Chapter 19
Oldrik, she is here! Ardon blasted the message at the first glimpse of the stationary wagon in the clearing. The area around it was deserted except for what looked like a standing statue.
As Ardon alerted Oldrik, Keres didn’t hesitate and dived directly at the small figure tied to a tall metal pole. Seconds later, he dodged a plume of colored smoke. Enraged by the attack, the black dragon wheeled to the side and prepared to try it a second time.
Ardon swooped in to flap his wings, diverting the settling dust that hadn’t ignited to keep it from landing on Skye. Keres! My mate is in the direct line of exposure to the chemicals!
With a roar, the black dragon changed course. They have her ringed with rockets. Where are they?
Hiding like the rats they are. We need to get that hood off Skye so she can talk to us.
Ardon expanded his message to include the other rescuing dragons. Her wrists are tied with a length of rope to her ankles. She can’t lift her hands to her throat to remove the hood unless she squats to the earth. That would give her enough slack to unfasten it. Skye would have thought of that. Why issn’t she moving?
They have Tierney , Keres reminded him.
Skye wouldn’t risk having him hurt. Fury clouded Ardon’s mind, and he shook it away. He could be angry later. Now he needed to free Skye. Keres? Do you think it’s possible to blast a thin stream of flame to burn through that rope?
We’d risk setting her clothes on fire. Those rockets are placed slightly away from her. They’d make a better target. One to blast and run, the other to flap away the smoke , Keres suggested.
Be safe. Skye’s weak message reached the horde. All the dragons roared in response. Protecting themselves was not their priority.
As if the heavens answered their calls, a ragged fork of lightning split the sky, immediately followed by a vicious clap of thunder. Skye jumped in alarm before visibly forcing herself to stay in place. Ardon could tell she was so scared, but he couldn’t do anything to help her without putting her at risk.
A second streak of light raced down. It was too close to his mate. Racing against nature’s fury, he dove to intercept the bolt of pure energy. His bronze scales absorbed the electricity, preventing it from hitting Skye. Instantly, a rocket blasted off from its base, targeting her. Acting on pure instinct, Ardon channeled the extra power coursing through him and spat it toward the projectile.
With a crackling sizzle, the rocket imploded. Ardon wrapped himself around his mate and waited to feel the poison take effect. Seconds passed. Another erupted. Ardon pulled the last of the charge from his body and targeted the projectile.
This time, he was in a position to observe. The dangerous contents vaporized instantly. A shout of exhilaration filled his mind. Oldrik had arrived.
I need more energy, Ardon roared.
Keres, Rogan, and Oldrik spread out in the thunderstorm as Ardon wrapped the talons on one foot around the makeshift lightning rod where Skye was bound. He couldn’t risk yanking her from the pole without checking for booby traps. He would need to divert the energy away from her to keep her safe. All dragons were immune to lightning blasts, but only a bronze dragon could channel it into a weapon. Thank goodness for the storm that lit up the darkness.
He heard the sizzle of the next rocket being activated. They must have underground ignition coils buried that they can light from a distance. We need to stop this one and find them.
The tip of a wing touched his shoulder, and power streamed through the red dragon and into the electric-wielding dragon. Ardon destroyed the next rocket, safeguarding everything in range.
A strangled shout sounded from a pile of rocks. Oldrik shook his head, battering the man in his jaws against a boulder. Keres grabbed the other kidnapper and flew straight up, jerking the trailing cords from his hands.
Keres! Do not kill him. We need answers he alone can tell us, Rogan reminded the black dragon. It was clear from his tone that the red dragon didn’t expect Keres to comply.
Ardon flapped his wings to ensure any threat lingering in the air drifted away. His scan of the pole didn’t reveal additional threats. Finding her bonds simply looped around the shaft, Ardon tore the metal pole up from the ground, releasing Skye, and tossed it to the side. He bit through the rope tethering Skye’s limbs before shifting to his human form as Oldrik leapt through the air to cross the distance.
Quickly unfastening the hood, Ardon removed it. His heart broke when she automatically cowered from him. “Skye. Are you alright?”
“Daddy?” Skye rushed into his arms. I couldn’t hear you. I was all alone.
“I’m so sorry, My Treasure. We tried to locate you as quickly as possible. Are you hurt?” Ardon swept his fingers over the goose-egg bump on her forehead and searched for other injuries.
I’m okay. Tierney! They captured him too. He wasn’t moving. Is he dead?
Warm arms wrapped around her, and loving thoughts flowed into their conversation. “I found him, Skye. Rogan is checking on his injuries.”
Daddy Oldrik, thank you for coming after me. I was so scared. I even tried opening that third lock, but you couldn’t hear my messages.
Ardon hated the fear that made even her mental voice tremble. He controlled the anger that threatened to explode inside him. Their mate didn’t need any more violence today.
“I did, Blueberry. It was faint, but it helped. You were so brave. I don’t feel it now,” Oldrik said with concern ringing in his voice.
I relocked it when you arrived. I didn’t want to distract you.
The ground trembled under their feet. Ardon glanced up to see Drake, Argenis, and Khadar scanning for problems. Bad guys handled. Keres still has one. Hopefully, he’ll return him to answer some questions.
Khadar shook his head. We missed all the fun.
We’ll clean up here. You two take your brave mate home, Drake suggested.
“Tierney?” Skye squeaked.
We’ll take Tierney to Wyvern to have him checked out medically, Argenis assured her.
Turning to her mates in relief, Skye asked, Can we go to Ardon’s? I don’t want to see that lawn for a while. Her gaze flashed back and forth between the two dragons.
Of course, Blueberry. Wherever you’ll feel more comfortable , Oldrik agreed, switching to mental speech to keep their conversation private.
Let’s go home, mate, Ardon suggested and considered the dark clouds that continued to fire bolts. You shift first, Oldrik, and Skye can ride with you on the way home. I’ll take lightning patrol.
I don’t want you to get hit, Skye messaged quickly.
He thrives on being electric, Oldrik assured her. If we’re lucky, he’ll have enough energy when we get to his lair that he can roast something for dinner for us. Imagine a bronze dragon with a chef’s hat on.
Ardon pantomimed a tall hat on his head and smiled when Skye laughed. Come on, Little One. We need to hold you in private.
Please.
Skye held on to Oldrik tightly and plastered her body over his blue scales. The reassurance of his massive, powerful form soothed her fright. As long as her mates were around, she felt safe. A small thread of anxiety zipped through her mind. Would she ever be secure without them?
I can sense you worrying, Blueberry. It’s important to realize that there have always been bad people. You have to decide how much power you wish to give them.
I don’t understand, Oldrik. They used me as bait to hurt you. Can’t they do that again?
Being alert and cautious is one thing. Locking yourself in Ardon’s lair because you’re afraid to enjoy life is another. We will learn how they took advantage of our lapses in protection and act to strengthen our defenses. We will also savor every day we have together. I will not let them steal that from us.
Anger kindled inside her. How dare he expect her to just push this terror off and live? A splinter of light glistened out of the dwindling storm clouds, setting them ablaze with light. Skye stared at the display as the darkness faded, and a magnificent glow replaced it. It didn’t happen fast—just a slow progression during the flight. To her amazement, her indignation also dissipated.
Only a few stormy patches remained in the sky when they approached the fiery entrance of Ardon’s mountain lair. This time, the flames didn’t scare her at all. She slid down from Oldrik’s back and retreated for him to change. The moment he stood on two feet, Skye launched herself into his arms.
He squeezed her tightly and drew her to the side so Ardon could land safely. “I love you, Blueberry.”
I love you, too, Daddy. I hate when you’re right about things , she confessed.
“I know.”
“Hey, any love for an electric guy?” Ardon asked, walking toward them in human form to wrap his arms around them.
Skye twisted inside the cocoon of hugs to offer her mouth to Ardon. The bronze dragon kissed her hard, surprising her.
“You scared me, My Treasure. Let’s agree there will be no more days like today. You will stay safe and not make your Daddies worry.”
Unsure what to say, she studied his face. A new line had etched itself between his eyebrows, and an extra glint of moisture glistened in his eyes. She understood he was trying to make them both feel better. Skye nodded and agreed, Okay. I’d like that too.
“Bathtime?” Oldrik suggested.
“Perfect idea!” Ardon agreed. He stepped back to scoop Skye into his arms and carried her deep into his lair. He set her on her feet on the soft rug that had appeared a few weeks ago in the bathroom after she’d said her toes were cold on the tile.
While Oldrik started the flow of water in the enormous tub, Ardon undressed his mate. Pressing his lips to every scratch and bruise he found, her mate gathered what remained of her shirt and pulled it over her head. “I don’t like to see you hurt, mate.”
I didn’t do that on purpose, Skye reminded him.
“Of course not, My Treasure. Perhaps I need a kiss to distract me.”
“One for each of us, mate,” Oldrik requested, joining them. His fingers unfastened her pants as he seamlessly joined Ardon’s efforts to undress her.
Fumbling and awkwardness didn’t exist with these dragons. They’d never shared a mate but somehow figured it all out without making her feel like they were stuck together because of her. Her mates worked as a team most days, just as they did with removing her clothes.
“You are so beautiful, Skye,” Oldrik complimented her.
Even banged up?
“You’re always the prettiest mate in the room,” Ardon said. “All these marks will fade and disappear.”
“I agree, Ardon. Skye is much more appealing than either of us,” Oldrik said, leaning forward to nibble at her shoulder.
Have you guys looked in a mirror lately?
Ardon chuckled as if she’d told a funny joke. He slid her jeans and panties over her hips as Oldrik unfastened her bra. Within minutes, they had her completely nude. She watched them undress, as fascinated by their powerful bodies now as she was the first time she’d seen them wearing only their skin.
“Oh, what big eyes you have, Blueberry.”
Can you make me forget? A shiver ran down her spine at the thought she could have lost all of this. Lost them in her life.
The two shifters stalked forward. Oldrik reached her first and swept her off her feet. She held out a hand for Ardon and drew him with them. Without speaking, Ardon stepped into the tub and settled down into the water. He held out his arms for Skye, and Oldrik placed her gently into his care in the warm water.
Skye hissed as the water stung her scrapes and abrasions. Ardon pressed a kiss to her shoulder in consolation. The discomfort disappeared quickly.
Oldrik sat next to them. He gently splashed water over her exposed skin, rinsing away the last reminders of her experience. “Let’s lean Skye into the water to wet her hair,” he suggested softly to Ardon.
With their support, she stretched out in the water. The water lapped all around her as Oldrik threaded his fingers through her submerged hair. Skye could feel her tension ebbing away.
“Oh!” she protested when they sat her back up.
“My apologies, sweet mate. We need to wash your hair. You can play mermaid soon,” Ardon told her.
Skye pressed her thighs together and swished her feet, pretending she was that fabulous creature as Ardon applied the sweet-smelling shampoo to her hair. The allure of his fingertips rubbing over her scalp distracted her from everything else. She closed her eyes to savor the delicious pampering. Was there anything better than this?
Warm lips closed around her nipple. She moaned at the unexpected sensation. Oldrik rolled her taut peak between his lips before drawing it firmly into his mouth. Skye arched her spine, pushing her breast into the thrilling caress.
Please , she begged, needing more.
Oldrik indulged her, drawing his mouth away from her until his target popped free. The pulling sensation sent thrills through her. He captured her other bud and repeated the process.
This time when he released her, the two shifters lowered her into the warm water to rinse her hair. When they sat her up, Ardon wrapped her wet tresses in a soft towel. Skye never opened her eyes, trusting her mates implicitly.
Silky bodywash coated her skin next. She didn’t try to figure out whose hands belonged to each of her mates. The loving touches blurred together, satisfying her craving for their touch. Each stroke of their hands erased a bit of the horror she’d experienced while isolated from them.
She reached out blindly to fondle their hard muscles. Skye had them memorized by feel. Oldrik was larger. His form was chiseled from years of combat and flying. Ardon was younger. His rock-hard form held more flexibility and volatile power.
She smiled to herself, thinking all this was hers. Screw those cliquey people in school. The oddball wins out.
“You are not an oddball, Skye. Talk about yourself like that and I will paddle your bottom fiery red,” Oldrik whispered into her ear.
Squirming at that thought, Skye promised, “I’ll be good.”
“Of course you will, My Treasure,” Ardon said, lifting her from the water between them to sit Skye on his crossed legs with her thighs spread widely to either side of his torso.
Oldrik moved behind Skye to support her. She relaxed back against his hard chest. Oldrik’s hands traced over her abdomen and down to rub over her mound as Ardon caressed her breasts. The breath caught in her throat as they lavished sensations on her most sensitive places, playing her like she was an instrument tuned and designed for them.
She smiled at the thought that she was made especially for her mates. I love you both so much. I knew you would come save me.
“Thank you for your trust in us. We will always rescue our fair princess,” Oldrik whispered into her ear. “I love you, Blueberry.”
She tilted her head to glance over her shoulder. Oldrik cupped her jaw with one hand as he kissed her. His kisses always gave her a funny feeling inside—need mingled with desire. The heat demanding to be satisfied.
Skye curled her fingers around Ardon’s shoulder, wanting him to know that she hadn’t forgotten him. He kissed her hand before leaning forward to drag her lips away from Oldrik’s to claim her lips. That scorchingly passionate kiss poured gasoline on the fire that blazed inside her.
When he lifted his mouth, Ardon told her, “I will love you more every day and cherish you for an eternity.”
She smiled at this thought. It was hard not to be jealous of her dragons’ previous mates. The fact that they still remembered special things about them made it easier. She would ensure neither Oldrik nor Ardon could forget her.
A gasp slid from her lips as Oldrik’s fingertip brushed over her clit. The caress sent a jolt through her.
Make love to me.
“We already are, mate,” Oldrik growled into her ear as he pressed a finger deep into her pussy. “She is very wet, Ardon. I can feel her channel pulsing around me.”
Ardon’s fingers immediately checked for himself. He inserted a finger into her channel alongside Oldrik, stretching her tight passage. The two shifters coordinated their thrusts into her, coaxing Skye’s arousal higher.
When she twisted in their arms, the probing digits withdrew. Oldrik lifted Skye’s hips, and Ardon moved closer to place the head of his penis at her opening. The shifters lowered her onto his thick shaft as Oldrik shifted forward.
Skye heard a snick and then a wet sound. Recognizing that immediately, she knew what would come next. Anticipation filled her. Her Daddies’ skilled lovemaking thrilled her. Taking them both at the same time was exquisite.
Ardon encircled her waist with his arms and growled into her ear to wrap her legs around his torso. Not thinking clearly, it took her a second to process his order and follow his directions.
Rising to his knees in an impressive show of force, Ardon held her pressed to him. His cock thrust deep into her. She wiggled tentatively against him and groaned as his shaft brushed over every sensitive spot inside her.
Oldrik showed her there were more tantalizing nerve endings to ignite. His slick fingers rubbed the lubricant over her smaller opening. Teasing the ring of muscles with his touch, he pressed two fingers inside her in one quick push. As she tried to recover from the blast of sensations, he rubbed the slippery mixture around.
A deep, needy moan fell from her lips. Her shifters demanded her complete attention, keeping her in the here and now. Oldrik’s fingers slid from her soaked passage. Soon, the tip of his shaft pressed against her tight entrance. Her mates worked together seamlessly to lower her down, stretching and filling her until she couldn’t take any more. Then they proved her wrong.
When her body rested fully on them, Skye panted. Her Daddies paused, allowing her to adjust to their possession. Their hands stroked over her, caressing her as if she were their most precious collectible.
Dragons are greedy, My Treasure. They also worship their valuables with an unrivaled love, Ardon reminded her.
You are the shining star of our acquisitions, Oldrik praised her. Let us show you how much we hunger for you.
Her mates moved. Skye’s mind spun with the deliciousness of their lovemaking. They owned her. Opening their minds to one another, she experienced everything they felt combined with the sensations happening inside her. She screamed with pleasure, hearing those notes reverberate and repeat as Oldrik and Ardon pushed her into so many climaxes she couldn’t keep track.
When she drooped over Ardon’s form, completely drained by bliss, her mates quickened their strokes to find their own release. Those last bursts of euphoria exploding in her mind overwhelmed Skye. She tumbled into darkness, confident that she was safe.