Chapter 25
I jerked off a dragon.
Carwyn’s mind reeled as her eyes darted to Kier, who was warming the fabricated underground cave spring with a paw. He was still the same size, his head only coming a little above her breasts when on all fours.
The soft, dim firelight caused his black scales to shine and reflect off the rippling water’s surface. She couldn’t help finding the picture of him with the glittering pool and lush greenery around him mesmerising.
That, or she was still high from her orgasm against his palm, and her mind was warping her view.
Her cheeks flushed in memory, and her tender nipples scratched against the inside of her shift, more sensitive than they’d ever been. She was thankful the scent of her returning arousal would already be steeped in her orgasm.
He actually made me come. And kept his promise.
Every emotion she’d felt was her own, and they’d all been strong, aching, and tender.
She cupped her hands to her chest when it radiated with a fond pang. No one’s ever done that for me before.
Then again, she’d have to tell her partner that she required such care, and she’d never trusted the previous ones. She’d barely known them. Just random strangers she’d wanted to satisfy her curiosities about intimacy with, only to regret it in some way.
Even so, I don’t think someone else would’ve tried that hard for me. She bit her bottom lip as adoring tenderness swirled deeper in her chest, causing a kaleidoscope of butterflies to take flight in her belly.
When his ruby eyes cut to the side to look at her, Carwyn startled and quickly untied her braids so she could free her hair. She’d brought cleaning products since she was prepared this time. She’d promised they wouldn’t mess with the health of his plants, and she was desperate to wash properly.
Once he was done, his black claws glinted in the low light as he gestured to the water. He didn’t back up this time, intending to remain close to the pool’s edge.
A surge of bashful jitters racked her, but she didn’t scold him like last time or try to make him leave.
He’d seen everything already, and she’d agreed to this, yet she couldn’t stop the way her hands trembled as she lifted a dress strap to thread an arm out, then the other, before clamping the material to her chest.
Why am I so nervous? Maybe it was because she’d never stripped herself for a man.
She tried to forget her past experiences, but she was sure that she’d never been fully naked. And even then, she’d never gone strutting around them with her tits out or bathed in front of them.
Kier, often quiet, drew his brows together at her hesitancy.
Carwyn dropped the material, hating that she was acting so shy when she usually wasn’t.
She jutted her chin confidently while her bare feet padded against the stone as she headed for the pool.
She stepped in, and a moan bubbled up her throat at the perfect temperature that clung to her skin.
Her sore muscles adored it as she waded deep enough that she could kneel and the water would come to her breasts.
Her peaked nipples tightened further when the surface licked at them, causing goosebumps to prickle across her flesh and down her arms. She caught how his watchful gaze followed them, seemingly fascinated by something so small and simple.
She was thankful when he laid down, intending to laze near the pool’s edge.
It shifted from feeling like she was being inspected to more like they were sharing each other’s company.
The tip of his arrowhead tail slipped into the water, and it swayed softly, causing small ripples to dance along the surface and tickle clinging waves against her.
As she grew more comfortable, she shifted to sitting on her arse and eventually leaned back to soak her hair. The heat creeping along her scalp was wonderful, and she basked in the moment, surprised at how... comfortable she was with him.
She could almost feel his gaze creeping along every inch of her, and when she peeked at him through her lowered eyelashes, she saw appreciation. She blushed and tried not to fidget under the acknowledgement of how that stare made her feel.
“Your display of power was magnificent,” Carwyn admitted, wanting to fill the silence. “Quite fearsome.”
“You were frightened for other reasons,” he stated plainly, with the tiniest hint of darkness.
“Still. What you could do with it... I was worried I’d walk off the edge of the cliff.”
“I wouldn’t have let that happen.”
She rolled her eyes in the opposite direction to him. “No. Just let me trip and fall.”
He grunted. “How are your knees? I can obtain the ointment after this.”
“I’m not that delicate.” She snorted, then laughed. “A few scratches aren’t going to harm me.”
She expected him to chuckle in agreement. When only silence came, she brought her gaze forward and lifted her face to greet him. His expression was tight, but their eyes meeting stirred him into answering.
“You are exceptionally fragile to me.”
Her eyelashes fluttered in surprise. Oh.
She didn’t know why such words clenched her heart.
Although Carwyn believed herself to be pretty, her mother had said her personality was less than desirable – crass at times, loud, and overly chatty.
Then again, her mother was a stiff, unfun, pain in the butt, so Carwyn cared little of what she thought.
But I guess her words nestled deeper than I thought. Insecurities she didn’t know had taken root in her already lonely heart.
Fragile, delicate, sweet. She’d like to be called these things.
She wanted to be protected and cherished.
Lovely in a way that would have men fawning over her, giving her gifts, picking flowers.
She desired someone who would lay down their life to protect hers, while giving her the respect that she could fight alongside them.
“With such powers, I’m sure many dragonesses would be interested in you,” Carwyn stated around a forced, soft giggle, trying to lead the conversation away from things that would make her heart stammer. “Such a shame you’re a bore.”
He snapped his fangs at her with a half-hearted snarl before wiggling his head. “I’m not a bore.”
“Ah, in the same way you’re not grumpy.”
“Watch it, little female.” He pointed a claw at her. “I have no issues getting in this water.”
She kicked some at him as a smile curled her lips. He shook droplets off his head.
“And for your information, I’ve never been interested in any of the females who seek me only for my powers.
Matehood for such reasons is often filled with disagreements.
” Kier then tilted his head back in a way that only invoked the assumption that he found something tiresome.
“Alas, I have no idea what it is I seek in a mate, so before long, I must make some kind of decision and settle on who irritates me the least.” His head turned away as he tapped a claw against the ground.
“Selene and I are the last of our bloodline. No others were mated or had hatchlings.”
Carwyn hadn’t thought he’d go into so much detail. She’d only tried to be teasing and playful, but this was obviously a sore subject for him.
A small sting smarted behind her sternum. Of course he’d never choose me. The idea had never crossed his mind, considering his words. Why would he? I’m not a dragon.
The WitchSlayer and his brother, apparently, were likely outliers regarding this. But I guess I thought... since Valerie mated with one. Why not me?
Her stomach knotted when she remembered something important. It wouldn’t matter anyway. We can barely touch.
She thought maybe she’d like sex with someone she trusted, someone who might not give her their own betraying, horribly negative emotions. She wondered if she’d like it if she only felt love or adoration afterwards.
But even then, it still frightened her.
She’d want to make certain of their feelings beforehand, and that would require a lot of patience from them and faith on her part.
Not many would be willing to wait.
I guess this will have to do, she thought, looking into the thick grove of plants solemnly. I shouldn’t wish for things that will never happen.
Things she also hadn’t truly considered.
“Enough talk of me,” Kier said, circling his tail tip. “What I’m curious about is your abilities. Empaths are rare, even among my kind. You can also dream walk. The dragon gods have bestowed many gifts on one tiny little female.”
The last words were intended to be a teasing jab. Unfortunately, any mention of her powers being a gift often soured her.
“I believe my dream-walking ability works off of my empathetic ones, otherwise I’d be able to do it without touching a person. And they’re not gifts.”
No. They were horrible, life-ruining curses.
“Have you tried training your empathetic abilities?”
“Of course I have,” she bit out, unfairly glaring at him when it wasn’t his fault that she was this way. “I have no control over it. I cannot stop myself from feeling what others do, and I cannot ease their pains and heartaches like other empaths.”
“Perhaps it is your teachings that limit you.” Kier lifted a paw to cup his snout. “Admittedly, there are no dragons alive with your ability. Our king would be quite interested in you. He seeks an empath.”
Carwyn gave him a dull stare. “Absolutely not.”
“I think he’d be interested in your dream walking too.”
“Kier, you better not tell others.” Her shoulders slumped in dismay. “This is why I keep my abilities secret.”
“I wouldn’t betray your trust. Merely stating my thoughts on the matter.”
He wouldn’t? Her brow furrowed, and she tilted her head at his pensive expression.
“But you do know that we would likely be able to give you an answer and help you, correct? We have knowledge your kind doubtfully has, or at the very least it’s well hidden.”
Her gaze shot to the side. “That thought has already crossed my mind.”