Taming the Dragon Collection (13 page)

The night she gathered her few paltry personal belongings from the maids’ chamber was awkward. She was afraid the other maids would be jealous and look at her with spite and hatred. As she bent beside the bed she tried not to look at them even though she felt their eyes burning a hole through the back of her head.

It’s not my fault,
she thought.
I didn’t seduce Alek. He liked me from the moment he saw me. He bared his soul to me. That means something, right? It’s not all about sex.

She looked down at what she held: a brown dress, a pair of brown slippers and a small book of parchment she wrote notes in. It was the easiest move she’d ever made. Certainly easier than the time her father had switched the upstairs bedroom for the downstairs bedroom with her because of the leg injury he’d sustained while he was hunting. That had been a nightmare move.

As she stood up she sighed, realizing she had to turn and face the other maids to leave the room. Spinning slowly, she gave each a weak smile as she headed for the door.

“Do you need any help, mistress?” Raylene asked, rushing forward to try to take the things out of her hands.

“I’m okay, Raylene,” she said, feeling embarrassed.

“Well, if you need anything, mistress, just ask,” Raylene said, giving her the widest, warmest smile she’d ever seen the old battle-axe produce.

“We’re always here to help, mistress,” petite and dark Priya said, stepping up beside Raylene. “Just make sure to pile your clothes by the door and we’ll wash them for you.”

“I think I can manage,” Mara said, still unable to meet their eyes.

“Nonsense,” Abigail said, chiming in. “You don’t have to do any of that. That’s what we’re here for, mistress.”

“Why do you keep calling me ‘mistress’?” Mara said, finally looking up at each of their eyes. She was afraid they were mocking her, but now looking into their eyes she saw nothing but sincerity.

“Because you’re with the master now,” Raylene said. “That makes you our mistress.”

“But I’m one of you.”

“Not anymore,” Raylene said. The other two nodded furiously in agreement. “You’ve ascended to a spot we can only dream of. You’re married to the master. That’s nothing to sneeze at.”

“You mean you’re not mad at me?” Mara asked.

“Of course not!” Raylene said. When she shook her head the fat on her face and what neck she had jiggled. Mara made a mental note to never let herself go that badly. “We’re happy for you. And we’re happy to serve the master and his needs as always!”

“The master loves you,” Priya said. “We love the master. So anyone he loves we love!”

“I see,” Mara said. “I will see you ladies later. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.”

“We’re not worried at all dear, I mean mistress,” Raylene said, reaching over to pat her on the back with one large hand.

Mara turned to walk out, still feeling uneasy about her relationship with the maids. It was human nature to be jealous of those above you. Mara didn’t feel above anyone, but it was obvious the maids viewed her that way. Surely they had to be thinking, “Why not me?”

Alek must have gone straight to them after he left the dinner chamber,
she thought. It was the only way they would have already been informed about the way he felt about her.
Did he say he loves me? Do dragons feel love or just fierce protectiveness?

Mara spent the next week fearing the maids would turn on her at any moment, but they were as nice and sweet as anyone could be. Her days were spent conversing with Alek in his chamber, reading books in his library, writing on her parchment and walking around the chambers offering to help the maids and being turned down.

Her nights were spent sexually pleasing Alek and allowing him to please her. The first night they spent in their chamber together he had told her he wanted to use his powerful tongue on her to bring her to orgasm. She had denied him, telling him she was embarrassed to have her sex in his face like that, but he had insisted. What followed was the most glorious orgasm she had ever felt. His tongue moved as if it was independent of the rest of him. The twists and turns it took over her clit while his fingers hammered into her brought her to the edge in no time and then sent her completely over when he pulled her wet bulb into his mouth and began to suck furiously while his tongue still swirled just inside his mouth.

He’d seemed pleased with himself, but she had to roll over in embarrassment when he took the fingers that had been inside of her and stuck them completely into his mouth, slowly sucking her juices off of them as he removed them from his mouth.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Did you not enjoy my mouth?”

“No,” she said, still rolled over and looking at the wall. “It was amazing. Believe me.”

“Then why do you look away from me?”

“Because of what you just did.”

“What did I just do?”

“You… This is embarrassing to say, Alek.”

“You can say whatever you want to me, Mara. Please, tell me.”

She rolled back over and looked him squarely in the eyes. “You just sucked my orgasm off your fingers.”

“You were putting those juices onto my fingers the minute you became aroused,” he said matter-of-factly. No topic of conversation seemed to embarrass him. He could just as easily talk about sex or killing someone brutally as he could about the weather. Even though she had spent over a month serving him, at this point, she still wasn’t used to his blunt nature. Apparently, dragons didn’t feel embarrassment and they didn’t have any tact. Usually whatever came to their minds came out.

“I suppose that’s true,” Mara said, understanding how moist she had become the moment he started touching her. “But did you have to lick it off your fingers?”

“Why does this embarrass you?”

“It just seems so naughty,” she said. “So gross.”

“It’s not gross at all. As a matter of fact, you taste wonderful. I was just pleasing you with my tongue, so I tasted all of your juices then. I was merely getting the last taste from my fingers.”

His candor made Mara blush as she looked away from him again. He was right, she couldn’t argue with his logic, but it was still the first time a man had ever done something like that to her.

Everything you do with him is the first time a man has done anything like that to you,
she thought.

“Would you like to join me in my treasure hoard tomorrow?” Alek asked.

“To do what?”

“To count my treasure, of course,” he answered. He loved to throw “of course” onto the ends of his sentences when he felt she shouldn’t question him. It was a small verbal cue that she was beginning to pick up on, but she was getting better at it. From talking with other women in the village she had known that this was part of the dance that was marriage. It was shocking that Alek was already so good at the dance when he hadn’t been around a woman romantically in seven hundred years.

“I’d like that,” she answered. In all truthfulness counting coins sounded dull as hell, but she wanted to please Alek.

“Then let’s get some sleep so we can do it bright and early.”

Before Mara could respond, Alek blew out the bedside candle and passed clean out. Luckily her own dreams didn’t take long to follow.

The next morning she woke up to find Alek standing beside the bed, completely nude and stretching. As he stretched, she noticed the skin on his back ripple as it shifted slightly to white scales before going back to human skin.

“What the hell was that?” she asked, about to jump out of bed.

“What was what?” he asked, turning to cock an eyebrow at her.

“The skin on your back! It changed to scales before turning back to skin! Is that normal?”

“I am a dragon,” Alek said. “This is merely a form I take.”

Mara looked away, feeling a little queasy. It was easy to forget that Alek wasn’t human when they were alone together. He certainly looked human and for the most part he acted like it, although his personality was one of a man who had accomplished everything and anything he wanted and knew it. Still, she hadn’t expected to see his dragon rippling through his body like that. It was another thing she would have to get used to if she were to stay with him.

If,
she thought.
Like I have a choice.

Strangely, as the thought ran through her head she realized she didn’t care if she had a choice. The only place she wanted to be was with Alek. He seemed to care for her, he’d always protect her, he had all the riches in the world, the sex was amazing and Val would never be able to harm her again. If only she could see her father, though.

“I will meet you outside the chambers,” Alek said, heading for the door as his skin shimmered and then shifted into the robe he always wore.

In a few short minutes Mara was out the door and standing beside Alek, wearing her plain brown dress.

“What is that?” he asked.

“My dress.”

“That’s a maid’s dress.”

“It’s the only dress I have besides the one you gave me for dinner.”

“I will have Raylene sew you a new one.”

“I can sew my own,” Mara protested. “Of course, I have a bunch of dresses at home too.”

Alek didn’t even acknowledge the last few words that came from her mouth; instead, he turned and began to head down the hallway towards his treasure chamber. She sighed and followed, realizing she wasn’t going to make any headway on the home front anytime soon, but she wouldn’t give up on it.

Chapter 17

Alek reminded her of a child showing a friend his favorite toy for the first time. As she walked between mountains of gold and gems he darted quickly between each pile, pointing out various trinkets and treasures that caught his eye.

She laughed and smiled as he went back and forth, realizing that this was something he was truly proud of. She’d always heard legends about dragons and their massive treasure reserves, but she had never known it was something they loved so much. She just figured it was some innate desire inside a dragon to gather a treasure hoard, but Alek was truly happy as he moved amongst the piles of treasure.

“You have so much,” she said, picking up a handful of coins and letting them slide through her fingers. They made a satisfying metallic sound as they bounced off one another upon impact with the ground. “You must have more treasure than the entire kingdom of Atherny.”

“Of course I do,” Alek said, putting one foot up on a chest of silver. “I have more than any mortal man. I have been collecting treasure for centuries.”

“Your books speak of specific artifacts,” Mara said. “You seem to go on your spring adventures to find these artifacts. Where are they?”

“In a special place,” Alek said, winking at her. He quickly grabbed her hand, taking Mara’s breath away as she felt the warm touch of his skin. “Follow me.”

Mara half followed, half got dragged through the piles as Alek wove his way among his piles, finally leading them to the far corner of the treasure chamber. In this corner was a low overhang that created a chamber hidden away behind everything else.

It was an amazing sight, something she only expected to see in the basement of a king’s castle. The chamber had many tables and stands in it that held weapons, potions, crowns, suits of armor and staffs. Each one held a ghostly glow, like Val’s magical sword—Heartfire—did.

“Is everything in here magical?” she asked.

“Yes,” Alek said, walking around the room with his hands out to his sides, like the magic in the room was washing over him. He closed his eyes, threw his head back and took a deep breath as he enjoyed every minute of it. Mara’s eyes left the artifacts and found their way to the hard lines of Alek’s body. Even though they made love every night she couldn’t help but ogle him every chance she got. Touching his rippling muscles and feeling the heat of his body pressed against hers always excited her, no matter how many times it happened.

As she watched Alek, so obviously proud of his collection of artifacts, she felt her own arousal begin to grow. He was just so sexy, probably the sexiest man she had ever seen.

This isn’t the time or the place,
she thought, trying to strike those thoughts from her brain.
He’s trying to show you his treasure. He doesn’t want you right now.

Alek opened his eyes and smiled at her. Without words he strutted to her, his back rigid and straight but his shoulders swaying with a cockiness that wasn’t undeserved. As he reached her his hands shot up, catching her face between them as he quickly leaned over and dropped a kiss on her lips that took her breath away. She felt her entire body tingle as his tongue parted her lips and found its way into her mouth. She could feel the moist protrusion moving back and forth inside of her mouth, fighting for position with her own tongue.

“Alek,” she said, pulling away and blushing. “I thought you were showing me your treasure.”

“The most magical treasure I have here is you,” he whispered.

Mara looked up at him with wonder in her eyes. Had he really said that? He had been careful not to shower her with too much praise. Alek had already made himself so vulnerable when he told her the story of his past, and now he was admitting the feelings he had for her again. This was progress the dragon hadn’t made in the entire first month she had been here. Maybe he was truly becoming tamer as he let his guard down and melted his icy heart.

“Really?” she asked. She wanted to say more, but it was the only word she could muster without crying. No man had ever shown this kind of interest in her before and no man had ever looked at her so warmly and so lustfully.

“Yes,” he said. “You are my wife. I will always protect you and make sure you are well. It is my duty.”

“Well, I don’t want you to be with me just because of duty,” she said.

“I’m with you because you make me feel things I haven’t felt in years,” he said.

“Seven hundred years?” she asked, remembering the story of his first wife.

Alek looked away, obviously trying not to let her see the vulnerability in his eyes that she knew was there. “That was several lifetimes ago.”

“I know,” she said, turning his face back towards her own. “I’m sorry it’s taken several lifetimes for you to find love again.”