Maiden Flight (7 page)

“It feels so much bigger this way.” Her gasping words reached his ears and brought a satisfied smile to his face.

“Too big?” He teased by stopping about halfway in.

“No!” She moved back against him, trying to take him deeper. “It feels so good! Don’t stop.”

He chuckled and moved forward, seating himself fully. He just stayed there for a moment, savoring the sensation but then his needs grew fierce once again and he started to move. She was moaning beneath him as he used his hands to steady her, playing with the little hole of her anus and teasing her response.

She jerked and cried out as his finger dipped into her ass, just to the first knuckle. He kept it there, noting her reactions as his pace increased. He was close now and she was downright explosive beneath him.

When he was ready to explode, he pushed his finger in deeper, at the same time reaching around to tease her clit with his other hand. She came like fireworks, clenching around him and milking his cock until he shuddered and cried out, jetting his seed deep within her.

They collapsed together onto the pile of bedding and he folded her gently into his arms. Drifting off to sleep, he realized he had never reached higher plateau of pleasure in his life and possibly never would again with any other woman. Belora was it for him. His mate.

He smiled as sleep claimed him, knowing she was in his arms where she belonged.

Gareth woke in the night when Belora moved restlessly in her sleep. He wasn’t used to sleeping with a woman, but waking with Belora in his arms was an entirely satisfying experience. He soothed her and she settled back against him. He looked around the room and found Kelvan’s head still resting in the doorway, watching them.

Gareth, there’s something strange about her healing energy.

Strange? Strange in a bad way?

No! It feels… it feels almost like… no, I must be wrong.

Spit it out, Kel.

No, I shouldn’t say anything unless I’m sure. Let me think on this a bit more, but by all means, don’t let her go back to that hut in the forest. If I’m right, she is more precious than you know.

Go to sleep, Kel. We can puzzle out your cryptic words tomorrow. Gareth threw a pillow at the dragon and cuddled closer to his woman. Everything would work out now that they were together. He could feel it.

* * * *

The next morning after a small meal in the communal area where both Belora and her mother were introduced to most of those who lived in the Lair, Gareth and Kelzy went off to train. Belora and her mother made friends with a few of the women, but it was Silla, a woman about her mother’s age that took them under her wing. When both Belora and her mother volunteered to help with the daily chores it was Silla who showed them where to go and what to do to help. Belora helped with the washing while her mother went off with the Lair’s healer to discuss what might be needed in the stillroom.

It was almost dark when Kelvan alighted on the ledge outside the suite where Belora waited for them. She beamed when Gareth walked in, looking a bit ragged, beside his magnificent dragon.

"Did you have a good day?" He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her with a grin.

"Wonderful, actually. The others are so friendly, and the dragons! They are just amazing. I think I could live here forever and never become bored."

Belora's smiling face enchanted him as she pulled away from him to fold the last of the linens. He'd told her to relax and enjoy her time here while he trained, but she insisted on pitching in with the wash when she saw the other women working. He admired her spirit and her giving heart, but he also wanted to pamper her. After seeing her house in the forest, he knew she hadn’t led an easy life.

He wanted to make her life easy. He wanted to spoil her and shower her with love, attention, and all the material things she had never had before, but he knew her innate goodness wouldn’t let her rest idle while others worked, and now he was glad of it. Working alongside the other women today had been a good thing, he realized, because it showed her up close how good her life could be if she chose to stay with him in the Border Lair. He grabbed her by the waist and twirled her around, unable to contain the joy he felt at her unguarded words.

"Gareth! Put me down!"

He did, but then he knelt at her feet himself, smiling up at her. "You have no idea the joy that fills me to hear you speak of my home in such a way."

"You must know how special this place is."

"I do. But even more special, is you, Belora, my beloved."

"Why do you kneel?" She tried to tug his arms up, but he would not budge.

"It’s tradition for a knight to humble himself before the woman he chooses when he asks the most important question he will ever ask of her."

She gasped. "What question is that?"

He tugged both her of her soft hands into his and stared up into her eyes.

"I love you, Belora. Will you be my wife?"

She gaped at him. She seemed hardly able speak, but the smile that spread across her soft lips was answer in itself. "Yes, Gareth. I love you too!"

He drew her into his arms and kissed her hard, hugging her tight and lifting her off the ground with his eagerness. He moved her to the bedroom and lay her down on the soft furs, kissing every inch of her body as he undressed her. He made short work of his own clothing and soon they were skin to skin. The way it should always be, he thought.

He rose up above her and took her legs in his hands, caressing them boldly before placing one on each side of his body. He knew what he wanted and couldn’t wait. He tested her readiness with one hand before smiling in deep satisfaction. She was wet and more than ready.

“Take me, beloved. Squeeze me with your beautiful body and bring me pleasure like I’ve never known.”

He entered her slowly, careful lest he hurt her, but once seated he groaned in bliss. His eyes squeezed shut for a moment as he savored the feeling of her warm body around him. When he opened his eyes and looked down into hers, he saw the tears there and stilled in panic.

“Did I hurt you?” He moved to lever himself off of her, but she surprised him by wrapping her legs around his waist and holding on tight.

“You could never hurt me, Gareth.” Her whispered voice was full of wonder and her watery eyes shone with happiness. He began to relax and settled back onto her though he was curious about her reaction. “I’m just a little overwhelmed, I guess, by the beauty of this – of you. I love you so much.”

The glow of her words pierced his heart. “As I love you, Belora. Never doubt that.”

“I want to stay with you forever.”

He began to move inside her, unable to hold back any longer.

“I want you too, Belora. For always and ever.” He moved more urgently then, his mind blocking out the reality that she still didn’t know all that would be expected of her as his mate, but he would deal with that later. It was enough for now to know that she wanted him and would accept him as her mate. The rest would come later.

He pounded home, again and again, bringing her to repeated peaks. She climaxed almost continuously under him while he steadily increased his pace, altering his position slightly to reach deeper or differently each time she came down from a yet higher peak. He played her body, manipulating her senses to bring her the most pleasure he knew how to give. When she finally sobbed at the highest climax yet, he knew he could hold out no longer.

With a harsh groan, he increased yet again, bringing her to the final, mind-blowing climax in which he joined her. He came for what seemed like hours, deep within the woman he loved. Potent and powerful, his climax wrung him out from deep within his soul while Belora shattered and shook with her own orgasm around him.

It went on for a long, long time and when it was over, he was completely drained. He had only enough energy to roll off her, pull the covers up over them both and tuck her into his arms securely before falling into the deepest, most peaceful sleep he’d known in years.

All was right with the world. Belora loved him and wanted to be with him.

Life could hardly get better than this.

* * * *

So you have claimed your mate. You know what this means, don't you?

Kelvan's voice sounded through Gareth’s mind the next day, lower than usual and more excited. Kelvan looked over at his partner with a curious tilt to his head. Now that you have found your mate, I am free to take mine.

"You already have a female in mind?"

I do. The dragon's rumble sounded suspiciously gruff.

"This sounds serious. Have you waited long to claim your lady love, Kelvan? Truly, I had no idea I was holding you up." Gareth was only half teasing.

You know it's not safe for a fighting dragon to mate before his human partner. I knew you would find your mate sooner rather than later and I think I have exhibited extraordinary patience with you. Of course, as it turned out, I even had to find your mate for you to speed things along.

"That you did, my friend, and I'll thank you every day for it as long as I live." Gareth watched his little mate a few yards distant, moving gracefully in her way. She literally took his breath away. To think, she was his and his alone—at least until Kelvan took his mate. Then they would probably expand their circle of love to include Kelvan's mate and her partner. "So who is your lady?"

And more importantly who is her partner, right? Kelvan supplied with some humor. Don't worry, Gareth. We dragons take all into consideration when we choose our partners and mates. The Mother of All has no little influence in it either. Seldom has there been an incompatible partnering among our kind. You know this to be true.

"Yes, but I still worry about exactly who I'm expected to share my mate with." Gareth’s skin itched to think of the possibilities. He had never had to confront the reality of mating among dragon kind before and had never really considered the problems it could cause to their human partners. He began to sweat as he thought of what would come when Kelvan finally took his mate. It could be glorious. Or it could be disastrous.

You will be pleased then, I think, to learn that my mate is Rohtina.

A huge grin spread across Gareth’s face. "And Lars is her partner. Kel, this couldn't have worked out better!"

The dragon dipped his great head. The Mother of All knows what She is about after all.

"That She does."

A speculative gleam entered his eye. He and Lars were close. He knew and trusted the man and they worked well together. When their dragons mated, they would become part of a fighting unit, partners that would share everything—including the pleasure their dragons found in each other with the sole human female among the tightly knit group. If Gareth had to pick a man to bring pleasure to his beloved mate, he could not have picked better himself.

Lars was a good man and he would love Belora as much as he did. He would also help Gareth give her the greatest sexual pleasure a human woman could know. The dragons would see to it.

* * * *

Jared, will you talk some sense into her? She insists she’s only here for a visit, but she must stay. Make her realize how much we need her. Kelzy’s voice was tinged with frustration when Jared walked back into their apartments to find the two females squared off in full argument mode. He had forgotten just how much females could squabble over inconsequential things.

“We cannot just commandeer the woman, Kelzy. She has her own life and must make her own decisions.”

“Thank you, Sir Jared.” Adora turned the full power of her gaze on him and he looked away uncomfortably. The woman seemed to see right through him with her pale, healer’s gaze and it was jarring to say the least. “As I’ve told Mama Kelzy, I have responsibilities to the villagers. I’m their only source of medical help and they depend on me. I can’t just abandon them.”

“Why do you call her that?”

“What?” Adora seemed confused for a moment as she tilted her head up at him, her beautiful green eyes frowning.

“You call a dragon ‘mama.’ Didn’t you realize? It’s a bit odd, to say the least, but then Kelzy’s always been a little overly demonstrative with humans, or so her fellow dragons would criticize.”

They’re just busybodies. Who I consort with as friends and family is none of their business, dragon, human or otherwise.

“I didn’t realize I still called you that, Lady Kelzy. I’m sorry.” Adora’s blushing cheeks spoke of her embarrassment.

Now see what you’ve done, Jared? Sweetheart, you don’t have to use titles with me. You are the daughter of my heart. It warms my soul to know you still think of me as your surrogate mother.

Kelzy stepped forward and Adora reached her hand out to stroke the dragon’s tough, jewel toned hide. The two females so obviously cared for one another.

“When I was very little, I got lost in the woods and stumbled into Kelzy’s cave. I could barely speak, but I knew the word ‘mama.’ Kelzy returned me to my family, who were searching frantically through the woods. I know they were frightened to see her, but when they saw me on her back, smiling away and calling her mama, they knew I was safe. She deposited me back with my mother and father and after that they let me go see her whenever I wanted.

She raised me as much as my parents did, watching out for me when I ventured into the woods.”

None of them could hear me or speak with me, but Adora had the strongest gift I have ever encountered. They may have raised you, but they were not your blood kin.

“What?”

I never told you this because I didn’t think it my place back then, but it was obvious to me that your mother and father were not your birth parents.

They adopted you. If they had been your blood kin, at least one of them would have been able to communicate with me. It’s an inherited trait, passed down through the bloodlines, usually on the father’s side. The man you called father had no such ability nor did any of your siblings.

“Then who are my parents?” Adora’s voice trembled just a bit and her wide eyes looked shaken and a little lost.

I couldn’t say and for that I’m sorry. I often thought to go on a quest to see where you came from. After all, females with the dragon gift are rare and we need every one we can find. Especially with war coming.