by Sage Hunter
The yard was littered with their corpses by the time I was done, and the final legion that was standing shape shifted back into its human form got into his car.
“You are going to regret this, dragon. And you,” he said, glaring at Jenny, who was still cowering in the doorway of the house. “You are going to pay for this even more. You brought this ghastly creature into your home, and now you are going to pay.”
When the legion was finally gone, I shape shifted back into my human form and hurried into the house, where Jenny was trembling in terror and confusion. I had never told her about being a dragon shifter. I had been too afraid for my own safety. Afraid that something was going to happen that might compromise my ability to survive in this world without the rest of my crew or without my powers.
But when Jenny looked at me, she didn’t look disgusted or afraid or confused any longer. She looked relieved.
“You’re all right,” she said, taking my hands into hers and pulling me closer.
“I thought you were going to get seriously hurt. When he pulled a gun on you, I thought I was going to lose you forever. You are so reckless!”
Tears started to cascade down her cheeks, and I held her close, doing my best to console her. It had been a long day, for both of us, and we walked back inside, hand-in-hand, neither of us willing to let the other go.
Chapter 12
Jenny
Oberon and I sank onto the couch together, and I stared at him in confusion. “So shifters are real then.”
It was more of a statement than a question, and he nodded seriously.
“Yes, shifters are real. And I’m very sorry I wasn’t able to tell you about it sooner. I really wanted to be transparent with you about who I am. But there are rules of conduct for being on planets that are intolerant of other species, and apparently, Earth has been listed as one of the most intolerant planets in the entire universe.”
Jenny laughed quietly. “That doesn’t really surprise me. So, tell me. How did you get here? How are you okay? What happened to you? How did I find you in the desert? Is somebody after you? Are you at war or something?”
I chuckled and held my hand up “I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t be asking you so many questions at once. Please, just tell me what you can. Tell me everything. I want to know everything about you.”
Oberon shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and again, I realized I had a man sitting beside me on the couch without any clothing on. But instead of racing into the kitchen to find our shopping bags so he could get dressed in one of his new outfits, we remained seated, comfortably at ease with the new development. It was very strange, but it felt natural somehow.
“Well, I was heading toward a different planet to do some delegation with three other crewmembers when we were attacked out of nowhere. Our ship hurtled toward Earth, and landed somewhere here, probably in the desert, with my other three crewmembers. There is no telling what happened to them, or the ship. I have to admit, I am very concerned for them. I don’t know what happened. We are going to have to try to find them at some point. But right now, that is not my primary objective. My main concern is seeing to it that you are safe. Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Are you? You are the one who was just in battle. How many legions did you kill anyway?”
Oberon smiled grimly. “I do not keep the casualty count. Every life is worth something more than a silly number. It’s going to be fine, no matter how many of them I killed. And there aren’t as many on the earth as one might believe. The legions are a parasitic race, to be sure, but they need a lot of resources before they can survive here for the long-term, and they are still attempting to harvest those resources. Until then, they always have to take trips back and forth to their own planet, so that means that wherever they are attempting to invade, it is done slowly and deliberately. They will not come out for small reasons. Apparently, you must be sitting on quite a wealth of land. Do you happen to have some kind of important resources nearby?”
I frowned. “Actually, I don’t know what’s here exactly, under the surface. I didn’t think that deserts could be a good place to mine, necessarily.”
Oberon chuckled at me. “There are many resources that can be acquired by a legion without mining them first. You see what shape they take? They are masters at building underground networks. This is perhaps how they have begun their attempt at taking over the earth. But they would never be able to do it alone. They always have to recruit somebody much stronger than they are.
I considered this for a moment, shocked by all the things that were going around in my head. I had never actually seen a shifter in my life, and now that I had, in my mind, there were so many new possibilities.
I wanted to remain in denial about it, but it was impossible. I had seen the evidence firsthand, right in my own front yard. I had the bodies still littered all around the place, showing me the evidence that I needed in order believe that there were other worlds out there, that they were doing everything they could to perform a hostile takeover.
“Human, I’m going to do whatever I can to protect you. It is said that a dragon shifter is meant to discover his true purpose at some point in his life. And I think, now that I have met you, I have discovered mine. I’m going to stay here and become a guardian of Earth. I’m going to make sure that you and everybody on this planet are capable of surviving whatever these creatures attempt to unleash upon you and your fellow earthlings.
I took this information in quietly, shocked by the seriousness and his voice. I had never been close-minded exactly, but I had also never thought about the possibility that there was life beyond the planet.
Now that I had met Oberon, though, that had changed everything. I had no idea just how sick the activities that had been surrounding my life could be. Was it possible that the legions had actually targeted my stupid husband on purpose, knowing full well that the land we owned sat on the numerous resources they were hoping to acquire? What exactly was going on here?
“Now, human, I can see you are concerned. But trust me. I will make sure nothing happens to you.” Oberon took my hand in his, and I felt a soft heat creep across my face. I felt so safe with them. So comfortable. And my goodness, was he attractive.
“I am not going to let anything happen to you. You need to trust me.”
His voice was deep, and we were staring into each other’s eyes, my heart palpitating hard as I reached out to touch his strong, chiseled face.
He pulled me close to him then, planting his lips against mine hard in a slow, passionate kiss.
When we broke away, both of us seeming surprised by the act, he looked away, stammering as if in an attempt to try to concoct an apology.
Before he could, I placed my lips back on his, and we fell into a comfortable silence as we kissed, our bodies growing in heat as passion consumed us. I had never opened myself up entirely to a man before. Not even with my husband, who had been only one of two men I had been sexual with in my life.
My husband had always been a selfish lover. I was never able to count on him when it mattered the most. Even now that he was gone, this much is obvious. Everything about the way he conducted himself had been exceptionally self-serving. The same had always been true in the bedroom.
But somehow, even before he ever touched me, I had already known Oberon was the exact opposite of my husband in every way. He seemed to be a generous and attentive man, unlike so many of the men in the world. My theory was put to the test when he wrapped his strong arms around my waist, lifting me gently from the couch and leading me into my bedroom.
My heart was drumming hard in my chest as he did so, and I followed his lead as he dropped his mouth against me again, in another hot, tender kiss.
My faculties were lost then as he placed his strong hands upon me and roamed them over my body, his eyes studying me as if I were the most perplexing puzzle on Earth. He had never made any indication to me that he had found me attractive even in the slightest, and I found the s
udden attention overwhelming.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I whispered, cupping his face in my hand. I was still in protective mode over him; acting more like a guardian than a lover. But I didn’t have to worry anymore. He was healing. His faculties were returning to him. And I knew for sure now, that he wasn’t going crazy or having some kind of neurological issue related to his injury. He was of perfectly sound mind and he wanted to do this. I thought. But I had to be sure. Why would he ever be interested in somebody as plain as I was? He was a dragon shifter. He had seen other worlds and galaxies that I could never even dream of. And yet, now we were here, together, our bodies driving us toward things I never would have thought to ask for in person.
But Oberon was unrelenting. He wanted me, and his golden eyes flashed at my questions.
“Of course, I am sure,” he said, his deep voice rumbling sensually against my ear. “I am sure, more sure than anything else. I just want to make you mine and that is all there is to it. You are mine, human. Do you not see it? The stars have brought us together. My ship was meant to crash on Earth. I was meant to become a warrior to defend this planet from the menace of invasion. And I was meant to protect you. You alone. Specifically, you. I was meant to love you and you alone. Specifically, you. And to live with you, defending this land from all other threats. Do you not see it? The universe has laid it out so simply…”
Oberon seemed genuinely perplexed and distressed by the thought that I didn’t understand what he was getting at. I smiled reassuringly at him, touching his cheek once again. It was all just so hard to believe. He was such a beautiful creature. And…apparently a dragon. Wow!
“I see it,” I said, surprising us both with my admission. “I see it and there is nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you. It probably seems strange but that is exactly the way I felt upon first laying eyes on you in the desert. As if that small feeling would turn into this large one. Like it was…”
“It was fate,” Oberon said, smiling at me handsomely. “It was fate that brought us together. We are star-crossed.”
I smiled back at him, my face hot as he pressed his lips against me, holding me close as our bodies began to explore one another. I shuddered as he slowly removed my clothes, his broad hands caressing and flowing over my body, and treating it as if it were a delicate flower.
Every touch was magical and sent a hot thrill jolting through my body. My spine was tingling as he worked my body with his lips, dropping hot, tender kisses all over my flesh. They awakened a hot urge within me, a deep desire that penetrated right through to my loins. I had never before experienced anything so powerful and amazing; not with any other human being, and my longing became so overwhelming that I let out a soft gasp.
Oberon’s eyes flashed deep gold, as I writhed beneath him, his body working its magic. He had fully stripped me now, and I shuddered at the feeling of our skin touching. This type of connection had always seemed far out of my grasp, but here it was, right on top of me.
I gasped at the feeling of his hard member pressing against my thigh, and reached around to hold him close, our bodies responding powerfully to each other. My body trembled beneath Oberon’s gaze, his hands roaming me slowly and steadily until my back arched and pressed my body firmly against him.
He let out a low growl, dropping his lips against my breast and taking my nipple between them, allowing his tongue to wind its way around my nipple and send hot tingling thrills of ecstasy through my system. I groaned in pleasure, my body tight and tensed beneath his.
Suddenly, I felt him work himself along my middle, sliding the length of his member against me and allowing it to linger at the sensitive bundle of nerves above my entrance. My breath became shallow in anticipation as I felt his growing arousal electrify us both as he began to thrust his hips gently.
I bit my lip in ecstasy as wave after wave of pleasure washed over me and Oberon held me close, his body unrelenting as he explored me with his own.
Finally, I felt the strong, sweeping wave of arousal consume me and Oberon gazed at me seriously, his eyes darkened with his need. I felt him firmly against my middle, and gasped out softly as he began to work his way inside. He was gentle, knowing he was more well-endowed than all the other men on Earth, and I braced myself, my heart pounding hard as he finally submerged the whole length of himself within my folds.
I could feel every inch of his body as he worked his way inside me, and soon, he was thrusting his hips gently, in and out, until I was climbing steadily toward my climax. I shuddered sensually in his grip as he dropped more hot kisses on my skin, burying his head against my neck until I could hardly contain myself any longer. My desire reached its peak, and he finally sensed that it was all right to unleash his full power upon me.
I bit my lip, crying out in pleasure as my body writhed underneath Oberon’s powerful form. He didn’t hold anything back as he began his sensual assault on my senses, and soon, we were acting as one and had found a steady rhythm that was meant only for the two of us.
I shuddered blissfully as wave after wave of hot pleasure crashed over my body, until I could hardly contain myself any longer. He could sense that I was at the edge of my ability to hold myself back, and doubled his efforts, growling in fierce desire as he ravaged my body, my heart tight in my chest as I did everything I could to keep from diving off the precipice of my desire.
But he did not seem to want me to stop. He wanted me to surrender. Oberon’s tightly muscled body rippled above me as he moved his hips expertly, pleasuring me in ways I had only ever imagined. Hot tendrils of ecstasy surged through me until I could hardly keep my eyes open any longer.
“You are mine now,” Oberon’s deep voice rumbled into my ear. He let out another powerful thrust of his hips and it sent me over my peak, until I could no longer hold myself back any longer.
I cried out in rapture as he delighted my senses, fully unleashing every bit of sexual power he had been holding back. My walls gripped his member as we moved together in union, my body shuddering in ecstasy as I was carried to the height of my bliss. A hot explosion, like a firework, seemed to go off within me and Oberon shoved himself as deeply as he could go, enhancing my orgasm by unleashing the hot flood of liquid pleasure he had been containing deep within himself. The heat consumed me, and I panted in ecstasy, relishing in the sensation of our bodies becoming one, at last, after all this time.
I fell back against my pillow and Oberon lay beside me, gathering me into his arms and planting a warm kiss on my head. “I am never going to leave you, human. I am going to make sure this place is safe for you once and for all. You can count on that.”
“I know,” I whispered, laying my head against his broad shoulder and yawning sleepily. “Thank you.”
My eyes fluttered closed, and soon, we were both sleeping deeply, each of us separately dreaming about the strange confrontation that had happened earlier in the day.
Chapter 13
Oberon
I awoke with a start, eyeing the human seriously. She had been sleeping soundly all through the night, but I had been tossing and turning, from seeing the legions in her driveway. Something really wasn’t right here. And I sat up quickly, grabbing a baseball bat from behind the door and creeping toward the front door.
I had a feeling that, this time, I wasn’t just going to find a cow. This time, I was going to discover something much more sinister. And I was not going to like it one little bit. When I walked out onto the front porch, I frowned. Although my senses, every single one of them, was alerting me to danger, for some reason, I was unable to find anything specific. I couldn’t hear anything moving, and couldn’t see anything happening. Everything was normal, as it should be.
At least, so it appeared. I obviously couldn’t trust my senses. The legions were sneaky, and who knew how many tunnels they had already begun to dig underneath the land here. As long as Jenny lived on this land, she probably would never be safe.
But I knew the way
she loved it. It was a passion unrivaled. She would do anything to protect this place, and I was starting to understand why. Everything about it was very charming, from the animals and the silos, right down to the very layout of the earth. It had a beautiful view, and no neighbors for miles. Although that could be dangerous and scary, especially in a situation like Jenny was in, it was also peaceful and comforting.
I went back inside, checking the bedroom to make sure Jenny was still sleeping soundly. She was, and I climbed back into bed, suddenly feeling a little bit silly. Maybe I was just being paranoid, still all worked up about the fight from the night before. I would have to try harder to get some rest. It had taken a lot out of me, and to be truthful, I wasn’t entirely healed up from the crash.
I was getting there, and whether or not they were highly numbered, they were not very strong. They hadn’t been counting on encountering a dragon shifter here. Not on this farm. Not where there was only supposed to be one single widow living, defenseless and vulnerable to their attack.
It was shocking how good the timing was. If I hadn’t crash landed here, this incredible woman would have been lost to the universe forever. All because the legions wanted to take over another planet and utilized its resources for themselves.
I was grateful for every possibility the universe had created, that I was able to be here to protect Jenny. I would never be able to live with myself if I discovered that something bad had happened to her because of me. Or because I wasn’t there.
No, I was going to take my job seriously and remain diligent about protecting her. Something was off, though I couldn’t quite place it yet. Something big was coming. And I was going to be prepared for it. No matter what the cost.
The next morning, we went about our business as usual, only this time, she actually didn’t lecture me for running around rather than resting. I was grateful for this. I felt that finally getting back on my feet was what I truly needed in order to regenerate fully. She had probably seen just how well I had performed with or without rest the night before, and decided it was probably better not to fight me on the issue any longer.