Love of the Dragon (Her Dragon's Bane 4) (18 page)

He woke. She was gone. He panicked.

The bed was still warm where her body had pressed against him all night. She hadn’t been gone long. Needing to find her quickly, he padded out of the room on bare feet. In the hallway, he stood and listened, trying to pinpoint where she was. The house was so big he could wander around for hours and not find her.

All he could hear was his heart beating in his chest. Nothing else. Slowly, as he settled his mind, more sounds came to him. The ticking of the grandfather clock down the hall, the creaking of the staircase as it settled. It was always settling, in the same way the rest of the house creaked and groaned with age and wear. It reminded him of himself. With no dragon, he might very well begin the ageing process again. All he comforted himself with, was that he would grow old with Charlotte.

Singing. She was singing. The sound was coming from the kitchen and he felt glad she was happy. With each step, her voice grew louder and his heart felt lighter. If he lost everything else, as long as he had Charlotte in his life he could live. He could even find a way to be happy.

“You’re awake,” she said as he appeared in the kitchen doorway.

“I am.”

She put the pan down on the stove and came across the kitchen, smiling. Kissing him on the cheek, she said, “Great. Sit down and I’ll make you breakfast.”

His skin burned where he lips had touched him. Unconsciously, he put his hand on it; to see if could feel the heat remaining in his skin.

“Sit,” she said, placing a plate on the table. Returning to the stove, she took off the eggs, which were now cooked and grabbed two pieces of toast from the toaster. “No butter and no milk. Luckily, the eggs were still fresh and the bread was in the freezer. We’ll have to make do until I can shop.”

“I’ll order in whatever you need.”

“I don’t mind going to the store.”

“No. Let me do it online. They’ll deliver it to the gate. It’s what we usually do. You still need to rest.”

“I’m OK.”

“Please, Charlotte. Let me do it.” Why did he sound so desperate? It was just groceries.

“Sure. That would be great. I thought we could walk in the gardens later. It’s a beautiful day.”

He looked out of the window. The sky was so clear. Tonight the moon would shine big and bright as it reached full. His mouth went dry. Thinking about the Moon Rite made him feel like a complete fraud. The rite was a ritual for dragons. Something he no longer was.

“Zoah,” she said, placing her hand on his. “Eat. You look like death.”

Because a part of him had died. The strong vibrant part. Yet the touch of her hand made a small part of him wake up and want to flourish. He forked some of the egg into his mouth. The more he ate, the hungrier he felt. Soon his plate was cleared and he got up from his seat to put more toast on. Even dry it tasted wonderful, as if he had been starved for months.

“I’ll order some steak in. Is there anything else you need?”

“Apart from clothes. I only have a couple of things here left over from before we moved to Spellholm.”

He wanted to say that she wouldn't need clothes. Once the Moon Rite began, he aimed to make love to her for five days straight. But that was something the old Zoah would say. This Zoah was more reserved. In his heart, there was still a place that shrank back from her. Unable to offer her the sad remains of what was left of him. Yet the way she looked at him, the small touches that passed between them gave him hope. So much had changed and yet the attraction, the spark that had always been there between them, was still there.

“I have something for you in my room,” he blurted out.

“In your room?”

“Yes. After we’ve eaten I’ll show you.”

“There is something I need to talk to you about too.” A light shone in her eyes, full of hope, full of love.

It warmed him and gave him strength. If his dragon never returned, they could be happy. She accepted him as he was, in the same way she would have accepted him before. She didn’t care if he was young or old, man or dragon. All that mattered was that he tried to be the best he could be. For her, only for her. She had grown up, into a beautiful young woman. He felt a rush of pride.

If there was a reason this had happened, he told himself, it was so that he could see who she was. A kind, loving human who wanted him to be happy. A feeling he reciprocated fully.

“I’m sorry.” His mouth seemed to be unable to contain the thoughts going around in his head.

“For what?” she asked.

“Everything. Every time I’ve let you down, not been there for you. For running away.”

She sat there and thought about it. “Tara says things have to happen in a certain way. You know she manipulates us, but I have to believe what she says. She told me to leave Spellholm and I did. If I hadn’t, I wouldn't have ended up in trouble. That was my choice. If you had been there, you might have been able to stop me leaving. Or I might have run away to spite you.”

He knew she was trying to let him off the hook. Her words made sense, but it would be a long time until he forgave himself. All he cared about was that she didn’t blame him.

“Can we start afresh?”

“No. I don’t think we can.”

He looked at her. “I understand.”

She put down the coffee cup she had been drinking from and came to him. Tracing his worried brow with her finger. She ran it down along his cheek, making a shudder of desire pass through him. He wanted her, but he was too scared. Scared to touch her, to initiate the new, adult side of the relationship.

Leaning towards him, she kept her eyes fixed on his. Then, at the last moment, her gaze flickered down to his lips. Her tongue slipped out between her lips, moistening them and he held his breath. So soft, so warm, her mouth touched his. It brought back the stirrings of desire he had quashed for so long. He stood so abruptly his chair crashed to the floor, overturned and unnoticed. His hand went to her back and he pulled her to him.

Sliding his hand lower, he cupped her round bottom and pressed her hard against him. She groaned, her desire for him as raw as his was for her. Her hands went around his neck, her fingers in his hair, pulling it, tugging it. Anything to get closer contact between them, to meld their bodies together so they would never be apart again.

If not for the importance of the Moon Rite, he would have taken her then. His cock was so painfully hard in his pants, while his need and desire was totally unleashed for the first time. In that moment he knew how much he had held himself back. Wound tightly, his arousal threatened to overtake him. But he had to wait. What were a couple of hours more? He had waited thousands of years for tonight's magic to complete their bond. At this moment, those remaining hours seemed like eternity.

She writhed in his arms, making him harden more. His hand went between her thighs, while she stroked his bare chest, touching his warm skin and stroking his nipples. When his fingers made contact with her clit through her soaking-wet panties, her fingers dug into his skin. It spurred him on, but he couldn’t afford to break her innocence, not yet.

Lifting her up, he sat her on the table and then knelt before her. She was the altar in front of which he would worship. She was everything to him. His fingers pulled her wet panties aside. He pressed his lips along her inner thighs, making her whimper in anticipation. She knew what he was going to do. Her hands and fingers touching his back, his neck spurring him on.

Then he dipped his head forward and flicked his tongue over her clit, tasting his mate for the first time. And she was sweeter and more intoxicating than the finest wine he had ever tasted.

The stars that exploded in her head reminded her of that night she had flown on his back. That night she had realised he had an inner compass, now she realised she had one too. Zoah.

His touch inflamed her body until she was lost. Only the feel of his hands on her skin and his mouth on her sex pulled her back to reality. For it was real. Unbelievably real.

Pressing his thumb against her clit, he slowly circled it, making her hips move in the same rhythm. Sliding it down, he dipped it into her wet sex, with enough pressure to make her squirm. When she thought it couldn’t get any more arousing, he licked her clit and then covered it with his mouth. Whimpering, she craned her neck to watch the movement of his head. Trying to reconcile that with the feelings coursing through her body. She had never, ever, dreamed it would be like this. That her body could be so consumed with need, one that he would fulfil tonight on the Moon Altar.

Once more, he upped the pressure on her tortured body. Looking up briefly he caught her eyes and smiled. Then he lifted his free hand, sliding it under her sweater and cupped her breast. With incredible coordination, he went back to pleasuring her with his mouth, while he pinched her nipple. Now the stars shattered into a million sparkling shards.

Unable to hold herself together she came. Hard and fast around him. Her body a quivering mass of nerves. Every part of her on fire, as the tension filled her body. She cried out. Zoah sucked harder, his tongue circling her clit as she came.

Gripping the edge of the table, she held onto to keep herself in place when she felt she couldn’t stand it any longer. How could this be real? How could a man make her body react like this with his hands and his mouth? Because he was her mate. Attuned to her in a way no one else ever would be. Never could be.

She slumped forward. Spent and drained. Shy beyond words. How did you face someone after that? Maybe if she had dated, or there had been more build-up, it would be easier. But right now, she didn’t know what she was supposed to do. Or say. Thank you didn’t quite do it justice.

Zoah lifted his head, he kissed her thighs. Down along her legs he moved, spending time caressing the sensitive flesh behind her knees, until she thought she would come again. He was good. So good. She remembered he had centuries of practice. Whereas she had none.

Tonight she would disappoint him. What about right now, did he expect her to return the favour? To take him in her mouth and...

“Are you OK?” he asked softly.

She nodded, struck dumb in his presence. The little girl in her came back, making her unsure of herself. The years that had passed since they were here together dropped away and she was that awkward teenager again. His mate, who should have told him to stay. What if she messed up again and he left before the ritual?

“Are you sure?” He stood up, looking down on her, his old self. But different. Older. If that was possible. He had aged in the two years they had spent apart. Not in body. But in soul. She could sense it, feel it.

“I’m just scared.” She only hoped she could trust this Zoah not to make fun of her.

He kissed her head. “So am I,” he admitted.

“What if I don’t satisfy you ... tonight?”

“That would be impossible,” he said.

“No pressure, then.”

“No. I mean it. Just being here with you is enough. To know that I don’t have to keep my feelings hidden any more.”

“Why did you, Zoah?”

“For the same reason you did.”

She ducked her head, avoiding his gaze. So he had known. “I’m sorry. I could have made it easier on you. I could have said something to enable you to stay.”

“I thought it was you who said this was how it was supposed to be?”

She burst into tears. Zoah pulled her into his arms and held her tightly against his chest. He stroked her hair and let her cry it all out. In his arms, she felt pitiful. A stupid child next to his magnificence. No match for the mighty blue dragon.

Of course. She pulled herself together. “I have something for you.”

“Then why don’t we go to my room and we can exchange gifts.”

“You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Well ... I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a little bit selfish.”

“I thought you were a changed man?”

“Not that changed.”

“At least you’ve gone back to not wearing shirts. I’d missed that.”

“I know how much you like staring at my six pack, so I thought I would indulge you.”

“Modest.”

“As always,” he teased.

She smiled. He was coming back to being his old self. Perhaps she wouldn’t have to go ahead with her plan. However, one thing was true; she had missed the sight of his chest.

“Shall we go?”

She straightened her clothing. “Should I go and dress first?”

“No. I like you just the way you are.” He came to her and slipped his hands up under her sweater. His thumbs brushed her nipples, making them hard little buds. “Accessible. Maybe you should try going topless for a while.”

“You are incorrigible,” she said swatting him away. Although she could feel her arousal building once more. They had broken down the barrier that had kept them apart. Making it impossible to stop the flow of desire passing between them.

“Yes, I am.” He slipped his hand into hers and led her from the kitchen. They went along the hallways, to a part of the house she had never really explored. Mainly because this was where his room was. She always had trouble thinking of him in his room without thinking of him lying on his bed waiting for her. When she was younger, it had seemed plain weird to think of an old man in that way. Even though he was sexier than any young man she had ever met.

When they reached his room, he pulled her into his arms, pressing her back against the wall. He captured her mouth, his kisses hot and demanding. She clung to him, her lips asking for more, until they were swollen.

Pulling away from her, he took a step back and looked at her, making her feel self-conscious. No. Desirable. He made her feel something no one else had. This was not an embarrassed self-consciousness. Instead, she was aware of the power inside her, her power over him.

“I thought we should get that out of the way before we go into my room. I have fantasised many times of having you at my mercy in my bed.”

“And you actually think that kiss made it more likely that we will wait for the Moon Rite?”

He chuckled. “No. I thought it would be a nice way to let you see how strong-willed you are.” He came back into her personal space, his lips planting soft kisses down her neck. Her body responded; it didn’t know how not to now he had awoken the woman in her. Her nipples hardened, pressing painfully against his chest. “I, on the other hand, have a will of iron.”