by Aidy Award
“Ellie.” Ace growled her name. “That is my mate, and you know I will do anything to protect her. Let her go.”
Ellie? The sweet nerdy girl? The one who'd been so excited to give her the lab and help her find a way to defeat the shadow warriors?
“Fly me out of here or give me a warded shadow portal and I'll leave.” Ellie’s voice was harsher and shakier than before.
Ace lowered his arm and the fire died out. “I can’t do that, little wolftress. Come back to Rogue with us. We’ll talk to the Wolf Tzar and his mate, the AllWyr council, they'll get you help.”
She laughed harshly. “Like that’s going to happen. No one will believe anything I have to say after this.”
A shadow portal whooshed open and Scarlet stuck her head out and shouted, “Ellie, come with me, I'll take care of you.”
“Scarlet?” Ellie's voice cracked. “I thought you’d—”
Scarlet reached her hand out impatiently. “We don’t have much time. Come on. Bring Ash and Tia.”
No way was Ash going anywhere with either of these traitors. Ace agreed. She looked at him, trying her best to communicate telepathically. There was no way of knowing in the moment if he got her message or not. She sure as Steve Spangler wasn’t going into that portal.
She could use her magic, or she could use some good ole self-defense techniques she’d learned at the Defense Against the Dark Arts class she took online on Pottermore or one of her all-time favorite movies, Miss Congeniality.
Ash elbowed the Ellie in the solar plexus, stomped on her instep, smacked her in the nose with the back of her fist, and booted her in the groin.
All you have to do is SING.
Ace’s mouths dropped open as Ellie fell to the floor. Ash blew Ace a kiss. That did the trick, because he shifted back into his dragon and dove for her, even though he barely fit into this mangled stairwell.
Scarlet ducked inside and must not have been that dedicated to saving Ellie, because portal closed instantly.
Ace flew across the remains of the stairs and scooped Ash up into his talons, then flew straight up, crashing through the remains of the building.
His gruff and hoarse voice rang in her head. Ash-ling. I thought you were dead. That you’d killed yourself to end the misery of my dark soul was inflicting on your heart and mind.
“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry for saying what I did.” She wrapped her arms around his scaly dragon leg and held him tight to her.
He set her down gently and landed among the rubble of a giant hole out of the side of the building. In an instant he shifted and grabbed her in his arms, pressing his forehead to her temple. “You do love me, I haven't destroyed your soul?”
Boy, did she love him, and she wasn’t afraid to say it, or feel it anymore. “I'll love you forever, and except for the damage I did to my soul when I told you I didn't love you, I'm fine.”
“Thank the,” he swallowed hard, barely being able to get the words out, “First Dragon.”
His phone beeped and a voice Ash didn’t recognize came through. “Get your butts out of there, ya dumbasps. T-minus ten until it blows, and not in the fun way.”
“Tia and her dragon,” Ash gasped looking for her younger sister, but not seeing her.
“Neo and Kady grabbed them. Let’s move.” The two of them ran a couple of yards away from the building and Ace shifted, grabbed her up, and took off as fast as he could get them out of there.
Ash watched from inside the protective hold of his talons, kind of wanting to see the day end in an epic explosion. “Oh, what about Ellie?”
“She betrayed the Brotherhood, her family, her town, and Apollo. Working with Hell is a crime punishable by death. She’s getting off easy if she dies today. It's Apollo who we should be worried about.” Ace said.
The explosions started at the far end of the compound and worked their way across the buildings. Ash knew exactly the second her old lab exploded. She wondered how they were going to explain the destruction of the building to the locals. Ellie and Apollo would have known what to do and say.
A golden dragon with scorch marks on its wings swooped across the sky in front of the explosions. It dove and landed around the area they had all just left. They were too far away to know for sure, but Ash thought he snatched up someone, rescued them from the impending explosions. The dragon flew away, high into the sky getting an extra push from the detonation chasing its tail.
“Who was that?”
Ace muttered some swear words that didn’t quite make sense. “Fucking sneaky Golds. He's not doing anything I wouldn't have. But there will be consequences. It's nothing you need worry about now.”
It took only a few minutes for Ace to get back to Rogue and land in the garden next to their tiny house. Ash loved that she'd come to think of it as theirs. A place she wanted to share with him for a long time to come.
Ace shifted and held his arms out to her. “Come here, mate. Let me see that you are okay.”
She was fine but went into his arms anyway. Ace rubbed his hands up and down her back, holding her tight. “It almost killed me to think that I’d hurt you with my claiming, little flame.”
Ash snuggled into his chest, never wanting to be anywhere else. “Exactly which part of your claiming hurt? You promised me only pleasure, and that’s what I got.”
He led her into the house, pressed a few buttons on a control panel near the door, which must be how they controlled the inside environment, and in a moment, they were standing together in their bedroom, but their space was also in a warded pocket of shadow. The walls shimmered with red and gold sparkles of magic and looked like a million stars on a moonless night.
In less than a breath Ace was wrapping Ash into his arms. His words were a jumble and rush as he peppered her face, her throat and her lips with kisses. “I love you, my dragon's heart. I want you, I need you. Tell me you need me too.”
She laughed as he squeezed her so tight, she couldn’t speak if she wanted to. “Squishing. Me.”
He released her, but she still didn’t get to speak because before she could say the words he needed to hear he covered her mouth with his and he pushed his tongue into her mouth, tasting her need that way.
Ash knew just the thing to let him know exactly how much she needed him back. She closed her eyes, wrinkled her nose and made all their clothes disappear.
“Fuck yes, I love that smart, sexy, dirty mind of yours,” Ace whispered into her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
She’d become pretty damn fond of her brain over the years. Now, for the first time, she loved her own heart, her whole self, too.
Claiming her Dragon
Ash
“Come to bed and let me pleasure you. I need to make you mine once again.” His voice was husky and the dragon's fire flickered in his eyes.
She wanted to give him every part of her being to make sure he knew she was entirely his. But she felt that need to know that he was hers too all the way to her soul. She'd let him claim her however he wanted, after she gave him some pleasure and claimed his body for herself.
Ace had always taken control in their love making, not that she minded. Now it was her turn. She pushed him back against the bed, full well knowing that if he didn't want to move, she wouldn't be able to make him. He stepped back until his legs hit the wooden frame, the fire in him building and flickering across his skin.
She did that to him with nothing more than a touch and she loved it. Ash reached for his cock and stroked her nails up his shaft. She sunk to her knees an wrapped her hands around him. He more than filled her fists. She licked one side of his head and then the other loving to hear his groans as she did so.
She stroked Ace’s shaft and then took it deep into her mouth. His musky taste sent zings of arousal straight to her pussy as did the way Ace covered her hand with his and showed her exactly how to stroke his long hard length.
It was so freeing to have this power to pleasure him like this and she realized the possibili
ties for their sexy times was endless. She looked forward to having his body over her and under her, pushing her into a soft bed with his weight.
Ash had come so many times from his generous lovemaking already. It was time she did the same for him. Not because she felt like she had to return the favor, but because she wanted to claim him and make them feel good. Show him with her body, how much he meant to her, how much he belonged to her.
She swirled her tongue over the head of his cock, and he jerked in her mouth, then slowly thrust in and out, running over her tongue, hitting the back of her throat. She found the sensitive spot on the underside and flicked across it with her tongue. His legs shook and his beast inside growled. She could hardly wait to hear him groan her name as he came for her.
That was exactly what she concentrated on. That is until she felt the rasp scales between her legs. The first swipe of Ace's tail across her pussy almost made her forget her name.
Not fair. How was she supposed to—
She lost her concentration completely when he found the tight muscle of her back hole and swirled over and around in circles.
“I thought that would get your attention.” Ace chuckled and teased her again.
Cheater. She didn't have any extra appendages to play with. She used what she did have and bobbed her head sucking Ace deep and swallowing, pleased with his muttered curse.
“Fuck, your mouth is so hot. But I’m not coming until I’m buried deep inside of your ass. Touch yourself for me, Ash-ling. Get yourself nice and fucking wet and ready, because I’m going to slide right into that juicy ass of yours after you make yourself come.”
His hips jerked and in an instant he pulled out, hauled her up on the bed and crawled over her body so his face was between her legs and his cock was poised over her mouth again. They both took each other into their mouths and Ash lost a big chunk of her mind, falling prey to Ace's expert tongue. No way she could compete. Especially when he started using his fingers too.
His tongue nipped and teased, flicked and made her shiver. His fingers pulled her wetness from her puss and he used it to slide over the sensitive pucker of her ass.
She closed her eyes and gave into the sensations. While she couldn’t see it, she felt the magic take over. The inside of their little shadow love nest sparkled even through her eyelids.
When Ace sucked her clit between his teeth, lashing at the hard bud with his tongue, and pushed his fingers into her ass, she came apart. The orgasm rocked through her body and pulled their souls out to dance in the darkness.
“Ace, oh yes. More, please.”
As the last spasm released her, he turned her around and snuggled against her body. Ace kissed her, letting her taste her own essence in his mouth.
“Mmm. You are so fucking gorgeous coming, love. Even upside down.”
She closed sleepy eyes.
“Oh, no. No rest for you yet. We’re just getting started. I'm going to claim every inch of you tonight.” He reached down and stroked his fingers over her anus again. He pushed his thumb in just past the tight ring of muscles and she gasped. “Are you ready for this, Ash-ling? My dragon is howling for me to take you, and it won’t be gentle. Tell me you want that.”
“Does it mean you’re finally going to come for me too?” she asked. “Because that’s what I want. You to share the pleasure you’re giving me, to let me claim you right back.”
“Yes, love. I won't be able to help myself this time.”
Ace was everything she ever wanted. Dirty and sweet, giving and wanting, demanding and gentle. She hadn’t known that's what she'd needed in a lover, in a partner, but now that she had him, she couldn’t imagine life any other way. She was finally free to be who she always was inside and out. With him, she was free.
“Take me. Make me yours so that everyone knows it. Because you are mine and I won’t let anyone forget it.”
The dragon’s fangs dropped, and Ash felt them scrape across her skin. She arched her back, pushing against his cock and guided her legs, so she was open and exposed to him in every way. The head of his cock teased her entrance. She tried to move so he would push inside, but he didn’t let her move.
She whimpered and groaned. “Please, Ace. Take me, fill me. I need you inside of me.”
“I will fill you, love, until you don’t know where you end, and we begin.”
Ace’s fingers slid into her pussy from behind and drew more of her wetness out, coating his fingers. Then pulled her body’s natural lubricant back to coat the pucker of her ass.
“I teased you before with my tail, but I need to get you ready. I don’t want this to hurt you, only pleasure.”
He slid his finger in and out of her ass, opening her muscles and she shivered. then whispered in her ear. “That’s it, relax. Does that feel good now?”
Did it ever.
“Yes.” Was that her voice all husky and tight? “More. Please.”
Ace slowly pumped in and out of her a few times, stretching her deliciously, before slipping in a second, and then a third finger. “You are mine, Ashmiza.”
He pulled his fingers out and replaced them with the head of his cock. He pushed into her so slowly she thought she would scream. She needed more from him, so much more. “Relax. Bear down as I push into you. Then breathe.”
When he was fully sheathed in her, he stilled until she groaned. “Please, don't. I need more. So much more. I... can you... I need you everywhere, filling me up.”
He murmured soft reassurances into her ear. “I know what you need, little flame. We are one and I'll give you everything you want.”
She felt his dragon's tail wrap around her hip and then tease at the entrance to her pussy. Yes, yes. That's what she didn't know how to ask for. He’d prepared her body well and she felt an incredible sense of fullness as he pushed his cock in and out of her ass and his tail deeper inside her pussy.
It was so much and not enough. Her body was on fire, but she needed more. So, did he. Ash opened her mind, her heart, and her soul to him and Ace's whole being responded in kind. The magic burst around them like never before and exploded around them.
Ace moved to the rhythm of the dance of their souls together, groaning her name over and over as he withdrew slightly and then pushed back in. He pulled back, never fully leaving her body. Sparks of pleasure shot through her, already driving her into a deep, dark pleasure.
“Oh. Oh, yes.” The way he moved awakened a thousand new nerve endings, igniting a new pleasure.
Together they brought their bodies to the highest pinnacles. All Ash could do was absorb the sensations driving her deeper. It was such an incredible feeling to have him everywhere, joined as one, and it drove her passion and her magic toward a new erotic place. One her body didn’t understand but wanted more than anything else.
Ash felt when Ace's dragon took over and fucked her, growing more and more abandoned, she drew the magic up, pulling on their souls, releasing hers. Scarlet fireworks filled the darkeness, pushed into swirls and eddies as their bodies moved together, thrusting and driving, giving and taking.
Ash’s body passed well beyond the feeling of being on the edge of orgasm and she was into the bliss of a complete sexual and soul-filled haze. Her entire body pulsated and sparked with an animalistic hedonism. She was base instinct now, indulging in mating in its rawest form, but knowing it was something special.
Ace growled, trying to get words out, but too far gone in his own beast, the magic shimmering across the surface of his skin as his arms wrapped around her holding her tight to his chest. His dragon snarled from just below his shift, not quite taking over, but letting her know it was in charge, the man thrusting into her over and over.
Then quietly at first, his voice rang out inside of her head.
I mark you, claim you, join my body, soul, heart, and mind with yours. Make us one and claim me as your mate too.”
Ash’s entire body shattered into the most intense orgasm she’d ever experienced, but her mind and magic d
rew their soul in, together.
“Yes,” she screamed both out loud and in his mind. “I claim you and take you as my mate. You’re mine forever. Mine.”
The beast and the man finally satisfied that she was his, marked, claimed, and mated, let himself go and erupted into his own orgasms. Ash felt his hot seed inside of her, marking her again in a new way. Their bodies claiming each other as their minds did, and it pushed her over into pure ecstasy that went beyond mere mortal lovemaking.
The magic inside of her, her soul, mated with Ace's, joining just as their bodies did. The shimmer intensified until all they saw was the scarlet light and welcoming shadows of their lives together.
When their bodies relaxed, and released them from this mating bond, Ace withdrew from her body and his tail disappeared. Ash turned in his arms and she wrapped hers around his neck, holding him just as tight.
They drifted that way together, watching the swirls of glittering soul magic twirl into spirals all around them. It was like being inside of an explosion of fireworks. Not looking in but looking out to where they became the light and the fire itself.
In that perfect place of love, Ash felt closer to Ace than she ever had before. “I know your name.”
Ace chuckled. “I would think so since you've been calling it out for the last hour as I fucked you into oblivion.
“No. The one you chose. You weren't sure you deserved it, but you do, and I want you to know I think it's perfect. Claim it as you have claimed me.”
“Oh, little flame. I--”
“Say it. Take it for you own. It's a powerful name and you are a warrior. My warrior.” The name he held in his heart mean exactly that.
“I am Askari, Black Dragon Warrior, brethren of the Black Dragon Brotherhood.” He snuggled into her neck and ran his teeth across her mark once again. “But you'd better still call me Ace when I'm making you come.
“My Askari.”