The Dragon's Willing Sacrifice: a Dragon Shifter Romance (The Last Dragons Book 3)

by Ines Johnson

  Sweeter than any berry he’d ever tasted.

  Cardi shivered beneath him. Alternately arching into him for more sensation, only to pull away as he laved and pinched. He knew it was too much, but if he was going to be overloaded by sensation, then so was she.

  Kimber parted her thighs, pushing her knees up and open. Grabbing more rope, he bound her ankles to her thighs, leaving her core wide open for him. Again, he realized his folly when he looked down to find that her panties were still covering her most intimate flesh.

  He doubted he would have Morrigan replace these. From this day forward, Cardinal would not be wearing anything that would separate her from him. Another rip tore through the air, mixing with the sound of Cardi’s unintelligible mewls.

  By the Goddess, she was all wanton flesh. He couldn't hold the beast back any longer. He had to taste every part of her. He had to claim what was his, what had always been his.

  "Finally," his dragon roared.

  Or was that him, the man. Or was that Cardi.

  "Are you going to behave?" he asked.

  A wicked smile spread across her beautiful face. She didn't need to answer. He had her completely immobile. Entirely at his mercy. But he knew the truth, he was still wrapped around her little finger.

  Kimber laid down flat on his belly between her thighs. He took his time sampling the flesh of her thighs. Cardi’s legs shook under his attentions. He knew the bindings increased the pleasure since she couldn't get away from him, or the sensations he was making her feel. He knew she had no intention of getting away from him. She'd been after this her whole life with him. For the life of him, he couldn't remember why he'd waited so long to taste this bit of heaven.

  By the time he came to the sobbing, pink flesh between her thighs, Cardi was primed. She came with the first lick at her clit. Kimber did not let up. He sucked her bud, swirling his tongue over and around it. Pulling with his lips. Knicking with the flat of his teeth.

  He didn’t have to bob his head or his tongue. Cardi’s tremors did that for him. He brought her to a second climax with his fingers. Then a third with a combination of his mouth and fingers, crooking his index and middle finger and pressing on that secret spot that made her truly weep.

  After her third orgasm, he determined he could finally get down to business. Kimber stripped out of his clothing. He rose on his knees and he claimed her mouth while he rubbed his cock against her swollen core.

  He raised her bound thighs until the tip of him rubbed exactly where she needed it most. She exploded in another orgasm just as the tip of him breached her core. So responsive to him, so sweet.

  Cardi had ruled his beast for years, but now he was the master of her, as it should be. She was helpless beneath him. She was willing to do whatever he asked. All he wanted was to be inside her, to bring her to another climax, and then another. He wanted her to soar above him until he joined her and they both got lost in oblivion.

  Kimber was inside her in one stroke. She gasped, but she didn't cry out. And then he was lost. He stroked her, not gently. He couldn't be gentle. He'd been without for so long and she was exactly what he'd needed.

  With a flick of his claw, he unbound her wrist. He needed her to hold onto him. More so, for himself than for her.

  "Mine," he growled.

  “Mine.” Cardi dug her tiny nails into his back.

  He felt the bond that had been there between girl and dragon tightened as woman and man reached another climax together.

  Chapter Nineteen

  "It was everything I ever dreamed. No, it was more. It was like a remix of Papa Don’t Preach and Like a Virgin on a continuous loop that ends in Holiday.”

  Cardi knew from Teen Beat magazine that you weren't supposed to talk about your boyfriends to your girlfriends. The article warned they’d get curious and would want to test out the truth of the gossip for themselves. But Chryssie and Poppy were both in healthy relationships of their own. So she wasn't worried for a second about either of them trying to come in and sample her man.

  Her man. Kimber was her man. And he'd made her a woman last night.

  She was sore. But what a good soreness. She was on cloud nine.

  Her core ached from clenching repeatedly around Kimber’s stiff, thick cock. Her wrists and thighs had tiny abrasions from the ropes. Her lips and breasts were sore from his kisses.

  "I feel like Judy Blume did not prepare me at all for my first sexual experience,” said Cardi. "He used his tongue. Down there. I didn't even know that was a thing."

  Poppy and Chryssie shared another knowing look. So they knew what she was talking about. Cardi didn't feel jealous that she was the last to know or the last to the party. She was thrilled she'd gotten to party last night. She couldn't stop dancing around in the bed.

  They were all in Miya’s room. Miya sat silently as always, watching an episode of The Facts of Life. It was the one where Natalie met the boyfriend she’d eventually lose her virginity to.

  Lose her virginity?

  That was such a backward statement. Cardi hadn’t wanted to hold onto her virginity. She’d thrown it at Kimber. She did not want it tossed back to her. In fact, she wanted to throw Kimber another pitch. She had no doubt he’d knock it out of the park again. With the attention he’d given to her breasts, he gave a whole new meaning to pinch hitter.

  "And then he did this thing with his manhood that-"

  "His manhood?" said Chryssie? "No one calls it a manhood."

  "That's how they described it in romance novels," said Cardi. "His quivering member, his swelling desire."

  Poppy and Chryssie doubled over with giggles. Though it was hard for Chryssie to double over with her belly increasing. Cardi placed a hand to her own belly. Even now she could be carrying Kimber's baby dragons.

  A few years ago, the idea would’ve scared Cardi. Because most sacrifices died in childbirth. Except for Miya.

  Staring unendingly at a television had seemed a fair trade for bedding Kimber back then. But now, Cardi knew she would survive motherhood. Now, she’d be around to actually parent twin dragon boys…

  "Cardi, you're still here." Ilia swooped her into his arms and enveloped her in a big hug.

  "Morning, Illest Ilia. Hey, Electric Elek."

  Elek materialized from the shadows with a tray of food. Cardi groaned in thanks as she shoveled the dodo eggs into her mouth. She was already tired of the food at the restaurant having had it for breakfast lunch and dinner the past couple of days.

  "I'm pleased to see you made the choice for Kimber over Izem," said Elek.

  "Like Izem ever had a chance. She was always going to choose Kimber,” said Ilia.

  "What are you two talking about?" said Chryssie.

  "Didn't you hear?" said Ilia. "The heads of the families made a new rule as part of the accords."

  "What rule?" said Chryssie.

  Elek slipped back into the shadows as though he sensed the tide was about to turn. Ilia watched him go. It was clear Ilia sensed something was wrong, but it seemed he couldn't parse out what.

  "They said sacrifices now have the right to choose their mate instead of shifters fighting to the death for the right to claim them. Which is totally unfair since I had dibs on the next one.”

  “What does it have to do with Cardi?” asked Chryssie. “She’s already claimed by Kimber.”

  Ilia shook his head. “Since Cardi was a free sacrifice, she could've chosen Izem and Kimber would've had to relinquish is claim on her."

  "There was more to it than that." Kimber appeared in the doorway. He only had eyes for Cardi, who scrambled to wipe the egg off her face.

  "So you all had a bet going on behind my back?" said Cardi, coming to stand.

  "It wasn't a bet," said Kimber. "It was an agreement."

  "An agreement between men?"

  "Leona was there. It was her idea."

  Cardi couldn't remember ever seeing Kimber squirm.

  "It was always your choice, Cardinal." He reached for
her. Thought better of it. Then steeled his chin and brought her to him. "You had no choice when you came here, no rights. I fought for your safety, but you never had a choice in the path of your life. You have that now. I want you to choose me."

  "Duh, of course, I choose you. But this is even better. You made a bet for me, just like in a John Hughes teen angst flick. How many girls can say that -other than Molly Ringwald.”

  Chryssie shook her head. Poppy shrugged. Ilia nodded. Kimber simply pulled her close and kissed her.

  She had everything she wanted. The man. The family. A big closet. Meal service.

  But best of all, Kimber finally saw her as an adult. He saw her as an equal by giving her this choice. How could she not chose to spend the rest of her life with him?

  Chapter Twenty

  "Things behind the Veil have been deteriorating for some time." Kimber looked around the room at all gathered. There was mostly agreement with his words. Only a few heads cocked to the side in disapproval. "We are past the times of our fathers which was a time of unrest and bloodshed as shifters fought over sacrifices. Those battles dwindled our numbers down until only the last of us remains."

  Konan touched the scar on his cheek. It had been given to him by his father when he'd challenged him for alpha. Kimber knew Turin had a similar wound after a fight with his father.

  Kimber had wounds of his own that he didn't show anyone. The battle between him and his father had ended in broken bones and enough bloodshed to paint the castle red.

  "There will be no more of our kind if we aren't given the opportunity to foster the next generation of shifters,” he continued. “If we go down, the Veil will descend into the same chaos. Worse this time."

  "I feel like he's saying we can't do our job." Hilda's booted feet were up on the wood table they used to conference around. She'd been picking at her teeth his whole talk. "Is that what you're saying? That we can't keep the peace here."

  "No." Kimber inclined his head. He knew the show of deference would get more favor with the warrior women if he bowed, but he would only ever be cowed by one woman. And she was safely ensconced in his bedroom waiting for his return. "What I'm saying is why not lighten your load. If we had access to sacrifices again, then none of us would be any trouble."

  "You lot broke the rules," said Hilda. "One of you ran off with one of our sisters."

  "That was a dragon," said Konan. “One dragon with one willing female.”

  Kimber shot him a glare. They had talked about a united front. They couldn't present any cracks.

  "Besides," Konan continued, "She is a Valkyrie. If Regin wanted to come home, she would eviscerate the overgrown lizard and return. The fact that she hasn't might be a clue to what's really going on over there."

  Hilda slammed her feet down onto the floor. She leaned forward, menace in her golden gaze, ire in her growl.

  Kimber put himself between her and the wolf. "Choice," he said. "That's what this is all about. Before the sacrifices didn't have choices. But some women would have better lives here with us. There are women who are ill, or in harmful situations. You would be saving lives by bringing them here to us. Where we would worship them like the Goddess would’ve ordained if she had the time to make us mates.”

  “Worship?” snarled Hilda. ”You want to get the females here so that you get to fight over who gets to stuff himself between her thighs."

  Disgust replaced the rage on the Valkyrie’s features. Most Valkyrie had not known the pleasure of the flesh. Mainly because most male species were afraid of them. The warriors could easily break any male who looked at them wrong. Kimber knew Hilda held a tender spot for the Thunder God. But the mighty Thor had never considered her more than a worthy ally in his fight against the Frost Giants.

  "No," Kimber said patiently. "She would choose. It would be her choice."

  "Doesn't that defeat the whole point of the sacrifice," asked Siggy. "I think women rather like being made to do things. It seems such a novel experience; a man who could actually force you."

  She licked her glossy lips. There were rumors that Siggy was not as innocent as she looked, which wasn’t innocent at all.

  Still, Kimber understood the wanton Valkyrie’s sentiment. He'd seen the way Cardi's eyes had brightened when he'd bound her. He'd known she'd wanted it. He couldn't wait to get back to her and bind her again. But first, he had to see this to a conclusion.

  "I say let them have their way, Hildy,” said Siggy.

  "What would be in it for us? More gems?" Morrigan’s pointed ears perked up. They all knew where Morrigan’s vote would lie. With her purse strings.

  "The dragons would offer gems for two more sacrifices," said Kimber.

  "Two? Don't you mean three?" said Morrigan.

  He wished he meant three, but he didn't hold any hope that Rhoyl would come back to them. It was too late. "Two for the dragons, in exchange for topaz gems and jade gems."

  The Valkyries' eyes glowed at the mention of gems.

  Kimber nodded to Leona. The lioness leaned forward to present her den’s offering.

  "There is gold in our watering hole," she said. "My cubs will mine it for quality sacrifices. No weaklings. Blondes are preferred as they are the most cunning of creatures."

  "There is silver in our caves,” said Konan. “We would be honored to mine it for the Valkyrie."

  "And there is copper in ours," said Turin.

  Hilda sat back and thought over this. "It sounds like a sex trade."

  "It's not," said Kimber. "All girls would be of age. You would choose them. They would choose amongst us. You would get enough gems and precious metal to fill a small pond."

  The eldest of the Valkyrie inhaled, her gaze twinkling. Kimber knew Siggy and Morrigan were onboard. He couldn't read Hilda. It was clearly two against one. But democracy was a foreign concept with the daughters of the Goddess.

  "We'll think about it and get back to you,” Hilda said finally

  Kimber let out a breath. It wasn't an immediate no. It was likely a yes.

  He'd done it. He looked around the room as the Valkyrie left. All gathered clapped him on the back. All but Leona.

  "How's Izem?" Kimber asked. He wasn’t gloating. He hoped the male was licking his wounds. It was the first test of the new rule his mother had insisted be instituted.

  "Like you care about my cub,” Leona snarled. “You won her fair and square. Though I gave her the choicest cut of meat."

  "A tip for the next woman in your care, add a little fire to the meat."

  "Why?” Leona frowned. “My grand cubs need raw meat."

  Kimber decided not to argue with the woman. She'd learn soon enough that human women had minds of their own. Kimber was eager to get back to Cardi.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  "I'm so sorry to do this to you, Grimmald. But I got the job I really wanted. Being the badass old lady to the biggest, baddest dragon in town."

  It was busy this evening at God’s Teet, so everyone heard the news of Cardi finally losing her V-card. Cardi had missed her morning shift. First, because she’d slept in until noon. Then, after Kimber found her in Miya’s room and confessed to his bet, they’d had a quickie on her old bed.

  And by quickie, Kimber had held her down and thrust into her for a good hour before letting her go. Cardi hadn’t moved for another few hours while he went to his accord meeting.

  By the time the sun had begun to set, she figured she should come and tell her old employer that she was quitting. Her shift was already over. It was the responsible thing to do and all.

  "No problem,” said Grimmald as he mixed drinks behind the bar. “Just turn in your apron."

  "I realize you must be heartbroken to not have me on staff any longer, but I'd be happy to train my replacement." She turned and walked into a tray of dishes. They crashed to the floor.

  Everything in the bar came to a silent halt. Man, did this place need her. But she preferred the promotion back at the castle.

  "Here let
me help with that." Cardi bent down, but another crash happened as a waiter tripped when he tried to avoid her hunched form.

  "There is no need,” said Grimmald. "You're right. I'm heartbroken to see you go. So much that I'll pay you next week's wages to go quickly so that you don't see me cry."

  "Awww, Boss. I'll be back. This is still my favorite place."

  Grimmald nodded, ushering her out the door. It was for the best. She didn’t want to see the man break down when the reality hit him.

  Cardi headed upstairs to the apartment to pack. She hadn’t brought a lot here because she hadn't been able to fit much. Ilia waited downstairs at the bar to bring her and her luggage back home where she belonged. She'd keep her old room, but only for her things. Though Kimber had a large room, his closet was not big enough for the two of them and she doubted she'd be wearing much whenever she was in there anyway.

  She looked at the toys and stuffed animals littering the small twin-sized bed. She looked to the empty belly of her suitcase. There was space for the toys there, but Cardi couldn’t shake the notion that they wouldn’t fit. Maybe there were fairy sprouts she could give them to?

  As she contemplated the fates of her Rainbow Bride and My Little Ponies, a knock sounded at the door.

  "I'm not done yet, Ilia."

  The knock turned into a pounding. It wasn’t like Ilia to pound. It wasn’t like Ilia to knock. They had to constantly remind him not to enter their room without announcing himself first. Maybe he’d finally gotten the lesson.

  But it wasn't Ilia.

  "Hello, Izem."

  "May I come in?"

  "I don't think that's a good idea. Kimber would lose his shit."

  Izem leaned against the frame. "Your mate’s the jealous kind?”

  "Yeah," Cardi nodded, a secret smile playing on her lips. "He is. Listen I'm sorry things didn't work out between us."

  "Me too, I just wanted to-"

  "You're a really great guy, but I just had to go where my heart was, you know?”