by Rinelle Grey
But she didn’t have time for those kind of scruples. “There’s no other way,” she said, hoping her voice wouldn’t betray her jumbled thoughts.
Her father looked from one to the other. “You can do that?” he asked. “Why haven’t you done that before?” He looked from Karla to Taurian expectantly.
There was no way Karla could explain that. Not even remotely. But how to get her father to give them long enough alone…
“Now that the dragons are busy somewhere else, it would be an excellent time to get the ute back,” she said. “Do you think you can do that for us, Dad?”
“The ute? Surely that can wait?”
“No, it can’t,” Karla said firmly. “I… uh… have a plan. And we’re going to need it.”
To her relief, Taurian didn’t say anything, though his eyes would burn holes through her clothes if he looked at her any longer. Hmm, not the best thing to think about right now.
“What are you and Taurian going to be doing?” her father asked.
“We have to prepare.” Hopefully her dad wouldn’t ask her what form her preparations would take.
Her father’s train of thought seemed to have been going in a different direction though. “I don’t think you should go with him to fight this dragon, Karla. It isn’t safe.”
“Of course she won’t be going with me,” Taurian said immediately. “This fight is between Ultrima and me, it isn’t Karla’s fight.”
Karla put her hands on her hips. “Wait a minute. What makes the two of you think you get to decide whether I go or not?”
“Do you want to go and fight Ultrima with me?”
Why did Taurian look so incredulous? Were the women in his clan so weak that they wouldn’t want to fight beside their men?
Not that Taurian was her man.
“If it wasn’t for me, Bruce wouldn’t be in this mess. It’s my responsibility to help you get him back.”
“No, neither of you would have been in this mess if it wasn’t for me, so it’s my responsibility,” Taurian replied immediately.
“It’s not about whose responsibility it is,” her father said. “It’s about who can rescue Bruce most successfully. And I’m not sure that there’s anything you can do to help, Karla.”
Just because her dad had a point didn’t mean she had to admit it. Karla crossed her arms and glared at both of them.
Taurian opened his mouth as though he was going to argue with her, but her father interrupted. “I’ll go get the ute. I assume you’ll both still be here preparing when I get back?”
Taurian looked at Karla and raised an eyebrow, a smile twitching at the corner of his lips. “How long do you think this preparation will take?”
Her insides melted just a little bit more.
“Not long,” Karla said firmly. “We should be done and ready to go by the time you get back, Dad.”
Taurian raised an eyebrow.
Karla turned away, so she didn’t have to see the expression on his face. Just the thought of sleeping with him was turning her insides to mush, looking at him just made it worse. She kept imagining his lips on hers, and his hands running over her body.
This would be quick all right—because she couldn't bear to wait. She’d waited far too long already.
“Right. I'll get going then.” Her dad looked from Taurian to her, waiting for either of them to say something. When they didn't, he headed out the door.
It made an audible click when he closed it. Karla didn't move, didn't dare look at Taurian. Was he watching her? She could feel a tingle in her back, but that could have been her imagination.
The sound of a car engine starting up permeated through the closed door. Karla held her breath as it pulled out of the driveway and then faded into the distance.
Now that they were alone, she should get on it with it. They wouldn't have long. Half an hour at most. But she was frozen to the spot. How should she start? Should she kiss him? A thrill ran through her. Yes, definitely, that would be a good start. The rest would just fall into place after that, wouldn't it?
Karla turned around to step towards Taurian and almost ran into him. His arms went around her and all the itches she had been feeling since she had rolled out of his arms that morning faded. She lifted her head and stared into his golden eyes.
His pupils narrowed into slits, his dragon side coming out, and the thrill notched her excitement to a higher level. How would it be different, sleeping with a dragon? If only she had more time to explore the possibilities. This would be a one off, just enough to fix Taurian's Mesmer bond. Pity there wasn't time to savor it.
Why hadn't he kissed her already? Not willing to wait for him, Karla stood on tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.
Taurian groaned, but he didn't return her kiss.
Pulling back, Karla stared at him. “Seriously, after all this time and all your pushing me to get closer and closer, now you're going to hold back? What's wrong?” Frustration welled up in her, like a river in flood hitting a dam wall. It spiraled around, looking for a way out, a weak point.
Taurian’s golden eyes whirled. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“What? Don't you get it? Bruce has been kidnapped by a dragon and we need to rescue him. We don't have time for you to get all noble now.”
“So you're just sleeping with me to help your lifemate?” A few scales appeared around the edges of his eyes.
The change just fanned the flames. “Yes, we don't have any choice. And we need to hurry. Dad will be back any minute, we don't have much time. This is what you want and need, isn't it?”
He stared at her for a long minute and Karla held her breath. He had to agree. Her whole body would burn up with frustration if he didn't.
In one short, sharp motion, he lowered his head. Karla closed her eyes, and a sigh escaped her lips right before his mouth crushed them.
The kiss was everything she’d expected it to be—hot, fiery and melting. Karla leaned into his arms, pressing her body up against his. Desire flared instantly, as though it had always been there, just waiting for this moment.
It was the Mesmer bond. That’s why it felt like this. She had to remind herself of that. She couldn't forget that knowledge, or she might just sink down into his arms and never resurface. Somehow though, that thought was slippery, and refused to be tied down. The feelings were too intense, too real.
Giving up and surrendering to the moment, Karla kissed him with a need that had been building for the last two days, forgetting all about Bruce, and Ultrima, and her father who would be returning soon. She couldn't get enough of the taste of his lips, a spicy heat that swirled through her.
His hand tangled in her hair, the other hand rising to cup her breast. Even through her clothes the touch scorched her skin.
Karla pulled back for a minute, her eyes not leaving Taurian's as she pulled her shirt off in one quick motion. There was no time to waste. She didn't want her father to get back before they were finished. That would not be good.
Taurian seemed as impatient as she did, his shirt joining hers on the floor. Karla stared at his bare chest, and it triggered memories of the first time she’d seen him half naked out at the Dragon Scales. She’d been drawn towards him even then.
Not that that couldn’t have been the Mesmer magic too.
Karla gave herself a mental shake. She didn’t have time to wonder if every feeling was real or magic. Right now, she needed the magic.
“We should go into the bedroom in case Dad comes back early for some reason.” The extra distance would give them a few moments leeway. Not much, but something.
Taurian didn't bother with words, he just scooped up their clothes, and taking Karla's hand, pulled her along the hallway and into her room, kicking the door shut behind them.
The room seemed much smaller with him half naked in it. Karla bit her lip, watching his muscles ripple as he balled up their shirts and tossed them into a corner. Then he stood looking at her, eyes hungrily roving over her.
A second of doubt entered her mind. What if it was all a big ruse to get her to sleep with him?
How stupid. She'd seen the dragon for herself, felt its lightning hit the ute and seen it carry off Bruce. And she'd certainly felt the aching pull of the Mesmer bond. She could feel it right now. An overpowering need to touch every part of his body, to feel him pressed up against her. To feel him inside her.
“Does it always feel like this?” she asked impulsively.
“What, sex?” Taurian was momentarily diverted. He checked, and stared at her. “Is this your first time?” His eyes were wide with surprise. But he didn’t pull back.
“Goodness no.” Karla blushed. “I mean the Mesmer bond. Does it always make you want someone so strongly?”
Taurian's shoulders relaxed. “The need to couple after waking from the Mesmer sleep is always strong, yes.” He took a step closer to Karla, and put both hands onto her shoulders, staring deep into her eyes. “This is somewhat intense though,” he admitted, “perhaps because we have held out so long against the urge.”
Yes, that must be it. This feeling had been building for several days, it made sense that it was so strong.
A shiver ran through her. Their lovemaking would be powerful with this sort of build-up.
As if reading her mind, Taurian's hand began to run over her collarbone in small circles. He looked down at her, smiling temptingly as each circle dipped lower and lower. As his fingers slipped under the lace of her bra, Karla sucked in her breath sharply. She could just imagine him stroking those small circles all over her body, down her stomach and…
Time—they didn't have much. Not enough for this sort of slow foreplay. She listened for the car, but the street outside was silent. She took a step backwards towards the bed and Taurian followed, not breaking contact. His hand slipped down, his fingers grazing the side of her breast, and then sliding around her waist.
He eased her gently back onto the bed, his eyes not breaking from hers, and the springs shifted as he climbed on top of her.
The single bed was narrow, barely wide enough for Taurian's large frame. There was no room for him to lie beside her, so he lowered himself on top of her, skipping several steps in the foreplay. His weight pushed her into the quilt, every part of his body melding with hers.
She groaned, her hands going around his body, feeling the smooth, firm skin across his shoulders. His hips fitted against hers perfectly, pressing into her.
Karla parted her legs, needing to feel him closer. But there was only so close he could get. Her clothes were still in the way. The thought of being naked beneath him, smooth skin sliding against smooth skin, filled her mind.
She wasn't usually like this. Generally, she preferred to know a guy a bit longer before ending up in bed with him. But this wasn't her fault, this was because of magic. Even Taurian had said that this was more intense than the Mesmer bond usually was. So it wasn’t just her. And it certainly wasn't because he was the most perfect man she'd ever seen. She wasn’t that easily swayed by a pretty face.
Taurian’s hands slid over her breasts, sliding on the silky fabric, sending shivers through her. He tugged at the elastic, searching for a way to undo it. “How do you get this thing off?” he growled.
Karla bit back a giggle and sat up. “Here,” she said, reaching behind her to undo the clasp. Taurian readily assisted with its further removal, his fingers brushing across her skin as he did so. The bra joined their shirts in the corner.
Then Taurian pulled back to stand up beside the bed.
Karla sat up, frowning.
But her frown turned to a smile as Taurian untied his shorts.
Ahh, good move. The clothes were certainly not helping. She should take this moment to get rid of hers too. But when he pulled down his shorts, standing at attention in front of her, she drew in her breath. That answered the question about whether he wore any underwear. Unable to help herself, she reached for him, sliding her hand over his smooth hardness.
Taurian groaned, his smouldering gaze burning into hers.
So he was as spellbound by this experience as she was. That thought brought her far more satisfaction that it should have. It was just magic. Of course it pulled at him as much as it pulled at her.
Karla continued her stroking, enjoying the feel of him pulsating in her hand. She paused to stare up at him.
“Don’t stop.”
As if to make sure, he wrapped his hand around hers, sliding in time with her. His head tilted back slightly, and his breathing grew ragged. Then with a growl, he pushed her back onto the bed and covered her body with his, his lips finding hers and kissing her with a desperate urgency.
He raised himself on one elbow, half beside her, half on top of her. The other hand roamed her body, caressing her breast, then sliding down across the smooth skin on her belly to tug impatiently at her jeans. “These need to go,” he growled.
That’s right. She’d forgotten she was going to remove them. Karla pulled back a little, wanting to tease him, to pull them off slowly and watch his reaction. But his smouldering gaze heated her skin so much, she thought she might catch fire. Karla couldn’t get undressed fast enough.
Taurian’s eyes didn’t leave her body. They roamed up and down, over every part of her, sending heat circling through her. His eyes darkened, his expression intense. Did he like what he saw? Did her body compare to the human form dragons?
“Beautiful,” he breathed as if hearing her unspoken question.
Karla blushed.
His body was certainly impressive. Every part of him looked like it had been chiselled from perfectly formed stone. Karla reached for him, itching to touch every part of him, just to check if it felt as good as it looked.
She put her hands against his chest, and it felt just as firm and warm as she’d expected. His nipples enticed her, and she slipped her hands lower to run circles around them. Taurian growled and rolled to cover her body, edging one leg between hers.
She parted her legs eagerly, welcoming him. A shiver of anticipation ran through her. This was it.
He hovered above her for a moment, his hand going between her legs, his fingers sliding over her wet folds as he kissed her with an intensity that took her breath away. As the fingers sent waves of heat through her, anticipation built. She couldn’t wait any longer. Her need for him could only be satisfied with one thing.
It was getting harder and harder to remember that this wasn’t real, that her feelings and needs were a product of a magical bond. The feelings were so intense and overwhelming, she wasn’t sure how anyone could ever just walk away from this. How they could be satisfied with any other kind of lovemaking after experiencing a connection so strong?
Taurian moved his hand up to her hip and even the skin he caressed there seemed to touch a nerve connected directly to her core. She couldn’t wait any longer. She opened her mouth to remind him that they were on a time limit, but at that moment, he buried himself inside her and all that escaped her lips was a sigh.
He paused for a moment, his rock hard length filling her completely, then he pulled back and began to thrust.
Each movement sent fresh waves of raw pleasure rippling through her, each building on the last. Each time she thought it couldn’t get any better, it did. Karla dug her fingers into his shoulders, holding onto him for dear life as though he was her harness on a crazy, out of control, roller coaster.
She was almost tempted to tell him to slow down, to give her time to catch her breath before she faced whatever this was building up to. But what if that broke the magic? And she certainly didn’t want to break the magic. It was far too good to risk changing anything.
Desire swelled again. How did it keep rising? Despite her uncertainties, Karla urged him faster, harder, more. Tugging on his body to bring it closer to her. “Taurian,” she breathed, unable to even voice what she wanted.
Not that she needed to. He knew. He grinned at her, his hair falling over one eye. He flicked it back, his b
ody not stopping moving. His skin glistened with sweat, and his breathing was ragged. He thrust harder, stronger, deeper.
Karla gasped.
The room seemed to fade around her until there was nothing left but her and Taurian. Her whole body tingled and vibrated, and just when she thought she couldn’t stand it any longer, an intense heat shot through her, exploding through her body. Every part of her throbbed with pleasure.
For a few seconds, her heart beat in time with Taurian's.
Then the dragon’s presence retreated a fraction, and Karla's heart sped up in a thundering rhythm all of its own. The waves of pleasure cascaded through her, then slowly eased, leaving a warm afterglow.
It took several moments before she could catch her breath. She felt like she’d run a marathon even though she’d barely been moving. Taurian gazed at her intensely, his expression solemn, then he bent and kissed her hungrily. To her surprise, Karla felt her body heat again as though ready to start over. She pulled her head back, shaking it slightly, and Taurian lifted his head and frowned.
“Are you okay?”
Karla nodded. “Yes, I just… that was intense…” she broke off, not knowing how to put into words the feelings rushing through her. “And my dad could arrive back at any minute,” she added.
Taurian nodded, and to her relief, pulled back a little.
Karla edged to the side of the bed, disentangling her body from his. Sweat she’d barely noticed cooled, sending a shiver through her. Her whole body felt weak and she started to shake.
Putting an arm around her, Taurian pulled her against him again, but this time all she felt was comfort. “Give yourself a few minutes,” he said. “The energy transfer from the conclusion of the Mesmer ritual can drain you. I’m sure it is harder on a human than on a dragon. You may need a short sleep to recover.”
Karla bristled at his words. Why did he persist in thinking that because she wasn't a dragon, she couldn't cope with anything? She lifted her eyes to his face, about to object, when she noticed the strain in his face. She had no idea how this Mesmer healing worked, but it was obvious that more had happened between them than just sex. And that had been exhausting enough!