“Which dragon?”
“Balon.” Brendag delivered a wicked grin.
Giss mirrored it. “I’m okay with that.” She despised the blue dragon. In the few times she had seen him during her settlement into Kiraz’s cave, he took those opportunities to snipe at her, saying what he would do if she was his princess. None of it was exactly pleasant.
“Are there many other princesses in the caves?”
“Three more. All within a two-mile stretch. Maybe once you’re more comfortable with your arrangement you can visit them.”
“Or redirect the knights and princes.”
Brendag waggled a finger. “That would be incredibly disrespectful. You shouldn’t ditch off your knights to another princess. It’s second-hand and considered ill-mannered.”
“But we just did it. You even said ‘certainly.’ Like it’s a thing you do.”
“That’s because I hate Balon, and his princess. Which makes it an exception.” Brendag gave a wink. “You should come through the tunnel network at some point. All the caves are interlinked, so it makes it easier for me to feed the dragons that like my food. All for bed and board!”
***
Unfortunately, the visits didn’t stop from there. More knights turned up within the week, and it was only with a lot of persuading that Gissandra could turn them away, by insisting she didn’t want to be rescued. One took her over three hours to shift, as he stubbornly believed she was under some kind of enchantment. Giss knew she needed to find an alternative to deterring them, and soon. She would rather Kiraz didn’t have to fight if it could possibly be avoided. She avoided mentioning initially to Kiraz about the visits, thinking it best not to add to his list of potential concerns. Dragons expected to fight humans wearing the mantle of hero sooner or later, and although strict rules of combat applied, she couldn’t guarantee both parties would walk away unscathed. Or worse.
The several times Balon passed the cave during this time, he acted agitated and grumpy. A princess fleeing from his caves in broad daylight (as reported by Brendag) left him in disgrace. It also meant he was extra snippy to Gissandra and Kiraz, when he saw them both together.
When Kiraz walked into the living room chambers one evening, he was in human form, and held up a small wrapped box to Gissandra. “Hey, princess. Tarkon, the werebunny, sends his regards, and a small gift for you.”
Gissandra, who had been reading on the sofa at the time, looked up from her book, and beckoned to Kiraz. “Alright then. I’ll love to see this.”
“I hope so.” Kiraz sat next to her on the sofa, an affectionate expression on his lips as he presented her with the gift.
“Who knows what kind of present a bunny would come up with…”
“Werebunny. It’s very important to make that distinction.”
“Mm.” Giss peeled open the gift under Kiraz’s watchful gaze. She liked having the dragon pay attention to her as if she was the only thing that mattered in the room. She liked an awful lot of things about being a dragon’s captive – including the fact she was more or less left to her own devices, without parents or other family members pushing her to think a certain way, or act in a manner befitting her status. This – this existence suited her more.
Unveiling the present, she saw what appeared suspiciously like a rabbit’s foot on a keychain.
“Uh. That’s nice.”
“It is, actually.” Kiraz picked it up. “I would hang that somewhere close to your persons, princess. This is a lucky rabbit’s foot.”
“Not so lucky for the rabbit.”
“Perhaps not. But they have powerful magic on them, granting you slices of luck in situations you wouldn’t always expect. I must have made a better impression of you on my friend than I thought.”
“You talk about me?” Giss took the charm back from Kiraz, placing it and the box to the side. She raised one flirtatious eyebrow, leaning to place a palm on Kiraz’s knee. He coughed.
“A little. I mentioned to him that you tried to make what I think was scrambled eggs in the cauldron.”
“Oh dear.”
“He thinks it’s the effort that counts. As do I.” Kiraz grinned wolfishly. “Except if you keep cooking like that I might suggest you give it up as a career.”
“The curse of being a princess. We’re supposed to sit and look pretty. And lament that despite our noble birth-rights, we’re actually relatable people.”
Kiraz’s hand crept up to where Giss rested hers.
“You can. If you want.” Giss indicated the hand.
Nodding, Kiraz placed his on top of her knuckles, sending a tremor of warmth through her limbs. He then furrowed his brow in thought, amber eyes squinting.
“It will be soon that knights will start turning up for you. I will need to stay to fend them off.”
Well, now was as good a time as any. “Oh, you’re a little late for that. There’s been around twelve, already. They all came when you weren’t here.”
“Really? Drat. They never come that early. It’s usually around a month after you’ve been captured, not three weeks.” He hesitated. “And you’re still here.”
“Of course. I’ve been telling the knights they all need to go away.”
“You’ve been –” Kiraz stopped, letting out a huge, braying laugh. “You’ve really been doing that? Just facing them and making them scamper off?”
“Pretty much. Some of them are hard to budge, though. They don’t accept my word straight off. I’m thinking of putting signs on the path.”
Kiraz nodded. “That could work.” His body still shook in fits of laughter.
“Yes. ‘Use Alternative Route,’ and ‘No Entry’ are some I’ve been thinking of. Brendag can provide the wood. Heroes either pay attention to dangers around them or ignore the warnings, so it’s worth a try. My parents have put a huge price tag on my head, though, so sooner or later one is just going to toss me over his shoulder.”
Kiraz tried to calm himself. “Either way, I’ll be sticking around to make sure you’re protected. Honestly though – twelve? That has to be some sort of record.”
“My kingdom’s a wealthy one. I sent the first knight that came to rescue Balon’s princess, though, under Brendag’s suggestion. Then I was told it was terribly rude to do so. Since she mentioned it after the rescue had occurred, due to a strange relapse in her memory, we decided it didn’t matter for that one time.”
Tears balled up in Kiraz’s eyes as he gasped for air, giving away to mirth. “Oh my… if he hears that, there will be blood! That’s fantastic!”
Having a powerful dragon, even if they were in human form, laughing on the sofa next to her, filled Gissandra with a sense of elation. Out of all the things she anticipated in life, entertaining a dragon ranked pretty high on the list. His hand still rested on hers, emanating a pleasant heat. Again, Gissandra wondered deeper on the idea that things could work out between the both of them – a little more than just being princess and captive.
The possibility bloomed stronger in each brief interaction they had, when Kiraz came back from his long day errands. It came when she was allowed uninterrupted observation of him in his human form, with his unusual hair coloring, his rugged, almost wild features contrasting with a growling baritone.
Social inhibitions and barriers notwithstanding… coupled with the long days and solitary interactions made her seriously consider taking it further. Partly because she was fond of Kiraz. More because if there was anything that would make her parents and all the kingdoms implode in a quivering ball of indignation and fury, it would be this. So, she couldn’t argue that her motives were entirely pure.
Did that matter?
Not so much. Giss dragged her legs up onto the plush red sofa, regarding Kiraz keenly.
“I’m going to be blunt with you again, Kiraz.”
“Please be, princess. It’s refreshing.” Kiraz’s dark orange eyes twinkled. His grip tightened on her hand.
“I’m always seeking ways to send the peop
le of my kingdom into fits. Running away, and declining the knights is just one thing. Calling my sisters airheads and the princes arrogant fops is another. What if I could add ‘relationship with a dragon’ to the list?”
Kiraz inhaled sharply. “And what sort of relationship are we hinting at, princess?” The beginnings of an impish smirk twitched at the corners of his mouth. His rapt and undivided attention made Gissandra momentarily pause.
“Oh. Everything. Throwing cakes at each other’s faces and having a lovely time with each other so everyone becomes jealous.”
Kiraz waited for her to continue.
“Oh, and there has to be copulation. Lots of it.”
The dragon brought his face closer, until his hot breaths touched her lips. “That sounds like something we can arrange.”
“I hope so. I trust there isn’t any complications in this?”
Kiraz moved his palms so that his fingers splayed on either side of Gissandra’s face. “Nothing. What we get up to is our business, no one else’s. As for the copulation… well, that won’t be a problem.”
Gissandra allowed her eyes to flick down to Kiraz’s hemp pants. “We’ll see.”
Taking the invitation, Kiraz moved his mouth the last few inches, to touch Gissandra’s lips with his own.
The first contact matched Gissandra’s expectations, and exceeded them. Watching the way men had kissed her sisters, and her father and mother, she always assumed it would be like a shark trying to swallow someone’s face. They started off light, of course, but then thought it was acceptable to be so overcome by passion, that they turned into face-eating monsters.
With this, Kiraz lingered with one, soft kiss, not pushing, not taking it any further than necessary, waiting for Gissandra to relax. She puckered her lips slightly in response, enjoying the rubbery texture his had to offer. He withdrew back, running a tongue over his bottom lip, dampening it.
“Is this alright, princess?”
Gissandra gave a huge, drunken smile. “Do you see me complaining?”
“Not really.”
“Well. That’s good, then.” Kiraz closed the distance once more. Their lips touched again, giving Gissandra thrills of delight. She focused on the kiss, of the presence of Kiraz, and the way their skins brushed against each other, and the different sensations inflicted upon her, external and internal.
She found it hard to focus, to concentrate, to think of intelligent and witty remarks, and soon gave up when Kiraz adjusted his body, giving Gissandra the opportunity to straddle his thighs.
“Are you alright, Gissandra?” Kiraz whispered against her mouth. “You’ve haven’t said anything for over a minute. I’m beginning to worry.”
“Actions speak louder than words. Haven’t you heard that saying?”
“I might have.” Kiraz kissed her cheek, working down to her neck. “I can think of a few actions that might interest you.”
“I can think of a few as well,” Gissandra purred, tilting her head to give Kiraz better access to her neck. Things were getting hot and heavy. Giss wondered how far she should take it, considered if she needed to cling onto some last sense of propriety – since princesses didn’t dare do consummate until marriage. But then again, having broken every single rule in the manner of an arsonist setting fire to everything they could touch, this last inhibition seemed silly.
Of course, it helped to forgot that Kiraz wasn’t exactly human. He didn’t think entirely like one, and some of the ways he moved himself were more serpentine and smooth, than the plodded gait of a human. The way he examined her sometimes gave a hint of predatory possession, as if calculating her value, or how she tasted.
Before she could say something like a protest or encouragement, or flit into distracting conversation, Kiraz ran one rough hand under her plain servant’s tunic, over the skin hiding there, to brush against the cup of her left breast. Gissandra also noticed a distinctive bulge in his hemp pants, adding pressure between her thighs.
Oh my, she thought. She debated ending it, finding some excuse to wriggle out of the sexually charged situation, before Kiraz gently nibbled at her ear, breathing deliciously warm air onto her neck, breaking her body into a series of shivers, making her heart pound faster.
Any protest forming in her mind went straight out of the metaphorical window, along with several items of clothing. Within seconds, both had seized each other’s tunics and yanked them off. Kiraz was revealed with a sculpted, lightly furred chest, and Gissandra displayed her own boyish figure, with broad shoulders, small but pert breasts, and a smooth, flat and freckled stomach. Gissandra hooked fingers into his chest hair, liking the texture and how it brushed her skin. Kiraz met her mouth with his, lips parting wider and wider with each kiss until their tongues began to probe, plumping their lips, bolts of arousal shooting through their systems.
Kiraz’s bulge became more apparent, straining against its confines. Gissandra found herself rubbing against Kiraz, arousal sending her mind to dizzying heights, her body moving of its own accord. Kiraz groaned into her lips, fast and shuddering, and she grinned back, pressing fully into him so that their chests squished together.
“You realize I won’t be able to stop at this rate, princess,” he whispered, hoarse, hands trailing over the sides of her breasts, constantly gliding over her smooth skin, over her shoulder blades to her hips, and back up again.
“You really think at this point I plan to stop you?” Gissandra arched an eyebrow as she pulled her lips away from his. “I’m practically screaming ‘take me’ at this point.” For emphasis, she grinded over his crotch, smiling mischievously.
“But just in case, I can make it more obvious.” She tugged at his pants. “I seem to remember you mentioning something about this a few weeks back…”
Kiraz reacted instantly, a growl building in his throat. He pushed forward, so Gissandra’s back thudded into the sofa, and her legs angled upwards, allowing him to fall between. “No more warnings.”
He tugged off his pants, revealing a large, slightly tipped penis.
“Are they supposed to look like that?” Gissandra said. She had seen her brothers naked before – and she wasn’t entirely sure if the shape of this one was human. It matched Kiraz’s light skin color. The foreskin – she recalled the name – shielded the sensitive part, but narrowed inward to a thin tip.
“It’s not like I stare at dozens of pictures of human anatomy, princess. It should, uh, do the job. But tell me if it hurts. I rather not have my favorite princess not enjoying this moment…”
“Favorite princess, eh?” Gissandra grinned manically, the smile threatening to leap out of her face.
Kiraz kissed her on the cheek as he discreetly tugged off her pants, and panties along with them. Completely exposed now, Gissandra quivered in excitement. Kiraz leaned into her body, his penis pressing onto her stomach, teasing her as he focused again on kissing her, tongue eagerly seeking hers, their breaths and saliva mixing.
Wetness seeped out of Gissandra’s core. She was ready – she felt ready – and dug her nails into his back, scratching lines down it. She also wrapped her calf muscles around his hips, squeezing tighter, and he took the opportunity to lift her fully up, and lay her back in a more comfortable position. Kissing once more to her neck, he huffed short, hot breaths. His heart stuttered fast, faster than hers, as he flexed his hips backwards, allowing his penis to trail and brush over her clitoris – sending more ripples of pleasure – to rest against her entrance. She was so wet, he needed to readjust himself so his penis rested partly into her folds. Gissandra braced herself, holding her breath in excitement, as he slowly but surely eased himself inside her.
He took his time, observing her face the whole time to make certain he wasn’t hurting her, that she enjoyed it. If he expected a hymen, he found none – Giss had lost that a few years back during self-exploratory sessions, and Kiraz deeply embedded himself inside. He stopped moving, letting Gissandra grow used to the feel of his shaft pushing the walls within h
er core.
“Doesn’t hurt, princess?”
“Not sure,” she admitted, finally exhaling one loud, pent up breath. He chuckled, sending vibrations through them both. Gissandra suppressed a gasp. “Perhaps we better test further.” She smirked at his amused expression.
“Alright. As you wish, princess.” He rocked his hips, starting with tiny motions, and she felt him move slightly inside. He gradually increased the motions, until adopting a regular, thrusting rhythm, chest gliding over hers – he obviously liked the close contact – and rubbed his bearded face over her chin.
All sorts of sensations washed over Giss, hundreds of different things to focus on all at once. His rough hairs and hands touching her skin, the velvet sofa on her back, their breathing, his groans of pleasure and excitement – the way her chest rocked up and down with his, the way her toes curled as he moved into her – how sometimes one of his fingers would get tangled up in her long hair, which had worked itself loose; she gave up concentrating on anything in particular, instead drowning herself in the moment.
Flushed, heated bodies craving each other’s touch.
Gasps and sounds of pleasure. Kiraz touching her soul, as if he belonged there.
Something balling in her stomach, tight like a metal coil being pushed together, waiting to unleash. That ball became stronger and stronger, more noticeable as Kiraz continued moving, increasing his speed, now reaching down a hand to touch her clit, slipping over it often due to how turned on she was.
Then, he shuddered, and came inside her, his forehead pressing into the side of her face as he groaned deep and loud. Warmth flooded through her.
A sensation, almost disappointment, went through Giss. She had been close, she knew it. However, the annoyance vanished when Kiraz recovered enough to flick his finger more urgently over her clit, focusing instead on the little nub there, rather than continuing to thrust inside.
The feeling built up hard and fast as he hit the spot again and again, until it burst out of her in a wave of pleasure, sinking into her limbs and making them so heavy, she wondered if she would ever be able to move again.
Romance: The College Bad Boy: A Young Adult Romance Page 72