by Anna Lowe
Unfortunately, Dom Afonso had started a whole new thread of conversation.
“How could you let things come to this?” he lamented, shaking his head at Quintus.
“I did warn you about Duarte and Fausto,” Marco pointed out.
“I warned you too,” Cornelia threw in.
“What are you suggesting?” Quintus barked at Dom Afonso.
The cross fire between mainland and island dragons might have gone on forever had Laura not raised her hands, quieting them down. “The point is not I told you so. The point is to learn from our mistakes.”
The old Guardians didn’t look convinced until Cornelia chimed in with her quiet yet firm voice. “We have been caught off guard by the threats of a new generation — all of us. At the same time, we have failed to recognize new allies — a new generation that is aware of dangers we have been blind to.”
“What are you suggesting?” Dom Afonso snipped.
Cornelia shot him a look, then turned to the others. “I have more than a suggestion. I have a proposition. But first, a question for Dom Marco.” She pointed to him sternly, then to Laura and Paloma. “My proposition involves you, and you, and you.”
Paloma stuck a hand on her chest, confused.
Laura looked equally surprised, but Marco sensed what Cornelia was up to, and he was totally on board.
“Do you, Dom Marco, intend to go back to the quiet life of a recluse?” Cornelia asked.
Marco made sure his reply came through loud and clear. “No, I do not. I intend to get involved. If my mate agrees, of course.”
Laura blushed but nodded firmly. “I’m all in.”
Cornelia nodded. “Good, because it’s high time the Guardians appointed some new members. I nominate these three.” She pointed to Marco, Laura, and Paloma.
“I second the motion,” Dona Leonor’s firm voice rang out.
Paloma’s jaw dropped, and Laura paled, but Marco knew they would both be perfect.
Quintus frowned, though more in consternation than disapproval. “I suppose you’re right. It is time to appoint some new members. Of course, it is unconventional to nominate a member so young. So…so…” He fumbled for words.
Female? Cornelia’s arched eyebrows challenged.
“So inexperienced,” Quintus finally sputtered, saving face. “But I suppose we were all inexperienced in our time.”
The dragons of Madeira nodded in agreement, and Cornelia turned to the Guardians of Lisbon.
“A new perspective.” Dom Afonso sighed in a bittersweet way that asked, Where did the good old days go? But even he gave in. “I suppose that would be helpful.” He sized up Laura. “Especially if the new perspective is one of a Fire Maiden.”
“Wait. We get the Fire Maiden,” Quintus growled.
Dom Afonso huffed. “She has no roots here. We get the Fire Maiden.”
Cornelia held her head in her hands.
Things went back and forth in that vein, and Marco nearly shouted for quiet. But Dona Leonor beat him to it.
“Stop! All of you. I’m sure the Fire Maiden can decide her own fate. Frankly, I wouldn’t blame her if she decides to leave entirely.”
A deathly silence settled over the group as they waited with bated breath, each faction silently communicating what wonderful partners they would make.
Laura looked from the group huddled around Quintus to the men seated with Afonso. Finally, she pointed to Marco.
“Him. I choose him.”
His heart soared.
“I mean, if you agree,” she added quickly.
He grinned. “I agree.”
With my whole heart, I agree, he whispered into her mind.
“Yes, yes. Fine,” Quintus grumbled. “But whom will you ally with? The Guardians of Madeira or Lisbon?”
“Why does it have to be an either-or?” Cornelia asked. “We have worked together in the past. We can work together in the future.”
Quintus growled. “We are independent. We always have been.”
“Being independent and nurturing alliances are not mutually exclusive,” Cornelia shot back. “We are stronger together. Especially if we both share the same Fire Maiden.”
Marco held his breath. Cornelia was thinking big, and she was right. But he didn’t dare speak, because he was too invested in the outcome.
“Sharing a Fire Maiden?” Dom Afonso and Quintus grumbled at the same time, eyeing each other skeptically.
“Yes. If she agrees,” Cornelia said firmly. She touched Laura’s shoulder gently. “I don’t want to pressure you. You can think it over and let us know.”
Dom Afonso, however, leaned forward in his chair, and Quintus continued drumming his fingers on his armrest.
Marco looked deep into Laura’s eyes. Ignore them. The decision is yours.
She gulped and touched her ruby. “What about Marco? Where would he serve?”
Everyone looked blank, but Marco answered immediately. “I could not decide between my two homes, Lisbon and Madeira. But must I? I would serve both, if I may.”
“That is most unconventional,” someone uttered.
“Don’t forget Dom Henrique Teixeira,” Dona Leonor chimed in.
Dom who? Laura asked.
A legendary dragon shifter from four or five centuries ago, Marco explained.
Cornelia nodded. “Like the illustrious Dom Henrique, Marco has roots in both places. His mother’s side ties him to Madeira, while his father’s side ties him to Lisbon. That makes him a neutral party, much like the Fire Maiden.”
“But how would that work?” someone asked. “They would have to travel back and forth regularly.”
Marco’s pulse skipped. He’d spent his childhood doing just that, and it gave him everything he needed: the stimulation of the city and the rugged peace of Madeira.
“What do you think?” he asked Laura.
Her eyes shone with excitement. “As long as I don’t have to fly on my own wings…”
One of the Madeiran dragons laughed. “No one does that these days. We fly commercial.”
Laura shot Marco a secret look. Wanna bet?
“So, do you accept?” Cornelia asked.
Marco held his breath as Laura’s chest rose and fell. It was the decision of a lifetime, and they both knew it.
But when she answered, her voice was firm. “I do.”
Then she winked at Marco. You get it? I do?
He grinned, catching her gist. It was time to make her his, once and for all.
Slowly, the elders heaved themselves out of their chairs and shook hands. Quintus snapped his fingers, calling for drinks, while Dona Leonor kissed Paloma on both cheeks.
“I know you’ll be wonderful.”
Laura hugged Paloma, then flung her arms around Marco. “Please tell me we can leave now,” she whispered. “I have the burning desire to — ahem — seal this deal, if you know what I mean.”
Marco’s blood rushed. Oh, he knew what she meant. He looked around, searching for an excuse to leave.
Dona Leonor winked and motioned them toward the door. “Give me one minute.”
Marco could have hugged her, but she scurried to the far side of the terrace too quickly.
“Gentlemen, gentlemen,” the older woman called, bringing everyone to attention. “This is an historic moment. Quintus, will you do us the honor of marking it with a few words?”
Paloma groaned, because Quintus had a knack for turning a few words into long, droning speeches. Still, she waved Laura and Marco to the door.
“Quick. Everyone has their back turned. Go while you can.”
Laura hugged her again. “I owe you.”
Paloma sighed and whispered back. “Yes, you do. And if — no, when — I find my mate, I expect you to pay me back. Now, hurry. Go!”
Marco took Laura’s hand and inched toward the exit, slowly at first, then more quickly. When they finally made it around a corner and out of sight, he nearly ran for the car.
But Laura pressed him ag
ainst the nearest wall, licking her lips. “Quick preview. So I can survive the drive.”
He nodded through her kiss, locking her in his arms. Her breasts pressed into his chest, and her hips ground against his. Then, with a gasp, Laura dragged herself away. “Better stop, or we’ll go all the way right here.”
They hurried to the car and peeled away as the sun slowly set over the horizon. How he survived the drive, Marco wasn’t sure. But somehow, he did, covering the distance in record time.
“Wait. This isn’t the way home,” Laura protested along the way.
He shook his head. “Detour. Remember São Lourenço — the peninsula where we first landed on Madeira?”
She laughed. “And you’re taking me there because I have such good memories of the place?”
He shook his head. “No. I’m taking you there because it’s spectacular. And closer than home.”
“Mmm. Closer. I like the sound of that. But about those memories…”
He slid his hand from her knee to her thigh. “We’ll make new ones. I promise.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Laura braced her hands against the dashboard as the Land Rover lurched down a dirt road.
“You’re right.” She looked over the finger of land that pointed into the ocean. “It is spectacular. But I will die if you don’t touch me soon.”
It should have concerned her that Marco’s reply was a lusty growl instead of a chuckle. But hot, hard loving was exactly what she needed right now. She was burning for him and had been for hours. Days, it seemed like.
Years, her dragon pouted.
Which only showed how skewed her sense of time was.
Her other senses, however, soaked in the moonlit surroundings, like the lumpy, razorback terrain of the peninsula. Waves crashed into the rocky shore, and a salty tang filled the air. Periodically, the beam of the lighthouse swept over the rugged landscape, illuminating thin slices in tantalizing bursts.
She ran a hand along Marco’s thigh. Tantalizing was the word, all right.
Marco leaned forward, staring intently at the dirt track. Then the Land Rover creaked to a stop, and he kissed her hand.
“This is it.”
She nearly slid into his lap, but he held her tightly, kissing her neck.
“Just a few more seconds. I promise.”
“What’s wrong with the car?”
He laughed. “In a car, it’s sex. I want to make love to you. And, meu Deus. It would be a crime to deliver a mating bite in a car.”
Laura wasn’t convinced, but Marco had already pushed his door open. When he slid out, he took her with him, tugging her over the front seat. That, she approved of. Being kissed senseless against the side of the car worked for her too.
“Just a second,” he promised, breaking away a moment later.
God, she hoped so. What was he doing?
Marco pulled two blankets out of the back of the car — the very blankets Adriano had wrapped them in the night they’d arrived on the island. Laura hugged herself, thinking how much had changed since then.
Changed for the better, her dragon murmured.
She smiled. That was true. Even that second voice in her head didn’t seem like an outsider any more. Her dragon had truly become part of her.
Now it’s time to make him part of us. The beast gave a lusty swipe of the tail as Marco spread the blankets carefully in a hollow.
Damn, did the man have a great ass. Great everything else, too.
The moment he turned, heat shot through her veins, because his blue eyes glowed with desire, and when he started to strip…
Laura all but licked her lips, then pulled off her own clothes. When she stood bare, her shiver had more to do with Marco’s burning gaze than the chilly night air.
He reached for her, whispering, “Tão linda.”
As if her nipples needed another excuse to peak.
“Oh!” she squeaked when he swept her off her feet and laid her on the blanket.
“Oh,” he chuckled, drawing a hand down her chest.
Her ruby was glowing brighter than ever, but his eyes weren’t focused there. They were wandering all over her body as if perusing a menu full of incredible treats.
Laura drew his head to her lips, greedy for a dragon kiss. She thought back, replaying the moment in her mind. How did it go again?
“Like this.” Marco inhaled and puffed a tiny lick of fire within the tight lock of his kiss.
Laura threw her head back as the fire zipped through her veins. She wanted more of that. Desperately.
“Oh my God,” she panted, holding him close. Less than a minute into foreplay and she was already on her way to an orgasm. “Do those kisses have any side effects — other than how good they feel, I mean?”
Marco chuckled. “Perfectly safe. But a mating bite is even better — or so I’m told.”
She shook her head. “Not possible.”
“I suppose we’ll see.”
Her toes curled. Hell yes. They would.
Her dragon whispered in a sultry voice, But first…
Laura went still as a crazy idea took root in her mind. Or maybe not so crazy. She was a dragon shifter after all.
She touched Marco’s lips. “Can I try kissing you — dragon-style, I mean?”
Marco’s eyes glowed brighter. “It would be my privilege.”
“Are you sure I won’t hurt you?”
Marco grinned. “Just don’t exhale full blast.”
Suddenly, she was beset with second thoughts. She and Marco had narrowly escaped enough dragon fire. Did she really want him to endure more?
He smoothed her hair back. “That was enemy dragon fire. You’re my mate. I promise, it will be fine.” He wiggled around, letting her take the top. “Go on. Try.”
Laura kissed him, then puffed a teensy, tiny bit.
Marco groaned. “You call that a dragon kiss?”
“I’m working my way up, all right? Don’t get all bossy with me. I still have a complex about how bad my landings are.”
His eyes clouded. “I will spend the rest of my life making that up to you. And your last few landings were perfect.”
“You’re just saying that.”
“No, I’m not. Didn’t you notice?”
She sighed. “Oh, I noticed, all right.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think you did. Up in the mountains, after the fight, you landed perfectly. And when we flew home afterward, you touched down right at the edge of the vineyard.”
She searched her memories. “I did?”
He pulled her back into a kiss. “You didn’t notice because you weren’t thinking too hard. The same applies here.”
Laura wanted to insist that blowing fire into her lover wasn’t remotely the same, but her dragon side slowly took over, and before long, all she thought about was kissing. Light, licking kisses that tested his amazing flavor. Deep, sweeping strokes that foreshadowed what she wanted from him later. Marco’s lips moved over hers, taking command at times, then letting her take the lead. She groaned, going dizzy with desire.
The next time she came up for a breath of air, she was too numb with pleasure to wonder why her dragon made her hold that breath and heat it in her mouth.
In a hazy, detached way, she wondered why her dragon seemed so intent on doing it a certain way. Massaging the air, almost, the way she might have warmed her hands in winter.
Then she exhaled, and Marco shuddered under her, his fingers tightening in her hair. She shuddered too. Because, whoa — she was dragon-kissing him this time. That lick of fire — short and thin, but hot as Hades — was ripping out of her and traveling through him. She could sense it swirling through Marco’s veins, reaching into every corner of his body. Then, with a final, flaring whoosh, the fire blazed high in both of them before gradually fading out.
Slowly, she eased away. The seal of her lips around Marco’s was so tight, they separated with a little pop. Then they both panted, clutching each other.
/> “Gostosa,” Marco murmured.
Laura nodded, blown away. Hot was definitely the word.
“You’re okay, right?” she whispered a moment later.
Marco shook his head weakly, and for a moment, she panicked. Then she realized the tremble in his chest was a chuckle, not a convulsion of some kind.
“I certainly am,” he murmured, holding her close.
She sank down beside him. Whew.
A shooting star flashed overhead, and Laura cried out. “Make a wish.”
Marco ran his hands over her bare shoulder. “Already got mine.” Then his eyes flared, and he added, “Well, there is one thing…”
He rolled, pinning her under him. One at a time, he pulled her arms over her head and locked them there with one firm fist. The other hand, he sent exploring. Tentatively at first, then more boldly, murmuring the whole time.
“You know how the early navigators set off to discover new lands?”
Laura groaned. “You’re giving me a history lesson? Now?”
He shot her a smoldering grin. “Best kind of history. Bear with me. They went like this, following the coast of Africa.” He tiptoed his fingers from her neck to the top of her sternum. “They would explore a little, then come home and report what they found.” He tiptoed back. “Then they would send out another expedition to explore farther south. All the way around Cape Bojador this time…” His finger swung just wide of her chest, making her groan with anticipation. “And as far as Cape Verde. Then they sailed back the way they came.”
She inhaled sharply as his hand skimmed over her breast.
“They did that for decades,” he whispered, lingering at her neck.
She groaned. “If this takes decades, I’ll die. Can you speed up those discoveries?”
He chuckled. “Each successive journey taught them more and more about the land.” He dipped his head, trailing kisses down her body. “They stopped, too, setting up markers at each of the great capes…”
Her breath caught as his lips teased her breast. When he caught one pert nipple between his lips, she gyrated with need.
“Stopping is the best part of exploring,” she squeaked.
He nuzzled her soft flesh with his coarse chin, suckled a little longer, and finally, scooted farther down.