Dragons of Cinderhollow Bundle

by Hawke Oakley

  I shifted into dragon form and took him safely into my arms. “Of course, my fated mate.”

  18

  Gabriel

  When we finally got home, I thought I would be exhausted. And I was - physically, mentally, and drained of all magic.

  But at the same time, I’d never been so horny in my life.

  Dante and I bathed together to save time, but also because our bodies needed to be close, then we flopped into bed. I’d never felt such a magnetic urge before. Dante’s body seemed too far away every moment it wasn’t in direct contact with mine.

  I grabbed his hips and pulled him closer so I could bury my face in his pecs. He radiated heat and smelled amazing, both from the bath and his natural musk.

  “Say… I’ve been wondering something since we left Stoneheart pack,” Dante mumbled as he ran his hands through my damp hair.

  I inhaled his scent. “Hm?”

  “Why didn’t you tell them about Loni?”

  “Oh, that.” I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess when I met him, I got the vibe that he didn’t really want them to know he was still alive, you know? His life as Loni was over. He’s Scar now. And I think he likes it that way.”

  “Fair enough.” He kissed my forehead. “You were amazing back there, by the way. You know that aggressive, magically-skilled omega thing turns me on.”

  I raised a brow. “Does it, now?”

  “You know it.” He pressed his lips to mine, kissing me slowly at first then giving way to tongue. I sighed as we broke apart.

  “It’s weird. Ever since we were separated after our fight, then reunited - my body’s been going crazy,” I muttered.

  “How so?”

  “Like… I can’t get enough of you,” I admitted. I ran my hands down his chest, loving the firmness of his pecs beneath my fingers. “Like I want to hang off of you like a damn tree.”

  Dante chuckled darkly and opened his arms. “Do it, then. Nobody is stopping you.”

  I huddled closer and clung to him. Even the flush contact of our skin wasn’t enough. I needed more. I whined and bucked my hips against him. Although we only wore underwear, our cocks still brushed despite the fabric. Dante hissed in pleasure.

  “You want to do it right now?” he asked, turning so that he was half on top of me. “Aren’t you tired?”

  “I am,” I admitted. “But I want to fuck more than I want to sleep.”

  Dante licked his lips. “Gods, you turn me on.”

  We made out as Dante climbed on top of me, straddling my waist. The feeling of his weight pinning me to the mattress made my cock rock hard. I grasped his thighs and dug my fingers into them. His muscles were powerful and thick, and he playfully squeezed me with his thighs.

  “By the way,” Dante growled, “the big belly looks fucking hot as hell.”

  He gently stroked my belly with his warm hands. I blushed. I’d clearly begun showing. At first, I was a little self-conscious about my belly, but I knew it meant my baby was growing safely. And apparently, it turned Dante on - which was good enough for me.

  He leaned down to kiss me again. “I’m going to tell you something, Gabriel.”

  Instantly, I perked up at the seriousness of his tone and the use of my full name. “What?”

  “As you probably already figured out, dragons are a long lived species,” he began. “Some people call us immortal. That’s not entirely wrong. We can be killed, but generally, we don’t die of old age.”

  I frowned. I don’t know why he was talking about this in the middle of foreplay. “And…?”

  He smirked. “Don’t look so anxious. I just have a proposition for you - not the sexy kind.”

  “Just tell me already.”

  “Fine, you impatient omega.” He dragged a finger down my chest. “Remember how we shared a magic pool when we were creating the Stoneheart barrier?”

  How could I forget the sensation of my magic blooming and exploding with that force? “Yes.”

  “Well,” he said slowly. “There’s a way we can do that with our life force, as well.”

  I gasped. “What?”

  “You could live longer. You wouldn’t have the lifespan of a normal wolf shifter,” Dante explained. His eyes shimmered with anticipation. “I want this for you. Please, Gabriel.”

  “What’s the catch?” I asked cautiously.

  “It will reduce my own lifespan. I won’t be immortal, for lack of a better term.” He paused. “Basically, when you die, I die.”

  “Absolutely not,” I growled.

  Dante frowned. “Gabriel. Listen to me. I don’t want to live in a world without you. You hear me?”

  I paused, then bit my lip. “What about our child?”

  He smiled softly. “You don’t have to worry about that. Our baby will be half-dragon, so they will have a naturally long lifespan.”

  He stroked my cheek gently. “Please, Gabriel. It hurts me too much to think about my life without you, when it’s entirely possible to change that.”

  “What do I have to do?” I asked.

  “You might have heard of it before,” Dante said. “It’s the fated mates’ claim. A bite to the shoulder. But it’s not the same version you might have in your wolf pack. In dragon culture, the alpha doesn’t only bite the omega - but you have to bite me back. It’s a mutual claim, forever.”

  I swallowed hard. Dante was offering me a longer life - to spend with him and our child. The opportunity to live longer than my normal lifespan. Part of me - the old, suspicious Stoneheart piece nagging in the back of my mind - wanted to say no. To reject anything I didn’t know. But my heart and soul yearned for Dante. I knew he wouldn’t - could not - live in a world where I wasn’t alive with him. It would destroy him. And I knew that because if we were in the reverse situation, being without him would eat me alive.

  “Yes,” I said finally. “I want to.”

  Relief washed over Dante’s face. He embraced me tight, burying his face in my neck. “Thank you, Gabe. I love you so much.”

  I hugged him back. His scent smelled heavenly. “I love you, too.”

  He gestured to the spot to the crook where his neck met his shoulder. “Here. Sink your fangs into me, as I’ll do to you. Claim me, Gabriel.”

  “Okay,” I said, my voice shaking.

  Dante leaned in, kissed my neck down to the spot, and sunk his fangs into me. At the same time, I did the same thing to him.

  But no pain came. No pain, and no blood. Instead, the warm electric sensation of magic flowed through our bodies. That yearning ache I felt earlier - where it seemed like our bodies would never be physically close enough - finally was sated. This was it. This was as close as two people could ever be.

  The moment passed, and we pulled away from each other. But the longing was gone. I was connected to Dante on an entirely different level, now, and I felt it. He belonged to me, and I belonged to him. We were fated to be together - and we would be together now, forever.

  Dante’s smile was genuine and warm. He hugged me again. “Thank you, Gabe. For saying yes.”

  “Of course,” I replied. “Now… Where were we?”

  He chuckled. “Oh, yes. We were about to get busy.”

  He launched himself at me, crushing our mouths together. It was all tongue and wet heat, us clamoring for each other until the lack of air broke us apart, just long enough to breathe and kiss again. Dante’s hands roamed. He’d memorized my body and followed the trails, thumbing my nipples and caressing my sides. He knew exactly what I liked, and how to make me cry out for him.

  His hands lazily snaked down until reaching my underwear, which was promptly discarded. Dante licked his lips and took my cock in his hand, making me yelp.

  “I missed this,” he muttered before licking me base to tip. I barely contained a gasp. He wasn’t playing around anymore. Dante knew exactly what he wanted, and he was going to take it. Without another word, his lips enveloped my cock. I shuddered and went limp, my limbs splaying across the sheets
.

  He gestured with his other hand to the dresser. Struggling not to drop it in my dazed state, I tossed him the lube. He expertly popped the lid, coated his fingers, and pressed one gently to my hole. With the lube and the fact that I was already slick from arousal, his finger entered me easily. I shivered from cold and pleasure.

  One finger slipped fully into my ass before he added a second. I barely noticed his third finger because he was sloppily sucking my cock and causing a rush of numbing pleasure to shoot up my spine. I was a mess, squirming and moaning and totally at his whim.

  When I came, it was sudden and hard. I cried out as I shot down Dante’s throat. He didn’t flinch, drinking up all of it with a lick of his lips. By now, his cock was enormous and hard. I felt it straining against my bare thigh, ready to blow.

  “You better put that inside me, now,” I ordered with a hoarse voice.

  “Yes, my omega,” Dante said.

  He picked up my legs and placed them so my knees hung over his shoulders. I was opened wide for him, my whole slick entrance on display. I whimpered at the loss of his fingers when he pried them out, but knew something better was on its way.

  “Gods, I wish you weren’t already pregnant so I could knock you up again right now,” Dante growled.

  I shivered. “We can always have another after this one, you know.”

  He smirked. “That’s the plan. To keep you pregnant and sexy, just like this.”

  I whimpered in pleasure and anticipation. “Fuck me already, then.”

  “Done.”

  With the lube and my slick, his cock slipped inside without a fuss. The pressure stretching my hole felt amazing. I groaned and threw my head back against the pillow. Sweat trickled down my brow. I must have looked like a mess, but Dante was obviously living for it. He grinned posessively down at me. He already claimed me with his bite - but right now, I wanted him to claim me with his cock.

  Not to exaggerate, but his dick was massive. Even though he stretched me beforehand, it was still a lot to take. Fingers were nothing compared to his girth. I clenched my eyes and forced myself to relax. My muscles eased around him, and he slipped deeper inside my ass. I sighed.

  “You good?” Dante asked, his voice rough with arousal and concern.

  “Yeah. Keep going.”

  He gripped my thighs gently, stroking the soft skin with his thumb.

  “Hang on - “ Dante muttered, then a second later, I gasped. Something hard and round was pushed inside of me. His knot. I almost came again instantly. Dante was knotting me.

  “Are you okay?” he growled.

  I was sweaty and panting but I never wanted this to end. “Yes. Holy fuck.”

  He laughed. “Good boy. Take your alpha’s big knot.”

  “Yes, sir,” I moaned.

  It was difficult for him to thrust while his knot was inside me, but I didn’t care. Just the slow back-and-forth of his knot scraping my walls was enough for me to lose my mind.

  “Cum inside of me, gods, please, Dante,” I begged.

  Dante bit his lip. “Hang on, love.”

  He grabbed my hips and thrust as hard as he could. I almost screamed. I’d never felt so full and stretched. Pleasure electrified my every nerve. I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood.

  “I’m gonna fill you up with cum, Gabe,” Dante growled.

  “Yes, yes, please, fuck - “

  Hot, thick fluid filled my ass. Dante groaned in pleasure as he unloaded into me. At the same time, I lost it and came, splattering all over Dante’s chest and my belly. After what felt like ages, Dante’s knot loosened and he was able to pull out of me.

  “Fuck,” he muttered, exhausted. “That was good.”

  I wiped the sweat off my brow. “I’ll say.”

  Dante quickly grabbed tissues and cleaned me up first, then himself. He collapsed into bed after that. He grumbled and pulled me closer. “Get over here.”

  “I’m right here.” I kissed him.

  “Don’t ever pull a stunt like that again,” he growled. “The one where you got angry and stormed off.”

  I chuckled. “I won’t, I promise.”

  “Good. And I promise not to be a dumbass like that again. You know, with the reckless, hardheaded alpha thing,” he said, smiling.

  I nuzzled him. “Alright. Sounds like a plan.”

  19

  Dante

  “You think that’s enough stuffed animals, dad?” I asked, half sighing and half grinning as I watched my alpha-father place another comically large teddy-bear into the crib corner. We were making final adjustments to the nursery, since the baby was due any day now. Gabe’s belly was uncomfortably swollen - well, uncomfortable to him, at least. To me, he just looked plain sexy.

  “You can never have too many,” my dad said with a smile, his eyes crinkling. “Right, Gabriel?”

  “Well… Maybe move that one aside so you can actually see the sheets in the crib,” Gabe said.

  My dad frowned, embarrassed, and moved the bear aside to one of the seats beneath the window. “Right.”

  “Unlike Dante, I do actually like the stuffed animals, though,” Gabe admitted. “I really like this one in particular.”

  He picked up a black dragon plush with faded fabric. I gasped. Instantly, I recognized it as a toy from my childhood.

  “Dad, is that…?” I asked, going to Gabe’s side.

  “Yes. That was yours, when you were a young boy,” my dad answered.

  “Is it supposed to look like your dragon form?” Gabe asked.

  “Good eye,” dad said. “His other dad had it specially made for Dante when he was a child.”

  My throat tightened. My omega-father had commissioned that plush for me, ages ago. Gabriel handed it to me. “Dad… Where did you even find this?”

  “Oh, I was just going through your childhood things to see if we could repurpose anything for your baby,” he said. “Do you like it?”

  “Of course!” I said, wiping a tear from my eye. “It’s just turning me into a damn emotional mess.”

  Gabe laughed and nudged me. “I’m the one who’s supposed to be hormonal, not you.”

  “I can’t help myself. My dad’s over here trying to make me cry.”

  “Sorry.” Dad chuckled. “Here, let me get your mind off that. I have something for the two of you.”

  “For us?” Gabe asked. My dad approached him and gestured for him to hold out his hand.

  I raised a brow. “Is it another giant teddy bear?”

  “No, but I have plenty more of those if you do want one,” dad replied. “Dante, you too. Hold out your hand.”

  Curiously, I extended my palm and placed it next to Gabriel’s outstretched hand so our pinky fingers were touching. My dad reached into his pocket, then placed the object in our hands. It was a crystallized pure white raven feather.

  “Oh, it’s beautiful!” Gabriel said.

  “Do you know what it stands for?” I asked my mate.

  “No… I thought it was just pretty.” He laughed. “What does it mean?”

  “It’s a symbol of union,” dad explained. “It’s just an old tradition in Cinderhollow. The white raven feather represents how rare it is for two fated mates to find each other, and it’s crystallized to symbolize the unbreakable bond between those two.”

  Gabriel made a tiny whimper and he looked like he was about to burst into tears. I put my arm around him and kissed his head. “C’mon, don’t cry.”

  He groaned. “I can’t help it. I’m a hormonal pregnant omega!”

  I clapped him gently on the back. “It’s okay. Do you need anything, by the way? You’ve been standing up for a while now.”

  Gabriel’s six months of pregnancy were over and he was due any day now. Any longer and I would start worrying about the baby, but as Dr. Lynden told us at a check up, the baby would be ready when it was ready.

  “Yeah, I think I’m ready to sit down,” Gabriel said. I led him to one of the cushioned benches beneath a window, w
hich was lined with stuffed animals on either side. He sighed as he sat down, then gasped sharply.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Um,” he said, his voice shaking. “My legs…”

  I looked down. They were soaking wet. His legs, the cushion and the floor were covered in clear fluid that wasn’t there a moment earlier.

  “Oh!” Dad gasped. “Gabriel, your water broke!”

  Panic hit me and I cried, “Gabe, the baby’s coming!”

  He yelped and he clutched my arm. “Oh my gods, okay, what do I do!?”

  “I’ll call Dr. Lynden,” Dad said calmly. “Dante, you get ready to take Gabriel to the clinic. I’ll call Ruby and Lorenzo and meet you there as soon as I can.”

  “Okay,” I said. “Come on, Gabe, I’ll carry you.”

  Carefully, I lifted Gabriel off the bench and carried him bridal style to the balcony. I put him down for just a moment while I shifted, then picked him up again.

  “I’ve got you,” I promised. “Don’t worry. We’ll be there soon.”

  Gabe nodded, too terrified to speak.

  I took off, trying to fly slowly and fast at the same time. I didn’t want to scare Gabe, but we really did need to get to the clinic as soon as possible.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked.

  “Cramping a bit,” Gabriel admitted. “But it’s not - ugh!”

  His pained voice sent terror shooting through me. “What?”

  “Contraction - now,” he muttered through gritted teeth. “Hurts.”

  I growled in sympathy. “I’m sorry, babe. We’ll be there soon, I promise. Look - there’s the clinic, just below.”

  He groaned, a low pained sound that made my heart hurt. “I’d rather not look…”

  I landed smoothly. Instantly, both my dad and a nurse were there at the door to help Gabe out of my claws as I shifted. They took him inside and urged me to follow. My heart raced. I’d never been so simultaneously scared and excited in my life. But I had time to be excited later - right now, all I cared about was that my mate and baby got through this safely.