Dragon's Mistress (2 page)

Chapter 2

She was stunning, Drake thought as he watched her step gracefully out of the air transport he'd sent to collect her. She was so beautiful it was unreal. Tall and slim, her white-blond hair cascading down her back like a curtain—just the sight of her was enough to make his breath catch.

When he'd first seen her at the reception last night, he hadn't thought she could possibly be as lovely in person as she'd been on the screen. Ostensibly, he’d been overseeing parts of his spymaster’s surveillance of the reception last night because they suspected the Kelmorian ambassador would be meeting a key contact from the Imperial court that night, a contact Drake might recognize. Only Drake knew the real reason he’d been watching. He was looking for her; she was the key to his plans. The work of the past three years, all his plans and those laid by his brother, depended on her.

What he hadn’t counted on was her affect on him. He'd wanted her, wanted her naked and spread under him. Wanted her in his bed, on his desk, against the walls of his palace. He wanted to fuck her long and hard, until she screamed in pleasure.

He wanted her so badly that he hadn't slept the night before. When it came time to summon her, he hadn’t needed to feign his desire to his spymaster or guardsmen. It radiated from him, visible to all around him. In a way this was a stroke of good luck as it made the stories he intended to tell them all the more plausible. But it could complicate things as well.

He strode off his private balcony and across his bedroom. His guards snapped to attention as he walked past them and out the main doors of his suite. She was coming up the stairs, escorted by his assistant. His throat tightened and his cock stiffened as she came closer.

She was wearing a garment formed from filmy black scarves. With each step, they outlined her exquisite form, revealing and enveloping her charms all at once. He was filled with a burning desire to rip them off her body, exposing her for what she was. Her eyes met his, then, and he stopped breathing all together. A brilliant blue, they sparkled with the force of her personality. She was curious, intelligent.

Powerful. He could see it all in a glance. He recognized her look. It was the same look he saw in his own eyes. With a quiver of anticipation, he realized that he had finally met the woman who might be his equal.

The thought sent a surge of lust so strong through his body that he almost gasped. He hardened as she approached, fighting the desire to cover his arousal like a teenage boy. What would it be like to touch her? He thought he might explode into flames at the mere thought…

"Lord Von'hot?" she said lightly, looking him up and down with a measuring glance. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you before now."

"No," he said in a rasping voice, taking her outstretched hand and gently turning it over to kiss it.

Her skin was smooth and supple under his lips, and he allowed his tongue to ever so lightly graze her palm. He felt a shiver go through her, and a surge of pure, masculine triumph welled within him. This woman might have the power to stun him with her presence, but he had power over her, too. "But I saw you at the reception last night, and was quite taken with your beauty."

"I wasn't aware you were at the reception last night?" she asked, her face registering polite surprise. He was willing to bet she was well aware he hadn't been present at the reception. He smiled at her smoothly.

"I was spying on the guests," he said, watching her reaction carefully. If she thought anything of his admission, she didn't betray it in her face. Good. She could dissemble, regardless of her feelings.

"How charming," she said, maintaining her polite smile.

"Thank you," he replied, drawing her hand into the crook of his arm. He started strolling slowly down the hall, guiding her. "My name is Drake, by the way. It could be rather awkward if you call me

'Lord Von'hot' all evening."

"I'm Daniella," she replied without looking at him. "Dare I ask where we're going?"

"Of course," he murmured, glancing over at the smooth perfection of her face. "I've arranged dinner and some private entertainment for us. I hope you'll enjoy it."

"I'm sure I will," she said, a chill in her voice. She didn't like his attitude, he realized. She probably thought he was rude. The thought amused him. "Thank you so much for inviting me," she added.

"The pleasure is all mine," he replied, drawing his breath in deeply. She smelled like flowers, light and fragrant. He wondered what she tasted like, and the thought nearly unmanned him.

Regardless of his long-term plans for her, she was his to enjoy for the night, he thought with satisfaction. He planned to use her well.

Chapter 3

She had never seen anything like Lord Von'hot's palace. It took every bit of Dani's willpower to keep her eyes focused directly ahead, rather than staring around with her mouth gaping. The walls were made of some crystalline rock that seemed to have been grown, rather than fashioned. There were guardsmen everywhere, dressed in dark uniforms and carrying frightening weapons of a kind she'd never seen before. The walls were hung with portraits, formally dressed men and women whose visages reeked of power and privilege.

How had she ended up here? She simply hadn't understood just how wealthy a man like Lord Von'hot must be when she'd originally turned down his invitation. He owned an entire star system and a confidant of the emperor, her mind whispered in panic.

And she was just a single pleasure worker, sent to spy on him.

She stole a glance up at him from beneath her lashes. He was tall, with hair so black it seemed almost bluish in the light. His skin was alabaster white, his cheekbones high and sculpted. His eyes were turned to the corridor ahead of them, but she couldn't forget the dark intensity of his black gaze. He'd stared right through her, as if he could strip her naked with his vision alone. She'd felt helpless before him, a small and frightened animal caught in the glare of the predator's sight.

But with that fear was longing. His fingers were slender and strong; the touch of his lips against her hand had made her quiver with desire. She'd seen the bulge of his erection, something he hadn't bothered to try and hide from her. The thought of that thick, hard mass plunging into her body made her wet with longing. She'd never felt so instantly attracted to a man, and she had known hundreds of men in her time.

She was in way over her head.

"This way," he said, guiding her through a magnificent doorway held open by two of his men. The room they entered was far smaller and more intimate than the broad hallway in which they’d met. In the center was a sunken stage, surrounded by a series of couches and low tables. An array of exquisite foods had been spread out, and she realized they would be dining in the Imperial style, lounging on the couches while they were entertained.

"Please, make yourself comfortable," he said, leaning down to speak directly in her ear with a soft voice. The hot wind of his breath made her shiver, tingles running down her spine. His hand touched her back, guiding her toward a low couch broad enough for several guests. She knew without asking that he would be joining her there.

She lowered herself, trying to appear polished rather than awkward. She rolled on to her stomach, leaning against the bolster that had been placed there for just such a purpose. He lowered himself next to her, bracing himself on one side, then reaching over to trail a finger down her cheek.

"Your skin is very soft," he murmured, his eyes mesmerizing her with their focused power. "May I kiss you?"

She nodded wordlessly, surprised he would ask. He leaned toward her, touching his lips to her with infinite slowness. His scent was all around her, she wanted to press herself forward into the kiss, but by then he had already withdrawn.

"When enjoying something as exquisite as this, it's best to move slowly," he whispered. Then he turned to face the stage, reaching out to ring a little bell.

Music filled the room, a strange type of composition she had never heard before. It was sibilant and rich, the instruments a strange mix that was new to her. A single flute wailed a plaintive melody, rising and falling against a background of other sounds.

"This is our own style of music," he murmured. "Von'hotten has always been a haven for artists and musicians, and I strive to support our unique heritage by commissioning works from local composers.

This is something new. I hope you like it."

She nodded, captivated. She had no idea where the musicians were hiding, but they had to be close.

Across the room, behind the screen? It was hard to tell. A woman dressed in a thin, filmy gown came and knelt before them, pouring some kind of drink into crystal goblets.

"Would you care for some wine?" Drake asked, lifting a glass to his lips. He took a sip, smiling in appreciation. "It's another local specialty. This vintage was grown and pressed on one of my own estates."

She nodded, and lifted her own glass. The flavor was rich and sensual, light but with a hint of spiciness that she couldn't quite place. She rolled it on her tongue with appreciation, then gasped as a tingle seemed to run from her mouth down her spine, pooling in the center of her being.

"It's also a light hallucinogen," he murmured, taking another sip. "Not enough to impair your judgment, of course. But we find its effects to be…stimulating."

The music rose around them, building in tempo and pitch. She looked down at the sunken stage with surprise to see several dancers moving in time. A woman and two men moved with lissome grace, wearing only the slightest of coverings draped around their hips. She took another sip of the wine, shivering from the sensation it sent down her spine. Drake reached over and held a small bite of fruit to her lips. She opened her mouth, gently sucking it in and reaching out with her tongue to lick his finger. He slid a little closer to her, leaning over to brush his lips against hers again.

The dancers were moving closer and closer together, their wisps of clothing falling to the floor. They moved with athletic grace, each step causing muscles in their arms and legs to tense and release in time with the music.

“They are well-known group,” Drake whispered. She shivered as his breath danced across her earlobe. “Several of my nobles have had them perform on their estates. I thought you might appreciate seeing their art.”

She nodded wordlessly, mesmerized by their gyrations. Though not Guild-trained, they truly were talented. The woman, a brunette with short curls bunched around her head and dark skin, had moved closer to the man in front of her. The other man faded into the background as the couple swayed together, their bodies brushing lightly. As Dani watched, the woman’s brown nipples puckered in arousal, and she rubbed them sensuously against the man’s chest. He responded by arching his back, proudly displaying a growing erection that jutted out toward his partner.

Drake’s hand was rubbing the back of her neck, his movements following the same tempo as that of the dancers. She stretched, all but purring from the sensation. His touch seemed to reach deeply inside her, but she wanted more. She turned toward him, but his gaze was fixed on the dancers.

“Anticipation makes a meal more pleasurable,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. “Watch the dancers.”

She nodded, and turned her attention back to the show before them. The man and woman were kissing now, his light skin forming a stark and beautiful contrast with hers. A detached part of Dani’s mind absently noted that the choreographer had taken exquisite care in selecting and pairing the dancers.

Both were slim and athletic, but she was far smaller overall. She rubbed against her partner a moment longer, then started to slowly lower her body toward the ground, kissing him as she moved. The music started to slow, and a low-toned throbbing wound its way into the melody.

The woman was on her knees now, and her tongue darted out to kiss the tip of his cock. It twitched, and his head dropped back. She opened her mouth, slowly sucking the head of his erection into her mouth, then pulling back against it with deliberate motion. Her cheeks hollowed from the suction, she repeated the motion, reaching her hand around to cup his buttocks from behind. Bracing herself against his body, she started to bob her head back and forth on his hard length, deliberately, each thrust of her head punctuated by the music.

The other man slipped out of the shadows, coming to kneel behind her. He was much darker than either of the other two, his skin so dark he seemed like a shadow. Once again Dani gave a sigh of appreciation for the choreographer’s skill. Seeing the three of them together was more than sexually stimulating. They were beautiful, each a slightly different shade of smooth skin, ranging from pale to darkest black. Exquisite.

The woman was still fully engaged in sucking her partner’s cock as the second man reached his hands around her body to cup her breasts. His fingers grasped and pulled at her nipples, then one of his hands drifted to the cleft between her legs. He stroked her there for a while until her hips twisted and squirmed again his touch. He grasped her shoulders and pulled her away from the first man, his cock coming out of her mouth with one smooth motion.

The man gently pushed her down onto her hands and knees. Kneeling behind her, he slowly stuffed his own long, hard cock into her cunt even as the first man dropped to the floor before her. She leaned over and slowly sucked his erection back into her mouth, and the three squirmed against each other as they established a rhythm that had her impaled first on one end, then the other, over and over again.

Drake’s hand against the back of Dani’s neck had slipped lower, rubbing against the small of her back, and then her butt. As the threesome before them started writhing in the new position, he allowed his fingers to drop down between her legs, worming their way between the scarves that formed her outfit.

She tensed as he moved, sensation spiraling through her body. She was already hot and wet for him, she had been since she’d first seen him, and the anticipation of his touch was killing her. She wanted his hand to find her center, to thrust against it and fill her. She wanted to be fucked, just like the dancer was being fucked. He was moving too slowly.

She squirmed against him, shifting her legs so they were further apart. He paused for a second, and then his fingers found their target. He grazed her clit, back and forth several times before pressing harder against it. Several fingers made their way into her hot slit, and she pushed her hips down against them, wanting more. She tried to turn to him again, but his casually draped arm held her in place. He wasn’t ready for her to do any more than watch, she realized. Watch and feel, as his fingers explored her secrets.

The group before them was still moving in their graceful ménage, but once again they were shifting.

The man on the ground reached up to grasp the woman, pulling her up his body. The man behind her sat back, and watched as his partner gently guided the woman’s cunt down onto his waiting cock. The man on the floor leaned back on his elbows as she started riding him, his head thrown back in pleasure. Their efforts were starting to wear on them, and a thin sheen of sweat covered their bodies as they moved.

Back and forth she went, his cock impaling her again and again.

Drake’s hand was moving more quickly now, and Dani realized he was starting to breathe heavily beside her. She was glad to hear it—she hated the thought of him being unaffected by the performance while she was so aroused.

Abruptly, Drake pulled his hand away from her and sat up. She started to push herself up to join him, but he pressed a hand against her back and whispered, “Just watch. I’ll take care of it.”

She let herself fall back down, eyes fixed on the display before her. The second man had crept up behind the woman, placing his hands firmly against her back and pushing her down. She collapsed on the man below her readily, pressing kisses against his chest and neck. The man behind her was rubbing her back sensuously, massaging her tight little ass and rubbing his own cock thoughtfully.

Dani could feel Drake’s hand on her own hips, lifting her and pushing up the scarves around her lower body. He slid one of the bolsters under her taut stomach, then slowly spread her legs wide. His fingers came down to rub her clit again, and she twisted as sensation pooled in her lower body. She felt open and swollen; she wanted him to fill her. His fingers slipped in and out, pressing within her cunt, but they weren’t enough. Against her will, a small, mewling noise came out of her throat. Drake’s mocking laughter danced across her spine, and he kept her held down before him with one hand pressed firmly against the small of her back.

On the stage before them, the woman had stopped kissing the man on the floor, holding herself straight and tense as the man behind slipped one finger back and forth across her back entrance. He pressed against her lightly, then placed the head of his erection against the tiny hole. She threw her head back in apparent strain as he started pushing into her slowly but surely, pinning her body against that of the man below her. Her face was clenched in a combination of pleasure and pain as his length sunk through her, until he hit bottom and all three were gasping. He reached one hand around her body, finding her clit and rubbing it hard. Then he pulled out and pushed back into her with a short, hard stroke. She gave out a little scream, and the man behind her moaned in answer.

Dani gasped as Drake’s hand pulled away from her aching clit. Then she felt the round, smooth head of his cock pressed against her cunt and she shivered with anticipation. He moved into her steadily, the broad width of his erection stretching her moist opening as he pressed down. Wider and wider, deeper and deeper he moved, and she realized that she had seriously underestimated his size during her earlier appraisal. She’d assumed, from the bulge she’d seen earlier, that he’d been fully erect, but now she realized that he had still been at least partially soft. The monster that was entering her now was completely solid, a pillar of granite that would stretch her until she screamed from the pleasure of it.

A wave of hot lust hit her, smoothing the way for his penetration. She moaned, pressing back against him until he hit bottom, fully embedded within her flesh. She quivered in anticipation, knowing climax would be incredible when it finally arrived. He slipped back, then pushed forward again, this time hitting home with greater force. The motion pushed her forward on the couch and she gasped.

“Goddess,” she whispered. “That’s fantastic.”

He gave a low, throaty laugh and moved faster. She could hardly pay attention to the dancers in front of her now. She was vaguely aware that they were writhing together with more urgency, but every bit of her ability to feel was taken up with the sensations that filled her with each of his thrusts. Then his hand stole back down around her body, rubbing and pressing her clit in time to his thrusts.