Drake (Dragon Warrior Series Book 3) Page 7
“I’m a dragon shifter.”
She took a step backward. “Dragon shifter?”
“My people are Drakonians. We have come from a dying world called Drakonia. We’ve lived on Earth for centuries.”
“How old are you?”
“Old, but let’s not get stuck on that. For the most part, we have kept ourselves separate from humans, but a betrayer of our people was seen in the Philippines and I went to investigate.”
“Oh.”
She sounded almost disappointed.
“I had been on a mission, but got sidetracked by a beautiful red-haired goddess.”
“I’m a distraction?”
“The best kind.”
He moved until her outstretched hand pressed against his chest. Her eyes flickered to look where their skin touched and he knew she had been affected by him too.
“The night I found Wyatt, two of my kind that had been banished had Wyatt’s mother in a cave forcing her to give birth. Somehow they had managed to breed successfully with a human and they wanted the child.”
She moved “Wyatt’s a…”
“Dragon shifter like me...only he may not be able to shift. That doesn’t happen until much later.”
“I had sex with you,” she told him looking up into his face.
He gave her a smile and moved closer. “Oh yes, you definitely had sex with me. Guess what, we’re about to have a lot more...sex.”
“We’re different.”
“That is true. I have a dragon inside who is purring right now because he knows without a doubt you are meant to be ours.”
She placed both her hands against his chest but instead of pushing him away, she stroked him. Moving closer, her hands slid up his chest. He did his best not to do anything to frighten her. His dragon rumbled again, and he saw her eyes light up.
“I can feel him.”
He placed his large hands over hers to keep them on him. “We would never hurt you, please believe that.”
Then he bent his head and kissed her. All her hesitancy dissolved upon their lips touching. She breathed into him and he did to her. He wanted to go slow, savor every inch, but he couldn’t stop his body’s demand to have her.
Pulling her tightly against him, their slick bodies sliding made both of them moan. “I have to have you, Emily. I can’t wait.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked him in the eyes. “I want you too.”
Desire so strong hit him, and he lifted her in his arms and pressed her back against the wall of the shower. He kissed her down her neck until he reached her luscious nipples and sucked one into his mouth. His one hand cupped her ass while his other helped her wrap her legs around his waist.
The taste of her, the feel of her skin, was wondrous. Never had anything been so perfect, so right. Even the female he meant to mate so long ago never made him feel this connected.
“I want you inside me,” Emily moaned, reaching for his cock.
“Easy.”
“I don’t want easy, damn it!”
Neither did he. He took her lips again as he thrust up into her tight wet sheath. “Heaven,” he breathed against her lips.
Holding her, he plunged in and out of her. His dragon wanted to share the dragon fire with her, make her their mate. He wanted that too. She needed time to process it all. He could make her fall in love, but he wanted her to fall on her own because she wanted to.
Looking into her beautiful face, he watched her reaction to him and it made his dragon puff in pride knowing they were bringing this pleasure to her...to their mate. When she arched her back and screamed her release, he roared letting his seed shoot deep inside her.
It took several moments before he slipped out of her and lowered her to her feet. He turned off the shower and opened the door. Drake stepped out and reached for a towel then turned to wait for Emily.
“Come love, I’ll dry you off.”
She walked out, but he couldn’t decipher her expression. Had he been too rough? When she didn’t say anything, he felt like his heart was being squeezed.
“Emily?”
“I want to see Wyatt.”
Chapter 22
Emily did her best not to show how she shook on the inside. Drake had just told her he was a dragon shifter from another planet. Then he had hot sex with her in the shower. She wanted him. God, she always wanted him. She just couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact dragon shifters existed. Arena and her men were dragon shifters. The man who broke through the glass doors at her hotel room had been a dragon shifter. This all seemed too much to believe. She had to keep her focus on Wyatt.
“Emily, are you okay?” Drake asked for the fourth or fifth time.
He had his hand on her back as they walked down the hallway. The ranch house was huge with several levels. She would be lost for sure if it hadn’t been for Drake.
“Fine. How much further?”
“Just around the corner. Emily…”
“Don’t, I just need to see him.”
They stopped at a door and Drake opened it for her. They were in a large nursery. Several cribs, rocking chairs, and benches were scattered about with a large window displaying the morning sun. Two large men were holding babies and women were cooing at someone in a crib. When she entered, one of the women picked up the baby and turned to face her. Her eyes were locked onto the bundle in the woman’s arms.
“Wyatt.”
The baby cried but as soon as she spoke, he stopped as if he had been waiting for her. Her feet carried her to the other woman, a short curvy brunette with a hint of Mexican heritage.
“I think he missed you,” the woman said.
Taking him into her arms felt so right. “I missed him too. How are you, little one?”
He gave her a smile that was so sweet, it melted her heart. Her feelings toward Drake were confusing, but not so for Wyatt. She loved him, plain and simple.
“Could you give us time alone with Wyatt?” Drake said to the others in the room.
She didn’t care about them. She walked over to the window seat and sat, holding Wyatt to her heart. He had a hold of her finger and squeezing.
The silence of the room finally got to her. She looked up to find Drake watching her intently. She cleared her throat.
“I have questions.”
He nodded and sat in a nearby chair. “I would be disappointed if you didn’t.”
“Aliens? How did you get here?”
“Most of our people came through a portal. It instantly transported us from Drakonia to Earth.”
“When did this happen?”
“Many centuries ago.”
“And the rest of your people?”
“Many died and then a few of our starships brought our soldiers to us. It took them ten years.”
“How?”
“Mage magic. The ships had medallions imbued with magic to help them find us.”
“What’s mage?”
“Mages are Drakonians but their dragons are dormant. They can’t shift. Instead, their dragon magic comes out differently allowing them to create portals for traveling place to place.”
This sounded so far fetched. “Can I see a portal?”
“Unfortunately, most mages died out and so did our ability to create portals.”
She looked down at Wyatt who slept peacefully in her arms. “There’s no way he’s one of...you.”
“Would you stop loving him because of the way he is born? He had no choice in the matter.”
“Of course not!”
No, she wouldn’t stop loving Wyatt because he was different.
“Emily, please, I would never hurt you.”
“I’m having a hard time believing all this. I need to see...you shift.”
He nodded. “I’ll take you outside to the back of the barn, that’s where we do all our shifting to keep it from prying eyes.”
“Now?”
He felt hesitant. “I want to spend quality time together. I need to tell yo
u more...about tomorrow.”
“Now, I need to see it to understand it.”
“Let me get someone to watch over Wyatt then.”
“I want to keep him with me.”
“Not during the shift. We’ll come back for him when we are done.”
Emily kissed the tiny forehead and laid him gently in the crib. Touching his cheek with a gentle finger, she sighed and turned to Drake.
He was so beautiful, it hurt to look at him sometimes. How could he turn into some kind of monster...a dragon?
“Let’s go.”
Chapter 23
Drake ignored the looks he got from some of the other warriors working the horses. They all knew what he was about to do. He worried that she might freak out, scream, run or pass out. Once they were behind the barn he began to pace.
“Drake?” Emily asked nervously.
“I need you to sit on that bench. Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you. Don’t run, it will make my dragon want to chase you. Don’t scream—”
“Get on with it, already!”
She moved over to the bench and sat angrily, crossing her arms over her abundant breasts.
“Right.”
He moved back and began to remove his clothes. His body responded to her eyes on him, he couldn’t help it. Then he let his shift take over. His scales were a black and green mixture and when he spread his wings, his span was almost fifteen feet. He was one of the larger of his kind and took pride in it until now. Would she think him a monster?
“Oh...my...God! You’re really a dragon.”
Emily stood and took a few steps his way.
He lowered his head and kept his wings tight to his body. His dragon looked at her with such love filled eyes. He wanted to claim her now, but Drake needed to be in human form to place his bite. Then he would breathe his dragon fire into her. One thing at a time, get her to accept him.
She moved closer and closer then reached out a hand to tentatively touch his snout. He made sure to keep his mouth closed so he didn’t scare her with his teeth. Keeping her fingertips on his scales she walked around him, touching him in...amazement.
“I didn’t believe it could be real, dragons. You’re so...beautiful. Can you fly for real?”
He nodded his snout.
“Show me. Fly.”
He turned to get enough room then spread out his massive wings. He took a few steps then leapt up into the air. Drake’s dragon wanted to roar in pleasure at being in the air with the wind against his scales. The only thing better was having his mate watching him. She seemed to be handling it okay. Flying over her in circling path he watched as Valorie walked up to her.
*****
“That is so incredible,” Emily murmured.
“Next time, have him take you with him,” Valorie said coming to stand next to her.
“He can do that?” she asked without taking her eyes off of Drake’s beautiful dragon.
“Yes, you can sit on the dragon’s back. Hope you don’t hate heights.” Valorie smiled watching Drake take another turn to come back, keeping an eye on Emily.
“You’re mated to one of them.”
“Yes, Markus. He’s my everything.”
“And you have a baby with him?”
“Yes.”
“If they can live for centuries, what kind of relationship will you have when you age and he stays young?”
“I’m truly bonded with him. I’m a true mate to both him and his dragon.”
“What does that mean?”
“We are fully mated. I took his mark and his dragon fire. I will live as long as he does.”
“Oh.”
“Look, this should be coming from Drake. It’s clear that he cares for you. He’s planning to fight the council to keep Wyatt here with him and with you. He won’t let them take Wyatt.”
Everything inside of her froze. “What do you mean by taking Wyatt?”
*****
Drake had sensed something wrong when he came back around and no Emily. He landed, shifted to human form and dressed. When he walked around to the other side of the barn Markus waited for him there.
“Drake, you need to be careful.”
“Why? Emily seemed to handle my shifting okay.”
“Valorie talked to her and agreed she handled the shifting fine. It’s the other stuff you didn’t tell her anything about.”
“Stuff?”
“Mating, biting, and dragon fire.”
“I’ll deal with it,” he told him walking past.
“Tell her everything, Drake. Females don’t like when we keep things from them.”
“I’ve got this.”
Drake went to the nursery figuring she would most likely be there.
Entering the massive ranch home, he headed directly to the brightly colored room on the first floor. The door was open, but he could hear Emily before he got there. Pausing at the door, he watched her with the child. She held a bottle to the babe and sang softly.
“You’re a natural at being a mother.”
Emily stiffened but continued to feed Wyatt. Once she burped him, she laid him in the crib and turned on Drake with her fury.
“You’re not taking Wyatt from me.”
“Emily, let’s go back to my room and talk about things.”
“No. If I let you take me to your room, you’ll seduce me and make me forget things with your amazing sex skills.”
He couldn’t help but grin wide at her. “You like my lovemaking skills?”
“Damn it! That’s not the point, Drake.”
“Shhh...you don’t want to wake the baby. Come to my room. I won’t do anything to you that you don’t want me to.”
She snorted. “That won’t work. I can’t control myself around you.”
Oh, that sounded promising. Moving closer, he inhaled and almost growled with pleasure at scenting her arousal. She may be confused and angry, but she wanted him. He slowly raised his hand and waited patiently. Relief filled him when she placed her hand in his. She trusted him despite her anger and fear.
Holding her hand, he walked her to the door. Valorie came in with her little one in tow. “I’ll watch over Wyatt for you.”
“Thank you,” he told her, squeezing Emily reassuringly.
To his shock, she squeezed back. That small gesture gave him hope.
She hesitated when they got to his bedroom door. “Wait, this is your bedroom?”
“Yes.”
Opening the door, he let her enter first.
His eyes went to her ass cupped tightly in the jeans that Reichardt’s mate had leant her. The other woman had a shorter stature and the jeans seemed to be a little tight and he salivated at the way her cheeks were slightly separated and held high. She had an amazing ass.
“Stop that.”
“Stop what?” he asked, not taking his eyes off of her delectable bottom.
“I can feel your eyes on my ass. Stop it. We need to talk.”
“I can do both,” he told her with a deep baritone.
Turning around, she placed her hands on her hips to glare. Her stance meant to put him in his place, but all it did was show off how her good-sized tits nearly spilled out of the muscle shirt. His mouth salivated. Then he realized—she had been walking around the ranch wearing only that.
“Didn’t you have a sweater on earlier?” he asked running a hand over his face not taking his eyes off her chest and how it rose and fell with every breath.
“I did but I got hot, so I took it off and left it in the nursery. Drake...I’m not giving up Wyatt. I don’t care what he is or isn’t, but I love him. I couldn’t help but love him.”
He moved forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. “I love him too, Emily, but you’re not his birth mother and I’m not his birth father. He is part Drakonian so our council of leaders will have to decide his fate.”
“Strangers are going to decide who he belongs with?”
“If human social services took him, they, too, would do
the same. It’s no different. The council meets here tomorrow to decide, and I have requested to speak before them. I want to claim Wyatt as my child. I found him, his mother asked me to look after him with her dying breath. That will carry a lot of weight.”
“I want him.”
“That’s what we need to decide today, Emily. If you agree to mate me fully, we will be bonded forever. Together we can present to the council a good loving home for Wyatt.”
“You’re using Wyatt to get me to agree to be with you,” she accused.
He touched her cheek with his hand and he was pleased that she leaned into the touch without realizing it. “I want you, you want me, and we both want Wyatt. Everyone wins here.”
She turned away and paced. He stood admiring her and undressing her with his eyes. He couldn't help it.
“What happens if I don’t agree to mate you?”
“You won’t be able to stay here, and we won’t let you walk away with the memory of our people and what we are.”
She gulped. “You’ll kill me?”
“Never! We have someone in the clan who has the ability to make humans forget.”
“So, I would have my memory of you erased. What happens to Wyatt?”
“I will fight to keep him with me but as an unmated male who is unrelated, it will be hard to convince the council. Then there’s Arena…”
“That bitch wants Wyatt,” she said with anger in her voice.
She could be a dragon female with the protectiveness for the child. It only made him want her more.
“If I want Wyatt, I have to agree to mate you?”
“I hope that you would want me anyway. I can’t imagine my life without you.”
He wanted to tell her he loved her but worried it would scare her off if it came too soon. She might not believe him sincere.
She bit her lip and looked away. For a moment, his heart froze at the thought she might walk away from him. Then she looked back at him and there was something in her eyes, a want or desire for him that she couldn’t hide any longer.
“When do we do the mating thing?”
“We have time after we meet with the council and present our claim on Wyatt. They will accept our word that we will mate but we will need to complete it not long after that.”