Chapter Nine
Dante
So much for professionalism.
So much for my career.
All the work I’d put in to get to this point, and the only thing I accomplished was a decent buffet followed by losing it in full view of everyone in the room. Excuse me, beautiful people, but if you could set aside your dessert, I will make a scene you can tell everyone about.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, I didn’t care.
My mate was here. Right in front of me, and my dragon was trying to break free to greet him.
Animals allowed shifting indoors, but my dragon’s wingspread would not fit without doing a whole lot of damage to the property and possibly our wings. Or worse, our mate!
You don’t want to harm our mate!
That thought quelled him, but it didn’t stop our race to get to our mate.
His scent was much stronger now, irresistible.
As if I felt the slightest desire to resist it.
After yelling “Fuck it,” of all things, I was off the stage and forcing my way through the crowd.
Fortunately, after a few seconds, they seemed to realize something was going on and the people melted back, opening a pathway at the end of which stood the male I’d waited for all my life.
The reason I’d made every choice from the moment I left the den until now. All of them had led me here, to find the male who smelled like desert blossoms and sunshine.
We crashed together in the middle of the room.
In full sight of Goddess and everybody, and I didn’t mind that either.
My mate. I wanted to shout it to the room, but as I closed the last bit of distance and held out my arms, everything and everyone else disappeared.
There was only my mate. The sounds of his breathing, the sight of his pupils dilating, the scent…
oh that scent. I kissed him, held him against me, and didn’t ever want to let go.
His lips parted under mine, and I licked gently inside, stroking all the surfaces of his mouth, tasting and exploring. My mate had entered my life so suddenly, but I already knew he was everything.
My dragon was closer to the surface than he’d ever been without actually breaking through, and he was making a demand. Our kisses grew deeper, and I stroked up and down his back, easing him as close to me as he could get. I didn’t want even a fraction of an inch between us.
Then I released his lips, panting, kissing down his jaw to his throat.
Sucking gently, eyes half closed, I lapped at the skin then, before I knew it was going to happen, before I could make a choice or ask permission, my teeth sank into the side of his throat, hot, coppery blood pouring into my mouth.
I groaned, wanting to apologize, but it was too late for anything but to seal the wound and know I’d marked him.
Rearing back, I shook my head. “Omega, I had no right.”
“You had every right,” he growled. “And so do I.” Rising on tiptoe, he found the same spot on my throat where I’d marked his.
“And I am not sorry in the least.” He fastened on, sharp little teeth piercing skin, sinking in.
Savage, fierce, harsh. Painful. And ecstatic.
Dragon omegas did not mark back, so far as I knew, and I was utterly unprepared for this.
But at the same time, it felt so right. So perfect.
I wanted to wear his mark. To show it everywhere I went and proudly announce I belonged to this omega.
He sucked for a long time before releasing and sealing the wound to ensure the scar.
Then distant sounds pierced our bubble, and I recognized them as cheering.
“We’re not alone,” I whispered.
“I know.” He kissed my mark and tipped his lips up for another kiss, which I gladly bestowed. Then when I pulled back to breathe, my mate laughed. “Who are all these people?”
Karma’s voice came through next. “Take it to the kitchen, you two. Everyone will be jealous.”
Jealous. Like I’d felt with Karma and Warren?
“Sorry, Karma.” I had to pull it together. “I-we need to get back to work.”
“Take a break first. Talk to one another for Goddess’ sake. I’ve never seen anyone more drawn to each other, and you need to at least talk for a few minutes. I’ll cover the hosting duties for now.” She turned us gently away from each other and in the direction of the kitchen.
“All right.” I laid an arm over my mate’s shoulder and started off. “We might have a word or two before we get back to the event.”
Everyone was staring at us. Who wouldn’t? But I couldn’t be embarrassed. Not now. Not when I’d met my mate. I wanted to say to each person we passed, “Have you met my mate?”
Except I hadn’t officially met him either. We knew almost nothing about each other. Just that we were destined to spend the rest of our lives together.
And that sounded amazing to me.
When we reached the kitchen, I kept going, passing outside and into the cloudless night. “My dragon needs to shift.”