Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Colbie
“I need to speak to my dad and tell him what happened here and let General Bryson know that he needs to investigate that sergeant. We can’t wait. He’s going to figure out his uncle is dead when he doesn’t hear from him soon,” Gryffin says and stands up, stretching.
“Your phone is in one of the backpacks, which are by the door of the assembly room,” Micah tells him.
“I should speak to them too,” Hunter says, but he’s staring at me. His eyes are glowing, and smoke drifts from his nose. My core clenches, and I gasp at the pain mixing with heat and need now that there is nothing to distract me. “But my dragon is insisting on finishing the mating bond. He’s scratching at my brain and clawing at my insides.” He grits his teeth and clenches his fists like he wants to reach for me but is restraining himself from leaping over the table.
Brodie claps him on the shoulder, and Hunter snaps at him with his teeth. Brodie snatches his hand back and grins. “Go, we’ve got this. Take our queen and show her all your pretties, and I’m not just talking about your cock.”
Liam rolls his eyes at his bond mate, and Gem chuckles. Micah looks as confused as I do. “Hunter’s dragon hoard is somewhere in the mountains here. Dragons like to hoard pretty things. I have no idea where he gets them all from. Thankfully there aren’t thousands of dragons, because all the kingdoms would be poor.”
“Dragons bequeath their hoards to family members when they pass on. My family can trace our ancestry back thousands of years,” Hunter mutters, not taking his eyes off me.
Something inside me opens its eyes and stretches languidly. There’s a flash of scales and the taste of ash in my mouth. This must be my own dragon form, whom I haven’t met yet. She stares back at Hunter with no small amount of interest. My throat tickles, and I can’t stop the cough that comes from nowhere. Smoke drifts out of my mouth and nose as my eyes water.
“I can see you, my pretty. I can’t wait to meet you.” Hunter’s voice is rough and growly, and it makes goosebumps erupt across my flesh and my panties get even damper.
“Gryffin and I will deal with your dads,” Gem assures him. “Take good care of our mate.”
“I also think before we leave, it would be a good idea for Colbie to shift into her dragon and phoenix forms. There’s enough snow around, so we wouldn’t have to worry about her setting anything alight if she loses control. There is also that large expanse of plain so if she’s going to crash, she won’t damage anything but herself.” Liam approaches and gives me a kiss before leaning in and whispering, “Have fun. My bear is having a tantrum that we’re not going to share your bed again tonight, but he can play nicely for his bond mate’s sake. When this is all settled, we’re going to lock ourselves away in our room for at least a week and show you what having eight mates is all about.”
A shiver runs down my spine as his breath caresses my ear, and my mind conjures images of being worshiped by eight of them, one who is still just a blank space. Hopefully it won’t be too long before I have an image to fill it.
Hunter has lost his patience. He pushes his chair back and stands before moving around to me. He looks like a panther stalking its prey, and I giggle, slightly overwhelmed by the intense attention.
He scoops me up bridal style, and I wrap my arms around his neck. “Ready?” he asks me, and I nod, words failing me with the intense wave of attraction and need battering my insides.
Without another word, he hurries out of the conference room and through the assembly area to the large double doors. I hear the guys yell something behind us, but whatever they say doesn’t register, my focus completely on the tall blond god who has my attention.
The night air is frigid, and when I drag my attention away from Hunter’s glowing green eyes and look around, I notice that the clouds have cleared and the half-moon illuminates the snow around us, making it easy to see. There’s an eerie howl that has Hunter’s arms tightening around me as he steps away from the building. The square in front of the alpha’s residence is large enough for him to shift, so I wiggle to be let down, but he tightens his grip. Before I can argue with him, wings erupt from his back and stretch high and wide before settling behind him. I stare in awe at his partial shift, the shiny purple scales glistening in the moonlight. I reach up to run a finger over one, but before I make contact, he bends his knees and takes off into the air.
It gets even colder as we climb, and my teeth start to chatter, but then Hunter’s arms and chest heat like a radiator, and I snuggle into him. There’s a purring sound coming from his chest, and it makes me slightly sleepy as he soars into the mountains, through rugged peaks, and past sheer cliffs. I peer around through sleepy eyes to see if I can spot any of the ferals, but we’re too high up, and the valleys are covered in snow and vegetation.
Hunter swoops down to one of the craggy cliff faces, and I squeak as he shoots through a large opening in the rock, landing just inside in an area large enough for his dragon to stand. He puts me on my feet, and I take a couple of tentative steps and peer out the gap. There is no landing in front of the cave, just a steep drop down that would probably kill me if I happened to fall over the edge.
“Come,” Hunter rumbles, grabbing my hand and leading me into the cavern. He has a torch in his other hand, which he must have grabbed while I was distracted by the drop.
The torch crackles and smokes, hazing the air as we move farther back into the cave. It’s a huge tunnel, big enough for Hunter to move comfortably in dragon form. “How do you protect your hoard from other dragons or flying creatures?” I ask, keeping my eyes on the ground so I don’t inadvertently trip or stumble into an uneven divot.
“No other dragon would dare steal another’s hoard without opening themselves up to retaliation from the rest of dragon kind. As for other flying creatures or anyone who may try to steal my hoard, the cave is spelled to look like the rock face. They would have to be unlucky to stumble over it.”
“But I could see it,” I argue, and he grunts as the floor starts to slope down slightly, but instead of getting colder as we descend into the mountain, it grows warmer and humid.
“That’s because you’re my mate. My bond group can see it too, but the illusion cast on it would make anyone else look away. I paid a pretty penny for that spell. There is a witch who regularly works with dragons for such things, and she is loyal to us. She knows we wouldn’t hesitate to turn her to ash if she betrayed us.”
Hunter slows down as the tunnel opens into a huge chamber, and I stumble to a stop, my mouth dropping open as I gape at the sight before me. It’s a massive, cavernous room with mountains of gold and precious gems. Some of them are in settings, and some of them are loose. Paintings and furnishings and various other items are scattered haphazardly through the room. There is even a corner full of formal dresses and suits and bolts of luxurious fabrics. There is no order to anything, and right in the middle is a dragon-sized nest full of cushions.
“Holy shit,” I mutter, not knowing where to look. When I eventually settle my gaze on the male beside me, he’s running a hand through his hair, and there is a slight tint of pink in his cheeks.
He shrugs. “My dragon likes pretty things.” His eyes heat, and he turns and puts his hands on my hips, dragging me against his body. “Which is why he hasn’t been able to take his eyes off you since the day we met.”
“But you didn’t know we were mates then,” I remind him, and he shakes his head.
“No, and I felt like an asshole who was betraying the woman who would be my mate by being obsessed with a human,” he admits, and I can’t help but feel pleased at his confession.
He slides his hand into my hair and pulls the elastic out, letting it fall around my face, then he cups the back of my head and slowly brings his lips to mine. One of his thumbs sweeps across the healed bite mark from Gryffin as he kisses me. He starts tentatively, but when I sink into him and open my mouth, he takes control, kissing like a storm smashing the shore—relentless and unforgiving. When he pulls away, I touch my lips, which are swollen from his attention, and then I growl, and smoke drifts out of my nose as my body gears up for a fight. Adrenaline pumps through my veins, and my inner creature snarls at the man before me. A smile creeps across his lips as he meets my eyes.
“There she is. Your dragon is making herself known. Dragon matings are full of violence. The female will want to fight so the male can prove he is strong enough to force her to submit. Don’t let it frighten you,” he cautions me, but the dragon inside me has taken over. I ball my hand into a fist and sock him in the nose before I can even consciously stop myself.
His head snaps back, and a trickle of blood runs from his nose. His pupils change, and he growls, smoke drifting out of his nostrils.
I gasp and step back, but the dragon inside me trills with glee. He grabs for me, but I duck and move out of the way, spinning and running farther into his hoard. A loud roar echoes through the cavern, and when I glance back, Hunter’s wings have snapped up as he leaps into the air.
Well, that’s not fucking fair. The dragon inside me screams, and I feel a searing pain down my back. I stumble to my knees as wings explode out of my skin, tearing through my uniform. I gasp and shudder from the intense pain, but a whoosh of air lets me know that Hunter is closing in. I feel the ground shudder as he lands next to me, and I turn, instinctively throwing out a foot and kicking his knee. My dragon is a mean bitch who preens as he falls onto his ass, but she doesn’t let me hang around to make sure he’s okay. She forces me to my feet, and I feel an inner knowledge wash through my mind as my wings flap and I take to the air. I squeal with surprise when I’m suddenly flying—not well, but enough that I make it across the pile of hoarded items before Hunter catches up to me. He wraps his arms around me and takes me to the ground, the soft nest cushioning our fall. My wings fold in instinctively as he pins me on my back, growling loudly, his teeth sharp inside his mouth.
“Dragons are the only shifters who have an alternative form. All the others have their human form and an animal one. We have one that is somewhat in between,” he tells me, and I see him shudder, trying to control the inner beast as his claws dig into my shoulders.
I can tell he’s trying to do his best to explain what is happening to me, and I appreciate his restraint. “In this form, I also have a knot. Do you know what that is?” he asks, and my inner dragon screams with want as I slowly nod my head. I read about knots and other special things that bears, tigers, and wolves have, but I thought it wasn’t anything I would have to worry about in human form. Nothing I read suggested that dragons had a third form.
“Kind of,” I admit, “but I thought only animal forms had them.”
He nods. “Yes, all other shifters only have them in their animal form. Dragons are the exception. It means the base of my cock swells, and when it enters you, it locks into place, ensuring my cum can’t escape. It’s to allow me to fertilize any eggs you may have. Dragons are the only species who don’t need everyone in the mating group to breed. It’s why my parents have three children close in age.”
“I can lay eggs in this form?” I can’t help how horrified I sound. He chuckles and shakes his head.
“No, you would shift and lay them in your dragon form. We would then take turns keeping them warm until they hatch. Any children from you and me will be dragons. Children from mating with the others will be anyone’s guess.”
My mind is reeling at everything I just learned.
“But what about other dragons who are mated to non-dragon shifters? How does that work?” I ask despite the impatient dragon who growls inside my head.
“Their children would be whatever the mother is. Only dragon females can have dragon babies. If a male dragon is mated to a non-dragon, they won’t ever have dragon children. The children will still be theirs, just not a dragon shifter.”
I roll all the information around in my head, but my dragon is done waiting. She bucks her hips, unseating Hunter who relaxed slightly during our conversation. He tumbles to the side, and I scramble to get up again, but I’m too slow, and the new wings make it awkward. Hunter circles my ankle with his fingers. I try to kick him away, but he is too strong. He looms over me, his chest to my back, and I feel a claw slice down the back of my pants, shredding them as cool air brushes across my skin. My shirt, which is in pieces due to my wings, slides down my arms, and I toss it off to the side. Hunter’s hands slip around my front and cup my breasts as he leans in and bites the shoulder that has no marks on it yet.
“This is where I’m going to put my mark on you for everyone to see that I’m your mate, but first I’m going to fuck you, knot you, and then claim you, and you are going to take it like the good little she dragon you are.” I feel his hard, pants-covered cock rub against my ass, and I buck my hips, trying to escape. My dragon isn’t ready to submit yet, so I snarl and try to twist out of his embrace, but he has me well and truly pinned.
He chuckles wickedly, and one of his hands leaves my breasts. I hear him unzip his pants, the sound loud in the silence of the cavern.
Hunter shoves them down his thighs, then his hand cups my pussy. “Mmm, so wet. Your pussy knows whom it belongs to, all dripping and ready to take my cock.” His fingers circle my clit before he roughly shoves them into my core, stretching me wide. I pant and groan at the intrusion, but it feels incredible, so instead of fighting him, I let my head hang and squeeze my eyes shut as he finger fucks me, whispering dirty words of encouragement.
“Such a pretty, perfect pussy. I bet you taste amazing too.” He removes his fingers, and then I hear the sound of him licking them. I turn my head, my eyes widening when I see the forked tongue that flicks out of his mouth. Holy fuck.
He smirks and gives me a wink. “I promise you’ll get a chance to feel it before we leave this cave, but I can’t wait any longer. I need to make you mine.” With those words, he slams home, and I scream, the sound echoing through the cavern. His huge cock is almost too big despite him having done some prep work.
“Fuck, you’re so tight,” he growls as he retreats and thrusts in again. This time, it feels incredible, and I moan and brace my arms in front of me, pushing back in time with his movements. Hunter strokes my wings, which are kind of just hanging since I don’t have a clue what to do with them, but it feels amazing. My pussy spasms around his cock, and he grunts with pleasure.
“Your cunt grips me so tightly, so hot and wet. I bet your mouth feels the same. I want to fuck your throat while I tongue fuck your pretty pussy.” Oh my god. Straitlaced Hunter is kind of dirty. “And if your pussy is this tight, I can’t wait to feel what your ass is like.”
His words are straight porn, and I am here for it. My body tingles in all the right places, and he surrounds me, one hand gripping my breast while the other circles my clit, and my impending release climbs. I claw at the cushions in front of me, desperate to cum, but it’s just out of reach.
“Please,” I beg. “I need more, give me more.” He starts to thrust even faster, and the base of his cock swells, slamming against my entrance, which seems to give a little with each pass.
“Good girl, that’s it. My knot is almost inside you, and then we’ll fly together.”
Huh? Does he mean literally or figuratively? Fuck it, who cares. I just want to come.
He growls, his mouth on my shoulder, and just as it slips in and sends me shooting into the stars, he bites down. Pain and pleasure collide, and I almost black out. I lose all strength in my arms and collapse with him on top of me. Electricity ignites my nerves, and my pussy pulses as wave after wave of pleasure flows through me. Hunter releases me and roars, the sound bouncing off the cavern walls as I sob and cry out.
Tears stream down my cheeks, and I’m pretty sure I’m drooling, but I don’t care. It feels incredible. He rocks his hips, and another mini orgasm pulses through my body, smaller but no less intense than the first one. I’m boneless, and all I can do is enjoy the ride. He brushes a big hand over my hair and croons words of praise.
“Such a good mate, taking my knot and letting me fill you with my cum. You’re going to be so full, it’s going to drip out.” He slides a hand under me and cups my belly, and my eyes widen as he starts to come again. I can feel it squirting out of him. It seems to go on and on. Holy crap, I’m going to be a walking cum bucket. My dragon is preening and crooning inside, happy about how strong and virile her mate is. Fucking animal souls are crazy as fuck. He rolls off me and onto his side, taking me with him, wrapping his arms around me as he licks the mark on my neck and caresses me like I’m as precious as everything he has in his hoard.
“My greatest treasure,” he mumbles as I relax and my eyes drift closed. “Rest, my sweet. We are going to be here a while.” Those are the last words I hear before I drift off to sleep.