They’d been at it for hours, and he could see his female’s patience begin to wane.
When she literally roared in frustration, shaking the table they were all working on, he knew she badly needed a break.
“This is useless!”
“Come, Rhiannon.” He grabbed hold of her wrist and dragged her toward the exit. “Mother? You’ll be all right?”
“Go, go.” His mother didn’t even look up as she shooed them away. Except for one other brother, his poor mother was the only scholar of the clan. Deciphering ancient text was the kind of thing she lived for. “I’ll be fine.”
Using that to his advantage, Bercelak dragged Rhiannon from the castle and toward the woods.
“Where are we going?”
“You are dangerously tense, my love. I fear for my family’s safety.”
She dug her heels into the soft ground and he turned to look at her. “What?”
“Don’t say that again.”
“I know you’d never hurt my family, Rhiannon.”
“Not that. Never call me your ‘love’ again. None of that.”
“You’re unbelievable, Princess.” He headed back off, yanking her along behind him. “You argue the most insane things.”
“I think not. I need none of those insipid endearments from you.”
“Oh, you’d prefer them from another?”
“There is no other.”
He stopped again and looked at her. “And it will stay that way, Princess. There will only be me. There will only be you.”
Shaking her head, “I don’t understand you, Bercelak. Truth told, you could have anyone. Low-born or royal. Do you truly wish to be consort to a queen so badly?”
“I don’t want ‘anyone,’Rhiannon. I only want you. Since I saw you that first time I’ve only wanted you. That has never changed. That never will change. Whether you take your mother’s throne or leave it to one of your siblings, it won’t change how I feel about you . . . and I think you know that. I think you fear it.”
She pulled her arm out of his grasp and took several steps away. “I may never be dragon again. I may be trapped in this weak human body forever. I may never be queen. I may never rule. And one day you may have to choose between my mother and me. One day she’ll make you choose.”
“There is no choice. It will always be you, Rhiannon. You will always be my first and only choice. Your wellbeing is all I care about. Human or dragon, queen or lowborn . . . I will make it my life’s work to protect you and any offspring we have. I will not let anything harm our family. And I will definitely not let anything harm you.”
He grabbed hold of her hand again, bringing it to his mouth so he could kiss her knuckles.
“My heart belongs to you, Rhiannon. It will always belong to you.”
Frowning, she looked away, then down at the ground.
He knew she’d reject him again. That fear of her feelings would make her run, but he was willing to wait for her. He had no choice. No other female would ever do.
Then, to his shock, she slowly reached her free hand out for him while she kept her eyes on the ground. He grasped it and gave a small tug. She shuddered once, then she was against him. Her arms wrapped tight around his waist, her head on his chest.
He closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer to the dragon gods who protected him in battle and life.
Big hands smoothed up and down her back. He didn’t speak. He made no triumphant proclamations. He merely held her tight and let her be part of him.
She let his strength flow through her. He gave it to her gladly, with no regrets and without asking for anything in return.
When the silence became too much for her, she said, “Where were you taking me?”
“Come. I’ll show you.”
Gently, he unwrapped her arms from his body and, taking possessive hold of her hand, again guided her away from the castle. After several minutes, she heard the sound of rushing water and her heartbeat sped up. Soon they came upon a river, the water not so rough a human could not use it.
“Water,” she sighed. “It’s been ages since I bathed in anything but a tub.”
“I know. I meant to bring you here yesterday, but I became sidetracked by that chain.”
She smiled while Bercelak moved behind her. There was no surprise when his hands came around and began to untie her bodice. “You know, Bercelak, my hands work quite well.”
“I’m sure they do. But one thing they teach warriors of all breeds is how to tie and untie knots.”
He made quick work of the ribbon holding her bodice together and soon his hands slid across her exposed br**sts.
Rhiannon sighed again and leaned back into Bercelak’s hard body.
“You know, Princess, I think your being so tense is what has made banishing your mother’s spell that much harder.”
“Oh, you do, do you? And where did that tenseness come from? Perhaps because some mad bastard had me chained inside a bedroom for hours?”
“No. That’s not why.”
She grinned. He really was mad. And, apparently, all hers.
“I think that’s what we should work on today. Getting you to relax.”
The dress slipped off her body and down her legs, pooling at her feet.
“Is that right?”
“Aye. I want you relaxed and calm. The Magick will probably just flow from you then.”
She had to admire his ability to spin centaur shit into fine gold.
Soft lips kissed her neck. Strong teeth nibbled the flesh beneath her ear. Large calloused hands kneaded her br**sts before slipping down her body, rubbing soft circles into her skin.
“One day, Rhiannon, you’ll be dragon again. I won’t stop until we make you whole once more.”
Pulling from his arms, she smiled up into his handsome face. “We’ll worry about that later. There’s a river waiting for us.” This time, she took his hand and brought him to the river’s edge. She pulled off his shirt and unlaced his breeches. He toed off his boots while she dragged his pants down his legs. She teased his screaming erection with the tip of her nose and he groaned.
“You truly are evil.”
She laughed. Bercelak was the only living being she could name who made her laugh with him as opposed to at him.
Dragging her hands along his powerful thighs, she stood up. Leaning in she kissed his bare chest. Bercelak sighed and muttered her name. His arms again wrapped around her, pulling her tight against him. She had to admit, she did like feeling his nak*d human flesh against her own.
Rhiannon dragged her hands down his lower back and across his ass. Her fingers dug into the flesh of his cheeks and gripped him tight. Chuckling low, he grabbed her shoulders and held her away from him.
“You don’t play fair, Princess.”
“I didn’t know I was supposed to.”
“Good point.” He lifted her up easily, tossing her over his shoulder. “I truly hope you can swim with that human body of yours, Princess.”
“I can learn.”
They swam for a good while. Rhiannon continued to tease him, torment him. She seemed to enjoy it. She actually smiled. He loved seeing her smile.
When she moved up behind him in the cold, clean water and took firm hold of his balls, he’d had enough. He dragged her out of the water and into the trees. Laying her out on the ground, he stretched out beside her.
“It’s time I teach you who’s in charge.”
“That would be me.”
“So sure are you?”
Her hand reached out and took firm hold of his cock. Bercelak groaned, his head dropping forward and rubbing against her.
“Yes,” she muttered smugly. “I am sure.”
But two could play this game of hers.
While she slowly stroked his cock, he eased his hand down to her sex. He slid a single finger inside her and she arched into his hand.
Grinning, he watched as she bit her lip and pumped her h*ps against his hand.
“Want more?”
She nodded, a small whimper coming from her throat.
He thrust another finger inside her and she cried out. He continued to f**k her with his hand while his mouth wrapped around her breast, his tongue teasing the nipple.
Rhiannon’s strokes on his raging hard c*ck became a little more fitful, not nearly as graceful as before, but she didn’t release him. She stroked him with one hand and dug the other into his hair, clutching the back of his head, holding him to her.
They both continued touching and rubbing each other, pushing each other to come. When her legs began to shake, Bercelak thrust harder and teased her cl*t with his thumb. Her hand gripped him tighter, stroking and stroking until they came together, writhing and grinding.
When they finally released each other, he looked into her eyes and together they said, “You’re absolutely mad about me.”
She burst out in delightful laughter, but he covered her mouth with his hand, his body tensing at the smell of human flesh nearby.
Rhiannon’s blue eyes watched him, but she said nothing. She didn’t fight him.
They waited and he wasn’t surprised when human soldiers stepped into view. Thankfully, they were so deep into the trees that none of the men could see them.
There were a lot of them—at least a battalion—and they had two large catapults equipped with long, thick spears. Perfect for taking down a dragon. This wasn’t the first time humans came to his parent’s home in the hopes of capturing or killing one of his kind for sport. Nor would it be the last.
Leaning into Rhiannon, he whispered in her ear, “They’ve come to hunt us. You need to get back to the castle. Get my father. My brothers and sisters.”
Again, she didn’t argue. Merely nodded her head and brushed her hand against his jaw.
“Wait until I challenge them . . . then run. Understand?”
She nodded once more.
He kissed her forehead and stood up. He moved away from her and shifted, knocking down trees and startling the soldiers.
They attacked immediately, but he still took a quick moment to make sure she’d followed his orders. She had. He could see her long body darting through the trees. Knowing his family would protect her, he turned his attentions back to the soldiers moving on him.
Rhiannon had barely cleared the trees when big arms wrapped around her and yanked her back into a large, armored body.
“Gotcha!”
There were four of them and she was nak*d and unable to change. Nay. Not good.
“Willing to whore yourself out to a dragon. So I guess you’ll be willing to take us on as well, eh?”
The one holding her threw her to the ground. She kicked out, nailing one in the groin. When he doubled over, she slammed her fist into his jaw. She felt bone shatter under her knuckles. Her father would be proud.
The soldier stumbled away, staring at her as Rhiannon scrambled to her feet.
“Gods, she broke his jaw,” one of them said in awe.
She truly did detest them. Humans. Vile, horrid creatures that smelled awful and seemed averse to general bathing.
The three still-undamaged men, stood around her now. Surrounded her. But before they moved a roar from the river’s edge caught all of their attention.