BDArc-HiddenDragons

by CSM

  Thinking about Robert when she was naked in Bear’s arms didn’t seem wrong, though her mind did ask the question as to why it seemed so natural. Apparently something inside her saw them as a pair. With one, came the other. They were a matched set—matched by the mating of their dragon partners. This time alone with Bear was the anomaly rather than the norm.

  But all in all, it was probably better to deal with only one of them while still carrying the burden of her virginity. One was intoxicating enough. Both of them would have been completely overwhelming.

  Bear kissed her again, deeply. He made her squirm with his kiss and with his hand, preparing the way for another part of him that was much bigger than his finger. She hadn’t yet seen him, she realized, but she could definitely feel that part of him as it touched her entrance. He was wide, but her body had provided enough lubrication for him to slip inside a short way.

  He paused and she felt stretched, but she wasn’t in any pain. She was dying of anticipation. She wanted more. Using her hands on his shoulders, she silently urged him to go deeper.

  And then he did.

  Everything stood still for a moment as a white-hot fire enveloped her lower body. Goddess, that hurt! But Bear didn’t move, for which she was eminently thankful. His arms trembled beneath her fierce grip as much as her body did as it tried to assimilate the pain and pleasure, all mixed up in one confusing ball of need.

  She wanted…something. To ask him to go? To beg him to stay? She wasn’t sure.

  But then he took all thought from her mind by moving. The fire of the pain was still there, but it was tempered now with a wash of pleasure that stole her breath. Each small movement of his body brought conflicting waves of agonizing pleasure. She wasn’t sure she could survive whatever was coming, but she felt something building. Something immense and unfathomable.

  She wanted to know. She wanted to feel whatever it was. To experience all that Bear had to offer her that night. Her pleasure was like a series of rippling waves lapping at the riverbank, each one a tiny bit bigger than the last. The sensations built and soon she was gasping as he moved over her, in her, with her.

  And then the wave broke and she cried out as an even higher peak of pleasure rippled through her body, taking Bear with it. She heard his groan meld with her higher pitched sounds as he came within her. The warmth of his body over her, inside her, drowned her in the pleasure of their closeness.

  She breathed in his musky scent, memorizing everything about him, loving this moment. As first times went, she was certain this was one unlike any other. Bear had hurt her, yes. That was unavoidable. But he’d more than made up for it with the pleasure that followed.

  He rolled away from her, taking his body from hers, and she almost reached to pull him back, but she should have known he wouldn’t dismiss her so easily. He rolled, pulling her into his arms from behind, spooning with her and pulling the blanket over them both. He placed a tender kiss on her temple and within moments, the pleasure and the length of her day caught up with her, pulling her into a satisfied sleep in the arms of her lover.

  Bear woke her the next day before dawn. He kissed her awake and though she would have liked to make love to him again, he put her gently away from him when she would have taken the kiss deeper.

  “I’m sorry, my love. We must go out on patrol. Tilly and I are about to leave, but I didn’t want to part without saying goodbye. I’ll be back later today. Probably after dark, unless I’m needed here before then. But Robert and Growloranth will be along in a few hours. They’ll have reports to make, of course, but you will see them today.”

  “I’ve warmed a bath for you,” Tildeth said into her mind. “It will stay warm for a while, but you might want to use it sooner rather than later. Or my mate can rewarm it for you after he returns.” Isabelle looked past Bear’s shoulder to realize Tilly had craned her neck over to look into the open archway of the bedchamber. Even as Isabelle looked at her, the dragon winked one blue eye at her. “I am happy you and Bear are getting along so well. He is a good man, is he not?”

  Isabelle could only nod as she realized the dragon was well aware that Isabelle and Bear had had sex last night. And the dragon apparently approved.

  “Thank you for preparing the bath,” Isabelle said to both of them. She wasn’t going to acknowledge the veiled reference to having sex. She wasn’t that comfortable with her newfound sexuality yet. After all, only a few hours ago, she’d been a virgin. This new state would take some getting used to.

  “It was our pleasure,” Bear said, dipping low to kiss her again. “And now, we really must go. I’m sorry. I wish it were otherwise, but we have our duty. We’ll be with you again as soon as we may.”

  “I understand,” Isabelle said, scrambling for her dignity. She wished he could stay too, but she knew there were many more people counting on him. He and Tilly were probably the only ones who could scout enemy skies without being seen. Their information could save many lives. She smiled for him. “Fly safe and be careful,” she said to both of them. “Good hunting.”

  Bear smiled brightly at her. Apparently she’d said the right thing. He left the bedroom with one last look for her and then she heard him opening the massive wooden doors and the swish of sand as Lady Tildeth left her wallow. The big doors closed behind them and Isabelle flopped down on the bed when she realized she was alone.

  Then she bounced right back up after realizing she was sore. Really sore. The hot bath Tilly had promised sounded really good right about now, and the water wasn’t going to get any hotter. Isabelle crawled out of bed, only then realizing the white linens had been smeared with blood. Her blood.

  Hands on hips, Isabelle decided to deal with one thing at a time. First order of business was the bath. Then she would see about changing the sheets.

  Lady Silla came to get her for breakfast a few hours later, after she’d had that lovely bath in a sunken tub that was more like a small pool. It had steps down into it and it was lined with mosaic tiles in a beautiful pattern of twining dragons in flight. It was more a work of art than a bathing tub.

  It was as pretty as it was luxurious. And Tilly had left the water nice and hot for Isabelle. That, plus the bath salts Bear must have mixed into the water, went a long way toward soothing her sore muscles, though the ache between her thighs reminded her of what they had done only a few hours before.

  She had spent a long time in the bath, during which the sun had risen and natural light filtered down into the suite through dozens of small ventilation shafts. Having the dragons in here meant there was a need to vent their scented smoke, and the shafts seemed to do that while also allowing daylight to enter the heart of almost every chamber in the suite.

  Isabelle had gone exploring, finding a few storage areas—one for what looked like spare bits of armor and tack for the dragons, one that held cleaning supplies, including several brooms, and one that had clothes in need of repair as well as a stack of clean sheets and towels. She took a fresh set of sheets and made up Bear’s bed, leaving the stained ones to soak in a small tub she had found in the linen chamber and brought into the bathing room. She filled it with cold water from the ingenious tap system along the far wall, and dipped the stained parts of the sheet in to soak.

  She was just starting to search through the small kitchen chamber for anything she could put together for breakfast when a knock sounded on the massive doors. A moment later, she found herself in Silla’s company, being whisked through the massive corridors toward a great hall.

  Silla told her how the great hall was used for assembling the entire Lair when events were held, but otherwise it served as a communal dining hall that served breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for those on odd rotations. Silla told her—and she could still hardly believe it—that Isabelle was welcome to replenish the small kitchen in the suite with any of the many foods found in the great hall. All she had to do was ask one of the people running the buffet and a basket would be packed for her to take back to her suite.


  They were halfway through a delicious breakfast of eggs and fresh fruit when Robert walked in. Seeing him, she rose to her feet almost unconsciously and he started toward her. She found herself moving too and they met in the aisle, coming together in a huge hug of welcome.

  “I’m so relieved to see you,” she blurted out. His leathers were still cold from the outdoors. He had to have come directly here, looking for her, after he landed. She stepped back, realizing everybody was looking at them. “Is Sir Growloranth well?”

  Robert let her go, a slight grin on his face. “Growly’s fine. How are you settling in, sweetheart? Do you like it here?”

  He seemed truly concerned for her comfort, which touched her deeply. “It’s amazing here,” she answered candidly. “Lady Silla has been all that is kind.” She motioned back to the table where she had been sitting with the other woman. Silla was smiling at them and waved at Robert in greeting.

  He escorted Isabelle back to the table. “Thank you, Lady Silla, for helping Isabelle learn where things are,” he said formally. Silla waived away his thanks with a smile.

  “It is my pleasure. Your lady was very helpful to me, helping prepare the medicines we may need for the coming difficulties.”

  Robert’s expression turned into a pensive frown. “My apologies, ladies, I need to make my report, but I think Isabelle should come with me. She needs to hear what I’ve learned and she also needs to help explain her village to our leaders. Can you do that, Isabelle?” He reached for her hand, looking deep into her eyes.

  When he looked at her like that, she could deny him nothing. And truly, she wanted to help these knights. She wanted to help, in whatever small way she could, to defend Draconia, her adopted homeland. Even though she was nervous about meeting important people, she would gather her courage and do what she could. She nodded at Robert.

  “Whatever I can do to help, I will.” Robert’s smile broadened and he squeezed her hands.

  “Great. Let’s go before they send the dragons after me. So far, Growloranth’s been holding them off, but they’re going to be huffy that I made them wait.” He dipped his head and placed a quick kiss on her lips. “I just had to see my lady first. The rest of the world can wait a few minutes, can’t they?”

  A dragon trumpeted near the door, drawing his attention.

  “Hmm,” he muttered. “Apparently not. Let’s go.”

  He led her by the hand out of the great hall, amused glances following their every move. They left the great hall and ran straight into Growloranth and another dragon who was tapping his foreleg in a clear show of impatience. Isabelle had to fight not to grin. For such magnificent creatures, it was kind of funny to see them imitating such an altogether human action.

  “It is good to see you again, Sir Growloranth,” Isabelle said, remembering her manners and bowing to the male dragon she knew.

  Growloranth nodded his massive head and made the introductions. “This impatient youngster is Kelvan, partner to Sir Gareth, mate to Princess Belora,” he said into their minds.

  Princess? That word gave her pause. This dragon was kin to powerful folk. Isabelle bowed, giving him all due respect. “It is an honor to meet you, Sir Kelvan.”

  The blue-green dragon cocked his head, as if he was surprised to be addressed by name. Had she made a mistake? She fidgeted as she straightened, nervous.

  “Then you do hear us when we speak.” Sir Kelvan asked, moving close to peer into her eyes.

  “Yes, sir. I do,” she answered in kind, since his objection seemed to be over the extent of her abilities to hear and speak mind-to-mind. His great head jerked back and a tendril of startled smoke rose from his snout.

  The younger dragon seemed to backtrack. “You are most welcome in the Lair, Lady Isabelle. Sir Growloranth has spoken well of you. I hope you will not mind speaking with our council. There is much to discuss and little time to delay.”

  The younger dragon was back to being impatient again and Isabelle merely followed behind when he turned to walk quickly in a direction she had not gone before. They were moving up the mountain, if the slope of the corridor they were in was anything to go by. Up they went, Robert and Growloranth at her side while the impatient Kelvan led the way, until finally they arrived at a massive chamber near the top of the mountain that already held three other dragons and several sets of knights. And surprisingly, at least two other women.

  Robert walked with her to a central table around which the humans stood. They began to take their seats when Robert and Isabelle arrived and the dragons arranged themselves around the sides of the big chamber.

  “Isabelle, this is General Jared, his fighting partner, Lord Darian, their mate, Princess Adora and their dragon partners, Lady Kelzy and Sir Sandor.” Isabelle scrambled to keep the names and faces straight. Kelzy was the same blue-green as the impatient male dragon who had escorted him, while her mate was a dark bronze-brown. The two men were older, as was their lady—the princess. Lord Darian was handsome in a rakish sort of way, and the General had a long scar down one cheek. They would be easy to remember.

  She nodded politely, curtseying as her mother had taught her, to all the humans, and bowing to the dragons. Robert then turned her attention to the younger grouping.

  “You’ve already met Sir Kelvan. He partners Sir Gareth and is Lady Kelzy and Sir Sandor’s son, as you probably can see from the resemblance. He is mated to the lovely Lady Rohtina, who partners Sir Lars, and his mate is the Princess Belora, who is Princess Adora’s youngest daughter.”

  It was confusing to follow, but Isabelle sorted out the knights by matching them to their dragons and the princess was a younger version of her mother. Both women were very beautiful and had kind expressions on their faces. Isabelle greeted them all with due respect.

  “The other knights are Sir Broderick and Sir Geoff, mated to your new friend, Lady Silla. Their dragons are acting as go-betweens for the Dragon Council which is being held above, on the summit of the mountain, which is why they are not here with us. Everyone in this chamber and in the Dragon Council will hear what transpires here this morning.”

  Isabelle nodded to the two knights and tried to picture them with Silla. It seemed Silla had found two very handsome men to be her life partners.

  The idea that all the dragons above—however many were part of their council—and everyone here would possibly be asking her questions and listening to her words was daunting. Isabelle had never had much interaction with large groups of people, and certainly not people or dragons of this kind of pedigree. She was nervous.

  “I’m right here,” Robert sent directly to her mind, privately, as he squeezed her hand. “You have nothing to fear.”

  She prayed he was right. This gathering was beyond intimidating.

  “Sir Robert, please start with your observations,” General Jared commanded, sitting forward in his chair as Robert seated Isabelle, then took the chair at her side. “Sir Growloranth, please add your observations as well. We need to know exactly what we’re up against.” The general spoke to Growloranth in a way that made Isabelle respect the man. He treated dragons as equals and partners, which she should have expected, seeing as he was a knight.

  But he was also in a position of power and she always half-expected those in authority to abuse it in some way. After all, that’s the behavior she had seen in her own village up to this point. Maybe, just maybe, that was all about to change.

  “The news is troubling, my lords,” Robert began. “Growloranth and I prowled the village of Halley’s Well last night and there is much amiss there. The village headman, a miscreant named Cleef Mantell, is colluding with the enemy. There is no doubt about it. Before my very eyes, he was given a sign to put over his door by an enemy agent so that the invading troops would know to leave his place—as well as any other home that carried the sign—alone, when they arrived. The enemy agent stated quite plainly that anyone who fought would be killed. By promising not to fight, the headman is basically giving ground to the
enemy. He is a traitor of the worst kind.”

  Isabelle wasn’t all that shocked, though she couldn’t imagine the audacity of Cleef to turn traitor in such a distinct way. He always liked to hedge his bets, timing things so that he came out on top. She wouldn’t be surprised if he had some way to deny his involvement ready, in case things went wrong.

  “How did you procure this information?” Lord Darian asked.

  “On the advice of Lady Isabelle, I made contact with the cook in Mantell’s household. She is loyal to the crown. She let me in the back door and arranged for me to hide in an adjacent room while Mantell entertained his foreign visitor. I saw it all with my own eyes.”

  “There can be no doubt then,” Princess Adora said. “This Cleef Mantell must be dealt with and the invasion stopped. If the enemy gets a foothold on this side of the border—particularly in Halley’s Well—they could well take every border village up and down the line, moving unseen under the forest canopy. From there, they could attack this Lair and the larger towns and cities. They could become deeply entrenched on this side of the mountains and claim large swaths of Draconia for Skithdron. That cannot be allowed to happen.” A grim silence met her words as they all thought of such eventualities for a moment. Then the younger princess turned to Isabelle.

  “What can you tell us of the village itself, Isabelle?” Princess Belora asked gently.

  “It is a village like any other,” Isabelle began, but she soon realized these people needed details that could help their plans. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Cleef Mantell is a snake. He has set up his mansion on the edge of the village under careful cover of the trees. He does not want his growing empire seen from above. He also keeps a low profile when strangers come to the village, except when playing the poor, ignorant farmer. In truth, he is anything but ignorant. He has an extensive library and reads and writes. He also speaks other tongues. My mother said he spoke the language of Talinor. She knew it from her travels, and recognized it when he slipped into what she thought was his mother tongue when he spoke with his wife.”