Fireblood Dragon: Fire In His Blood Part 27

Kael's hot mouth moves down my throat, his claws dragging at the fabric of my bunched-up shirt. Remove this.

"Removing it," I tell him quickly. The last thing I want is to lose another shirt. My arms tremble as I sit up, my body still weak, and I'm surprised when he tenderly supports my back and carefully helps me remove my shirt. That's a first. Normally he just gets impatient and rips everything away. "Thank you."

You are my mate. I will take care of you. His dark eyes gleam, and then he leans in and presses his mouth to mine in a kiss. And I like to see you in your skin. Kael's tongue traces along my jaw, then grazes my neck.

"Better than out of it, I suppose," I joke, stomach fluttering at the feel of his mouth.

He pulls away and stares down at me, frowning. I would never wish for that.

"It was a joke. You know, humor."

Kael blinks at me slowly, and then his mouth curves into a wicked smile that makes my pulse flutter. Do you tease your mate, my Claudia? Shall I tease back?

Something in the heat of his eyes tells me he's not talking about verbal teasing. I squirm a little under his intense gaze. I can't imagine you teasing anyone.

Can't you? He dips his chin, and his lips graze my nipple. It immediately puckers in response to his touch. Is this not teasing?

I moan, panting. I don't know if it's teasing if it feels so good.

Mmmm. He continues to play with my nipple, taking it between his teeth and gently nipping, then rolling the tip against his tongue. You are my mate. It is my job to ensure you feel good. Better than good. He lightly sucks on the tip of my breast, until I'm crying out with need. Your pleasure is my pleasure. Your pain my pain.

I arch under him, but that movement makes my side flare up again, and I wince, collapsing and putting a hand to my side. Somehow, I don't believe we're sharing this pain.

His mouth lifts from my skin, and his gaze catches mine. The look on his face is so intense, his eyes swirling a furious black, that I look away. He reaches up and grabs my chin, forcing me to look at him again.

You think I do not notice your pain? You think it does not destroy me inside when the humans attack you with their fire sticks? You think I did not feel my world end when you collapsed at my feet? Or that it began again when you opened your eyes?

"Oh, Kael." I'm being a d.i.c.k, aren't I? "I'm sorry. I-" I hesitate, then brush my fingers over the high, p.r.o.nounced dappled cheekbones that I'd first thought so strange. Now I adore them. "I love you."

I know this.

I frown. Not exactly how I'd planned this moment going. "Well, that was arrogant."

You have already told me this, Claudia. When you were attacked with the fire stick, you told me you loved me.

Did I? I don't remember. "Yeah, well, you don't have to sound like such a high and mighty jerk about it." I'd pictured this moment so different. Me, dramatically declaring my love and him, getting all soft and happy with my confession, not giving me a smug, impatient look. "You're so...arrogant!"

How can it be arrogant if it is truth? The smile he gives me is arch, even as he drags his tongue over my nipple, making me crazy with need. You tell me things I already know.

"You could at least pretend to be surprised," I grumble, but it's hard to be angry when the man you love is playing with your b.o.o.b.

How can I be surprised? I know that you love me when I taste your response on my tongue. When I smell it in the air. When I feel your thoughts as you awaken and are eager to feel my flesh pressed to yours. His arms brace at my sides, and he kisses further along my belly, avoiding my bandages. He moves lower, and then slices away my panties with one flick of his claws. I can't even be sorry about the underwear-I'm too fascinated by what he's doing. He leans in and kisses my mound, and then glances up at me, smile wicked. Shall I taste how much you love me, my Claudia? The scent of your loving perfume is already filling my nostrils.

I giggle. "Loving...perfume? Never say that when Amy or Melina are around, please."

The warmth of his humor echoes in my mind. Can I not love the taste of my mate on my tongue? He nuzzles lower, carefully parting the folds of my p.u.s.s.y with his claws.

"Yes, but..." My laughter turns into a moan as he swipes his tongue over me in one long, delicious stroke. All humor vanishes, and my hands go to his head, and I cling to his thick golden hair. "Oh G.o.d, Kael. I love you."

I know, he tells me again, even as he begins to lick and suck at my c.l.i.t. You have finally accepted that you are mine.

"Arrogant...beast..." I gasp between licks, but I love this. I love every swipe of his tongue, every stroke, every flick of pleasure he gives me. I love that he's so possessive. I love all of it, and all of him. It doesn't matter that he's a dragon-man, or a drakoni, or the enemy.

He's just...mine.

His hot tongue slides lower, pushing against my core. Now tell me you love me again, my mate.

"Oh G.o.d, I love you!" I cry out as his tongue thrusts obscenely. "I love you! I love you!" I repeat it with every thrust of his tongue deep inside me that seems to brush against every nerve ending in my body.

You are so wet. He growls low against my p.u.s.s.y. My mate is delicious.

"Please, Kael," I beg shamelessly. "Take me." I send mental images of his c.o.c.k sliding deep into me, stretching me around him. "I need you inside me."

With another growl, he drags his big body over mine, and I spread my legs eagerly as I feel the thick head of his c.o.c.k press against my core. Then he thrusts deep inside me, sinking to the hilt in one smooth motion, the thick crown of his c.o.c.k rubbing deep inside me in a way that drives me absolutely insane every d.a.m.n time.

"Oh G.o.d! Oh G.o.d!" I cling to him, nails digging against his dappled skin as he rocks carefully into me. My side gives another flash of pain at my movements, but I don't care.

Kael does, though. He grabs my hands with one of his and holds them high over my head. Be still while I claim you. You will hurt yourself.

Don't care, I moan, not even bothering to speak aloud anymore. My thoughts are a jumbled whirl of pleasure as he slides out of me and then strokes deep again, c.o.c.k dragging through the slick cream of my p.u.s.s.y. There's something so erotic about him holding me pinned under him, big hand keeping mine captive. It makes me more aroused, and I didn't think that was possible. Oh G.o.d, Kael.

You are mine, Claudia. All mine. Forever. There will be no fire in your blood but mine.

No fire, I agree, sobbing, wishing I could lift my hips to push against him. My side aches, but it's nothing compared to the intense pleasure. I'm too far gone.

As if sensing my need, he slams into me harder, becoming rougher with his thrusts, and I scream my pleasure. My mate, he sends with every thrust. My everything. My Claudia.

And I am. I'm his everything, and gladly. All yours, I tell him. Forever.

When we come, we come together.

33.

CLAUDIA.

Hours later, when he's claimed me a few more times and has finally moved to lie beside me on the bed, his limbs twined around mine possessively, I lie awake, thinking.

"My sister and Melina are safe, aren't they?" I ask, lazily tracing one of the scales on his shoulder. "Even though it's been a few hours?"

For today, yes. I patrolled before coming, and no one is near. I cannot feel any other dragons in the area. The humans are safe for now, though we will have to retrieve them soon.

My mate doesn't sound thrilled at that. I think he likes having me to himself. But I won't compromise their safety, and if that means we have a little less alone time, then so be it. I relax against him and enjoy the feel of his weight pressing against my good side. My sister's free. I've got the man I love. There's only a small hiccup in my happiness.

"Sasha," I murmur sleepily.

Hmm? Kael's thoughts are as pleasure-drugged as my own, I'm pleased to notice.

"My friend. The one that Dakh stole. Have you heard from him? Seen him around?" My fingers lazily trace down his back, noting that his shoulder blades don't seem to be the same as mine. They have a different shape to them, broader and flatter. Maybe for his wings in his battle form? Fascinating. He's endlessly, utterly fascinating. I could spend a lifetime with him and still learn new things about him.

In fact, I plan on it.

But Kael sits up in bed and glances down at me, eyes lazily whirling the amber of contentment. I have not seen Dakh. He will stay out of my territory now that he knows I am protecting a mate...and that he has his own to protect.

"But what about Sasha? We have to save her, if she's still alive."

She is still alive. Dakh would destroy the world to keep her safe. I know this feeling. His claws brush a sweaty strand of hair off my brow.

"But we can't just leave her with him-"

He shakes his head, a trait I could swear he's picked up from me. I will not approach another male on his territory while he protects his own mate. To do so would be death. He will fight me to protect her, just like I would fight him to protect you.

"Then what do we do?" I ask softly, worried.

My dragon leans in and nuzzles at my ear. We give thanks that Dakh has claimed a mate and there is one less crazed drakoni in the skies.

"And what about what Sasha wants? Doesn't that matter?"

He begins to kiss my neck again, distracting me. You should know that when a drakoni male has his mind on his woman, he is not easily dissuaded.

True enough.

Still, I hope that somewhere out there, Sasha is safe and taken care of. My poor friend, I think. I hope you are treated well. I'm sorry for what's happened.

SASHA.

A moan of pain escapes me as I rouse from sleep. Every fiber of my being aches, and my broken arm is a hot, throbbing brand at my side. My ribs are almost as painful as my arm, and I suspect that Tate cracked them the last time I sold myself to him. The more I see him, the rougher he gets, the more boundaries he pushes.

He'll kill me one day, but it's not like I have many options.

Still, I haven't seen Tate in days. There's no reason why I should feel as freshly-stomped-on as I do. My mind is hazy, head throbbing, and I reach up with my good arm and feel a new knot on my forehead. I must have hit myself somehow.

That'll look lovely with my black eye.

Not that it matters what I look like. Tate's not interested in my face half as much as he is in marking up my skin. Of course, it's going to be another injury I'll have to explain to Claudia, who- Claudia.

My mind fills with vague flashes of memory. Of hiding in the school bus from another dragon attack. The dragon landing. Claudia, wearing swim goggles and dragging me out of the safety of the bus while a dragon waits outside.

Falling off the dragon.

Oh G.o.d, I remember falling. Fear makes my mouth water, and I feel stunningly close to vomiting. I slow my breathing, ignoring the beads of cold sweat that pop onto my skin. Calm. Calm. You're clearly safe. You didn't fall, or you'd remember landing.

Weird. I really don't remember landing, though. A new whimper escapes my throat. Am I dead? Is this death? Is death supposed to hurt this stinking much?

A low, rumbling sound, almost like a purr, fills the black s.p.a.ce around me.

I freeze, not daring to open my eyes.

That...had sounded a bit like a purr, if a cat was the size of, oh, a jetliner. Fear makes my bones feel like jelly, and even though I want to be quiet, my breath begins to rasp in short, echoing gasps, loud even to my own ears.

Oh G.o.d. Oh G.o.d. I'd been falling. That was the last thing I remembered. Who'd caught me?

What caught me?

I squeeze an eye open, greatly daring.

Something stares back at me. Something with a scaly, horned face the size of a Volkswagen. Something with eyes that swirl in color from black to gold to black again. Something that purrs with fierce intensity and hovers inches away from my face.

A dragon.

I scream.

Epilogue.

One Month Later.

CLAUDIA.

Give me a new challenge, Kael demands. One that will test my skills. You're not trying hard enough.

I roll my eyes at his smug tone, but I'm having fun. I hold up my stopwatch, reset it, and then glance around. "All right. You want challenging? Let's do challenging." I eye the vista around us. We're on the roof of the tallest building in Old Dallas, Kael perched atop the edge like a big, dangerous bird. I scan the ruins and then lay out the course. "Those three towers over there," I tell him, pointing at the three farthest broken buildings. "Touch each one, and then fly upside down to number four over there." I point at another building. "Then I need you to go under that overpa.s.s down there and pick up one of the cars and throw it into the Trinity River."