Blood of the Dragon (Her Dragon's Bane 2) (2 page)

He would help Serena get her sister back, and then take them all away from here, make a better, safer life for them. That included the child they would make together, because he had no doubt he could defeat this Samuel, and so their child would be safe.

His hand went to the hem of her dress and inched it up. She parted her legs, waiting for him to touch her. His earlier promise to himself forgotten, with the truth in the open there was no reason not to try to make a baby. A child. Another dragon.

His finger slipped inside her sex, she wanted him, her body never lied. Neither did his, he was so hard, he needed her, his decision not to make love to her again, not to create that child was broken. There was no way this Samuel was going to get his hands on his soul, or his child. Not while there was still a heart beating inside his chest.

Forgiveness from Connor was the greatest gift he could ever give her. No, that wasn’t quite true, his love, and a child, that would be greater. Before now she had never wanted to bring a child into the world, that kind of love would hurt too much when Samuel would use it to control her. Now, Connor offered her freedom from Samuel, she only hoped the cost wasn’t too high.

Connor slipped another finger inside her, his thumb brushing her clit, and she let go of everything. The past, and the future were nothing compared to the present, with the man she wanted to spend the rest of her days with, the man who was about to make love to her.

He moved her back towards the bed, and then eased her down onto it. Moving to kneel before her. His fingers curled around the elastic of her panties, and he pulled them down, Serena aiding him by lifting her bottom off the bed. Casting them aside he gazed at her body for an instant before moving forward to kiss her thighs, pushing her dress up over her stomach and easing her legs further apart.

Bliss. He kissed her clit, lightly, before licking her with the flat of his tongue. Instinctively she drew her knees up, but he placed his hands on them and pushed them further apart. Trying to relax, she closed her eyes while sensations flooded her brain, too many to keep track of.

His fingers worked inside her, while his mouth licked and sucked at her clit and outer lips. Bucking her hips off the bed she rose to meet him, offering herself to him. Her orgasm grew, rushing at her, a tsunami of pleasure threatening to overpower her senses.

Serena whimpered, her hips moving to join his rhythm, her neck craned forward to watch the top of his head. When her climax finally crashed into her she plunged her fingers into his hair and pushed herself hard against his mouth. He didn’t let up, sucking her juices, his tongue flicking across her clit while his finger hit the magic spot inside her, making her cry out his name.

Connor now controlled her to some extent, but he used pleasure and kindness to bend her to his will. She could live under his command for the rest of her life and enjoy every minute of it, because she was now understanding that she had power over him too. There was a chance she could be his equal in the life they could share.

It was time for him to satisfy his craving for her body. Swiftly he moved to stand before her, his cock erect in front of him, and then his body covered hers and he guided himself into her wet sex. Instantly she was ready for him, her orgasm already a distant memory as he took her. Thrusting deep inside her, his thick cock stretched her. She stroked his back, holding him close to her, but with each lunge her nails dug into him a little deeper. Penetrating her deeply, he claimed her as his own. There were no more lies between them, leaving room for them to build trust, and for Serena that started with knowing he would never hurt her and her pleasure was his optimum goal. And this dragon knew exactly how her body worked.

Their mating up until now had lacked any deep emotions, their trust in the other shaky at best. Now things had changed and moved on, so when he kissed her neck, he murmured words of endearment into her ear. His body speaking it’s own language of need and desire as he took her back towards the abyss.

“Oh, Connor. Oh ... there.” She moved to rub her clit against his body, nearing the point of no return. “Yes.” She buried her face in his neck, her lips kissing and then her teeth nipping at his flesh as she rose higher.

Connor held her against him, and thrust harder and deeper, until he cried out, his seed filling her as he came. She sobbed with emotion as her orgasm hit her, wrapping her legs around him she held him so close, as though she could meld them together through the sheer power of her will. If only they were the only two beings that existed in this world, the only things that mattered to her.

However, Serena knew there was no escaping what she had to do, and while she lay in his arms, listening to him breathing, she knew he was thinking things over too. She had no idea what he was capable of, but he was old and wise, and that had to count for something, even against a man like Samuel.

“What are we going to do?” she asked, unable to stand the thoughts going round and round in her head.

He turned over onto his side, pulling the covers up around them. “Sleep.”

“No, seriously.”

“Yes, seriously. We need to get some sleep, it’s been a long day, and I can’t think straight right now. Tomorrow I will speak to Zoah, and then you will show me where this Samuel is holding up. You do know where he is?”

“Yes. He has a place, it used to be a church or something, but now he uses it as his office. But there are lots of cellars and crypts.” She shuddered at the thought.

“A church. Interesting.”

“He’s not religious or anything. My mother used to joke it was because he dreamed he was some kind of god.”

“What did he tell you about us?”

“About dragons?”

“Yes.”

She lay quiet, going over what Samuel had told her, most of the time it had been things she had overheard, or things he had threatened her with if she didn’t do as he asked. Looking back he had made her afraid of Connor so that she would betray him. And maybe if Connor had not been so kind, she would have given him the drug. If he had been more like Zoah, the chances are she would have given it to him without any remorse.

“He said you would eat me if I didn't conceive your child.”

He laughed. “I haven’t eaten a virgin for a couple of centuries.”

“It’s not funny,” she said slapping his chest. Then she lay her head on him, and said, “I’m sorry I’ve brought this on you.”

“It’s not your fault,” he said stroking her back. “It has happened before.”

“Really?” She always tried to forget how many years he had been alive on this earth, and how many other women he had intimately known. However, the thought that Samuel was not the first to try to control a dragon had never dawned on her.

“Yes, every few hundred years, it’s why we became almost hermit like. When new weapons are invented that can shoot you down, you keep a low profile. In the days of bows and arrows it was easy to do whatever we wanted. But hiding away is no life. I was beginning to go insane with only Zoah as company.”

“You said there were others.” Her fingers trailed across his chest, always drawn to the steady beat of his heart.

“I believe so. There's a place where shifters, dragon, wolves, you name it live. We’ve never gone there, the dragons are more ... superior.”

“Than Zoah?” she asked with disbelief.

“You’d be surprised. Anyway. Back to what Samuel told you about us. I’d like to know what he knows, and to find out what he wants from us. Having a dragon under your control is nothing more than a status symbol in this crowded world. Anyone with a rocket launcher can blow us to bits.”

She winced at the thought. “He only knew of one of you. Maybe someone saw you, I’m not sure. I think someone told him, he spoke of spells and things. A witch, but there’s no such thing as magic.”

Connor stiffened. “A witch?”

“Yes, but they’re all cards up your sleeves and smoke bombs. Like stage magicians.”

“No. They’re not. Witches are very powerful.”

“They’re fantasy ... Oh. Of course.” How could she have missed the obvious? “So are dragons. But you’re real.”

“Exactly. Perhaps that’s what’s in that vial. Witches usually only work for good, but there are some that are evil, that seek out trouble.”

“So we should tip it away?”

“No. Not yet. We might need it.”

“You can’t possibly drink it.”

“I might not have a choice. If there is a witch involved then she might be able to tell if I’m drugged or not.”

“How?”

“I’m not sure. Let me speak to Zoah about it.”

“I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you. I still don’t understand why he would go to so much trouble. He’s been planning this for years. And Samuel’s not a patient man.”

“Well, if he’s trying to become a god, as you say, there is something about having a dragon by your side that gives you credibility.”

“I suppose, but he’s bided his time, why didn’t he send another woman years ago? After all he could have picked any woman to come here and mate with you. There are other, more attractive virgins he could have tempted you with.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. I’m a little choosy about my virgin sacrifices.” He stroked her breast with his hand, his fingers teasing her nipple.

“Is that all I am to you, Connor? A virgin sacrifice,”

“No. I suspect there’s more to it than that. If Samuel has a witch, then maybe she is a seer.”

“A what?”

“She might be able to see the future. And maybe you are my future.”

“But that means she can see what we plan.”

“Perhaps.” His fingers moved up over her shoulder, and then traced the scar there, his fingers trailing along the raised jagged edge.

Serena placed her hand on his to stop him, ashamed of the scars Samuel had carved into her skin.

“Did he put this mark on you?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

Connor got up off the bed and disappeared out of the door without a word. Serena pulled her knees up to her chin, holding herself together. Surely, after everything Connor had said, she had not lost him over the stupid scar Samuel had given her.

She had placed her trust in him, now it was his turn to put himself in her power and tell her the real truth of why a man like Samuel would want a dragon for a pet. It wasn’t as a way to flaunt his power over his adversaries. It was so much more than that for a man who wanted to be a god.

Connor had to question where he had found the information, it had been a closely guarded secret amongst the dragons since before man had farmed the land. The witch must have told him. But what did she have to gain from helping a man like Samuel? If it was power for herself then why use Samuel, why not simply take a dragon’s soul for her own?

Crossing to the kitchen, he drew a knife out of the wooden block, and then retraced his steps. Still deep in thought, he was about to enter the room where he had left Serena when he heard her crying.

In one swift move he was beside her scooping her up into his arms. “What’s the matter?”

She looked up, her face tear strained. “I thought you had left me. That this stupid scar had made you not want me.”

“Serena,” he said, brushing her hair away from her face. “I will never leave you, while my life is my own I promise to stay.”

She leaned against his chest, and he held her to him, kissing the top of her head until her tears had dried. Gently he set her back against the headboard, and picked up the knife from the bed stand where he had placed it.

“What is the knife for?” she asked, and he saw the struggle within her, she wanted to trust him, but she didn’t know how.

“I want to show you why Samuel wants to have power over me.” He lifted the knife and made a cut about half an inch long on his thumb, making Serena wince.

The blood showed deep red. He pressed it against her skin, covering the scar with it, having to hold her still when she went to move away.

“What are you doing?” she asked, confusion in her voice.

“Showing you how Samuel will make himself look like a god. Or I suppose be a god.”

Serena looked down, and her face paled with shock as the scar healed itself, leaving her skin perfect. He leaned her body forward, finding her stiff, unable to comprehend what had happened.

“There,” he said once the second scar had gone. “You don’t belong to him any more.”

“And that’s why he wants you?”

“Yes, the blood of a dragon can heal. I believe your Samuel wants to use it. Sell it, barter it, I have no idea, but that is why a man like him wants a dragon.

Serena searched her back for the scar. “I don’t believe it’s gone. Your blood did that?”

“Yes, no tricks, it’s a gift of the dragon. Not many know about it.” His face clouded with anger. “Once we were hunted for that very reason.”

“So he intends to kill you?”

“No, worse than that, he will keep me like a bear in a cage, and milk my blood from me.”

“It would give him immortality?”

“No.” And his voice saddened. “It can prolong life, but not forever. Sooner or later all humans are consumed by time.”

“I can’t let this happen to you.” She shook her head, burying her face in her hands. “I’m so sorry, Connor.”

“We have the element of surprise. I still feel that is our best chance of success. All I need to do is get Zoah to agree to help.”

“Let me get this straight, because right now I think I must be hearing you wrong. You want me to risk my life to help your little whore?”

“Zoah,” Connor growled.

“How do you know this isn’t part of their plan? I mean do you even know what’s in that vial. It could be dye for all you know.”

“I trust her, Zoah. Isn’t that enough.”

“No. Not when she’s given you the thing you always wanted.”

“Which is?”

“Sex. A woman who says she wants you, for who you are.” His voice mimicked a woman’s high pitched and breathy.

“It’s not just about sex, and you know that. I can get sex anywhere, but don’t you ever want more?”