by Amelia Jade
Kallore raced into the cavern just then. Behind him came two others with the build and movement of dragons, though she didn’t recognize them. These must be Callan and Torran. The sight of further dragons calmed Corde, and at a word from Kallore he finally dismissed his sword.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Carla lowered her weapons, and the entire room breathed a collective sigh of relief as the tension eased.
“Thorne, be more specific,” she said as she walked toward Corde, Thorne following her. “Corde needs to know exactly what you mean.”
“I was there,” he said heavily, eyes downcast in shame or guilt. “The day it happened. I didn’t know Corde then.”
“Why were you there?” she asked.
“I…didn’t have a choice.” He shook his head. “That’s what I told myself then, at least. I was young, and had left my parents to explore the world. Another black dragon took me under his wing. Ornthalat was his name. He offered to guide me, teach me how to better use my abilities. I was eager for companionship, so I said yes.”
Silence filled the room as everyone listened, Thorne’s haunted voice carrying to everyone. Nobody moved, nobody said anything.
“At first, it was fun and games. We hunted, raided some human settlements for gold, the usual things. We didn’t kill humans. At least, I didn’t. Orn would always send me back early, saying that he would watch my trail. I figured he was telling the truth, but one day I turned back, returning to the village because I had scented another dragon.” He hung his head. “I saw the remains of the village. Melted, ruined remains of buildings, people, livestock. He’d covered everything in acid, stripping it down. It was horrifying.”
“Why didn’t you stop him?” Corde snarled. “I would have fought and killed him then and there!”
Thorne’s head snapped up, eyes ablaze with defiant anger. “I wasn’t strong enough. You’ve been there too. Where you weren’t good enough. Didn’t do the right thing.”
Corde engaged in the stare-down for a handful of heartbeats, but eventually he looked away, acknowledging the truth of the statement.
“I thought about it. About running away. Of trying to notify other dragons who might step in. But I was too scared of Orn. If I left, I knew he’d hunt me down and kill me. So I stayed. I would tell villagers if I could to run away, that we were going to burn it all down. Some listened. Most didn’t.”
“Then you came to my village,” Corde said, the anger in his voice replaced by hurt.
“Yes. We raided while you were gone, and then I left, as usual. But I’d stopped going back to our lair. Instead I stayed at a distance and watched. It was my penance, my punishment, for not doing anything. I saw him laugh as he burned whole swaths of villages and bathed others in acid. Every one of them I saw happen in front of me,” he snarled explosively.
Carla’s heart was aching by now, tears streaming down her face as she imagined a younger Thorne being torn apart on the inside as he watched atrocity after atrocity, forcing himself to witness so many horrid things.
“This,” she said suddenly. “This is what you were crying out against in your sleep, wasn’t it?” Even as she asked the question, she knew it was the truth.
“Yes,” he said, pained by the admission. “I no longer sleep. I simply remember a different village and how it ended. It’s why I fled into the long sleep in the first place, to try and escape my pain and suffering. I was too weak. I couldn’t handle it any longer.”
He turned to look squarely at her, and she saw the guilt, the pain, the memories of what he’d seen. It was visible for anyone to see, but Carla saw clearest, and she wanted nothing more than to be out of her suit of metal and to hold him.
“But then I met you,” he said softly. “And for a brief moment, I allowed myself a sliver of hope. You gave me strength like I’ve never known before, strength enough to accept what I did. That is why I didn’t want to go to sleep,” he admitted. “To let them put me back under. Don’t you see?” he asked, whirling to look at the assembled onlookers. “I wanted a fresh start. Was that too much to ask?”
He buried his hands in his face as a low moan raced through the crowd, the combined agony of a dozen people who were near to weeping for what the dragon had been through.
“I’m sorry, Corde,” he whispered as she listened. “I’m so sorry. I wish I had been stronger.” Her heart broke as Thorne looked up, raw pain visible in his cheeks and around his eyes, his forehead creased with it. “If I could go back, I’d do whatever I could to stop Orn. I wouldn’t have waited until I did.”
Corde, silent until now, looked puzzled. “What do you mean? What happened to Ornthalat?”
“I killed him,” Thorne said bluntly. “But not until many, many years later. I finally sprang a trap and killed him. It was then that I entered the long sleep, not caring whether or not I awoke. All I knew was that no one else would die by his hand, and that far too many already had, because I hadn’t acted.”
“You killed him?”
Carla looked back and forth between the two shifters, watching to ensure that nothing happened, her battlesuit ready to respond at a moment’s notice if Corde decided he was going to try and finish what he’d started.
“Yes.”
“You’re positive?”
“I burned the corpse and melted the remains with acid. I was thorough,” he stated fiercely. “It was the least I could do.”
“Thank you.”
Carla jerked back in surprise at the words from Corde. These dragons were always surprising her it seemed. She was constantly being forced to re-examine their emotional complexity, and always admitting that there was more depth to them than she’d believed. Now Corde was demonstrating just that.
“I’ve held on to that agony for so long now,” Corde said, the words coming slow at first, in halting, jarring bursts, but faster as he spoke, the emotions flowing through them. “The shame of failure, of not being able to protect the village I’d sworn to defend with my life. I ran away too. I couldn’t defeat Ornthalat. I knew that from the start. He was too big and old. Too powerful. I was a young red who still couldn’t breathe fire yet. I was an embarrassment to my father and to everyone else. But now, I wish I’d stayed and fought, no matter the outcome.”
“Me too,” Thorne agreed. “I would gladly sacrifice myself if it would bring even one of those villagers back.”
“I believe that,” Corde said. “I saw you go toe-to-toe with the Outsider, even though you didn’t have the protection of a mate bond over you. It could have killed you at any moment. But you didn’t run. You stood and fought it as well as any of us could have.”
Carla looked back and forth, unable to believe the two of them. A minute ago Corde had been ready to separate Thorne’s head from his body. Now he was praising him like they were battle brothers. Which they kind of were, she guessed. They had combined to kill an Outsider, something only one other had accomplished to date.
“I couldn’t let it get through the portal,” Thorne said stubbornly, as if that were all there was to be said about it.
“Thank you for killing him, Thorne. And I’m sorry I almost tried to kill you. You didn’t deserve that.”
“Unbelievable,” she whispered as the two of them embraced briefly.
“Speaking of the portal,” Colonel Mara said from off to the side. “Look.”
Carla glanced over, noticing that the crazed activity within its borders had died down, the edges fading back to the dull purple as well.
“Well I guess we know now why it was acting up. That Outsider must have been burrowing toward it.”
Thorne nodded, likely grateful for the change of subject. “Perhaps it will give you warning now if something comes through from the other side.”
“Maybe,” Colonel Mara said thoughtfully. “Maybe. Miss Giannone,” she said, addressing Carla.
“Yes, Colonel?”
“I believe you have appropriated some equipment that doesn’t belong to you. If you would be so kind a
s to return it, the two of you may retire to recover for a bit.”
“Of course,” she said, dejected, moving to return the suit to its tube, the remembrance of her discharge from the military now fresh on her mind again.
“And once you’re feeling up to it, I believe the two of you have an idea to pitch me.”
Damn straight we do. And you’re going to accept it now, because we just showed you it was viable.
Carla grinned to herself as hope flared again. This wasn’t over yet.
Not by a longshot.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Carla
They lay together on their sides.
While she would have liked to say it was because they wanted nothing more than to cuddle with her back pressed into his chest, the truth was it was the only position that worked on the small military bed. It was slightly bigger than a infantryman’s rack, but not much.
“Can I ask you something?”
Her back shook from the rumble of his voice, the closeness of their bodies transferring the vibrations from his chest to her. It was a funny feeling, but she didn’t try to pull away from him.
“Ask me anything,” she said softly, kissing his wrist to reassure him.
“Out there. During the battle. You said something to me.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Carla nodded breathlessly, not trusting her voice.
“You beat the Outsider away.”
“I did.” The right side of her mouth pulled upward in a half smile at the memory. Damn, that had felt badass.
“Then you called me your mate.”
Her stomach wrapped itself in so many knots she thought it had just been used as a shoelace.
“I did.”
Thorne paused, and she was fairly certain that over the beating of her own heart she could feel his pounding against his chest, the thumping audible at such close range.
“Did you mean it?”
That was his question? Carla’s lips moved into a full grin as she accepted the answer, taking the time to think about it now without the heat of combat.
“Yes,” she said quietly, rolling over carefully so she could look at him. “I did. I meant it, and everything that goes along with it, Thorne. I know it wasn’t the best time to tell you, but I—”
Thorne’s lips stopped her from talking, though at least one more word came out mashed between their lips. She started giggling with him over that before tilting her neck back and letting him continue with what he’d started.
Her body arched into him.
“I love you,” he growled happily.
“And I you, Thorne,” she told him. “I love you as well.” She laughed gaily. “I can’t believe I’m saying that, but I mean it completely and utterly. I could just shout it from the tallest building now!”
“That can be arranged,” he murmured. “We do live in the tallest building in the city.”
She nuzzled into his neck, chuckling along with him. “Maybe.”
“So just for clarification,” he asked, his topaz eyes twinkling with mischief. “Does this mean I was right when I told you that you would fall for me?”
Carla’s eyebrows lowered dangerously. “Yes,” she admitted. “Now if you know what’s good for you, you’ll never, ever mention that again.”
Thorne just laughed and pulled her in even tighter. Carla gasped audibly as his body pressed into her.
“Are you hard?” she asked, shocked.
“Maybe,” he growled, nipping gently at her ear.
“What are you doing?” she hissed, looking behind her. “The door isn’t locked!”
“I know.”
Fingers slipped between her legs, instantly finding their target. Carla moaned softly, then shook her head. “Thorne, no. We can’t do that here! People could walk in at any time. They could hear us!”
“If you can’t keep quiet, I can gag you,” he suggested, his fingers continuing their painfully delicious work.
“I’ll just bet you could,” she growled, constantly checking over her shoulder.
“Turn over,” he ordered, and she did as he said, now facing the door.
Fingers slipped her pants and underwear down to her knees before doing the same to himself. Then strong hands grabbed her ass and pulled it in to him. His hard cock slipped between her legs, and she ground against it slowly, realizing that she wanted it just as bad as he did. Though he wasn’t inside her yet, she knew it was just a matter of time.
“Hurry up,” she growled a minute later. “I want you. Now. Stop teasing me.”
Thorne lifted her right ass check into the air and a moment later the tip of his cock slid deep inside her, already soaked in her juices from the grinding.
Both of them made noises of pleasure as they were once again bonded together in the reaffirmation of life following their battle. Carla thrust her ass backward, capturing as much of him as she could in that position.
Together they writhed back and forth in sinuous motion, each action designed to give the other the most pleasure possible. Thorne’s hands played roughly across her chest, slipping under her overshirt to tweak her nipples as he thrust deep inside of her.
The pleasure of having her man take her, mixed with the fear and thrill of being caught, was an intoxicating elixir that had her riding on edge right from the start. It took no more than a few minutes before both of them were panting and ready to crash over the edge together.
“Don’t you dare explode,” she ordered, pushing her hand between her legs.
“How am I supposed to not do that while you’re touching yourself as I fuck you?” he asked plaintively.
“I have no idea, but don’t,” she said, losing his reply in her pleasure as her own fingers provided the extra stimulation. Carla gasped and twitched violently in his arms as she orgasmed right then and there in the middle of a base with an unlocked door just inviting anyone to push through without warning. It was the hottest, most intense feeling of fear and excitement, and it heightened every touch.
“Now can I cum?” Thorne begged from behind her.
As her senses returned Carla could feel him pulsing deep inside her, ready to explode at the slightest touch. He’d actually stopped moving against her, the sensations too intense.
“No,” she said, slipping forward and pulling up her pants.
Moving to the floor, she pulled him to the edge, taking his hard shaft in one hand, and the tip of him into her mouth.
Thorne groaned with pleasure, and within seconds she felt him tighten. Wet warmth filled her mouth as she watched his face contort with pleasure, huge muscles straining violently against his clothing as he arched backward, his hips thrusting forward toward her mouth.
She greedily swallowed him up, not a single drop escaping as he pitched backward onto the cot, the bed creaking and groaning as his weight was abruptly flung down onto it. Moving with him, she continued her motion at a much slower rate, ensuring that she got everything from him.
“That was unexpected,” Thorne gasped, his lungs still heaving from his climax.
“I’m glad I can still surprise you,” she said, giving him a wink and poking at his pants, not wanting anyone to walk in on them like that. “Now put that away until we’re done.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, rising to his feet and saluting before bending over to yank up his pants.
Carla groaned. “Oh brother. That was a sight I could have done without.”
Thorne was busy doing up his belt, but he paused to flash her a lustful look.
“Uh, I can come back.”
She whirled around to see the door open, a red-faced private looking at them wide-eyed.
Shit.
“No,” she said, trying to maintain a straight face as she heard Thorne snickering behind her. “It’s fine. What is it, Private?”
“Uh, Colonel Mara sent me to check on you two, ma’am. To see if you needed anything, and how you were recovering from the battle.” His mouth opened to say more, but he clamped it shut ag
ain, military discipline taking over.
Carla took pity on the fresh-faced new recruit. “Go ahead, Private, ask your question.”
She’d expected him to hold back, or to perhaps pretend like he didn’t have one, but obviously he was more eager than she’d suspected.
The words came out in a rush so fast she could barely understand them. “Is it true you killed an Outsider, ma’am?”
“I didn’t,” she stressed. “A team of two dragons and I did.”
“But you took it on. In a battlesuit. By yourself, right? Everyone’s talking about it.”
Carla flushed, unable to hide her embarrassment at the realization that gossip had taken hold and word of her antics was probably halfway across the country by now. “It wasn’t quite like that, Private,” she stressed. “I had no choice. We had to ensure it didn’t get through the portal.”
“She was fantastic,” Thorne boasted, stepping up next to her, his size immediately dragging the overwhelmed soldier’s attention away. “I was busy trying to keep it occupied.”
“By letting it smash your face in?” she muttered.
“Be quiet,” he shot back under his breath. “Anyway, I was keeping it occupied, and she comes up behind it and is like, ‘Don’t you fuck with my mate,’ in one of the most badass proclamations of love that I’ve ever heard of, or even dreamt about. And then,” he said, stepping forward and taking the private by the shoulder, wheeling him out of the room. “Then she takes it by the arm and slaps it into the ground, throws it into the air, and blasts it with those fancy guns the suits have. You know the ones under the arm?”
“Yeah, their double-barreled quadri-fi—”
“Yeah yeah, whatever,” Thorne said as they disappeared out into the hall, his voice growing more distant. “Anyway, the Outsider is midair, and she just unloads on it, hitting it twice while it’s flying through the air. Bam! Bam! And the Outsider goes down, and…”
Carla stood there, shaking her head. She was never going to live this down now.
Though hearing Thorne boast about her to everyone who would listen was secretly rather awesome. He was her dragon shifter, and he was proud of her.