippling chest. Her helped her into the hovercraft and got behind the controls.
"Where are you taking me?" Josie asked.
"To my secret hideaway. No one except me knows it exists. Until now it has been my sanctuary. I wish to share it with you. More than all the desires in the world, the willingness to share this tells me you are my life mate."
His words humbled Josie and touched the deepest part of her heart. She loved this weredragon and it gave her soul peace.
The hovercraft made it easy and quick to reach the valley but getting up to the cave with a human was a bit more difficult. It was too dark and the climb too dangerous for Josie to attempt in her exhausted state. There was only one way to get her there. Maxxus, in weredragon form, would have to carry her. He had carried humans from the rooftops on Earth during the battle there, using his claws. He did not want to do that with Josie. It was a risk. Claws were treacherous and easily punctured flesh. Maxxus had witnessed Kelan and Tae flying with their mates on their dragon's backs, and that is the way he would be attempting to carry her. It would require complete trust between the dragon and the rider. Was Josie ready to trust him with her life?
He explained the situation to her and asked for her trust. "Will you honor me with your heart and soul, putting your life in my hands?"
"You're the only one I could relinquish control to. I trust you more than I do myself," she replied.
Pleasure engulfed him at her confession. He left her standing by the mountain as he backed into the valley. There he found room to transform. He saw her fall to the ground and tears spring into her eyes. Concerned that he had frightened her, he slowly stepped closer. Bending his front legs, he laid his huge head
and snout on the ground near her feet.
Josie's small hand caressed his snout and she said, "You're so beautiful and majestic." She leaned over and kissed his face, eliciting a rumble from inside him. He released a puff of smoke, and she laughed. It was not fear he had seen in her actions. It was awe.
Holding very still, he allowed Josie to climb onto his back. Her arms reached across his neck as far as possible, but he was too large for her to get a good hold. She flattened her chest on his back and clung tightly. His stood and began to move his wings. She briefly lost her balance as the air hit her, yet held on. He rose into the air. For her pleasure, he made one turn around the valley before landing at the cave entrance. She found safety inside while he became Maxxus once more.
Flying with his love and experiencing the close bond between dragon and mate sent his libido into overdrive. The beast had lost all its patience. Maxxus growled and grabbed her, practically tossing her onto the old blankets in the cave.
Josie was having none of the roughness. She turned her head, refusing the kiss he would have given her. Her hands ran gently over his powerful shoulders as she murmured soft, soothing sounds, almost like the lullaby she had sung to Hope. The growling ceased, and Maxxus's heartbeat slowed. The beast was being tamed.
Josie placed her lips on the muscle above his left nipple. She planted a small kiss there, then licked her way downward until she was flicking the nipple itself. She moved to the right side, showing Maxxus what type of loving she wanted. He was an excellent student.
Taking over, he kissed her lips, neck, and shoulder. Her body warmed from his heated breath. Big, calloused hands pushed her shirt up, spanning her waist effortlessly. His thumbs met at her belly button and teasingly slid under the waistband of her jeans. Josie moaned and wiggled, asking for more.
"No, my love. You forced the beast to slow down, so slow is what you shall get," Maxxus promised. He tugged her shirt over her head, trapping her arms inside. With a mischievous grin, he lowered his head and nipped at the mound of her breast showing above her lacy, black bra. He teased her relentlessly, swiping his tongue up and down her cleavage. He kept his body braced over her, never allowing his pelvis to meet hers, though she raised her hips in desperation.
She cried out when he finally suckled her through the material covering her distended nipple. He blew hot air over the wetness and she almost lost her mind. Excruciatingly slow, he gave the other breast the same treatment and her body erupted. Her center clenched over and over, leaving her breathless.
Maxxus ground his teeth to keep control. He could smell her passion and it was overwhelming. He needed bare skin. Releasing her hands, he unleashed her breasts. He marveled at the tempting pale mounds with their rosy centers. They outshone the stars in the sky. Reverently, he filled his palms with them. They were soft and pliant to his touch, making him ache with need.
Josie's hands were not idle. They caressed his chest, spreading the perspiration over his abs down to his leather covered backside. She squeezed him there and attempted to shove him toward her welcoming thighs. He resisted, and more sweat popped out.
His fingers found the button and zipper of her jeans, opening them for his next move. Crawling backward as she protested his absence, he took the pants all the way off. The scrap of black lace that covered her center was ripped away with his teeth. Bending her knees and spreading her thighs, he let smoke emit from his throat and settle over her soaked core. He watched silently as her body reacted to the hot air, her inner muscles squeezing as moisture flowed out. Josie shouted her release, and he was satisfied.
Abruptly, he stood. He dropped the leather pants and allowed Josie to see how much he wanted her. His shaft was so hard, it appeared made of stone. It quivered in anticipation. A single drop of moistness clung to the tip, making Josie lick her lips and moan. The man was spectacular, and he belonged to her.
With a roar, he returned to the ground, sliding purposely between her splayed thighs. His steel met her softness, and together they panted. Their eyes caught and held as he very slowly entered her, and their souls collided. Fully seated he began to move. Her legs tightened over his bottom forcing him deeper with each thrust. "From this day forward, no man shall touch you but me. You are mine for eternity. This bond can never be broken. Swear it!" Maxxus commanded as their passion built.
"Yours forever, I swear," Josie replied as she came unglued. Maxxus joined her as her body milked every drop of seed from him. Rolling over, he felt her fall into a deep sleep, using his body as a bed. He was whole for the first time in his life. No more walls would bar him from being a part of his people. Josie was his savior.
Chapter 10
Josie
Chilled air blew across Josie's bare back. She awoke shivering, the contrast between her front side plastered against Maxxus's heated body and her backside exposed to the breeze causing the tremors. She could feel his heart beating in rhythm with hers and was content to let the chill remain. Memories of the previous night's promises seeped in. She knew she would never forget a single word or action. Her life was just beginning. All the years of study and scientific work had led up to this. Without them, she wouldn't have been able to come to Talonia, and she wouldn't have found Maxxus. It was odd how everything moved forward to bring you to your destiny without you knowing where you were being led.
Maxxus took a deep breath, raising her several inches, and she knew he was awake. Turning her head and resting her chin on his chest, she discovered he was staring at her. Another uncontrollable shiver ran over her and he frowned. Wrapping her in his arms he asked, "Are you cold? Are you getting sick from lack of rest or did I harm you last night?"
"I was cold, but you've fixed that. Your arms are so warm that they have removed the chill. I promise I'm not sick and I got a lot of rest." She kissed his chest, making the frown disappear. A mischievous idea struck her, and she wiggled, just a little. The friction got the reaction she was hoping for. He hardened beneath her belly.
"Either you are cruel, or you are in need of more heat," Maxxus groaned. "Shall I warm you from the inside?"
In answer, Josie put both hands on his chest and pushed up. He removed his arms as she straddled him. His eyes darkened, the black consuming everything under his eyelids. She rose to her knees and let the tip of his member brush her center. He hissed, as if in agony.
She lowered her body, taking him in slowly until his hands reached up to cover her breasts and she suddenly plunged downward to impale herself as desire overcame patience. She rocked, sending him all the way to her womb. Maxxus lay still, letting Josie choose the speed and angle of movement. Her eyes closed, her head fell back, and her long hair spilled over his thighs and the oval orbs between his legs. Watching her face begin to glow and feeling the soft brush of her hair on his nether region added to his already high tension. One last stroke and he felt her inner muscles contract as hot, wet liquid spilled over his member. He swiftly flipped over, landing her beneath him and moved faster, pounding into her softness. She screamed as the convulsions continued, draining her. Unable to control it, fire shot from Maxxus's mouth, turning the back of the cave black and igniting the wood he had set there for cooking. None of it touched Josie. Even in this state, Maxxus protected her. His own climax followed, warming her as he had promised, from the inside out.
Rising, he picked up Josie and settled her near the now cozy campfire. With the fire in the back of the cave, even he could feel the temperature change that had occurred outside. His frown was back as he stepped to the cave entrance.
"What's wrong, Maxxus? Did you see or hear something outside?" Josie asked, now warm and thoroughly sated.
"It is not a sound or a sight," he proclaimed. "It is a feeling. You were chilled, but not from exhaustion as I had first thought. I am now cool as well. There is a bite to the wind."
"Weather changes, often without warning. Come and warm yourself by the fire. I see you brought food. We can cook it thanks to your dragon fire. It's quite useful when you
don't have matches."
"You do not understand," Maxxus replied. "It is not time for the air to grow cold. This is the middle of the warmest season. Even when it is time for the chill, it lasts only for a few weeks, and this is as cold as it gets."
Wrapping herself in one of the old blankets, Josie came to the cave opening. The sky was gray, not blue, and the clouds seemed closer to the planet. The red sun was valiantly trying to break through. "This is bad, really bad," Josie admitted. "If it gets too cold, the crops won't be able to grow, and we'll use up the ones we've stored much faster. It's the volcanoes that help keep the temperature steady, isn't it?"
"Yes," Maxxus answered. "We have seasons, but not like Earth. It never freezes or snows, and in warm months it is not an extreme heat due to all the waterfalls. This is part of the devastation. It is changing things faster than before."
"Take me back to the city," Josie demanded. "I have to fix this. I'm going to need help. I'll need samples from everywhere that can be reached in a day to see what's changed. But, I can't go myself. I have yesterdays to process. Can you send a soldier with each of my crew members to the coordinates I specify and let them get the samples I require?"
"I will make it so," he stated. "However, we should eat first. Neither of us may have a moment to do so later, and we will need strength to control the people's fear. Another hour will not make a difference." Maxxus prayed he was not lying.
Maxxus
In the city, Maxxus could tell that everyone was trying to go about their day as usual, but they kept glancing at the sky with trepidation. Their attire had changed to meet the needs of warmth. The school children were not in the square. They were having their lessons in the school, an extremely unusual occurrence. Small fires had been built around the gardens in an effort to keep the plants fooled into believing it was growing season. The soldiers were not on the practice field when he arrived to give them orders. He found Hesher, the military commander, at the edge of the forest.