Chapter 13 #3
He nods decisively. ‘I do. I’ve been obsessed with you since we met, treasure.
I want to spend every moment of every day with you in either of our forms. I want to know everything about you; your thoughts, your hopes and dreams, the story behind every scar.
This feral need I have for you is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. ’
I inhale shakily, my pulse racing, my palms sweating.
The idea that I might have already found my fated mate, that he could be mine to keep, is overwhelming.
Yes, I’ve been falling hard for him, but I’ve always struggled to trust that love can last long term.
I suppose that’s why the idea of being with my fated mate is so appealing—one person who will love me forever, who’ll never leave or look at me as anything less than the most important person in all the realms.
Could it really be Bryn? It’s clear that our protective instincts for one another are extremely strong—the way fated mates always behave.
My tiger adores this dragon in a way he’s never expressed with anyone else.
Perhaps most tellingly of all, the soul-deep panic when I heard he’d been attacked a thousand miles away, and the overwhelming relief at finding him alive, were beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.
‘Wow,’ I sign eventually. ‘I think you could be right.’
His answering smile is beautiful. ‘The thing is, treasure, dragons don’t bond in the same way other shifters do.
If we take things further sexually, and we’re mates, my magic will take over and start the bonding process.
It’s not instant, and the bond won’t complete without your bite, but it’ll be partially there and it would be painful for both of us to break if things end between us in the future. ’
That’s… intense and unexpected. Not that it would be bad of course, but am I ready for that?
My tiger nudges me to hurry up and get on with it, because that side of me doesn’t care about silly things like how little time we’ve known each other or how blindsided I feel. The rest of me needs a minute.
‘When you say take things further sexually…?’
‘I mean you fucking me or me fucking you.’
Well, that’s clear enough. Gosh, is it getting hot in here?
‘Let me see if I’ve got this right,’ I sign carefully. ‘If we’re fated mates, the bonding process will begin if we have anal sex, because your dragon or your magic will get excited and take over. But if we’re not mates, nothing will happen except fantastic orgasms?’
He nods, studying my reaction carefully. ‘Dragon bonding requires intimacy rather than penetrative sex specifically, but for me that’s when I feel closest to a person so if anything’s going to trigger the beginnings of a mate bond, it’ll be that.’
‘Is that why we’ve not done anal? I thought maybe it was something you don’t enjoy.’
I haven’t brought it up with him before now because we’re still new enough that I didn’t want him to mistake me asking as pressure or a complaint. Sure, I’d love for him to fuck me or vice versa, but I don’t need it.
‘Fated mates or not, anal is a very intimate act for me. I need a certain level of commitment with someone to go that far.’ His hand movements are confident, and I appreciate that he didn’t compromise his boundaries, no matter how obsessed with me he is.
Not that I’ve been much better. I haven’t been able to get him off my mind, even before anything happened between us.
Yes, we probably have things to work on to strengthen our relationship, but maybe a fated mate doesn’t come in a gift-wrapped package with an instruction manual.
Perhaps it’s as messy and real as any other relationship.
I lean over and kiss him softly. I want to take that next step with him. Whether he’s my fated mate or not, he’s my boyfriend, and I’m committed to making our relationship work.
‘Let’s move this to your bedroom.’
His gorgeous face lights up. ‘For…?’
‘I’d love for you to fuck me, if that’s something you’d enjoy.’
He leaps to his feet, then before I can process what’s happening, he picks me up and throws me over his shoulder.
I yelp pointlessly and smack him to be let down, but it’s no use.
He carries me through to his room, careful not to bump me on the doorframe, then sets me down just inside and closes the door behind us.
His bedroom is a relatively small space, with barely enough room for a double bed pressed up against the wall, and is painted in the same dark colours as the open plan kitchen-living room.
There’s a small chest of drawers with a sketchbook and pencil on top, and a single narrow door standing open to show his bass guitar mounted in pride of place on the wall inside what would, to anyone else, be a built-in wardrobe.
Even the amp, cable, and various other music paraphernalia I’m not familiar with are sitting at the foot of the bed, out of the way.
‘Really?’ I ask, my expression undoubtedly giving away my exasperation at him carrying me like that. ‘I’m not exactly light.’
‘Dragon strength, treasure.’ He grins and flexes his bicep, looking far too pleased with himself.
I sigh and decide not to press the point. It doesn’t really matter, and I’d rather get my hands on those muscles.
Heat builds in his eyes when I strip off his T-shirt and run my hands over the warm, smooth skin underneath.
He was extremely thin when we first met, something Felicia mentioned is normal when Wargate inmates first get released, but since then he’s already gained a solidity that seems more natural for him.
His powerful shoulders and strong arms are certainly catnip for me.
Sometimes he loves letting me explore the tattoos covering his chest and arms, but today seems to be one of his more impatient days because as he kisses me with an intensity I’ll never tire of, he deftly undoes my buttons and strips my shirt off, letting it fall to the floor, then unfastens my belt and trousers.
While he’s busy getting me out of my clothes I play with his nipples, alternating between rubbing the small buds with a wet finger and pinching, enjoying his little gasps and the way his hands falter.
I was delighted the first time I discovered how sensitive his nipples are, and I take advantage of that knowledge as often as I can.
He eventually remembers what he was doing and shoves my trousers down, only to inhale sharply and take a small step back, eyes locked on my maroon briefs. ‘Fuck, I’ve been hoping you’d wear these again.’
‘When did I… Oh.’ My cheeks heat.
I was wearing them the first night we shared a bed.
I didn’t realise he’d seen them, although why I was so self-conscious I’m not sure.
It’s not like nudity is a big deal to most shifters.
Then again, it’s often a practical necessity, not getting mostly-naked with the dragon who’d made no secret of how much he wanted me.
He drops to his knees and tongues at my happy trail, his hands sliding under my briefs to cup my arse cheeks.
I groan and grip his head with both hands, the bristles of his buzzed hair tickling my palms. I somehow always end up being the first one naked, so it doesn’t surprise me when he tugs down my briefs with his teeth.
It’s not the fastest method but good grief it’s sexy, especially when they pool around my ankles and he swallows my cock to the root with no fanfare.
I cry out, startled and horny and grateful for his lack of gag reflex. I let him do what he wants until I’m close to the edge, then tug at him desperately until he releases me with a wet pop.
‘Lube. We need lube.’ My hand movements are unsteady, but I can’t bring myself to care how needy I seem.
He smirks up at me, his lips swollen and glistening. ‘You know where I keep it, treasure.’
I think he just wants to watch me navigate his bedroom on wobbly legs, but there’s no mistaking the pleasure he gets from drawing reactions from me so I take a steadying breath and turn to the drawer in question.
When I turn back, lube in hand, he’s up off the rug and swiftly removing the rest of his clothes.
He sits on the edge of his bed and pats his lap as his eyes rake over me, drinking in every detail like this is our first time all over again.
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of the way he looks at me.
Like I’m the only person he’ll ever want, like I’m his favourite thing in the world.
It’s probably not healthy—to enjoy the way he desires me to the point of obsession—but perhaps I need this level of devotion to feel secure.
Maybe that’s why my previous relationships didn’t work out, because they were all with strong, independent women who didn’t need a partner, they simply chose to have one.
Bryn still has that fierce independence I’m always attracted to, and confidence for days, but he seemed to take one look at me, decide I was the person for him, and has never given me any reason to think that could eventually change. I suspect he’s more sure of us being mates than he told me.
It’s his certainty that takes away any lingering reservations on my part.
I step closer until he spreads his legs to make room for me between them, then I reach for his hand and pour a generous amount of lube onto his fingers.
I drop the tube onto the bed, within reach, then straddle his lap and press my lips to his.
Our kiss starts off gentle as he lightly runs a finger down my crack then circles my pucker, but I’m not new to playing back there—as my drawer of toys can attest—so even though this is a first for us I deepen the kiss and fuck his mouth with my tongue in a mimicry of what I want him to do with his fingers.
His quiet moan precedes his finger breeching me.
It barely hurts, and as soon as I’ve adjusted and start pushing back, he adds a second.
The fullness burns a little, yet it feels so good that I still want more.
I ride his fingers, relishing the way his other hand grips my hip as he stretches me, and the way his erection bobs when I tear my mouth from his to suck at his neck.
Then he crooks his fingers and I swear I see stars.
I knew prostate stimulation felt good, but I think I just had a religious experience. As tempting as it is to let him do that again and again until I can’t take any more, I gather my one remaining brain cell. ‘Now.’
Any slight worry that my meaning isn’t clear vanishes when he scissors his fingers to stretch me more, his gaze darting to the lube.
Right, we need more of that. I grab the tube and drizzle plenty on his cock, slicking it up with a firm grip.
As shifters we can’t catch or transmit human diseases so there’s no need for a condom, which means I can enjoy the glide of my hand on his bare, hot flesh, and the way he gasps when I twist my hand at the head exactly the way he likes.
He takes my mouth in a searing kiss before gently withdrawing his fingers. His familiar blue eyes meet mine. ‘Ready, treasure?’
I know he means more than just him entering me for the first time, that he’s talking about the beginning of a mate bond. I answer by reaching for his cock and positioning it at my entrance. I gasp as I sink down, the fullness mixing with a delicious bite of pain.
He claims my lips again, his hands parting my arse cheeks like he doesn’t want anything to get in the way of him entering me.
Once I’m fully seated his fingers trace my sensitive rim, drawing a moan from me.
He gives me time to adjust, in no apparent hurry, nibbling his way down my neck and lightly biting the junction of my neck and shoulder in the same location I’ll give him my claiming bite one day.
Oh fuck, I want that. Not today, despite my tiger’s protests that we should be doing that as soon as possible. But one day I’ll claim this dragon.
As soon as I slowly lift up and sink back down, his hands move to my hips and his mouth returns to mine.
He swallows my moans as I start to ride him, the heat and glide and realness of his cock so much better than any toy.
I have one hand on his shoulder for balance, and the other goes to the back of his neck in a possessive grip.
Our pace picks up, making kissing too difficult, but that doesn’t matter. All I care about is how connecting like this feels so right. How he feels like the home I’ve always longed for.
He reaches for my cock and strokes me, leftover lube on his fingers combining with my precum to smooth the glide, and I feel so surrounded by him, both physically and emotionally, that I can’t restrain the moans that spill from my lips as my balls draw up tight.
His eyes turn red, his dragon close to the surface.
It’s so intensely sexy that I lose the last shreds of my control, shooting all over his hand and stomach in an orgasm that’s more mind-blowing than anything I’ve ever experienced.
He grips my hips and takes over, holding me in place while he thrusts up into me, drinking in every inch of my sated expression.
It’s not long before he groans low and long, his eyes fluttering shut as he grips my hips tightly enough to leave bruises, and fills me up with his hot release.
Fuck, he’s gorgeous like this. I can barely believe he’s mine.
When his cock stops twitching, we slump against one another until he kisses me, his arms trembling, then pulls out slowly. He carefully topples us sideways, then we shuffle just enough that we’re both fully on the bed.
I snuggle in, an arm over his chest, a leg thrown over his, needing him as close as possible as his cum trickles out of my well-used hole. I knew bonding would feel amazing, but I naively didn’t realise that even a partial bonding would be that intense. I need cuddles.
He tightens his arms around me, pressing a kiss to my head and holding me until I stop feeling quite so clingy. When I finally pull away so we can clean up, he seems reluctant to let me go.
I kiss him softly, then sit up and smile. ‘That was incredible.’
He nods, but there’s a sadness in his eyes that I don’t understand.
‘What’s wrong?’ I ask.
He sits up as well, his hands unsteady. ‘My dragon. He didn’t… My magic didn’t activate.’
My heart stutters. ‘Wait. You mean…’ I can’t make my hands form the words.
‘We’re not fated mates.’