“And she fixes us up and gives us a lollipop.” Kellan said with a smile. “But because she has an evil sense of humor, those lollipops are made with cayenne pepper and ghost chilies.”
Reece blinked. And then beamed at Emmaline. “Okay, I like you.”
Emmaline beamed back. “And I like you. Which is a good thing, given you’re Kellan’s Fire Mate. I’d hate to grumble about his life partner at the Newcastle dragon-shifter Christmas party.”
Reece blinked. Again. “There’s a Newcastle dragon-shifter—”
“No, there isn’t.” Kellan released a drawn-out sigh and gave Emmaline’s shoulder a soft nudge with the back of his hand. “Not to tell you how to do your job, Doc, but my Fire Mate has a bolt sticking out of her shoulder and, well, to put it mildly, we’re still in the middle of the mating fire and—”
“Yeah, yeah.” Emmaline waved a hand at him. “I hear you. Pass me my bag, please.”
He did, his gut clenching as she withdrew a hypodermic needle and filled the syringe with a clear liquid from a tiny vial.
“What’s that?” Reece asked, watching her.
“Propofol.” Emmaline flicked the syringe. “An anesthetic used on both humans and reptiles.”
Reece’s eyebrows shot up. “A what?”
“Shhh,” Emmaline said, attention fixed on Reece’s arm. “This might hurt just…”
She injected the anesthetic into the inflamed skin right next to steel bolt.
“…a bit,” she finished as Reece hissed.
Kellan stepped closer to the bed, every fiber in his body flaring at the pain in the sharp sound.
Reece’s eyes flickered green light, and then she let out a breathless laugh. “Ow.”
“Give it a few minutes,” Emmaline straightened, “and we’ll be ready for extraction. Now, Kellan, if you’ll be so kind as to point me to the bathroom.” She smiled at Reece. “I don’t need to pee, but I figured, given your current heightened sexual state, you two would like a few moments’ reprieve from my intrusion.”
Reece shook her head. “I think I love you, Doc.”
“Hey hey hey, fragile Fire Mate ego in the room.” Kellan rolled his eyes with a smile. “Go make yourself a cuppa if you want, Doc. You know where the kitchen is.”
Emmaline grinned. “I do.”
She left the bedroom, whistling “Puff the Magic Dragon” on her way.
Laughing, shaking her head again, Reece looked up at Kellan. “Well, she’s amazing.”
“She comes in handy.” He brushed a strand of hair from Reece’s cheek. “Does it still hurt?”
“A little.” She threaded her fingers through his. “But not enough for you to not kiss me. I’d hate for that fragile ego of yours to feel threatened.”
“Ahh, I see.” Bending at the waist, he dropped a soft kiss on the middle of her forehead.
“That’s not what I want,” she growled, snagging his shirtfront and yanking his mouth down to hers. She took command of the kiss, sliding her tongue over his.
Heat raced over him. His skin began to prickle. His cock throbbed. His balls grew heavy.
With another growl, she released his fingers, grabbed his wrist and placed his hand completely over her bare breast.
Her nipple beaded beneath his palm, and he let out his own growl, fighting to control the desire and need burning through him.
He worshipped her mouth, losing himself in the hot wildness of her lips and tongue and teeth. He pinched her nipple, cupped and squeezed her breast. Deepened the kiss and then groaned as she deepened it again.
Fuck, how much longer before—
“Ahem.”
He jolted back, almost tripping over his heels, as Emmaline strode into the room.
“Clearly the anesthetic is doing its job.” She arched an eyebrow at him as she stopped at the side of the bed, and then gave Reece a pointed look.
Reece chewed her lip. “Umm…sorry?”
Emmaline waved a dismissive hand again. “I’m kidding. Ready to get this horrible thing out of you?”
Worry flickered over Reece’s face and she looked up at Kellan. “Hold my— Holy crap!”
“Done.” Emmaline lifted the bolt, presenting it to them both. Blood trickled from its sharp metal tip. “Now, let me look at the damage…”
That’s so going to leave a scar.
A short time later, frown pulling at her eyebrows, Reece trailed her fingertips over the fresh knot of pink, tender skin just below her shoulder joint.
Thanks to her croi, the wound was already on its way to healing. Emmaline had sewn the skin back together with six tiny stitches of bright pink surgical thread, and then, with a smirk, handed Reece a bright red lollipop.
“For you,” she’d said, before plucking her bag up from the floor and striding from the room. “Kellan, see me out,” she’d called over her shoulder as she disappeared through the open door.
Kellan had chuckled, tapped the lollipop and smiled at Reece. “I’ll be right back. Don’t eat that. Trust me, it’s hot.”
Pushing herself from the bed, Reece had made her way to the en suite bathroom and studied the “damage” left by the bolt.
“Definitely going to leave a scar,” she muttered. Bastard Archie.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Heart thumping fast at Kellan’s deep murmur, she turned from the mirror and smiled.
He leaned against the doorjamb, exquisite arms crossed over his just-as-exquisite chest. His gray eyes glinted silver, the hunger and urgency in them turning Reece’s core to liquid heat.
Lifting an eyebrow, she rested her butt against the basin’s edge. It didn’t worry her that she was naked save for the torn remains of his shirt hanging from her shoulders. He was her Fire Mate, and there was nothing she didn’t want him to see or know. Or touch. “You’re not half bad yourself.”
He chuckled, and the silver in his eyes seemed to burn brighter. “How’s the injury?”
“What injury?”
His nostrils flared. His chest heaved with a shaky breath. He was doing his best to control himself, she could see that. Restraint radiated from him. Tension tightened the skin around his eyes and his hawkish nose. Damn, she loved his nose. His face…
Heart racing, anticipation shivering through her, she trailed her fingertips over the healing wound, and then lower. Over her chest, her left breast. Paused at her pebbled nipple. Touch me here, Kellan. Please…
He moved. Fast.
Destroyed the small distance between them in two strides and buried his hands in her hair. Crushed her mouth with his.
Kissed her.
Made love to her mouth with his tongue and lips.
She moaned and rolled her hips, grinding the curve of her sex to the ridge of his erection imprisoned by his jeans. A firestorm of lust surged through her and she pulled away, fisting her hands in the soft cotton of the T-shirt he wore. “I want this off you. I want your skin against mine. Now.”
His jaw bunched. “Are you sure your injury—”
She shut him up with a kiss as hungry and savage as the one he’d given her.
He groaned into her mouth. She laughed and pulled away again. “Take it off,” she ordered. “Before I tear it off.”
Silver fire glinted in his eyes. “Done.”
He took a step backward and yanked his T-shirt over his head.
She captured his small, tight nipple with her lips before he could drop his hands and sucked on it with greedy need.
“Hell’s bells, that’s good,” he rasped, one hand tangling in her hair, the other cupping the back of her head.
Skin prickling, she moved her mouth to his other nipple and lavished it with frenzied attention, her sex constricting with every hitching intake of breath that tore from him. She liked hearing his control fraying. She liked it a lot.
A pleased chuckle fell from him and he tugged gently on her hair, removing her mouth from his body. “Do you now?”
Her pulse qui
ckened at his response to her thought. “Hell yeah.” She dragged her thumb over his left nipple, and then pinched it. “I like knowing I’m pushing you over the edge.”
“You have no fucking idea how close to the edge I am, babe,” he ground out, eyes closing, hips rolling. His erection pressed against her, and a fresh wave of liquid need pooled into her core.
“I think I’ve got an idea.”
“I think you might,” he rasped.
She slid her palm over the perfection of his abs to cup his hard length through his jeans. “Want to move this to the bed?”
He let out a low, raw moan and opened his eyes. “Lead the way.”
With a grin, she squeezed the impressive bulge filling her hand with soft pressure, and—without releasing him—walked from the bathroom.
“The very definition of being led by my dick,” he said behind her, his voice husky. “I’m a fan.”
She laughed, stopped at the side of his bed and positioned him until the backs of his thighs bumped against its edge. “Good. Ready?”
“Hell yeah.”
Sliding her hand back over his abs to the center of his chest, she shoved.
He fell back onto the mattress, his laugh turning into a shaky groan as she climbed on top of him, straddling his hips.
The engorged bulge of his erection, still constrained by his jeans, pressed to her naked folds, and she let out her own groan, grinding herself against his length.
“Fuck, I want to be inside you.” He grabbed her hips, not so much guiding her gyrations but anchoring him to her, holding her as she controlled the movement.
Fresh heat licked through her, and smoothing her hands over his pecs, she teased his nipples with her thumbs. “Soon.”
“Soon?” He squeezed her hips harder, holding her as he thrust his own upward. “Are you torturing me?”
“Absolutely.” She leaned forward, taking her weight on her palms to brush one of her nipples over his lips. “See?”
He growled, his hands raking up her back, his upper body lifting as he attempted to take her offered breast in his mouth.
She pulled back, her pulse fast, and arched an eyebrow at him. “Uh-uh. I’m in charge at the moment.”
His cock jerked in his jeans, and he let out a ragged sigh. “Okay.”
She pinched his right nipple and then suckled on it for a heartbeat, pressing her sex harder to his length. Rubbing against it. Riding him.
“Fuck, Reece…” he groaned, his hands returning to her hips, squeezing them, and then moving to her arse. He cupped her cheeks, a shudder racking his body.
…yeah…yeah…
Pleasure flowed through her at his feverish thoughts and she nipped her way up to his lips, kissing him for long, slow seconds before teasing his lips with her nipples again.
Every time he tried to take one into his mouth, she pulled away a little, loving the way he growled, the way his eyes flared with silver need. Loving the way his hands grew fiercer on her hips.
“Reece…” he pleaded, slamming his hips upward.
“Suck,” she ordered, giving him her right nipple.
His lips closed around it with greedy urgency and he drew deeply, holding her motionless with a firm hand on her back.
Pleasure sheared through her, thick and hot. She breathed his name, her core flooding with warmth, her sex constricting on a cock that wasn’t there.
Need…need to be inside…
Her head swam as his urgent desire slammed into her. She pulled back, dancing her fingers over his chest, down through the shallow valley of his abs, to his navel, her gaze holding his.
Need…need…fuck…can’t hold on much…
Her heart pounded against her breastbone. Her blood roared in her ears. “Blue fire,” she whispered, popping the button of his fly open.
His blunt nails dug into her hips as he sucked in a ragged breath. “Blue fire…” he echoed, pressing his denim-encased cock to her sex. “I promise…”
Reveling in the play of impatience and anticipation and open desire, she slowly climbed off his hips and lowered the zipper of his jeans.
Oh fuck… A wave of excitement and carnal lust detonated from him as his erection sprang free.
“Oh baby,” she whispered, watching its solid length quiver.
A glistening bead of precome anointed its tip and, without thought or hesitation, she bent and licked it off.
“Can’t wait…” he groaned, hips lifting.
“Just let me…” she began, and then took his entire length into her mouth. Sucked. Drew on it. Laved it with her tongue.
He groaned her name, fisting a hand in her hair and pressed his hips upward once more.
She took him deeper into her mouth, the crown of his cock sliding over the back of her throat.
“Oh yeah.” He bucked, and then laughed as she released his length with a pop and yanked his jeans off his legs entirely.
“You have really hot legs,” she commented, tiptoeing her fingers up the inside of one thigh. “And an insanely hot dick.”
He laughed again. “I think the mating fire has made you delirious. No dick ever looks hot.”
She wrapped her hand around his jutting length, smearing the new bead glistening on its tip. “I’d normally agree with you. But your dick…” She bent forward and flicked her tongue over the tiny weeping slit as she slid one hand back and cupped his heavy balls. “Your dick is incredible,” she finished, before sucking him back into her mouth again.
All the way down to the root, back up to the distended rim, and down again to the base of his shaft.
And again. And again.
“Oh f…sh…ba…babe…Reece…” The fist in her hair tightened. His hips bucked and, with a gentle but firm tug, he pulled her mouth off him and shook his head, eyes closed. “It’s…it’s too good.”
A small laugh fell from her and she gave his balls another soft squeeze. “And I thought firefighters were tough.”
He snorted, lips curling. “I’m tough. I’ve just never felt like this before.”
The confession stole her breath. “Like what?”
He opened his eyes and looked at her. “Like I’ve been made for one purpose and one purpose only—to be yours.”
Her heart thumped faster, harder in her chest. “Is that a good thing? A good way to feel?”
“It’s a perfect way to feel,” he answered.
She smiled. “Then show me. Now. Be inside me. Be—”
In a blur, he flipped her onto her back, nestling his groin to hers between her spread thigh and ground his cock to her sex.
Oh yes…
“I need to fuck you, Reece.” He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his eyes glowing, the tip of his cock parting her folds. “Now. Please, let me be inside you. I can’t wait any more.”
She lifted her legs and, locking her ankles behind his back, pulled him into her body.
He groaned, embedding himself deep into her sex with a long, slow stroke.
Stretching her. Filling her.
Completing her.
She tightened her legs, drawing him deeper still.
He buried his face in the side of her neck, hips rolling, his length sliding in and out.
…yes…my Fire Mate…my life…my future…yes…
“Yes,” she breathed, agreeing with him. “Oh Kellan, yes!”
They moved together, their rhythm in perfect harmony, their hearts the same.
They moved as one and, as Kellan lifted his head, as his gaze found hers, as he threw back his head and roared her name and emptied himself inside her, her orgasm shattered reality—and the world erupted in blue flame.
It engulfed them, razed over their bodies; the blue fire of their mutual, soul-deep orgasms. Their crois entwined, binding them irrevocably together, forging a connection, a joining of incomprehensible power and pleasure.
They rode the peak of their union, the blue flames licking over their skin, burning brighter, brighter…until the fire ebbed and
faded as they came down from their high.
Until they were just two naked people lying together, legs tangled, fingers threaded, their hearts slowing, their bodies still joined.
“Holy wow,” Reece murmured, her gaze dancing over the ceiling. “That was…” She let out a choppy laugh. “That was insanely incredible.”
Lifting his head a little, Kellan studied her face. “See?” he whispered, brushing his thumb over her bottom lip. “Told you there’d be blue fire.”
6
“This is the best BLT I’ve ever had.”
Arching an eyebrow at Reece’s proclamation, Kellan placed his own freshly made sandwich on a plate and crossed to the island counter were she sat. “I don’t know whether to be honored or sad for you that my pretty standard sandwich is impressing you so much.”
She grinned around a mouthful of lunch, held up a finger as she finished chewing the bite, swallowed, and then laughed. “I am a woeful cook. Actually, I’m just woeful with any kind of food preparation, so any meal that I don’t make is going to be good. I should warn you about that, going forward.”
“Duly noted. I’m the meal preparer in the house.” He perched his butt on the stool next to hers and took a bite of his own sandwich. She was right; it was good. “I’m okay with being the cook,” he said around his own mouthful. “I enjoy it.”
“So that’s a tick.” With another smile, she finished the last of her BLT, and then propped her chin in her palm.
“A tick?” He narrowed his eyes. “Are you making a pros and cons list on us?”
“Absolutely.” She raised her eyebrows, lips twitching. “And you’re not?”
Laughing, he took another bite of his lunch. “Nope.”
“Hmm, talks with his mouth full.” A melodramatic scowl pulled at her eyebrows. “That’s a tick for the con column.”
“Oh, is it now?” Trying not to grin, he dropped his sandwich back on its plate, snagged the low backrest of the stool she sat on, and dragged the stool around until she faced him directly. “What can I possibly do to counter that negative tick?”
Enter the Dragon Page 9