by Ines Johnson
He was undaunted. Whoever had kissed her before had not known what they were doing. Beryl was different.
Soon, she kissed him back, parting her lips. He brought his hand to her cheek, tilting her head. His hand slid down her neck to her clavicles. It took everything to break the kiss. The dragon didn’t want to stop, but he needed to be certain of something.
“Have you ever …” He didn’t like to think about her with another male.
“I have,” she confirmed. “I just don’t like it. I’m sorry. I’m not any good at it. But I’ll hold still while you do your business.”
“Hold still while I do my business?” Beryl let out a breath.
Of all the things he’d thought of when he finally met his mate, this was not one of them. She didn’t like sex? She barely liked being touched. She definitely didn’t like being looked at. Both man and beast needed all these things.
With all these obstacles set before his path, how was he going to claim his little mate?
Chapter Ten
Poppy had heard the hosts on traveling shows say many times that traveling changes you. Leaving the spaces you were familiar with brings forth new experiences, new cultures, people, places, sights, tastes, and sounds. The place she wanted to travel the most to was Fiji.
The island was practically a chain of beaches. Beaches with waters of every color from white, to turquoise, to emerald. Looking into Beryl's emerald eyes, she felt like waves were washing over her.
She'd always turned away when Bruce had been over top of her. She couldn’t look away from Beryl's dominating figure. There was a spot of gold in his green eyes. Though he was all muscle, there was a bit of baby fat on his cheeks. Poppy wanted to reach up her fingers and test the skin there. But she couldn't. He held her down.
This should be bringing back the horrors of her assault. But the memory was pushed down under the heat of Beryl's chest on hers. His was a welcome weight. The heat coming off him wasn't oppressive. It was comforting, like laying out in a hammock under the sun.
She felt herself swaying on the breeze. She felt cradled in strong arms. And then his lips met hers.
Poppy had never understood the draw of kissing. Most prostitutes didn't bother. It was one thing to have a man put his prick in your body. A condom could protect from most diseases. But there was no protection from the tongue swirling and plunging into the mouth.
Beryl didn’t shove his tongue down her throat. His lips brushed hers. The soft touch made her think of standing on the beach. The warm water lapped at her toes, only her toes were her lips. But still, her toes were curling as the water met her ankles because while Beryl's lips were gently lapping at her mouth, his fingers were on her ankles.
Poppy's mind was floating away while her body was drowning in a sea of pleasure. The first brush of his tongue made her body undulate like a wave. Only there was no crash. It was a gentle lapping.
The tide was rising, but not his hands. They rested on her calf, gently kneading. In no rush.
Shouldn't he want to get to the main event? His pants were still on. But he was clearly aroused. She could feel his huge cock pressing into her belly.
Beryl was definitely bigger than Bruce. She wouldn't be able to ignore him while he did his business inside of her. In fact, the more she felt the pull and push of his kisses, the gentle lapping of his fingers, the more she was curious about what he'd feel like inside of her.
She was actually interested in this new experience. She wanted to see this sight. She felt like she was a new person as her lips rose to meet his. She liked the taste of him. She enjoyed his touches. The soft growling sound was a delight to her ears.
Beryl had taken her on a journey. It was a staycation where she got to experience her own body in a new light. She reached out for him, wanting to touch. But he caught her hand.
“I want to be Bruce for you.”
“Bruce?” Poppy recoiled from Beryl. Of all the things he could say at this moment, why would he bring up her abusive ex?
“Bruce Bannon, from The Incredible Hulk. He was gentle. He was human.”
“I don’t want a human,” she said.
“But you’re afraid of me,” he said.
Fear was the last thing on her mind. For the first time in her life, Poppy felt desire for a man. That desire didn't cool when she felt something cold wrap around her wrist.
She looked over to see that Beryl had bound her wrists together with a bit of gold chain. He attached the end of the chain to the metal frame on the bed. With her hands over her head, her body was pulled taut. The stretch made wetness pool between her thighs.
"This is for the best," said Beryl. "It will help keep the beast at bay."
"The beast?"
"My dragon. I don't want him to come out while I’m pleasuring you.”
"Would he hurt me?"
"No. Never. But he can be hard to control, and I don't want to scare you."
"I'm fine."
Beryl's jaw tensed. It was as though he could hear the small lie in her voice. She wasn't afraid, not of his dragon. Not of the man. But sex was not her forte.
She wanted to please him because she wanted him to keep her. She just knew she wasn't good at this. And Beryl looked like he had expectations of her.
Bruce never did. He'd simply part her thighs, pump a few times, and roll over. It hardly interrupted her day.
But Beryl had kissed her for a solid quarter-hour, and he'd demanded a response. Luckily, he'd done most of the work while she rode his coattails.
He'd bound her to the bed. He couldn't expect too much of her in this position. Could he? She didn't know. What she did know was that he could sense something was wrong.
Poppy schooled her features. "I'm fine," she repeated.
He ran his thick finger over her brow and down to her cheek. "I won't hurt you."
His hand was still on her thigh. It trailed up, under her dress. Her body went rigid when he found her core.
He played around the edges of her sex. Why wasn't he unfastening his pants? Why was she complaining? What he was doing felt amazing. She knew he would stop soon to get his pleasure. She best enjoy it while it lasted.
His thumb made circles around the top of her sex. Poppy began to pant. All the while, Beryl watched her, like she was the travel show, and he was the at-home viewer who was fascinated with the sight before him. And the sounds. Because she was making a lot of unintelligible sounds that weren't English.
Poppy's body went taut as he circled that good spot. She pulled at the bindings on her wrists, wanting to touch him. Her legs shook, and she opened them wider like a wanton.
She was flying, soaring. Colors were brighter. Sounds were crisper. The taste of him on her lips was the best delicacy.
Beryl kissed her while she rode the wave of pleasure. When her body began to settle, he inserted a finger. Poppy gasped. His fingers were certainly bigger than Bruce's little prick. Nope, she couldn’t lie still and ignore this.
Poppy cried out as her body resisted. She exhaled, preparing her body. She braced for the invasion of his cock, but he withdrew his finger.
"I'm so sorry, Poppy."
Sorry? For what? She wanted to ask, but she couldn't form words. And she didn't want to. Beryl was freeing her from her binds and bringing her into the cradle of his arms. If she never got to go anywhere else in her life, if she never got to experience another thing, that ride there was enough.
Chapter Eleven
He'd never worried about his size before. It had always been a good thing. His large bulk had aided him in fighting. It made him the best. It made the fairies come after him.
But not with his mate.
Poppy was so tiny, so small. She couldn't even take his finger inside of her. He couldn't see how she would ever be able to take his cock, which was definitely thicker than his finger.
He had never worried about this with the fairies. The plantlike women were bendable and easily adjusted to his girth. But Poppy? She was small a
nd made of breakable bones, not vines. How was he going to do this?
She curled into his arms now. Her body was languid and sated. His was raging, aching to be inside of her, to claim her, and make her his in every sense of the word. But that was just his physical body. His dragon was sedate.
It had been the beast that had stopped when Poppy gasped in pain. The man hadn't heard her. He'd wanted to continue. To stretch her wide with his fingers until she was ready for him.
But she might never be ready for him. His dragon didn't care. It only wanted to hold her and protect her. The man wanted her tiny body fitted snug onto his big one.
His beast growled low in his belly. Beryl agreed that would not be happening anytime soon. His self-control was firmly in place with her. He'd been worried he'd hurt her and not be able to stop himself. But that would never be a concern. He'd die before any harm came to his mate, even if that harm were by his own hand.
She didn't wholly trust him. He knew that by her fine answers. But she was coming around. He wouldn't damage that. He held her opinion of him highest.
He massaged the spot on her wrists where the chain had held her still so that he could take his pleasure from her. Most of that pleasure had been in watching her writhe at his touch.
She'd seemed surprised, as though she had not known such pleasure in her own body was possible. But she knew of sex. He knew that, based on the words she'd said.
You can do whatever you want, and I won't make a fuss.
Had she been hurt in her life back on earth? Had she been taken by a male who was unworthy? He had to know so that he knew who he had to kill and dismember.
"Poppy?"
She tilted her head up, eyes drowsy.
"Back on earth, were you … did someone hurt you?"
She tensed in his arms. He wanted to kick himself. His purpose was to bring her pleasure, not any pain, even if it was only a reminder.
"Yes,” she said.
"Was it the man you came here with?"
She sat bolt up. "He's here?"
"No. He's gone to Valhalla. There he will die a thousand deaths at the hands of the Valkyrie. The woman who brought you here, Morrigan. Her kind punishes bad men.”
"Oh, you mean Bruce. Well, good. He deserves that."
"Was there another man?"
She looked away. "It doesn't matter. He died a long time ago. My mother killed him. He touched me when I was a child."
Beryl wanted to pull her to him and crush her body into his. But he knew that wouldn't be appreciated. He felt like a complete ass for pouncing on her on their first day together. He should have given her more time. He would now.
He started off the bed. "I'll leave you now."
"Why? Did I do something wrong?"
"No. No, you're perfect. I just forced you into that situation." That was the story of his life. He was a brute. He’d done the same to his mother, to his brothers.
"You didn't force me,” Poppy said.
"You didn't want to."
"I told you, you could do what you want."
Beryl shook his head. "It should be the other way around. I should do what you want."
"I liked what you did to me. I'd be okay if you wanted to do it again. Especially the kissing."
He leaned in and kissed her. A soft peck of his lips. A tiny tug of the teeth.
"I'm not gentle by nature," he said. "But I will work hard to be what you need."
She gazed at him quizzically, like she didn't understand his words.
"What do you need?" he asked.
She blinked, as though no one had ever asked her that question.
"You need to sleep."
"Will you stay?" She caught his hand as he rose. "I need you to stay."
Beryl lay back on the mattress. He opened his arms to his mate, and she came to him. Here was where he was proud of his size. She rested her head against his chest, snuggling into him.
"Sleep, little one. Tomorrow you'll meet the rest of my family."
"And then can we go look around?”
"Whatever you wish."
He felt her smile into his chest.
Beryl inhaled and sighed. He would take her wherever she wanted to go. He'd have to stay close to her side as she wasn't claimed, and he'd kill any shifter that dared challenge him for her.
Chapter Twelve
It was all happening so fast.
One moment, Poppy thought she was dead. The next she’d been sacrificed to the most alluring man, who wasn’t a man at all. The next, he was fighting for her life. Then she was having her first orgasm ever. And now she was meeting the family.
Things were all out of order. Shouldn’t she and Beryl have at least gone out on a date before she was claimed and presented to the rest of the dragon clan?
“We’re so glad you’re here,” said Cardi. The girl was dressed up like Madonna in the ’80s with the straps of her bra hanging out of her tight t-shirt, a frilly dress with visible bike shorts, and heels. Her makeup was neon pink, so bright it hurt Poppy’s eyes.
Beside her, Chryssie nodded enthusiastically. She was dressed in a simple sundress and sandals with muted makeup. But a moment ago, both women had been on the backs of dragons as they soared through the air around the castle.
Poppy had watched as the two beasts had landed gently with their cargo and then transformed into very naked, very virile males. Thank God, they’d pulled on robes before coming inside.
Kimber and Corun smiled politely at her. Both inclining their heads as though she were royalty. All the while, Beryl stood just behind her, smiling with pride and possession.
Something about the way Beryl looked at her made Poppy feel warm all over. She’d been a man’s possession before. She’d never been his treasure. Beryl kept insisting she was both. She knew her duties as a domestic slave. She didn’t know how to be something special.
“Let’s show you around,” said Cardi grabbing her hands. “I’m sure you haven’t had a look at anything yet since you’ve been boinking Beryl.”
“Cardi, that’s not polite,” admonished Chryssie.
Cardi smacked her teeth. “Let me guess, you’ve seen his horde in the mines?”
“Yes,” said Poppy.
“His workout room, probably.”
“Yeah.”
“And you’ve seen his bedroom, right?”
“Yes.”
“Anything else?”
No, but Poppy hadn’t cared to keep her eyes open after the boinking. She’d never wanted a man like this before. Beryl made her feel safe and protected. He made her forget her doubts and fears and worries. With just a lift of his lip, he scared them all away, and she couldn’t remember what they’d been.
“Come on then.” Cardi tugged at her arm. “These three have business to talk about. We’ll take you on a proper tour of your new home.”
Chryssie shrugged as if to say no sense in arguing with the girl. Poppy got the sense that Cardi got her way most of the time if not all of it. Why else would she walk around like she was stuck in the eighties when she was clearly grown.
Before she could traipse after Cardi, Beryl wrapped his large hand around her neck. He pulled her in for a breath-stealing kiss. When he let her up for air, she colored with embarrassment. She looked to the side to see Corun kissing Chryssie tenderly. He brushed a hand over her belly as he did so.
Turning to Kimber and Cardi, Poppy saw Cardi take a step toward Kimber. The male narrowed his gaze in disapproval and put up his hand.
“Behave,” Kimber said in a gravelly voice.
Cardi’s face transformed into the pinched look of a child who was about to throw a tantrum. But she minded him and took Poppy’s hand again. The three women went down one hall as the men went down another.
The further she got away from Beryl, the more bereft Poppy felt. She’d only known the man for a half a day, and she felt lost without him. How had that happened?
“This is the man cave,” said Cardi.
She open
ed a door to reveal gaming consoles and large screen televisions. Ilia sat on the couch, playing one of the games. He stood at the women’s approach. When he saw Poppy, his eyes slammed down.
“What did you do?” asked Cardi.
To Poppy, she looked like a little sister chastising an older brother.
“I challenged Beryl for her.”
“Well, of course, you did.” Cardi turned back to Poppy. “It’s how they do things here. Their dad challenged Kimber for me.”
“Ilia nearly burned me to a crisp in the process,” said Poppy.
Cardi narrowed her gaze at Ilia. “You know what to do.”
Ilia came before Poppy and dropped to his knees. “‘God, I’m so pathetic. Don’t you ever, ever compare yourself to me, okay. You got everything, and I got shit. Fuckin’ Rapunzel, right? School would probably fuckin’ shut down if you didn’t show up.’”
Poppy took a step back. She looked up at the other girls. Chryssie sighed and shook her head. Cardi nodded at Ilia approvingly.
“What’s happening?” Poppy asked.
“He’s apologizing,” said Cardi.
“It’s Bender talking to Claire,” said Chryssie as though Poppy was supposed to know what that meant. “You know, from The Breakfast Club. Just let him get it out.”
“‘Screws fall out all the time’,” Ilia continued. “‘The world is an imperfect place.’”
He stood and offered her a jade gem. Poppy hesitated for a second, but then took the gem. The smooth stone was heavy in her hand.
“Um, thank you,” said Poppy. “And you’re forgiven. I don’t think you were trying to kill me.”
“I was trying to claim you. I called dibs on the next sacrifice, but Beryl didn’t respect the dibs. That’s not sportsmanlike.”
Poppy wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She’d come from a world where dollars bought dibs. She was now an object of dibs. At least she was clear that Beryl had no intention of sharing her with anyone.
“You’re family now,” said Ilia. “And I will protect you with my life as you’re now my sister.”