Chapter 9
Chapter
Nine
She screamed. Not of bliss, but terror. Instantly, she was scrambling forward, clawing her way across the stone floor and out from under the very real person who had suddenly appeared atop her.
“Wait!” the deep voice cried. “Briannis!”
She twisted to look over her shoulder. Through the fall of her hair, she spied a figure on the ground. Male. Muscular yet lean. Naked. Very naked, and with a half-firm human cock. He tried to rise, wobbled, then fell.
“It’s me,” he grunted.
Briannis turned fully and shoved her hair out of the way. That voice… It was different out loud, but yet, familiar. “Zain?”
She gaped at him where he sat a few feet away. His hair was dark, a deep brown like the soil of their fields. It framed the strong, angular features of his face and the scruff on his jaw. The skin along his form was a light golden bronze, not a tan line to be seen. But the eyes…
Those golden eyes, she knew.
“Zain,” she repeated with confidence and awe.
“Yes,” he said between heaving breaths. “I—” He held his hand in front of him, staring at it like it was some strange new thing.
Briannis raced to him and dropped to her knees at his side. “You’re human! Your curse?”
The corners of his lips turned up in a slow, devastating smile that had her insides doing somersaults. “It seems my mate freed me.”
She’d freed him. Saved him. This was Zain. Her Zain.
She let her gaze wander over his form, taking in the man that had only moments ago been a beast. A smattering of dark hair covered his muscular chest and arms. That was what she had felt that had alerted her something was different—the brush his arm against her, hair and all.
Zain did the same, taking her in with human eyes. She could almost feel his gaze as it coasted across her skin. His nostrils flared and eyes widened as they passed over her nipples peaking through the fall of her hair, and then lower…
Heat surged to her cheeks. There she was, naked before him, his come still on her thighs. How strange that it hadn’t bothered her at all when he was a dragon, but being naked in front of a human was suddenly awkward.
“I can’t hear your thoughts anymore,” she said, voice thick. Anything to distract from the butterflies in her center.
He stilled, then his brows pinched. “Nor can I.” His voice was rough, hard like stone yet warm as the fire he’d breathed as a dragon. “A dragon trait between mates, I assume. I’d never had the ability before you.”
A pity. She’d love to know his thoughts in that moment—about her, himself, everything.
Zain drew his hand hear her face, flexing his fingers. “May I?”
“Yes?” She wasn’t quite sure what she agreed to.
But then, hand shaking a bit, his fingertips touched her face. She sucked in a breath at the contact. It was so light, almost like he feared hurting her.
“Briannis.” He slid his fingers out and across her skin until his entire palm cupped her cheek. She leaned into the touch. “Being able to touch you like this…to be so close.” He shook his head. “This is a blessing. You’re a blessing. A gift from the Goddess herself.”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and fought the urge to look away.
She didn’t deserve such praise. What had she done but merely tried to help him as he had her, and then given into their mutual desire?
Perhaps most women wouldn’t have bedded a dragon, but she had never been considered typical among the women of the city, not with her focus on the family business and lack of interest in finding a husband to wed the moment she could.
“The Goddess sent you to me. At last.”
Briannis swallowed thickly. She’d wondered about that the night before as she’d fallen asleep beside him.
Had the Fates truly chosen her? Or his Goddess, whoever that was?
Knowing she was his mate, it now seemed possible, but last night, after replaying the Choosing over and over in her head, she wasn’t so sure.
“It may not have been her,” Briannis admitted.
Zain dropped his hand. “What do you mean?” His whole expression dipped into a confused frown.
“I think…” She sucked in a deep breath before admitting her suspicions.
“I think another of the women planned for me to be picked.” She couldn’t stop seeing Finola’s face, hearing her exclamation of shock.
It was before Briannis herself had seen the stone, so how could she have known?
And that look she shared with her father…
being at the end of the line…it was too much of a coincidence to be believed.
“I think she placed the stone in the bag knowing I would draw it since I was the only one left. She wanted me gone.” And she definitely wanted to save herself.
Fury blazed in his eyes. “This other woman. She sent you, expecting you to die?” His lips pulled back in a very beast-like snarl.
It sounded really bad, but… “I think so.” Briannis winced. “Though I can’t be sure.”
“She threatened my mate.” Zain shoved to his feet. Immediately he began to wobble. His arms flailed as he sought balance.
“Zain!” Briannis jumped up and grabbed him before he could fall. “Sit back down before you hurt yourself.”
“This body…” Zain grumbled, but allowed Briannis to help him. “Human legs are different. It’s been so long.”
She could only imagine. “Take your time. There is no rush.”
“Why would that woman do such a thing?” he asked, still riled.
Briannis sighed and shook her head. “Finola is spoiled. Whatever she wants, she gets. There is a man she wants, but he prefers me instead, and—”
“You have a mate already?” Zain’s expression shuttered. He looked away. “I should have—”
“No!” Briannis rushed to assure him. She cupped his face between her palms and turned it toward her.
“No. It’s nothing like that. We were not together.
I did not care for him like that. He’s a nice man, a good man, I think, but he was not for me.
” She watched as the revelation sank in, as his fury and heartache melted away.
“Though,” she continued, “he had trouble admitting that to himself. Much to my frustration, let me assure you. Finola wanted him. She was convinced they belonged together and I was keeping them apart.”
His lips thinned. “So she planned to remove you.”
“It…it seems that way.” She hunched in on herself. She didn’t want to believe ill about others, even someone like Finola, but it was hard to revisit the Choosing ceremony and see it any other way.
“But enough about that.” She shrugged, trying to pretend it didn’t sting as badly as it did. “What do we do now?”
A strange expression broke over Zain’s face, and then, of all things, he laughed. Not a chuckle, but a deep belly laugh, head thrown back and wide grin upon his face.
Briannis couldn’t help it, she smiled too. “I didn’t know it was such a strange question.”
Finally, he reined in his laughter, and when he did, he cupped her cheek more confidently this time and leaned in until they shared the same breath.
“I never thought past this moment. At least, not in a long time. It’s been so many years…
I thought I might never find my mate. Finding her—you—was my dream.
As far as what came after? I…I don’t know. ”
“Your family…” she began, then almost thought better of it. “You said what happened to your brother, but the rest? Are they out there, waiting for you?” After so long? Did they live that long?
His shoulders dropped. “I don’t know. None visited me after that. If they’re out there still…I’m not even sure I could find them.”
“If there’s a chance they’re out there, it’s worth taking, isn’t it?
I mean, if you loved them. If I could see my parents again, my brother, well, I’d have to try.
” It hurt to talk about, even after so many years.
But in his position, if there was even a hope of being reunited, she’d want to take it.
He leaned back, expression downcast. “I know you miss them. I saw it in your thoughts before. And the rest of your family.” He looked away.
“But now I can let them know I’m safe.” She grinned at the thought of it. What a shock they’d get when she returned. To be able to give someone back a loved one they lost...it was a dream.
Zain’s attention snapped back to her. “Briannis.” He opened his mouth to say more. Closed it. The expression on his face was a dagger to her heart.
She leaned away from him. “You don’t want me to go back.” Her chest squeezed tight. Suddenly everything felt wrong.
“If they see you—if they try to hurt you—” He shook his head, reaching for her. “I can’t let it happen.” His expression turned fierce. “I won’t.”
He’d fight for her. Protect her, even from them.
“It won’t be like with Sheena,” she began. “We can explain—”
“You think they’ll listen?”
Irritated, she stood with a huff. “So I just, what? Leave forever?” She crossed her arms and turned away from him. Leaving everyone she loved to think she was dead was not an option.
Behind her, she heard scuffling, likely Zain trying to stand on his human legs once more. The urge to turn and help him was near overwhelming, but she was nothing if not stubborn.
Another moment passed. Then two. Suddenly, she jumped as his palm landed on her hip from behind.
The motion had her tipping back into his hard, bare chest, but thankfully they didn’t tumble to the ground.
Zain’s hand slid up to her waist, like she was his anchor, the only thing holding him up, but at the same time, he managed to hold her against him.
“Briannis.” Her name was a whisper at the shell of her ear, one that sent a shiver down her spine.
“I can deny you nothing, but neither will I lose you, not now that I’ve finally found you.
” His fingers tightened possessively. “I may be a man again in form, but I’ve been a dragon for a long time, and dragons hoard what is theirs. ”
Those words in his rough, deep voice made her knees go weak, but she could not give in. “They’re my family.”
“I know.” His cheek rubbed against hers. “And if you must go, I’ll go with you.”
She let out a short gasp, hope brightening within her.
“But if they try to harm you, I will defend you,” he vowed. “I will not hold back.”
An idea struck her. Briannis twisted in his arms until their chests pressed together. She gazed up at him, sharing his heated breaths. “Can you still become a dragon?”
His eyes widened. “You would have me unleash dragon fire on them?”
“No!” She gently smacked his arm. At least…not unless they had to. “I have another idea. One that may convince the people without the risk of bloodshed.”
At that, his brows raised. He canted his head to the side, waiting, but she was waiting on him too. His features pinched as if in thought. “I think…” His arms unwound from around her. “Well, there’s one way to find out.”
Briannis hurried out of the way.
Zain watched her, his gaze never wavering, as the air around him started to shimmer and warp. It reminded her a bit of the way the air near a fire, sparks and all. She gasped as he ignited in flame and where his body once stood, his dragon form loomed instead.
“Worried, little mate?” came the crooning voice in her head.
“Zain,” she whispered in awed wonder.
He stretched his long neck forward until his face was just before her. She threw her arms around it in an awkward hug and leaned her head against his snout. “Only for a minute,” she replied through their mental bond.
Laughter answered her.
She raised her head. “Can you become a man again just as easily, or do we need to…” She trailed off, biting her bottom lip.
Zain nudged her with his snout. “Only interested if I’m in need?” he teased.
She scowled at him. But then it transformed into a smirk. “You can read my thoughts. You tell me.” The memory she projected toward him was of minutes ago, her on her hands and knees as he filled her.
A deep rumble left his chest, followed by a puff of smoky warmth that surrounded her in delicious heat. His tail flicked back and forth like a cat ready to pounce.
“Oh, the things I plan to do to you.” Zain sent an image back.
Once more Briannis was on her hands and knees, but it wasn’t just one cock buried deep inside her.
A surge of moisture built between her legs.
Her pussy clenched tight with want despite the improbability of what he showed.
The smaller cock that she had taken before dipped into her puckered hole, filling her in new ways.
And the larger? It stuffed her pussy, stretching and filling her until its girth swelled her pelvis.
“Not impossible,” he chuckled. “Your body will adapt to mine. Just as your lifespan will lengthen to mine should we choose to bind ourselves together as mates.”
“My lifespan?” she echoed. Fates, she hadn’t thought of that.
He nudged her with his snout again. “You’ll have plenty of time to decide later. One plan at a time.”
Perhaps. But she didn’t really need time. Wild as it may be, having just met him, she already knew.
The air shimmered, and suddenly he was a man again, the transformation back to human much faster than to dragon. Zain wobbled on his human legs again. Briannis grabbed his arm to steady him, but he was already falling and pulled her along with him.
With a grunt, he took the brunt of the fall, her landing atop him.
“Have to work on that,” he groaned.
Briannis sat up. Only then did she realize her legs straddled him. As she moved, her wet core slid over his very hard cock, transforming his groan into something else entirely.
Zain grabbed her hips, holding her atop him. “This. This I could get used to.” He subtly rocked his hips, thrusting between her folds.
A little whimper escaped her lips as she stared down into his hooded eyes.
“I want to hear your plan,” he panted. “But I have one of my own I’d like to see through first, if my lady is willing.”
“You know, I’ve never had a human before.” She ground her hips again him. “I think I’d like to try.”