Chapter 20
The instant his lips touched hers, Vaughn burned to be inside Eurwen.
The heated kiss grew feverish, frenzied. Their hands clawed at each other, trying to get to bare skin. Then, finally, the clothes were gone. His next breath locked in his lungs when she reached between them and wrapped her fingers around his cock.
Vaughn groaned at the sensation of her hand moving up and down his length.
He was powerless to move when she ended the kiss and dropped to her knees in front of him.
He couldn’t take his eyes from her. His lungs locked as she leaned forward and wrapped her lips around his arousal.
Pleasure surged through his body as she used her hands and mouth on him.
When he could take no more of the exquisite bliss, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her to her feet. He kissed her, backing her against the nearest boulder. Then, it was his turn.
He kissed down her jaw to the base of her throat.
Her pulse jumped, and he flicked his tongue over it.
Then he slowly kissed his way to her breast. He licked around her nipple before taking it into his mouth and suckling the nub.
Her nails dug into his back as her hips rocked against him.
Vaughn moved to her other breasts and teased that nipple.
Only then did he kiss down her stomach to her navel.
Her breath hitched when he knelt before her and lifted one leg over his shoulder.
He glanced up at her to find her hooded eyes watching him closely.
Vaughn smiled before his tongue swirled around her clit.
A soft cry fell from her lips. He continued his assault by pushing a finger inside her, moving it in time with his tongue.
“Please,” she begged. “I want you inside me.”
He ignored her, doubling his efforts. Her cries grew louder. The leg holding her began shaking, and still, Vaughn continued.
She stiffened and let out a shout as she peaked. The sound was music to his ears. They’d come together only in his dreams for so long. She had been like smoke, hard to hold. Now, he got to feel her, see her, taste her. And he couldn’t get enough.
Vaughn rose, grabbing her by the hips and lifting her.
Their gazes met, locked as he slowly entered her.
Her lips parted on a sigh. Her arms wrapped around him as he pushed in deeper.
He began pumping his hips. Their breaths mingled as their damp bodies rubbed against each other. She leaned forward and kissed him.
He held her beautiful body against him as he thrust faster, deeper, seeking the pleasure he knew awaited them both. Her nails lightly scraped his scalp as her tongue brushed against his. With every movement, it confirmed that she was his mate.
His lids lifted as he ended the kiss. He looked deep into her silver eyes.
Something passed between them. Something deep and intense.
It went through him like lightning, sinking into every fiber of his being and pushing him to orgasm.
He gripped her hips and plunged deep, spilling his seed within her.
For long minutes they stayed locked together.
Eurwen smoothed the hair from his face. He lifted his head and looked at her to find her smiling.
He then pulled out of her and set her on her feet.
Instead of walking away, she took his hand and sat down.
Before her bottom touched the floor of the cavern, a thick fur blanket appeared.
He let her pull him down beside her. Then, he lay back and tugged her onto his chest.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in this mountain,” he told her. “I never thought I’d be here with you.”
“Do you regret showing me?”
“No’ at all. What I was trying to say—badly, apparently—is that I’m verra happy.”
She smiled as she lifted her head to kiss him. “So am I. I didn’t know what to expect coming to Dreagan. With you.”
“I’m glad you came.”
“I am, as well. I hope that I can talk Brandr into coming, eventually.”
Vaughn held her tighter against him. “I’d rather talk about you.”
She laughed softly. “Oh? What about?”
“How I feel about you.”
The instant the words were out of his mouth, the atmosphere changed. The easygoing attitude Eurwen had disappeared, replaced by tension. But Vaughn wouldn’t be denied. He had to tell her.
“I’ve tried to tell you before, but you wouldna hear me. I have to say this.”
She shook her head, her eyelashes brushing against his chest. “Please, don’t.”
“Why?”
“Why must you? Why can’t things stay like this?”
Vaughn tried not to take her words wrong, but it was hard not to. “Because I’ve searched for you for ages. Now that I finally found you, I need you to know.”
“Vaughn, please. Don’t.”
“You’re my mate, Eurwen.”
She sat up, keeping her head turned away from him. Her long, blond hair tumbled around her shoulders and hung down her back to brush her hips. Vaughn reached up and touched his finger to the silky strands.
“Eurwen,” he called.
She released a long breath. “I begged you not to say anything.”
“Why?” he pressed. “I know you feel something for me. It was there the first night we met. It’s been there the entire time I searched for you. It’s there now. Why is it so hard to admit that?”
She rose to her feet, clothing herself as she did. Then, she faced him. “I’ve known where you were. Always. Don’t you think if I had believed you were my mate, I would’ve come to you?”
Vaughn should’ve known that she would strike ruthlessly. He sat up, bracing himself with his hand. Hurt bloomed like a blackness inside him, growing larger with every word she spoke.
“You should’ve left things as they were. We could’ve had a nice time. Why couldn’t you leave it?” she cried, her face scrunching with sadness.
“Because I know what I feel.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry.”
Vaughn watched her walk away. He didn’t call out to her, didn’t beg her to stop. She had said her piece, just as he had. He wasn’t sure how he could’ve gotten it so wrong. She wanted to be with him. He wasn’t mistaken about that.
Or maybe he was.
He lay back and laced his fingers behind his head. This cavern had seen his rages, his pain, his suffering and misery. It had never before seen his pleasure. But even that was now gone before it had even taken shape.
Of all the things Vaughn had experienced throughout his long life, he’d never known heartbreak like this. His mate, the one meant for him, had refused him. It was a death sentence for a dragon. Death would be easier than living without her.
Now he understood how Con had felt not that long ago before he and Rhi reconciled.
The emptiness was a yawning void. All these years, he’d never given up on his search for Eurwen.
When he found her, he’d thought all his dreams would come true.
Instead, they had been dashed carelessly upon the stones of Fate.
He went back through his conversations with Eurwen.
She had told him time and again that her place was on Zora—and his wasn’t.
He’d heard her, but he hadn’t actually listened.
Not that it would’ve mattered. Whether he told her about his feelings or not, he’d known the truth.
It didn’t seem right that he’d finally found his mate, only to be unable to have her.
Vaughn wondered if it would’ve been better to keep it to himself. At least then he could’ve had time with Eurwen. As soon as that thought went through his mind, he knew it would’ve actually made things worse. The more time he spent with her, the deeper his love went.
“It’s too late, anyway. I was lost the first night we met,” he said to himself.
The only reason he had survived this long was because he had known all he had to do was find her. Now that he had, nothing would ever be the same.
Vaughn rose and found his clothes. He put them on instead of using magic.
When he walked out of his mountain, he saw that night had fallen.
He hadn’t realized he’d been inside for so long.
Patrols flew Dreagan’s perimeter. It wasn’t his night, but the thought of going back to the manor and running into Eurwen didn’t sound appealing.
Or worse, learning that she had returned to Zora.
No, it was better if he remained away from the manor.
Minutes ticked by, but Vaughn didn’t shift.
Instead, he sat on the slope of his mountain and listened to the sounds of the dragons flying.
He missed the roars from Zora. On Earth, they couldn’t roar unless there was a storm to blanket their sound.
He missed a lot about Zora. But more than anything, he craved to have Eurwen back at his side.
Vaughn remained seated there throughout the long hours of night. Kings called for him via their mental link, but he didn’t answer. He wanted to be alone with his grief and misery.
He rubbed the area over his heart, wondering how something could hurt so bad. He was sinking into a despair so deep, he knew he’d never be able to pull himself out of it—and he didn’t want to.
Dragons weren’t meant to be alone. It was why they had mates.
Why the magic allowed them to find their perfect partner.
When the dragons were sent away, the Kings had feared they would be alone forever.
Miraculously, many found their mates among the humans and Fae. Suddenly, the Kings had hope again.
Hope could allow someone to continue on long after others would’ve stopped looking and trying.
But hope could also kill with the dullest of blades.