Chapter 10 #2
She murmured, “I want to try, but…” He waited, and she eventually continued, “I need to know you won’t pull or run away again.
If you need a break, then tell me. If you need some time alone, tell me.
But closing yourself off and shutting me out hurts, Trahern.
It’ll be even worse if I finally share more of myself, only to have you reject me again. ”
He wanted to proclaim he’d never do that, never shut her out, would be more normal for her, and everything would work out perfectly.
But Trahern was far from perfect. It would take work to do as she asked, to not close off and protect himself. And even then, he’d probably still fail sometimes.
His beast spoke up again. It will be difficult, but the prize is worth it.
Searching Grace’s eyes, he replied, She is worth it.
Then kiss her. No, it won’t start the frenzy. I’m stronger than other dragons, somewhat more independent out of necessity. A taste will be enough.
Maybe he should ask his dragon more about being independent out of necessity. And yet, all he could do was stare at Grace’s lips and ache to feel her skin against his, to learn her taste, and ease some of the sadness in her eyes over the last few weeks.
Sadness probably caused by him.
But first, he needed to make a vow. Maybe the most important one of his life. “I vow to be honest and open with you, Grace. I will not reject you. Whilst I’m not perfect, and will probably make many mistakes, know this—I want you. Always. Will you be my mate in truth?”
Her other hand lifted and cupped his cheek. As her fingers stroked his skin, he leaned into her touch, and his beast hummed.
“Yes, Trahern. I will be your mate in truth. But just know I’m not perfect, either. And we’ll probably argue or disagree or maybe even shout at each other sometimes, and that’s normal. As long as we talk and don’t keep our feelings secret, we’ll be okay in the end.”
He frowned. “I’ll try. But this is new to me. All of it.”
She smiled. “I know.”
He blurted, “May I kiss you?”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Y-you want to kiss me?”
“I can wait, if you want. I won’t rush you. Especially since it will be my first time, and I won’t know what I’m doing.”
Her lips kicked up into another smile. “I want to kiss you, too. But I have to know—will it start a frenzy? I’m not ready for that, no matter how much I want to feel your lips against me.”
He shook his head. “My dragon thinks you are our true mate but assures me there won’t be a frenzy.”
“How is that possible?”
He rubbed one of her curls between his fingers, wanting to lift it to his nose to breathe her in.
However, his dragon grunted. Answer her.
With effort, he moved his gaze from her hair to her eyes again.
“I am a dragon-shifter, and yet, I’m different.
My dragon and I are not as close as some, and it takes greater effort to work together to even shift.
There is little research on the interplay between the human and dragon halves in those like me, but I’ve done what I can.
The link is not as strong, and as a result, there might never be a mate-claim frenzy at all. ”
The fingers on his chest stroked slowly, making his body heat and blood rush to his penis. However, he focused on her soft lips as she replied, “Might being the operative word.”
“Then I will give you something to counteract it, if my dragon does end up demanding a frenzy.”
He rushed out of the room, into his study, and went to his locked medical cabinet on the wall.
After unlocking it, he found what he needed and rushed back to the kitchen.
He offered the vial and syringe. “This will make my inner dragon silent for a few days. If my pupils remain slitted and he takes control to claim you, then inject me with this. I will even pre-fill the syringe for you.”
As she studied him, he did exactly that and held it out to her. After a beat, she took it and laid it on the table.
He frowned. “It would be more efficient to keep it in your hand.”
She touched his face again, making his dragon hum. “Perhaps. But I don’t want the memory of your first kiss to be one of me holding a syringe.”
Glancing at the table, he stated, “I don’t want to hurt you or make you do something you don’t want to do, though.”
Her thumb rubbed against his chin. “I know. And the lengths you’ve gone to show me is enough. Now, kiss me, Trahern. Please.”
After closings his eyes and lowering his head, he gently pressed his lips to Grace’s and retreated. The touch had been nice and warm. Although he didn’t understand the constant need to kiss, like so many others he knew who snuck off to do it often with their mates.
“Trahern?”
“Hmm?”
“My turn.”
She pulled his head down again and started the same, with pressing her lips to his.
But then she focused on taking his bottom one between hers, then the top, and kept doing it.
He followed her lead as he stroked the side of her neck, feeling her quickening pulse under his fingers, his skin heating and his penis growing harder.
Then she seamed his lips with her tongue, and he opened on instinct. As soon as her tongue entered his mouth, he wanted more. More of her heat. More of her taste. More of her skin.
Stroking his tongue against hers, he groaned. With each second, he took more control, until he chased her tongue into her mouth, exploring, possessing, wanting more of her.
His hands wandered to her lovely arse, gripped, and pulled her against his arousal. She moaned, sending shivers through his body, to the tip of his cock.
He continued tasting his female, learning what she liked, and reveling in her scent and heat and taste.
Eventually, her fingers stroked his jaw, and she slowed her tongue, until she finally pulled away. Trahern moved to follow her, but she pressed a finger over his lips as she breathed heavily.
He could smell her arousal and knew she’d liked it. Why would she stop?
Grace’s voice cut through his raging need for her. “We need to take a break.”
He growled. “Why? You enjoyed it. So did I. Let’s kiss some more.”
She never removed her finger. “Can’t you hear them? The boys are crying.”
His heart had beat so hard, her taste and scent had consumed his every sense, that he’d ignored the rest of the world.
However, as he listened, he finally heard the faint cries from the twins.
Stepping away, he shook his head. “I’m sorry. I warned you about my intensity and focus.”
She followed him and took his hand. “Don’t apologize. You’ve never done any of this before, have you?”
Gazing off to the side, he murmured, “No.”
“Then of course it’s going to be intense, which isn’t a bad thing.” He continued to stare off to the side, his heart thudding, and she stated, “Look at me, Trahern.”
He did, and she replied, “You want honesty? Well, here it is—I didn’t want to stop kissing you, either.”
“You didn’t?”
She squeezed his fingers in hers. “No. I like your intensity, your focus and enthusiasm. It makes me feel like the only woman in the world.”
“You are the only female in the world to me, in a sexual way.”
“Oh, Trahern.” She removed her finger and barely brushed her lips against his before releasing him. “We’ll kiss more later. You need to go to work, and I need to check on the twins.”
He hesitated, not wanting to leave her. Or the boys.
He wanted to stay.
She smiled. “I’ll be waiting for later, once we’re alone. Use that as motivation.”
With that, Grace walked out of the kitchen, swaying her hips, and he couldn’t move until she was gone.
His dragon finally spoke up. Soon, you must share her with me.
Not yet, dragon.
She is fully healed, thanks to shots of our dragon’s blood. But you’re not quite ready, are you?
Considering he was already thinking of kissing Grace again, maybe for hours, he could only imagine how much more he’d be distracted if sex was as enjoyable as everyone made it out to be. He replied, No, not yet.
Then, I will be patient a little while longer. Just don’t push her away.
I’m going to try not to, dragon. I promise.
As his beast grunted and fell silent, Trahern hurried to clean up the kitchen and head to the clinic. Today was his rotation to see urgent cases, and he couldn’t brush it off.
But unlike most days, he didn’t mind seeing lots of people, touching them briefly, or filling out the paperwork. Each person helped pass the time until he could finally see Grace again.
She was his now, and he was determined to remind her of that as much as possible.