Their Runaway Mate (21 page)

The moment sunlight blinded Ansyn, Kylan charged. His shift coursed over him as he flew to his opponent. He sank his teeth into his opponent's shoulder. Blood rushed over his tongue. He'd been going for his throat, but the bastard had moved at the last second. Their bodies collided in a flurry of wings, talons and teeth.

They fought. Circled. Tumbled. Roared. Everything else faded away. All that remained was his desire to kill the dragon he fought.

Fire poured from his mouth. Burning flesh, both his and his enemy’s, sizzled and smoked. They pitched over and around. And although he'd been fighting fires the whole day, he could fight all night if he needed to. But that was unlikely. He could feel his opponent's strength begin to fade. Victory was close.

Ansyn rolled through the air, attempting to throw Kylan, perhaps to gain himself a reprieve, but Kylan held tight. When his enemy reeled one last time, he turned his head, revealing his neck. This time, Kylan didn't miss. He bit into the exposed flesh.

They landed like thunder against the earth. Dust billowed up around them.

He clamped his jaw tighter, preparing to rip out Ansyn's throat. Blood was filling his mouth.

"Stop." The imperious command thundered over them.

Kylan peered up to see who would dare try to deny him his kill.

Councillor Xander and other members of the Dragon Council had joined their numbers.

Xander's eyes locked on his. The high councillor then looked pointedly in Jasmine's direction. Tears were streaming down her face. She looked as though only Dillon's embrace was keeping her upright. As much as he wanted to kill Ansyn and feel his life force ebb away, he wanted to be with Jasmine more. If he killed in contravention of a direct order from the Dragon Council, his life would be forfeit.

He loosened his jaw and dropped the other dragon's limp, but living, body to the ground. The defeated dragon clutched at Kylan's limbs. His eyes implored Kylan to finish him—they both knew his death at the end of a council trial would neither be as swift nor as simple—but his enemy's fate was beyond Kylan's control now.

"Good." Xander nodded.

Kylan transformed, and watched as several of his guards pulled Ansyn from the ground. Kolz then clamped a band around the prisoner's wrist. His body instantly changed to human form under the brutal force of the council's magic.

"Councillor Xander," Kylan said calmly. "To what do we owe this honor?"

"We have come to advise you of the outcome of our investigation into the human's situation." Xander motioned toward Jasmine. By the tone in the councillor's voice, Kylan could predict the news.

Kylan didn't dare look at her. She'd said she loved him, loved both of them, but that had been when he'd been about to fight their enemy. It was hardly a binding sentiment when she thought he was barreling toward his death. No, he couldn't bear to see the look of happiness on her face when they announced she would no longer be considered for their dragon volunteer program. He stood rigidly, his gaze pinned to the man who would change his life, as he waited for the announcement.

"Jasmine Gordon," Xander said as he turned to her.

From the corner of his eye, Kylan could see she stepped forward. Away from Dillon.

"After a thorough investigation, it has been determined that your volunteering experience was not performed according the dictates of our agreement. The human delegation regrets this oversight and vows to repair the damages to your business and your home." Xander tilted his head and narrowed his eyes as if seeing something that intrigued him. "That is, if you wish to return to those people."

Kylan couldn't stop himself from looking at her then.

She smiled, but it wasn't the overjoyed celebratory smile he'd expected. "Thank you, Councillor Xander," she said. "But I would like to remain with the Mannix clan."

An absurd feeling of lightness fell over him. He looked at Dillon in time to see his primary's shock turn to a wide grin.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." She didn't hesitate or stutter. She really wanted this… wanted them.

"Very well," Xander said.

"But, if I may." She cleared her throat. "I would like to request that the future volunteer process be monitored closely. I also have a number of thoughts on how the acclimation process could be improved."

"I look forward to discussing the situation with you and your mates in the near future." Xander nodded, then a slight smile creased his face when she extended her hand to him. It was a human gesture, but Xander didn't rebuke her overture. As Kylan recalled, Xander had offered her the same gesture in the cabin the first time they'd met. The councillor placed his hand in hers, then leaned over it and placed a kiss on her wrist.

Both he and Dillon growled in warning.

Xander grinned at her, then raised his head. He didn't release her hand as quickly as Kylan would have liked.

"Thank you," Jasmine said softly. "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to go home with my mates."

"Of course," Xander said.

Jasmine withdrew her hand from his and turned to her dragons. "Take me home."

Chapter 23

J
asmine leaned back in the bathtub as the tension in her shoulders faded under Dillon's masterful fingers. Bath bubbles glistened in the candlelight. She hadn't felt so relaxed in months, possibly years.

The reunion with Trixy and the announcement of her decision to remain mated to dragons had gone better than Jasmine had feared it might. Her aunt had promised to stay while Jasmine settled in to her new life. And shortly before they'd turned in for the night, they'd received a personal call from the High Chancellor of the Dragon Council, thanking them for eliminating one of the largest drug labs that had ever been found. He'd reinforced that they would be receptive to her recommendations. Her mind had already started to consider other possibilities: opening the borders for a start, allowing dragons to mingle more freely with humans as they had once done, perhaps some documentaries or PSAs, an orientation book for potential volunteers…

Yes, there were so many ways to make things better. She could do this.

Soon.

But first she needed to enjoy a little wedded bliss. Spoiling her mates was her first priority. By her estimation, that would take the whole night. Then, in the morning, she'd make breakfast like she'd planned all those many hours ago, maybe not pancakes, though…Waffles and whipped cream sounded like more fun.

She twisted in the tub and faced Dillon, who was seated on a chair and fully clothed. Ever since they'd returned, her men had been treating her as if she was to be wrapped in bubble wrap.

"What? Did you not like that?" he asked.

"It was perfect, but I think it is time we found Kylan."

His eyes flashed green, but the glow quickly dissipated. That wasn't going to do. If they were going to have the night she wanted, they could not stay buttoned down. She stood up. Only a few days ago, she would have worried that her curves would look bigger under the sheen, but now she relished the way Dillon's gaze flowed over her glistening body. She extended her hand and he helped her step from the tub.

"A towel?"

Dillon nodded and passed a fluffy white towel to her. She didn't take it. Instead she turned her back to him.

"Can you dry my back?"

The fluffy terrycloth skimmed over her. When he reached her lower back, his motions slowed. Her pulse raced at the fleeting touch. She waited. Then he continued down, over the roundness of her derrière. His breathing was coming faster; she could hear it.

Thank God she wasn't the only one affected by this.

She spun toward him.

"And now my front?"

His dragon color rimmed his irises as he took in the expanse of her skin, pink from the hot water, and crisscrossed with his and Kylan's mate markings. Her nipples were jutting out as if they were waving "me next" flags.

He gripped the towel tightly as he met her gaze. He didn't move to wipe away the water.

"I want you tonight. Both of you," she said.

"You should rest," he countered quickly.

She grinned at him. "We both know I'm going to get my way."

He swallowed. "We agreed that we should rest."

She shook her head. "I never agreed to that, and we all know things work out best when we all agree."

With that, she walked away from him, making sure to put an extra swing in her hips as she left him in the bathroom. There were other ways she could dry her body. A heated flush would do nicely. Maybe a bit of body friction.

He cursed. His footsteps followed her.

Kylan was standing at the window. He turned when he heard her enter the bedroom. His gaze swept over her. He shot a questioning look over her shoulder toward Dillon.

She ignored them both as she crawled up on the bed. She flopped down on her back in the center of the smooth duvet.

"Dillon tells me that you both need some rest." She sighed. "It is a shame when a woman has two handsome mates and neither of them has the energy or desire to… Well, you know." Both men's attention was riveted on the way her fingers danced over her stomach. "I guess I'll just have to take care of myself."

She opened her legs and bent her knees. She raised one hand to a firm nipple and dipped the other down. They were beside her in her next breath.

"You are a tease," Kylan said on a growl.

"A tease is someone who doesn't follow through with what she starts." Jasmine grabbed his face and kissed him. When she pulled back, she grinned. "Believe me, I'm not a tease."

Her heart filled at the emotions she saw sweeping over his face.

"I love you, Kylan."

Kylan stared into her eyes. "I love you too, Jasmine. We never meant to make you angry. We only wanted to protect you."

"I know," she said. "I forgive you."

It felt so right to have them with her. She'd feared she might never see them again. Tonight was a celebration of life and love. Hers and theirs. Then she turned to Dillon and kissed him.

"I love you, Dillon," she said when their lips parted.

"I love you too," he whispered back to her. "When you disappeared today, we thought we'd lost you in spite of everything we'd done to keep you safe. We would have been lost without you. We nearly went crazy at the thought of it." He trembled with emotion.

"You need to know that there is no other place in the world that I could ever want to be than with you."

With that, whatever control they'd held over their emotions and their dragon impulses snapped. Their hands, mouths and bodies chased away any lingering fear, as if all of them were determined to give life to the love they shared.

Kylan was pressed against her back. He kneaded the soft flesh of her breasts. He pulled and pinched on her nipples. When she gasped, Dillon crushed his mouth to hers. His hand slipped between her legs. He groaned when his fingers slipped over her slick body. She pushed at his clothing, stripping him as quickly as she could.

"I want you in me," she said as she writhed against his hand. She didn't need the big foreplay part tonight. She just wanted to be joined with them. Hard and fast.

Kylan pulled away to throw off his clothes.

Dillon lay back on the mattress. His sex, rigid and ready, jutted out from his body. "Come here."

She licked her lips and crawled toward him. She straddled his hips. His eyes were fully green and glowing now. His dragon markings mottled his skin. This was how she wanted him always.

She reached down and wrapped her fingers around his girth as she positioned herself over him. When she sank down, she shivered and savored the feeling of his length stretching and filling her.

She shuddered when he was fully seated within her.

"Beautiful," he whispered. He grabbed her hips and guided her up and then down again. He was being so gentle, so tender. It was probably why he insisted she be on top, so he couldn't pound into her the way he usually did, but tonight she wanted the wild beast between her legs.

Then Kylan approached her from behind and began massaging her breasts again. His thick, stiff erection rubbed her back each time she rose up and sank down on Dillon.

"I want you shattered and vibrating when I sink into your soft, wet flesh," Kylan said.

She tightened around Dillon's length at Kylan's words. Dillon groaned and drove up into her.

"I want you dripping." Kylan bit her earlobe and pinched her nipples at the same time.

She shuddered, and Dillon pounded into her harder. He slammed into her. Yes. Perfect.

"So. Good," she said.

Kylan reached down and began stroking her clit. With each of Dillon's thrusts, Kylan's hand jolted against her. Her head fell back against Kylan's shoulder. Words were gone. She could barely breathe. They played her body between them expertly. She was so—

She gasped. Sensations exploded over her. She jerked against their hands.

Dillon's hands tightened on her as he followed her to ecstatic release.

She fell forward onto Dillon's sweaty chest. He wrapped his arms around her and dropped hot kisses over her face. He twisted and pulled himself free.

Kylan pushed into her.

Dillon hugged her close as his chief claimed her from behind. She trembled at the new feeling of being filled. Kylan grunted as he plunged into her. Each time their bodies came together, she cried out for more. Within only a couple of thrusts, she was hurtling toward release again. Her mouth dropped open as another wave of bliss spiraled through her faster than before. Pleasure erupted over her again.

Kylan continued to rock into her flesh, pushing through the thunder rolling up and down her core. He growled and ground his hips against her. He stiffened, then he abandoned himself to his climax.

He draped over her, sandwiching her between their sweaty and well-satisfied bodies. They lay in a panting heap for a few minutes, then Kylan slipped to the mattress and pulled her with him.

They pressed kisses to her flushed face.

"We love you," Dillon said.

"Always," Kylan said.

She smiled as happiness curled over her. She couldn't imagine her life any other way.