ROMANCE: SHAPESHIFTER ROMANCE: Dragon Baller's Bride (Dragon Shifter Alpha Male Romance) (Paranormal Romantic Suspense) (52 page)

T
hough she knew
that they weren't, it felt as though Leliana was flying from how fast that Victor was sprinting over the rooftops. She appreciated that he didn't try anything theatrical, and opted to just get them as far away as possible. She worried for John; she managed to see him running behind them, but she hasn't seen him since they left the Red Baron Inn, and she feared the worst.

“John is going to be alright,” Victor said, as though he sensed her thoughts. “He's heading to his house to check on his wife. He said he would come to your house later tonight to check on you.”

“I'm relieved he made it out, too,” she sighed, looking up at him. “So where are we headed? My place?” Victor nodded.

“The Syndicate won't dare give chase tonight – we took out a large number of them, and Veronique isn't one for doing things herself. We've got time to regroup and get a plan together.”

“We still don't know where the kidnapped people are,” Leliana said glumly.

“We'll find them,” he promised as they neared her apartment window. “Don't you worry about that. Right now, we just need to lay low for a little while.” He smirked down at her as he stopped outside her apartment. “Besides, I've been looking forward to that... gratitude that you were going to show me.” She smirked flirtatiously at him as he opened her window and slipped them both inside. She turned to say something to him, but was cut off when his mouth came down upon her neck, ravishing her with kisses and teasing the flesh with his tongue.

As she turned and shut the window and locked it, Leliana's hand automatically fumbled for the light switch. Evidently, they didn't need it, or at least, that must have been Victor's conclusion for how firmly he pressed her against the wall beside the window. Even as he crashed his mouth into hers, the vampire's elongated fangs teasing her lower lip, she found that she wanted more of him. They let their mouths dance out an intricate battle for dominance in the muted moonlight that bled in through the window beside them until the need for air inarguably outweighed their need for release.

With a groan, she leaned her body against his. He trailed his hands up the skirt of her dress and closed his fingers around the waistband of her panties, clearly not interested in the long game, at least, not this time around. She let him slide the undergarment down her legs and shakily kicked them away. When he kneeled down and pressed his face into her womanly folds, she had to steady herself against the wall, pressing herself harder against it as the pleasure of his tongue licking her sex and his mouth kissing her clit made her entire body quake with want for release.

She carded her fingers through his hair as he continued to lavish his attention upon her sex. She loved the way that he felt between her thighs, and she cried out when his tongue swirled around her clitoris. He slid backwards, guiding her into sitting down slowly, letting her slide down the wall until her ample buttocks pressed into the carpet on her floor. Her thighs hung over his shoulders, her back was against the wall as he continued curling his tongue inside of her, stroking that little bundle of nerves that sent her reeling, pressing his fingers into her thighs with an iron grip. She writhed against him, feeling the coil in her belly tighten, knowing that she was one or two artful strokes of his tongue away from orgasm.

She angled her hips, trying to help him find that last stroke that would send her toppling over into bliss. Just when she thought that he found it, he pulled away, coaxing a whimper out of her. She tried to chase his mouth with her hips, hoping for something, anything that would let her come. He pressed her back into the carpet firmly, a devilish smirk playing on his lips.

“I'm not done with you just yet,” he growled into the flesh of her thigh, pressing a kiss at the skin there. He held her there and continued to lick at her sex teasingly, worlds away from dedicating himself to making her cum, but just enough that she desperately wanted more. He looked up at her and licked his lips slowly. “I love the way you taste on my tongue,” he said, accentuating it with another long stroke of his tongue that left her squirming and whimpering. “But I love the noises that you make even more.” He pulled back all the way suddenly, scooping her up again and bringing her up to a standing position. She purred at the way that he pressed himself behind her when he set her down. “Can you feel what you do to me?” He whispered. He kissed her ear and she brought her hips back to grind her backside against his erection, clearly straining at his pants.

He slowly turned her around and she placed a hand on his shoulder and took her time letting her hand trail down, hooking a finger into the waistband of his pants as their lips met once again in a heated kiss.

“Bed,” Leliana managed to pant when he pulled back just enough to suck in a gulp of air. With a moan of her own, she pressed open mouthed kisses into his exposed collar bone, the heel of her free hand pressing against the rapidly hardening length between them, and he shuddered, lost in the sensation.

“How should we do this?” He asked, ever mindful of her being comfortable.

“Don't care,” she gasped audibly when Victor finally,
finally
pushed their hips together, all but drilling her into the wall behind them. “Need...” her words were swallowed in a groan that was practically punched out of her lungs when he nudged her face over, allowing him access to her neck, his mouth and tongue playing on her pulse point once more. He felt her heat pounding out a rhythmic beat in time with the blood pumping through her veins, and he subconsciously rolled his hips against it, seeking friction.

“Might be messy,” Victor groaned, his teeth teasing the point on her neck he had just got done lavishing attention on with his tongue. Leliana all but wailed, her knees buckling at the pulsing
need
that flooded into her molten core. His erection was bordering on painful at this point, from restriction in his pants and the friction built from his hips grinding into hers blindly. She flicked the button on his pants to pop it open. His erection did the rest of the work for them, pushing the zipper down to spring free of its confines like a man escaping prison. Victor's tongue darted out to lap at her jawline, rising up to lap at the freshly healing wound on her cheek before their lips found one another again.

“Don't care,” she was panting heavily, as though she had just sprinted a thousand miles, and was now pressing her hips back against his insistently. Her head fell into the crook of his neck, and it earned her a chuckle from the vampire. “Oh,
yes
,” she keened when his fingers began to tease her entrance, and yelped in surprise when he lifted her effortlessly. Her legs automatically wrapped around his middle, eliciting a groan out of the two of them when their heated sexes were pressed together more fully from the change in position. He ground his throbbing erection against her labia, slicking it with her wetness.

“I could just fuck you against the wall,” Victor groaned into her mouth as they kissed again. Once he'd safely maneuvered to the bedroom and made it to the bed with little incident, he set her down on her plush mattress. “Or I could have my way with you right
here
, like you wanted,” he was already pulling the skirt of her dress up, a clear indicator that he wasn't really in the mood for switching position, but she knew he would, if she asked. “Do you like it when someone talks dirty in your ear?” Though the question had been murmured in that sexy husk that Victor was clearly talented at, and she panted a moment before responding.

“Y-yes, yes, oh, yes,” she swallowed when he groaned against the skin of her neck. He gasped when she began to push his pants past the curve of his ass, just enough to squeeze his rear and pull him closer to her. “God, it's
sexy
when you do it,” she mewled when those talented hands grabbed one of her supple breasts, kneading the flesh in a rhythmic pattern.

“Noted,” Victor said as he pulled her dress off of her entirely, exposing her nearly nude body to him. All that remained was her bra, which took little to divest her of. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words dissolved into a quiet moan as she watched him roll his hips, the head of his cock skimming over her womanly folds, not entering, but teasing until she was practically sobbing.

“I
need
to come,
please
fuck me,
please
, Victor,” she was scarcely making sense, and she knew that he was just trying to be a kind and caring lover and ensure that she was well lubricated, but that's not what she needed right then. The ache in her core was near unbearable, and she craved release like a drug habit that she just can't kick.

“My, my,” Victor cooed, slicked head of his cock finally parting her folds, but he went no further than that for the longest moment. She actually sobbed in relief at the near forgotten pressure that came with having something there, but she knew she needed more of it, and for him to just fucking
move
. “You're so
eager
,” he noted as he slid out of her again. She whined.

“Yes, please give me your cock, please, I need it!” She begged. He chuckled, head slipping into her again.

“Well, since you asked so nicely,” he said with a grin. “Open your eyes. Want to see you,” he mumbled into the skin of her neck before pressing kisses there. She began to feel under his shirt once she'd opened her eyes – when had she closed them? - wanting to see his skin and feel it against her fingertips, enjoying his groan when she skimmed past a sensitive nipple. Victor trembled with want. “Lay back, I've got you,” he placed a hand on her shoulder, tenderly coaxing her down to lie flat on her back. He soon followed, hovering over her with an awed expression before the head of his cock was back inside of her. He used his thumb and began to hit that sweet spot that made Leliana all but sing, head thrown back, and pleading for her long delayed orgasm. After thoroughly working her entrance and only when he was absolutely sure she was ready did he finally push his cock all the way to the hilt inside of her.

She keened in pleasure, suddenly remembering why she loved the feeling of being
filled
with someone, why she had missed it so much. Victor's erection was just long enough and thick enough that the pleasure never quite morphed into pain, but still made her feel utterly
stretched
. Or maybe that was thanks to his dexterous fingers working her so thoroughly beforehand. He rocked his hips against hers- not enough to pull his length out, but just enough to ensure that there was still friction while she stretched to accommodate his girth fully.

“
Move
, Victor, please oh,
Victor-
!” The vampire complied, pulling out nearly all the way until it was only his head that was still inside before sliding back home, and soon they set themselves a steady, if grueling pace. His hips snapped against hers like a well-oiled piston, and it wasn't long before the heat that coiled deep in her belly threatened to snap, needing to be let out. They were both panting, clearly desperate for release but reluctant to end it. Surprisingly, it was Victor who spoke up first.

“Leliana,” he panted. “Not gonna last, so close, ah,” he brought his hand between them and began to stroke her clit with vigor once more. He might as well have shot her, for how much she jumped when her orgasm hit. She clenched around his cock, and it was finally too much, and Victor was tumbling after her over the edge of bliss.

They lay there for a long time after they came down from their high, gulping in air and simply reveling in the closeness their position afforded them. After a few more moments, Victor rose and chuckled.

“We should probably clean up.” She laughed and nodded, going into the bathroom to take care of that. With the task completed, she walked back out to where Victor was sitting on her bed, still naked. A thought occurred to her, and she smiled down at him.

“Hey, we made it out of there alright, yeah?” She asked. He breathed a laugh.

“You could say that, yes.”

“Well, I made a promise to myself for if I made it out of there,” she grinned. “Want to go and get some coffee? I'd like to get to know the man that saved my life a little better.” He grinned as they began to dress.

“I could think of worse things to do,” he said as he clasped his hand in hers. “Lead the way.”

W
hat do
you do when you have the most perfect life you could possibly have but fate decides to throw a hot fireman at you?

Ivy Simonett had it all, a promising award winning career, her own home, independence, and she’d overcome the odds stacked against her. She doesn’t need a man and her independence is far more important than any love could ever be. An accidental encounter with Liam Howell sparks her interest, but only casually, the last thing Ivy needs is a man in her life, especially one that wants to coddle her.

How do you charm a lady when she can’t see the best part of your charm?

Liam Howell lives his life, saving lives, and now he wants to save Ivy, even if Ivy doesn’t need saving. Calendar worthy hot with a smile that can cause panties to disintegrate, Liam isn’t used to having to hold conversations and actually make an effort but when he finds out Ivy can’t see, he has a new mission in life, protect Ivy, even if it does make him look like an overbearing jerk.

When fate decides to throw them together and give them the exam to end all exams, will Ivy and Liam pass the test? Can they find their way out of the darkness when Liam’s sight is cruelly taken and the only person Liam can turn to is Ivy? Choices have to be made and lessons learned but fate continues to turn, always teaching a lesson. Can Ivy and Liam keep up?

I
vy Simonett prepared
for the evening ahead as most women do. She had a light snack, immersed herself in a nice relaxing bath, shaved her legs, lined her jade eyes with makeup, dried her short black hair in an attractive way that framed her face, and put on a beautiful black silk dress that complimented her slim frame and olive complexion. Then she left her apartment and waited for the taxi scheduled to pick her up, to take her to the awards banquet she was headed to. Her latest novel had won a prestigious award and she was on her way to accept it. Happiness, success, and independence were hers.

Ivy listened as a car pulled up and a heavy person stepped out of the car. Ivy smiled at the person as they walked over to her and waited for the greeting.

“This way, please, Ms. Simonett.” A hand at her elbow guided her in the direction of the car and Ivy settled in.

“My name is John, ma’am, I’ll be your driver this evening. Is your destination still the Plaza Hotel?” The driver asked as he put the car into gear and moved away from the curb.

“Yes, John, it is. Is traffic bad this evening?” Ivy asked, her face pointed in his direction.

“Not bad at all, ma’am. We should be there in ten minutes.” He replied, and Ivy settled back into her seat.

When she arrived at the Plaza, her door was opened and a female voice greeted her. Ivy held her hand out and slid out of the car.

“Good evening, Ms. Simonett, I’m Avery, an employee of the hotel. We’ll sort out the taxi for you. Please, if you’ll follow me we will get you to the banquet hall unless you need to make any stops first?” Ivy liked the sound of Avery’s voice, the scent of her perfume.

Ivy replied that she didn’t need to make any stops and followed along with the woman who had her elbow.

As she walked past the courtesy desk, she heard some of the people there talking and smiled to herself, pride in her accomplishments quite evident.

“That’s Ivy Simonett, she’s here tonight for an awards ceremony. You’d never believe she was blind would you?” the speaker used a whisper but Ivy could still hear them, her hearing better than most people’s.

Ivy smiled knowing that her hard work had paid off and she was gliding across the floor as if she could see what was in front of her. Ivy wasn’t ashamed of being blind, but she hated being treated like an invalid and that was how most people treated her when they found out she was not sighted. She sometimes needed a hand, a little guidance, but she’d made an effort to face the world bravely and being treated as though she wasn’t capable of taking care of herself was vastly frustrating. Her thoughts were interrupted by something smashing into her and knocking her down.

“Oomph!” Was all Ivy managed to get out before a male hand was slipping into her own, pulling her up from the floor.

“Oh, please excuse me miss, I wasn’t paying any attention to where I was going. Are you alright?” It was a nice voice, deeply pitched and warm, with a note to it that said laughter was never far away. Ivy liked the sound of it and the way the man smelled, cologne mixed with a warm spice, cinnamon perhaps. Moving her face in his direction, Ivy smiled and brushed off the concern.

“I’m fine, don’t worry over it. Are you alright?” She asked, hoping to deflect attention.

“Oh, I think you’ve stolen my heart with that smile of yours, but I’ll live without it.” The man’s voice still had that laughter in it but it wasn’t aimed at Ivy but at himself. She liked that.

“Well, perhaps I’ll give it back some day but for now I’ll keep it.” Ivy wasn’t sure what had come over her, a corny line such as that one deserved a sneer and a dismissal but there was something to this man that made her hesitate and play along. Maybe it was that note of self-confidence that seemed to say that the man could get away with such antics because he wasn’t the usual man but something special. She wasn’t sure but she was going to be late if she stood in the hallway with him much longer as Avery reminded her quietly.

“It was very nice to meet you; I hope you enjoy your evening, sir.” Ivy held her hand out in the direction she could sense he was standing in and wasn’t surprised when he took it, slipping a card into her palm as he did so. Now what was this, she thought with a quirk of her eyebrow. She’d have her assistant check it later.

“Good evening, miss, I hope to hear from you soon.”

Ivy’s smile widened as Avery walked her away from the man and guessed the card included a phone number. She decided to let some of her private thoughts show through and asked Avery a question.

“Was he wearing a wedding ring, Avery?”

Avery’s response came quickly, “No, Ms. Simonett. I believe he’s with the group of firefighters having their annual ball in our ballroom this evening. I can find out more about him if you’d like?”

Ivy dithered for a moment; not sure it was a good idea but decided to throw caution to the wind. “Yes please, and can you tell me what this card says?”

Avery took the card stock, presumably a business card, and spoke to Ivy, “This says his name is Liam Howell and lists his phone number and address. I can find out more about him with that information.”

“Thank you, Avery. I’ll be sure to meet up with you before the end of the evening.” Ivy stopped as soon as Avery’s movements revealed the first sign of stopping, and waited.

Avery placed Ivy’s hand on the back of the seat and left her side, Ivy’s assistant Emily assuring Avery she could leave now with a smile and a thank you.

“I’ve just had the most incredible experience, Emily. I’ve met a man who gives really bad pick-up lines and I accepted his card. Can you set up an appointment with a psychologist for me?” Ivy spoke with a laugh, letting Emily know she was only joking.

“Really?” Emily asked in shock. “You didn’t kick him in the groin and stomp over him as you walked away?”

“Shocking isn’t it?” Ivy asked, very pleased with herself. Perhaps it was only a momentary insanity or a giddy feeling from how well things had been going for her lately but Ivy had done something she normally wouldn’t have done and she was thrilled about it.

“Very. Do you intend to call him then?” Emily asked, her employer also a very good friend. You couldn’t be around Ivy long or do the things Emily had to do for Ivy without forming a bond, an understanding and closeness that did not come with most job choices. She had no qualms about encouraging Ivy’s adventures or confidence in speaking with her. Besides, Emily sometimes thought that Ivy spent far too much time on her own. She’d like to see Ivy happy with someone special in her life.

“I’ll find out more about him later and decide. Now, tell me more about the room please.” Ivy changed the conversation abruptly but she knew she didn’t have long before she’d have to know where she was, who the people around her were, and where she’d have to walk to accept her award. Living without sight brought its own challenges but with some planning and care she would be able to navigate her way through conversations and know what to expect.

Ivy felt triumphant and well pleased with herself. At 27, she was about to receive a very prestigious award for one of her books; she had her own home; she’d learned to navigate a world without sight, and she was still alive. Ten years ago, she’d been in a car accident that took her sight; and nearly took her life. Her achievements defied fate and what her own doctors had told her to expect from life. Even her family had tried to coddle her, tried to keep her from going out into a world meant for those that had sight.

In the first year or so of her life without sight Ivy had allowed the coddling, drowning in the depths of a deep depression. She’d been timid, afraid to leave home without someone glued by her side. Then one day she woke up in her bedroom at her parents’ home sick to death of hiding from the world that now terrified her. As she waited for her mother to come and guide her to the bathroom so she wouldn’t fall over something she couldn’t see, the pressure in her bladder growing, she became angry with herself. She was a grown woman and could take herself to the bathroom if she just paid attention to what was around her. She knew the path from her bed to the bathroom like the back of her hand and made her first successful attempt out into the world without anyone there to guide her.

She used the stick she’d been given, but never used, to feel for any impediments and walked close to the edge of the wall so she’d know where she was and made her way not only to the bathroom but to the kitchen. After washing her hands she went through to the kitchen, prepared a bowl of cereal, and was sat eating it when her mother walked in, shocked to see Ivy out of her room and eating.

“Who’s here?” Her mother had asked sleepily.

“Just us, Dad’s gone out to work I guess. What are we going to do today?”

“Just us? But how did you get out of your room?” Ivy’s mother, Jean, asked, confused about how Ivy had ended up in the kitchen with food in front of her.

“I did it Mum, all on my own.” Ivy said proudly.

Ivy then explained and asked her mother to take her out to a non-profit organization her doctor had been trying to get her to go to for months. The organization helped those with disabilities find their independence. They helped Ivy get her first apartment on her own, helped her with her finances until she started writing successfully, and taught her to live without someone always there to help her. She regained her independence before she was 19 years old and by the age of 20 she had her first writing contract. From there she’d only moved forward. It had been a lot of hard work and she’d had a few romances along the way but nothing had ever worked out. Ivy wouldn’t let go of her independence and that bothered both the men and the women she’d had relationships with.

Over the last year she’d been too focused on her latest book being published and promoting it to worry about relationships. Maybe it was time now? Her publisher wanted more books while she was hot but perhaps a couple of weeks or months off would do her some good? Ivy was distracted from her trip down memory lane by a speaker calling the room to attention and refocused on what was happening around her, but she couldn’t decide now which was making her antsier; holding that award in her hands finally or finding out more about Liam Howell.

L
iam wandered into the ballroom
, pleased with himself and expecting he’d just made another conquest to add to his tally. He found his fellow firefighters in a huddle in the corner and wondered what had them laughing, he wanted in on the fun too. As he got closer to the group of men he started to hear what they were saying and his smile faltered.

“He was standing there, oozing that Howell Charm that just makes you want to punch him so you can have half a chance with the ladies and you could tell he had no clue who he was talking to. My wife saw them first and said; that’s Ivy Simonett, doesn’t he realize she’s blind? She can’t see him at all and the Charmer is working overtime on that little lady for all he’s worth, I tell you. I had to run in here before I started laughing myself to death. Gina says the woman is one of her favourite authors and said that it was one of the reasons we came tonight, so she could sneak over and hopefully meet her. But there was Howell, trying to charm her pants off and she couldn’t even see our handsome boy giving her his all. Ah, here he is. How does it feel Howell?” His buddy, Andy, seemed to be well pleased with his little speech and Liam had caught on by now.

“She’s blind?” He asked Andy.

“Yep, she is, mate. Can’t see a thing. Couldn’t see that handsome face of yours or that body that you’ve got plastered all over calendar covers that makes the birds all drool, not a single bit of it.” Andy laughed as he spoke; pleased to see Liam had finally met his match.

“Well, she took my card so it can’t be all bad. Something must have worked.” Liam always succeeded with the ladies; he worked hard to give them what they wanted both with his physically fit body and in the bedroom. He loved women of all shapes and sizes and hadn’t met one that had turned him down since he was 16 years old and figured out what power his smile and words held on those of the opposite sex.

“I bet you she threw it away as soon as she could too. Women only want you for your body and that face of yours. I’ve heard talk about your smile too, but I tend to tune out when it goes that far. If the woman can’t see you, that charm of yours is lessened.”

“How much do you want to bet she didn’t, mate?” Liam had confidence in the power of his abilities and this seemed like a harmless game.

“I bet you a week of truck washing that you can’t get her into bed with you.” Andy challenged.

“A week of it, eh? All on your own, you wash the truck all by yourself or I do? How long do I have to get her into bed then?” Liam asked, feeling confident.

“Let’s say two weeks? I’d say one night to be fair to myself but as I said, she can’t see you; you might need a little extra time with this bird. How about that then? That fair enough?” Andy asked with a wide grin.

“Sure, sure mate. I hate washing that truck so watching you do it alone for a week’s going to be a laugh.” Liam was confident in his wager and knew Andy wouldn’t be grinning as he washed the truck on his own.

He excused himself and went to fetch a drink. Over at the bar he could hear noise coming from the convention room and wandered over to listen to what was happening in there. He could hear Ivy’s voice telling the gathered crowd about her pleasure over being given the award and started to feel something awkward and new in his chest as he listened to her sweet, husky voice. He wanted to keep her safe, to protect her from the world, and to make her his own. He’d never felt such a powerful urge before, usually he only felt desire, amusement, maybe even affection for a woman but never this tug of emotion just from hearing a woman’s voice.

The pull was so strong Liam left his own function and wandered into the room Ivy was now holding court in and stood behind a ficus tree, watching the beautiful woman pull the people gathered in the room into the palm of her hand. Even he was pulled in by her charming speech of thanks and transfixed by her presence. Watching her he couldn’t find a single clue that she could not see the room as she moved her eyes around the room, her face and body moving in a way that made it appear that she could see those gathered before her. Nothing gave it away, though everyone in the room knew her tale but Liam. The details were in Ivy’s first book, he heard one person saying to their tablemate. He’d have to look for it. Going back to his own function as Ivy went back to her seat, Liam was determined to find out what he could and hoped she’d give him that call, not necessarily for the sake of the bet but because he’d really like to get to know her better.