Casey realized that she and Alix were around the same age. She had initially thought she was much younger—a teenager, maybe—due to the petulance and bad attitude. Shifter or not, Alix wasn’t too different from the mean girls Casey had known in school. She was beautiful and she knew it. Being the rich and powerful daughter of the King only made it a million times worse.
“Brady and I are…” Casey paused a moment. “Friends. We’re friends.”
“What was the pause for?” Alix asked suspiciously.
“Nothing.” Casey forced her expression to remain perfectly blank. “We’re friends. Period. End of subject.”
“Why are you with him?” More side-eye.
“He’s helping me get away from a stalker.” Casey met Alix’s direct glare head on. “What else do you want to know? I’m a Capricorn, my favorite color is blue, and I have a serious addiction to chocolate. Are we cool now?”
“Do you like him?”
“Why do you want to know?” Casey couldn’t help her own attitude slipping out.
Alix took a step closer to her and Casey could see the dragon rage in her eyes.
“I love my brother,” she said quietly. “Losing his mate nearly killed him. I don’t want it to happen again.”
“What about what Brady wants?”
“If you hurt him,” Alix said quietly, “I will hurt you. Do we understand each other?”
In human form, Alix seemed about as threatening as a chipmunk, but Casey knew better. She nodded, extending her hand to Alix, who simply stared at it.
“Truce,” Casey said with a faint smile. “You’re supposed to take my hand and shake it.”
“Why?”
“It’s just something we do in my world.”
With exaggerated distaste, Alix barely touched Casey’s fingertips and gave her hand a quick, single shake.
“Truce, I suppose.” Alix wiped her hand on her tunic. “But I will kill you if you hurt him.”
Casey nodded. “Understood.”
The rest of the day passed peacefully. Whenever she had a chance, Casey made her way to one of the windows overlooking the grounds. Throughout the afternoon, she would catch glimpses of Brady chopping wood or helping bring in the harvest, shirtless, wearing only his loose-fitting trousers. His chest was fully healed now, and she unabashedly stared as she watched him work: the muscles of his biceps and back rippling under the strain of lifting heavy cords of wood, the tightening of his pecs and abs as he wheeled heavy barrows of dirt and vegetables. It all served as a painful reminder of her frustration. Love or lust?
As she watched from an upper window, Brady stopped and took a moment to wipe at his forehead with a rag. He glanced up and caught her watching. Casey didn’t bother to try and act like she wasn’t ogling him. She smiled and raised a hand. Let him see that I want him, she thought. No use trying to hide it. She’d wanted him since the first moment they met, and that desire had only grown every day since.
He dipped his head in acknowledgement and grinned, hesitating only a moment before going back to his axe to split more wood.
Casey sighed as she watched him work, his bronzed skin glistening in the sun. Never had she felt such a connection to a man. She had never allowed herself to get so close. The men she knew would have used her up until she was completely drained, then tossed her aside like so much garbage. She meant nothing to them except a means to an end. She had long since decided that those days were over. She’d rather be alone for the rest of her life.
But now, Brady had changed everything. He had changed her.
Love or lust?
Love. Definitely love.
The night of the celebration, the skies were clear and lit by the glow of three small moons. The party had outgrown the confines of the Great Hall, as every person in the village joined in the festivities. Lanterns and torches dotted the garden as everyone ate and danced and laughed. Some of them had taken on human form in order to dance to the drum and pipe music. Elana and Gareth were in their dragon forms, poised upon their gigantic thrones, and dragons of all shapes and sizes filled the air inside and out.
Casey entered, her hair freshly washed and braided by Dorris, wearing a sapphire blue tunic dress. She spotted Brady instantly. He was talking to old friends, laughing as he drank the sweet red wine that was so popular in the village. He wore a buttoned gray tunic and black trousers, the same utilitarian uniform as all the other shifter men, but to Casey, it was as if a spotlight shone down on him, singling him out from every other person in the world.
He looked up and caught her eye, and after saying his goodbyes to his friends, made his way through the crowd towards her. Casey felt a pull deep inside, an invisible bond with Brady that both thrilled and frightened her.
As Brady stood before her, he was silent for a moment, allowing his gaze to take her in from head to toe. Casey did the same and wondered if he was feeling the same hunger as her.
“You look beautiful,” he finally said.
Casey smiled as she looked up at him. “You, too.”
The musicians on the stage began a slow, mournful tune that drew dozens of shifter couples into the middle of the room.
“Would you like to dance?” Brady asked, extending his hand.
Casey nodded and Brady led her out to the floor. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she rested her forearms on his shoulders, lazily tangling her fingers in his hair. They swayed in time to the music, bodies pressed together, faces only inches away from each other.
“This feels like junior high,” Casey said, smiling. “The old shuffle-and-sway.”
Brady’s hands slid down her back, stopping at the very base of her spine for a moment, then dipping lower to flatten against her buttocks for a heartbeat. He kept his gaze locked on hers, silently watching her reaction. Your turn.
A small smile curled at the corner of her mouth as she pulled her hands away from his shoulders and rested them against his chest. She hesitated for a moment, then allowed her right hand to fall between them, ever so slightly brushing against the front of his trousers. His eyes widened slightly at her boldness even as he grew hard against her palm, straining against the scratchy material.
Again, Casey felt shocked by her own recklessness. Anyone who cared to look could see exactly what she was doing, but she didn’t care. All she wanted right then, at that moment, was to see the rise of desire in Brady’s eyes.
Satisfied that she had his full attention, she gently stroked the length of his erection, watching him struggle to remain unruffled. He half-closed his eyes and whispered into her ear, “You’re killing me right now.”
“I know,” she whispered back, leaning back slightly to smile up at him again. “What are you going to do about it?”
He stopped swaying and released her, taking a few steps back. The tunic was almost long enough to hide his erection. Without another word, he quickly walked out of the Great Hall, leaving a whispering, gossiping trail behind him.
Casey could do nothing but watch him go, humiliation and anger warring for control.
What the hell just happened?
No one knew where he had gone.
He wasn’t in the solar. Or the kitchen. Or his bedroom. He wasn’t on the grounds or in the garden or near the Arch. Casey’s frustration and confusion mounted with each shrug of “I don’t know.”
Had she completely misread every signal he had given her? Was she insane, or did the fact that he’d played grab-ass first give the impression that he wanted to elevate their relationship? Besides that, what man would turn down such a pathetically obvious advance?
It’s my fault, she thought miserably. I pushed it too hard. Came on too strong. I misread everything.
Cheeks blazing with humiliation, Casey had to get away from everyone. The Great Hall was just too crowded, too loud. She made her way out of the castle and across the drawbridge to the countryside. The light of the three moons was faint, but it was enough to see by. She crossed her arms under her breasts as she
walked, idly kicking stones. Stupid, she thought. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
She took the path to the lake and gazed across its waters. A warm breeze rippled the surface. On the other shore was a grove of fruit trees. A small waterfall spilled into it from an outcropping of rocks.
Casey stopped walking. The grotto.
She rushed into the woods, looking for the subtle trail Brady had shown her. Even in the low light, she managed to find the path and in minutes, she was at the opening of the cave. She could see nothing but pitch-black inside. After a moment’s hesitation, she took a deep breath, exhaled, and entered.
She could hear the crashing, rushing water of the falls and followed the sound. Finally, she could see a faint light. She carefully climbed out of the cave, searching for any sign of Brady. She expected to find him brooding on the shore of the pond.
Instead, she found him in his true form.
A warm rush of wind and a sound that was like the flapping of sails pulled her gaze upward. A dragon glided over the grotto, wings spread wide, catching updrafts and riding them until a slow flap of his wings took him higher again. Its scales were a deep scarlet, almost black, and its wings spanned at least twenty feet. It banked, turning, and Casey could see its lean, narrow face. At that instant, its eyes caught Casey’s and it began a slow spiral towards the earth.
Casey felt breathless, watching in wonder as she struggled to make herself realize that this powerful creature was actually Brady. Knowing he was a dragon shifter was one thing. Witnessing it for herself was another.
The dragon slowly descended to the ground, each flap of its powerful wings bringing it lower and lower. The moment its talons touched the earth, Brady shifted back into his human form. His gaze locked onto Casey’s, pinning her where she stood.
Casey was only dimly aware that Brady was nude. The intensity of his eyes made everything else irrelevant. He crossed the space between them in a few long strides, saying nothing as he came to a stop in front of her.
“I don’t know why you left me in there,” Casey managed to say, her voice trembling. “Or why you’ve been acting so weird all week. But if you don’t want me, then say it, God damn it. Don’t make me think—”
He silenced her with a kiss.
20
Brady
Brady drew away slightly and gently hooked his finger under her chin, tilting her face up to his. He studied her unabashedly, learning the shape of her lips, the smoothness of her skin.
“Don’t ever think that I don’t want you,” he said quietly. “I want you too much.”
He heard her gasp softly as he brushed his lips against hers again, the kiss as gentle as a sigh. He pulled back slightly, reluctantly breaking the contact. She looked up at him with heavy-lidded eyes and slipped her hand behind his head, urging him closer.
Their lips met again, mouths opening to taste each other’s sweetness. Brady slowly lowered Casey backwards onto the moss, shifting his weight so that he half-covered her body. As their tongues languidly explored, he slid his hand to her waist. The material of her tunic was rough; he wanted to feel the softness it hid.
“Too many clothes…” he said and smiled, moving lower down her body. With agonizing slowness, he pulled the hem of her dress up inch by inch, kissing each bit of her body that he revealed. He slowly pulled at her dress until he could feel the silky warmth of her thighs. He stroked her hip with the flat of his hand, dipping down to cup her buttock, pulling her closer. She moaned softly into his mouth and his cock stiffened even harder. Casey nudged her knee between his thighs until the top of her thigh gently pressed against him. She moved her leg with agonizing slowness. Brady responded by slipping his hand between her thighs, cupping her soft warmth, fingertips toying with her.
“Brady, please…” Casey’s breathing was rough, hot against his skin.
“What do you want, Casey?” He could feel her straining against him and allowed the slightest bit of pressure from his palm. “Tell me what you want.”
“I want…” Her breathing hitched. “I want your fingers inside me.”
“Like this?” She gasped as he slid a finger inside her, keeping a slow, steady rhythm. She gently rubbed her leg against his hardness, matching his rhythm, and suddenly he felt her hand circling his cock, her skin so soft, so warm that he caught his breath. He raised his head and saw that she was watching him, gauging his reaction.
“So, you want to play…” he said, half-smiling.
He responded by sliding another finger into her heat, moving them in slow circles, back and forth, in and out. Brady kept his gaze locked with hers as she writhed beneath him, eyes half-closed from pleasure. She arched her back and gasped, and he could feel her inner walls spasming. As she recovered, he slowly withdrew his hand from between her thighs and propped himself up on one elbow, tugging her tunic higher and higher until he saw her concave belly, her ribs, her breasts.
“Now, it’s my turn,” Casey whispered. She pushed him onto his back and eased herself over him on her knees as she straddled his waist. The tunic came off in one easy motion and she tossed it away. She gazed down at him as he brought his hands up to her hips, over her waist and ribs. She wanted his hands on her breasts, but he must have sensed that. He held back, a faint smile on his lips.
Casey leaned forward, pressing her breasts against the mat of hair on his chest, her mouth seeking and finding his. She sat up again, flattening her hands against his stomach. He could feel the wet heat of her pressing against his body. She reached behind herself and took his cock in hand, stroking and rubbing it until Brady had to grit his teeth for control.
Then, in one graceful movement, she guided his cock inside of her, slowly lowering herself onto him until she had taken every inch. Her eyes widened as she looked down at Brady, a seductive smile curling the corners of her mouth.
“I wonder how long you’ll last,” she said softly, “if I do this…”
She began to rock against him, rolling her hips, rising and falling on his cock ever so slightly. Brady’s hands went to her waist and she allowed him to move her how he wanted. She ground her clit against him, and the expression of pleasure on her face nearly ended him.
Brady sat up, needing to feel more of her body as she rode him. His mouth roamed over her throat as she threw her head back, crying out with every movement. Her fingertips dug into his shoulders as she sought his mouth for a deep, devouring kiss.
Brady could take no more. He felt himself coming and held Casey tighter as she rocked against him. He trailed his mouth over her skin to her ear and whispered, “Come for me.”
She did. Spectacularly. Loudly. Brady didn’t try to contain his own shout of pleasure. Casey trembled as the last remnants of her orgasm trickled through her.
He gasped for breath, not moving for a moment, shaken by the intensity. When he opened his eyes, Casey was gazing at him, her breathing ragged. They looked at each other for a few seconds, a slow smile spreading across their faces.
Without a word, Casey reached up and touched his face, her fingertips softly outlining his lips, his jaw. Something passed between them at that moment. Something beyond their bodies. Beyond their souls.
And he finally understood.
He had found his mate.
21
Casey
“It’s probably not healthy to spend this much time in bed.” Casey stretched lazily and curled up against Brady, slipping her leg between his. He chuckled and put his arm around her shoulders. Once, there had been covers on the bed, but now they lay crumpled and forgotten on the floor. Neither of them seemed to mind. The light breezes that danced over their naked bodies were warm, and the rising sun hinted at another hot day.
“Well, in my defense...it has been years.” Brady smiled and played with a lock of Casey’s hair. She flattened her palm against his chest, feeling his heart beating strong and steady, and then slowly traced lower to his stomach, idly circling his navel. He stiffened almost instantly.
“The dragon s
eems to be waking up,” she said and raised herself up onto one elbow. The smile on Brady’s face was the most contented, most satisfied she had ever seen. He reached up to touch her face, tucking her hair behind her ear, gently stroking her lower lip with his thumb.
I love this man, Casey thought, leaning forward to kiss him softly. He hungrily escalated it, rolling over to hover on top of her. She kept her hand between them, slowly teasing him, and loved the helplessness in his eyes.
Their kiss deepened, but before she could make good on her teasing touch, someone knocked heavily on the door. Brady groaned and raised his head.
“Whatever it is, I’m too busy to care!” he shouted.
“Someone’s come through the portal.” The voice sounded like Dorris’s. “He needs to see you immediately.”
Brady and Casey exchanged an uncertain look. Her heart dropped. Had Evan found the Arch in the cellar of the club?
“I’ll be right there.” Brady rolled out of bed and grabbed his trousers. He dressed quickly, not bothering to button his tunic. Casey struggled into her dress, her hands trembling fiercely. The damn thing was inside out, and she couldn’t find the armholes, and damn it! Why am I shaking so badly?
Brady went to her and helped her get her arms into the sleeves and her head through the opening. With a faint smile, he lifted her long, loose hair over her shoulders and brushed it out of her eyes. Casey instantly calmed.
“It’s alright,” he said quietly, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “Whatever it is, it’ll be okay.”
Casey nodded, although she couldn’t shake the dread. This last week in Brady’s world had been idyllic, the happiest she had ever been in her life. Something bad had to happen to balance the scales.
Brady held her hand tightly and led her to the door. Dorris stepped aside as Brady and Casey passed, giving Casey a small smile.
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