Rising Dragons Omnibus (48 page)

Read Rising Dragons Omnibus Online

Authors: Ophelia Bell

BOOK: Rising Dragons Omnibus
12.67Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

“Just make me come, please? It really isn’t that complicated. I need to feel you come in me.”

“Oh, sweet Jesus, yes.”

The desperate cling of Trevor’s hands against her skin was a sweet reminder of her first few moments with Kris. Trevor was no virgin, that was clear, but he still had the hesitant caution of a man who cared deeply about his partner. Not that the other men in the group didn’t, but they all knew her well and were flush with confidence in their ability to please her. Not only did Trevor have to please her, he had to give her his essence now that she’d given him permission.

Once they gave themselves over to Issa’s suggestion, they all fucked with abandon. Her own orgasm had been clinging to the edge for so long, it only took a few swift strokes and his hand attentively reaching down to slide a finger in her ass and she slipped into the sweet oblivion of her Nirvana.

She quivered with the aftershocks when something happened above her that channeled even more power as the others came like a house of cards falling in slow motion. She opened her eyes long enough to see a collection of muscular arms connected above their group in the center. Kris wasn’t wasting any chance at power, but the energy flowing through him was even stronger than the collective power of their small group. Her mate’s eyes glowed as he soaked it in from somewhere beyond, and his face contorted. Could he even hold that much at one time without channeling it?

She no longer cared when the magic began to flow through her from the center, the bright swirling mass of it immediately attracted to her need. The entire courtyard bloomed with light, unfurling from their center of pleasure and spreading outward. Soon the women’s hands left hers, Trevor’s lovely cock disappeared, and a single figure rested before her on his knees.

Kris held her face in his, the power he channeled rushing into her as rapidly as if they’d just made love. The purity and strength of it was beyond anything he had given her before.

“The Council came through,” he whispered. Then his sweet lips were on hers, with their hot longing.

Issa was on the verge of begging him to take her back to bed when the first spasm hit. The pleasant, sated buzz from all the energy she’d just absorbed was replaced by a sensation like a vise in her lower abdomen. She cried out at the dizzying pain. The sharp spasming clench of it sent her into a cold sweat and she doubled over.

“Issa!”

Kris’s cry became a vague sound through the fog of pain. The others spoke in alarm. Some of the women sounded more rational and she thought she heard Hallie’s rough voice rise up and yell out, “She’s in labor, let’s get her inside!” Her friend continued to shout commands at the others just before everything faded away.

Breath of Fate: Chapter 11

R
owan and the others shimmered back into the familiar pavilion they had left from, greeted by the excited faces of Zak and Darius.

“What is it?”
she shot at Darius.

“Issa’s giving birth as we speak.”

Echoing his words, Numa said out loud, “The Catalyst’s children are imminent, we must go to them now.” The immortal Green swept around majestically in her conjured green dress and walking out of the Pavilion with the others following. All of them had bathed and reclothed themselves, but remained in their human forms. Now they reminded Rowan of a line of supermodels walking down a runway with their perfect features and exact gaits.

Darius stood in a daze, mouth gaping. When the Council was gone, he looked at Rowan.

“What did you do?”

“What the hell do you mean, ‘what did I do’? They’re a pretty focused group of dragons. Like I could influence them?”

“I’ve just never seen them… like that.”

“Like what?”

“In human form… and leaving the Pavilion… and…” His eyes rested at her waist, his brows drawing together. “You’re with child.”

Rowan wrapped her hands protectively around her midsection. “So?”

“You weren’t a few days ago when you left. Now I can sense the power of the baby in you. Rowan… What did they do to you?”

His concern was endearing enough for her to go to him. Rafe clung to her hand for a moment then reluctantly released it.

“I served their purpose and they served mine. It was a trade. That’s all you need to know.”

Darius looked insulted. His lips creased in a hard line. Rafe moved up behind her, rested his hand at her waist.

“She sacrificed for you, brother. Everything is changing.”

“They heard you?” Darius asked, his expression brightening.

“You and everyone else convinced me I had power over them. Don’t tell me you had doubts all along.” Rowan gave him a playful nudge. “But I get the impression they’d already made up their minds before I made my argument. My willingness to go the extra mile was just their extra little bit of leverage.”

“And they agreed to everything?” he asked.

“They may be a bit distracted at the moment, but yeah, they agreed. Now I’d like to see Trevor. Where is he?”

“He’s recovering from the blast,” Darius said.

Rowan stared at him in incomprehension. “Blast?”

“He took the brunt of it after Issa, I’m afraid. They were coupling when the energy unleashed on the group just before she went into labor. He’s fine. He might take a few days to recover, though. Corey is taking care of him now. I think he feels responsible.”

“Why would the Queen’s mate feel responsible?” Rafe asked.

“Well, Issa had a particular craving...pregnant dragons do, after all. And Corey was just trying to help. The rest were a rather determined group once Corey took control.”

It was Rafe’s turn to laugh. “Corey coordinated it? I always knew he had it in him. It seems like he’s less inhibited during Racha’s absences than he used to be.”

Darius led them out of the Pavilion and down the hill behind the others. Rowan remembered the Queen and her mate from their trip. She and the other female had regarded each other with caution at first. After Racha’s calming breath during the plane ride, they had both relaxed enough to talk and Rowan had assured Racha that she had no desire to subvert her authority. Their more formal meeting later in the Pavilion had thrown Rowan for a moment until she sensed the other woman’s precarious situation. The bitter words had only been a ruse, though there had been some truth to their bite. Rowan just wasn’t sure exactly what had prompted it.

When they reached Kris and Issa’s chamber, the others were too excited to pay any attention to her, however. Except for Trevor, who immediately found her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“God, I missed you,” he murmured in her ear.

She sank into him, pressing her nose against his neck and inhaling his delicious, clean scent. Underneath she caught the whiff of other aromas that lingered deeper. She pulled back and looked up into his eyes. “Did you have fun while I was gone?” she asked, twitching her lips into a knowing smile.

Trevor’s cheeks flushed brighter than they had when he’d confessed the things he’d done with Roka and Rafe to get to her. “Issa needed all of us. You were gone for three days. It’s not like I could sit it out when everyone else was in.”

“I understand. Sweetie, I’m like her, you know. I wouldn’t share you with just anyone, but these guys are the closest thing to family that I have. If they need my help, I won’t say no. Besides if you can deal with sharing me with the offspring of the entire Court and Council, then I have no room to object.”

“Offspring?” Trevor asked, bewildered. He turned to Rafe.

“It’s true,” Rafe said proudly. “Hope you’re ready to share fatherhood with me.”

Just then, the inner doors opened and the entire collection of waiting dragons and humans in the sitting area rose to their feet at once.

“Speaking of fathers…” Darius stepped away from the group toward the door.

The Council was the first to emerge, the six of them parting to stand on either side, each with similar elated expressions. Kris and Issa strode through next, side by side, each holding a tiny, squirming bundle in their arms.

The proud parents beamed at the group, their happiness washing over Rowan in waves. The room grew hushed when the couple looked at each other. Issa nodded once and Kris spoke.

“Friends, family, treasured mates. It is with great love and gratitude that we present our children, the firstborn dragons of the new generation. Named to honor the lost loved ones of two of you—two individuals that were valued and are dearly missed. Please meet our twin sons, Alexander and Gabriel.”

They both turned the infants in their arms and held them up, letting their lavender-hued wrappings fall. The room let out a collective gasp at the tiny, beautiful creatures. Their skin was a perfect rosy pink, until Rowan shifted her vision and caught the glimmer of their scales, reminding her that they truly were tiny dragons, bound up by their parents’ magic.

Rowan’s vision grew blurry with tears when the room erupted into applause. She placed her hands over her womb. It had only been hours by her schedule since the events of the glade, though it had been longer in this world. She was hesitant to share the news with the others, but she shouldn’t have been. A clear, sweet, feminine voice in her mind said,
“My sons and your daughter will be the protectors of our race when they come of age. Will you stay here with us so they can be raised together?”

She held Issa’s gaze for several moments, uncertain how to respond. The babies both let out sudden tiny wails of protest and the sound made Rowan jerk with surprise. They had amazingly strong voices that rang high over the din of excited conversation.

Rafe’s strong hand settled at her hip. “What is it? You look worried.”

“Not worried. What would you say if I decided to stay here until the baby is born? Maybe even longer?”

“I’d say welcome home.”

About Ophelia Bell

Ophelia Bell loves a good bad-boy and especially strong women in her stories. Women who aren’t apologetic about enjoying sex and bad boys who don’t mind being with a woman who’s in charge, at least on the surface, because pretty much anything goes in the bedroom.

Ophelia grew up on a rural farm in North Carolina and now lives in Los Angeles with her own tattooed bad-boy husband and four attention-whoring cats.

Facebook
|
Twitter
|
Goodreads

Recommended Reads

Branded

Nora Ash

Being different was never easy. 

After 27 years of living as a social outcast, Selma had become quite accustomed to the isolation and lack of dreams for a happy future. What she’d never gotten used to were the demons she saw—the dangerous creatures masquerading as humans, blending into the regular world as if they belonged.
 
No one else ever saw what she did—not when she was younger, and not the night she was attacked by horned monsters, losing the precarious grasp on her already damaged mind.
 

Trapped in a mental hospital, Selma’s only hope of gaining back her life is a young psychiatrist with smoldering looks and some very disturbing ideas for her treatments. If she is ever to see the outside world again, she must submit to him.
 

But he is one of them—and his intentions are far more devious than they appear.

Free in the Kindle Store

***

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used.

Rising Dragons

Copyright © 2014 Ophelia Bell

Cover Art Designed by Dawné Dominique

Photograph Copyrights © Fotolio.com, DepositPhotos.com, CanStock.com

Published by Animus Press

UNITED STATES

Other books

Embrace the Twilight by Maggie Shayne
The Best of Joe Haldeman by Joe W. Haldeman, Jonathan Strahan
In the Flesh by Portia Da Costa
Child of Time by Spencer Johnson
Entangled Souls by Waits, Kimber
Music of the Heart by Harper Brooks