by Tia Wylder
It was the day before Brakha would come for his Instinct; I was feeling the pressure of making a decision on what to do with her. I wouldn’t admit it to her, but I had grown fond of her presence. I didn’t know it would feel so nice to have a woman living in my halls again. Perhaps, even after a hundred years, my heart was still capable of feeling something.
I brought a tray of food and opened the gate. Aveline regarded me with her dark brown eyes as I set the tray down.
“I have a question for you,” she said.
“I still haven’t decided.”
“No, it’s not that.”
I stood up and looked at her. “Then what is it?”
“A guy like you could have any woman he wanted. Why do you live alone, in the middle of nowhere?”
“I do not seek the pleasures of the flesh. Besides, the only woman I ever loved has been gone for over a hundred years. In my time I’ve made too many enemies and been hurt too many times. This was for the best. I could still make Instinct and save our people without interference,” I said.
“Is that what you think?” Aveline asked, “That you’re helping shifters?”
“Yes, that is why I created it. To protect us from humans who would eradicate our people.”
“We are stronger than them! We can cut them down!”
She spoke with a passion and a fire that was undeniably alluring. I stepped closer to her.
“What would you have me do? This is my life, this is my business!” I said.
“You and I both know that you don’t care about the money, and there’s a part of you that wants something more than this pointless existence!” She said.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I saw the way you looked at me when we first met Sergei. There’s a part of you that knows I’m right. Why do you resist? Together we could free our people. Shifters would no longer live in fear!”
I thought back to the night we first met. The image of her naked body in my mind filled me with desire. I took another step closer to her.
“You want me to join you?” I asked.
“I want you to look into your heart and do what you know is right,”
I reached out and pressed my hand against her face. She tilted her cheek toward me. Her thick lips pressed against my skin. A rush of pleasure ran down my body like a wave. It had been so terribly long since I felt the kiss of a woman.
“Why don’t you let me give you a taste of what you’re missing? Go ahead, get undressed,” she said.
I took off my clothes and stood before her naked and bare. “Come closer, but don’t untie me just yet,” she whispered.
I stood over her and ran my hands through her silky black hair. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against me. Her tongue emerged and traced the length before she kissed the tip.
“I want to taste you,” she said.
I reached down and lifted myself into her open mouth. She eagerly took all of me in. I slid back out and let loose a long sigh. The pleasure was incredible.
“Keep going.”
I leaned forward again and pushed myself into her mouth. Her tongue swirled and slid across me. I threw my head back and felt her lips cling to me. I slowly started thrusting my hips back and forth, relishing in every moment her lips slid across my skin and her tongue danced along my length.
The pleasure was becoming too much, I was going to cum. I reached around behind her head and held her still as I started thrusting into her mouth faster.
I felt it coming, but I was too enthralled in the moment to notice that she had undone her ropes. Before I could react she was out of the chair. She pushed me down onto my back and leaped on top of me. She took the knife from the tray of food I brought her and pressed it to my neck.
“What is this? What are you doing?” I asked.
“Now you make your choice, Sergei. Either you accept what you know is right in your heart, or you refuse my offer and you die here and now. Make your choice!”
I knew she wasn’t bluffing, I could see that plainly in her eyes. She was right, but it took staring into the eyes of certain death for me to see it. Instinct wasn’t the solution; it was part of the problem.
“I accept your terms, on one condition,” I said.
“Name it.”
“You must come with me to my private quarters so we can finish this conversation in a more comfortable setting.”
Aveline threw the knife away and leaned down onto me. She pressed her lips into mine and then pulled away.
“Lead the way,” she said.
Chapter Six
I followed Sergei up to the second floor of his castle and into his bedroom. I admired his body with each step he took. His shifting muscles and thick arms worked like a well-oiled machine. I needed him to free our people, but I was almost becoming fond of him. There was a quiet kindness to him that I found endearing.
We stepped into his lavish bedroom with a massive bed. It was covered in crimson sheets that shimmered like silk. I stepped inside and Sergei closed the door behind me. I felt his lips graze my neck as he softly kissed a path from my neck down to my shoulder. He unbuttoned my shirt and peeled it off me. His hands effortlessly undid the clasp of my bra and he pulled down my panties with a swift motion. I was naked within seconds.
I turned around to face him. I could lose myself in those ice blue eyes of his. He pulled me to him and we kissed passionately as I backed toward the bed. When we reached the edge, he pushed me onto the soft sheets and leaned over me. I felt his hot breath against my breasts as his tongue gently slid over my nipples. His hand reached up and cupped them, gently massaging as his lips wandered down between my legs.
He pushed my legs apart and buried his head between. His tongue slid out and gently touched the boundary. A shrill shot of pleasure shot across my body as his tongue pressed against the soft flesh near the top. His breathing came in short bursts as he eagerly slid his tongue in circles and lines.
Years of experience had been kind to him. He knew just how to please a woman. I felt the pressure building as a climax approached. He showed no signs of slowing as my back arched, my legs quaked, and my body was wracked with waves of ecstasy. I screamed and clutched his jet black hair.
Before he could fully stand, I pulled him down and climbed on top of him. His hands gripped my waist as I slid him deep inside of me. I could feel his heartbeat keeping time with mine and I slid and grinded myself against him. He reached up and massaged my breasts as I furiously chased another climax.
His hands descended down my back and gripped tightly. He started thrusting to the same rhythm of my movements. I felt him thrusting deeper into me, sending out shocks of pleasure with each one. As I approached my second climax, I begged him to keep going. His gripped me tightly as my body once again exploded with ecstasy. The sounds of my screams prompted him to roar as he came inside me.
I collapsed beside him on the bed.
“I wish we could sleep Sergei, but there’s work to be done. My brother will be here tomorrow.”
“Yes, he shall, he will not find us or his Instinct,” I said.
“What are you planning?” I asked.
“I will set fire to the lab. When the flames reach the Instinct, this entire castle will be destroyed in the explosion. The secrets will die with me, and our people will finally be rid of the drug that keeps them from realizing their true destiny.”
I lay on his chest and closed my eyes. For the first time in my life, I felt hope for the future.
Chapter Seven
I stood beside Aveline in the lab that had occupied my life for centuries. I never saw a future beyond this. I had assumed I would spend whatever time was left for me on this Earth making a drug that I had convinced myself was the savior of the shifter race. As it turned out, I was wrong. It wasn’t a solution, it was a crutch. For so long we had denied our gifts and chose to live among the humans.
No more, today everything would change. Without my lab, witho
ut Instinct, shifters would be forced to embrace their animalistic sides. They would finally stop denying their destiny and instead walk proudly into the future. The scene was set; all I had to do was start the fire. There was a long fuse that led through the lab and into a cloth that sat suspended in a vat of Instinct. There was enough here to destroy any hope of the drug existing again.
“Brakha will be here soon. Light the fuse so we can leave!” Aveline said.
“I spent countless years here. I built this place with my own two hands. This is my home.”
Aveline took my head in her hands and turned me toward her.
“This isn’t your home anymore, Sergei. It’s lost everything that made it one, now it’s just a building. You can do this, I promise.”
I struck the match and lit the end of the fuse. We had just over five minutes before this place would explode. By the time Brakha arrived it would be smoking rubble. I leaned down and lit the fuse. The flame took hold and started following the path to its destiny. Now, it was time to follow my own.
Aveline and I left the castle behind and shifted into our animal forms. We ran full speed into the jungle until we were far from the castle. I spun around and watched my home explode in a ball of fire through the eyes of the dire wolf.
I looked over to Aveline who glistened in the night like a living shadow in her Black Panther form. We locked eyes and I knew I had made the right decision. She turned and ran off into the forest. I took one last look at what used to be my home and then followed her into the night.
The Dragon’s Love Affair
Chapter One
Ragnar Eriksen had lost everything to the Dragonslayers. His wife and son did not choose to be born as dragon shifters. Ragnar promised his wife and son that he would protect them, that no harm would ever come to them. That promise was broken when the Dragonslayers came and slaughtered an entire village of dragon shifters living peacefully in the Scandinavian mountains.
Ragnar and his people had been ruthlessly hunted for centuries by humans, but the Dragonslayers were different. They had the form and persona of humans, but their strength and longevity revealed that they were something different. Some say it was because they drank the blood of the dragons they killed and drew strength from the blood. Others say they are fallen gods who cannot rise to power again while the dragon shifters exist. The truth remains a mystery, for the Dragonslayers are an elusive group.
After the loss of his family, Ragnar’s people were scattered. He followed one of the wounded Dragonslayers back to a place where they met. It was a veritable fortress hidden in the Black Forest of Germany. There were hundreds of them, but Ragnar was confident that he and his fellow dragon shifters could overpower the fortress if they had the element of surprise. The Nordic ice dragons were among the most powerful of the dragon tribes. Ragnar’s icy breath tore through flesh and bone and leveled cities faster than fire ever could.
Frozen solid in the blink of an eye, Ragnar would shatter those who took everything from him. He returned to his people and pleaded with the elders to form an attack party. They told him his need for revenge would lead only to more bloodshed. They told him to mourn his family and leave the Dragonslayers to their own devices.
They have grown old and soft. Their icy hearts have melted, Ragnar thought. He would go himself then and infiltrate the fortress. He shifted into a beast of legend, with scales blacker than the night sky and cold blue eyes that reflected his frozen soul. His wings spanned far in both directions, casting an ominous shadow on the clouds below. The air was thin and crisp. The full moon above refracted across his shimmering black scales, casting him in a white glow.
Flying this close to heaven was the only time Ragnar thought he could feel the presence of his wife and son. He imagined them flying by his side, soaring above the cares and worries of the world below. Ragnar descended beneath the clouds and dived at rapid pace to avoid being spotted. He landed in a clearing and quickly shifted back to his human form.
He was naked. His human form could not withstand the icy chill of winter for long. Fortunately the fortress was close. He made his way silently through the forest until he spotted a lone guard standing watch. Ragnar circled around and approached from behind.
Ragnar wrapped his arm around the man’s throat and pulled him down. He clenched his thick bicep and pulled his forearm upward, cutting off the man’s air supply. He was too shocked and surprised to fight back. He lost consciousness and Ragnar slowly released him. He pondered for a long while if he should deliver a killing blow, but decided against it. He would die with the rest of them when the time was right.
Ragnar took his clothes which consisted of a suit and crimson tie with plain black slacks. He had a gun holstered at his side and a wireless communicator in his ear. Ragnar took everything and dressed himself as the guard. He made his way to the fortress and walked with a quiet confidence that he hoped would allow him to blend in.
There seemed to be an event being held within the high walls of the complex. Various humans were arriving dressed in military uniforms and decorated with medals. There were representatives from various countries. Ragnar saw all manner of different flags stitched upon the shoulders of the men entering through the main gate. Many of them walked with woman by their side. The whole scene made Ragnar think he was attending a celebration or gala instead of infiltrating the heart of his enemies.
The guards at the front gate wore the same clothing as Ragnar. They afforded him a slight nod as he passed through without issue. Ragnar breathed a sigh of relief as he melded himself into the crowd. Guards were placed at various intervals and directed the guests through the open complex. Buildings passed by on either side, holding secrets that Ragnar was determined to reveal. All in due time, he thought.
“Don’t you have something you’re supposed to be guarding?”
Ragnar turned and saw a woman dressed in a tight black dress that traced the outline of her curvaceous form. She had jet black hair and glistening emerald eyes that regarded Ragnar with a quiet curiosity.
“I’m on break,” Ragnar muttered.
“Ah, I see. Going to see this Apollo fellow then?” She asked.
Ragnar hadn’t heard that name before.
“Apollo?”
“Yeah, one of your bosses. Are you new or something?”
Ragnar shook his head. “I’ve been doing this a long time.”
“Well, since you’re on break, maybe you can be my date?”
“You’re here alone?”
The woman waved her hand to dismiss the idea.
“No, but I haven’t the slightest idea where my husband is. Besides, if you turn me down, I’ll tell your boss you’re skipping out on work.”
Ragnar clenched his jaw. This woman was becoming a nuisance.
“Very well,” he said.
The woman interlocked her arm with Ragnar. He hadn’t felt the touch of a woman in some time. It was both welcome and distracting. He had to remain hidden until this Apollo revealed himself. Then he would strike at the heart of the Dragonslayers.
The earpiece crackled with static. Ragnar stopped in his tracks and focused on the sound. The woman’s pace came to a grinding halt. She teetered on her heels and let loose an audible sigh.
“Gamma post, report in! You’re late again!” A voice shouted.
Ragnar pressed his finger against the communicator and heard a click.
“All clear here,” he said.
“Miss another check and I’ll have your ass, you hear me?”
“Yes sir.”
Ragnar looked back to the woman who was still relentlessly clinging to his arm.
“Trouble in paradise?” She asked.
“I don’t know how long I can stay,” Ragnar said, “They’re going to find out I’m away from my post.”
The woman gestured to the continued flow of guests.
“Then hurry up and escort me to the presentation dinner!”
Ragnar returned to the throng of moving peopl
e. Everyone was being led like sheep into one of the larger buildings. Inside the drab interior was decorated with ornate tapestries that hung from the walls and covered the plain concrete beneath. Tables and chairs were arranged across the open space and a stage with a podium lined the back wall.
“We should probably know each other’s names if we’re going to go any further with this,” the woman said.
“I don’t think I’ll be staying for the presentation,” Ragnar said.
“Nonsense! By the time my husband finishes bragging to every general in here the dinner will be over! Don’t make a woman eat alone.”
She extended her hand. “I’m Isabel.”
“Ragnar.”
“Oh, I like that name! What is that, European?” She asked.
“No, it’s not.”
“Well then, let’s find out seats, shall we Ragnar?”
He was growing tired of this woman. She was clearly starved for attention, but he couldn’t afford to have his divided. Ragnar sat beside her at one of the tables and scanned the room. He didn’t see any Dragonslayers, just a bunch of humans enjoying each other’s company.
When a Dragonslayer did enter the room, Ragnar felt the temperature drop. Their presence was haunting, like being in the room with a malevolent spirit. It was just one for now, but Ragnar knew this one was somehow important. It was the way he carried himself, the contempt in his gaze as he looked out at the humans in the room like they were cattle.
He had a chiseled jaw and ashy white skin. His thick brown hair was perfectly manicured into a high and tight haircut. He took the stage and tapped the microphone that extended from the podium. The crowd went silent.
“Thank you all for coming here. I appreciate that so many nationalities and countries are willing to work together in this endeavor. My name is Apollo, and I am one of five who will be speaking tonight. For now, please enjoy the food and relax,” he said.
No one had seen the leaders of the Dragonslayers in person. The elders of Ragnar’s tribe, in all of their years, had only learned that they numbered five. Ragnar had a name: Apollo. It was the name of a Greek god, but more than that, Apollo was known for slaying the she-dragon Python of Delphi. Could this man and the god of myth be one and the same? Being in his presence, Ragnar wasn’t certain either way.