Wicked Dark Dragon (Dragon Heat) Page 7

  Dizzy and shivering inside, she asked breathlessly, “What if they see us?”

  “They won’t.” Mad had angled his body so that she was totally blocked if one of their guards decided to peek in on them. “I don’t think they’re coming back here to bother us tonight.”

  “Because you killed those men?”

  He shook his head. “Because they poured enough lust root down our throats to make us burn with desire until morning, and because they want us to seal the deal, Ivy.”

  She licked her lips. “We’re not going to, right?”

  “No.” His tender kiss stole her breath. “You deserve better than a rough fuck on a thin pallet in a prison cell.” Palming her breast, he brushed his thumb across her stiff nipple. “There won’t be any home runs tonight.” He lightly pinched her nipple, causing Ivy’s hips to rock off the pallet. “But I plan to get to third base.”

  Head pounding and on the verge of panting, Ivy closed her eyes and focused on the wicked sensations Mad’s masterful hands evoked. His fingers moved over her breasts and stomach, setting her skin on fire and making her clit ceaselessly ache. He pushed up the fabric of her scrub top and lowered his mouth to her nipple. When he suckled a pink bud, she gasped and arched her back. His tongue fluttered over the buzzing peak before he teasingly nipped at her inflamed flesh. “Oh God.”

  He chuckled softly and moved to her other breast. His fingers rolled her abandoned, wet nipple very gently, keeping her right on the edge of something incredible and new. She pressed her knees together in the hopes of quelling the ache between her thighs but Mad had other ideas.

  He bent down and bit one of the drawstrings keeping her pants snug to her hips, pulling it free and loosening the waistband. He sneaked his hand underneath and cupped her bare sex. Now she really couldn’t breathe. Trying not to pass out, she surrendered to his silent, gentle urging to open her legs. He trailed his fingertips up and down her slit while peering down at her face. She didn’t know how well he could see in the dark, but she had a feeling he could read her like an open book.

  Capturing her mouth in a sensual kiss, Mad took control in the way she had come to expect. He finally parted the delicate petals of her sex and encountered the slippery wetness already coating her overheated flesh. Groaning at the evidence of her excitement, he swirled his fingertip around her clitoris. Ivy clutched at his arm and side, holding on for dear life as he plundered her mouth and rubbed that pink little pearl hidden within her folds. Her toes curled against the pallet.

  The prison, their captors, the danger and threat of the Knights—they all faded away to nothing. Right now, in this moment, it was just the two of them. And they were like any other new couple discovering the erotic delights of a fledgling relationship.

  Tearing away from his mouth, Ivy tipped her head back. “Mad!”

  “Let go, Ivy.” His fingertips circled faster now, the pressure perfect and the speed working into a frenzied state. He latched on to the exposed curve of her throat, sucking hard and raking his teeth over her sensitive skin. “Come, sweetheart. Come now.”

  A wobbling flutter exploded deep in her belly. Spasms of ecstasy caused her body to jerk as she was gripped by vibrant waves of bliss. Mad swallowed her cries of passion with incredible kisses that left her dizzy and panting. His strumming fingertips slowed until they stopped moving altogether. He placed his hand against her throbbing pussy, covering her aching sex while his tongue danced erotically with hers.

  Eventually, he removed his hand. Making sure she could see him, he brought his fingers to his lips and licked away her slick nectar. Ivy felt and heard the thunderous rumble that her taste coaxed from his throat. It was yet another reminder that he was more beast than man.

  Pushing up onto his knees, he grabbed her pants in one hand and yanked them down her legs. He used his other hand to lift her backside. He tossed aside the pants and dropped down to his stomach. With the slightest effort, he dragged her into the position he wanted and shoved her legs wide open. He palmed her ticklish flesh and nipped at her inner thighs.

  Staring up at the ceiling, she tried to breathe, but her mouth had gone dry and her lungs refused to fill. Mad licked a long trail up her inner thigh, punctuating the movement with nibbling bites that made her gasp. When he placed a noisy kiss right on top of the swollen nub nestled between her folds, Ivy cried out and reached down to touch him. Mad caught her hand and interlaced their fingers.

  As he held tight, he dipped his tongue into her core. Never in her wildest dreams did she think it would feel like this. His skilled tongue swiped between her folds and swirled around her clitoris. He coaxed that little bud to come out and play, suckling it gently until it was swollen and throbbing. He fluttered along the extremely sensitive kernel until she was panting and moaning.

  Her orgasm came quickly. Biting her lower lip, she shut her eyes and tried to ignore that coiled wire of bliss winding tighter and tighter in her lower core. She wanted so badly to make that exquisite sensation last forever but the way Mad licked at her was just too much. Her hips bucked off the pallet. “Mad!”

  He groaned happily and continued his sensual assault. His tongue drew small, firm circles, pushing her right through her powerful climax. Instead of stopping, he changed tactics and let his attention slide lower. He invaded her virgin channel, probing and tasting her in the wickedest way. It finally occurred to her that the nectar seeping from her core probably had the same soothing effect his seed had had on her.

  His tongue eventually worked its way right back to her clitoris. She thrashed side to side as he feasted on her delicate flesh. He cupped her backside and lifted her right where he wanted her, using his wide shoulders to force her thighs apart so he had unimpeded access. Unable to speak or make any intelligible sounds, she threaded her fingers through his dark hair and scratched at his scalp. While he gave her unimaginable pleasure, she understood this was his way of soothing the desperate, aching need making him crazy with lust.

  She came and came and came until she sobbed and gasped. He finally eased off his torturous flicks and tongued her gently, almost reverently. He suckled her clit one last time before dragging his face across her lower belly, painting her with her own wetness. He crawled over her, sliding one hand under her nape and clasping her hip with the other.

  When he kissed her, she found the experience so intensely erotic. Loving the mouth that had just given her such incredible ecstasy, she danced her tongue against his and found the courage to reach between their bodies to stroke his hard cock. The heavy weight of it filled her hand and burned her skin. In the back of her mind, a naughty little voice urged her to lift her hips and wiggle just a bit to get him right where she wanted him most.

  As if sharing her thoughts, he wrapped his fingers atop hers and dragged the head of his cock between her ruddy slit. She inhaled a panicked breath, wondering if this was the moment, but he quickly disabused her of that notion. Instead of penetrating her, he rubbed between her folds. The wild feeling drove her mad with desire. She rocked her hips and responded to his slow but forceful thrusts that came so very close but never penetrated her.

  Growling her name, he climaxed hard and spilled his seed along her belly. The droplets scorched her skin. As if marking his territory, Mad rubbed his essence across her stomach. It should have bothered her, maybe even disgusted her to be claimed like a piece of property, but she found it wildly intoxicating. Something inside her delighted in the way he showed his dominance and possessiveness toward her.

  Cradling her close, Mad tucked her head into the protected alcove between his arm and chest. Sleepy, she let her eyelids drift together but didn’t succumb to the lull just yet. He brushed his lips along her temple. “Thank you.”

  She snuggled in closer and smiled with sated happiness. “After that? I think I should be the one thanking you.”

  “Are you all right? Was it too much?”

  “I’m all right.” Stroking his chest, she replayed their bizarre evening and finally fi
t all the pieces together. “They want me to become a dragon like you. That’s why they’re trying to force us to mate.”

  Mad threaded his fingers through her hair. “It doesn’t make sense, does it?” He sounded so unsure. “You would think they would want to keep you totally human so you could serve their cause and their side. They must believe you’ll be more useful to them as a dragon than as a human Knight.”

  “Because I’ll have a deeper connection with your kind,” she guessed. “Think about the way I can get into your mind. I can make you see things, Mad. I can make you do anything I want. If I get stronger, if I get better, I might be able to do the same thing to any other dragon I can reach psychically. You told me that you can pick out the auras of your fellow Brothers like radar pings. If the same thing happens to me—”

  “Jesus.” He dropped a kiss to the top of her head. “We can’t let that happen, Ivy. What we did tonight? We can’t cross this line again while we’re in captivity.”

  “And when we’re free?”

  He laughed softly. “When you’re ready? You’ll be lucky if I let you out of bed after a week.”

  Chapter Five

  Nine Days Later

  So what was it like being a dragon kid?” Ivy playfully pushed her foot against his while she slowly ate the cold tortilla that had been given to her by their guards. “Did you know you were a dragon?”

  “I grew up in a tightly knit tribe, so there were no secrets between my parents and me.”

  “Your father was the leader?”

  He shook his head. “My grandfather was alive then. He was the leader of our family and our clan. My uncle—Griff’s father—eventually became the leader. Now that title rests with Griff.”

  “Were the different dragon tribes connected to each other back then? Like, did you have secret meetings and get-togethers?”

  “Not exactly.” He touched his bare toes to hers and enjoyed the electric jolt that traveled through him. Though they hadn’t played with fire since the night they had been drugged, he could still taste the sweetness of her soft, pink cunt under his tongue. Every time he looked at her, he fought the urge to shove her down, rip off her pants, and bury his face between her thighs for another taste.

  Shaking off that tempting thought, he said, “Our numbers were much higher then and we had a lot of squabbling between tribes and even within our families.” He shrugged. “It was the Dark Ages, you know? People weren’t warm and fuzzy or cooperative like they are today. We were all fighting to survive.”

  She blinked and seemed to be trying to wrap her head around it all. “I can’t even imagine all the things you’ve seen.”

  The slightest bit of envy tinged her disbelieving tone. Fully aware that she found herself lacking, he rubbed his foot against hers. “It’s not a competition, Ivy. The things I’ve seen and the things I’ve done? They’ve all led to this moment.” He held her interested gaze. “To us.”

  “Us.” She repeated the word with trepidation. “What happens when we get out of here? Do we…I mean…are we going to date? Do you just, like, throw me over your shoulder Viking style and steal me away to your lair?”

  He snorted. “One, I’m not a Viking and I don’t have a lair. I’ve got a house near Houston. As to the first part of your question? That’s up to you.”

  “To me? But you told me about mates and the way this whole thing works.”

  “There aren’t any hard and fast rules here. My friend Stig and his mate Cora? They were friends for years, but it wasn’t until they were sharing a house during his last heat phase that the magic happened, so to speak. I’m not due for another two years. We have plenty of time to feel out this thing between us.” Smiling at her, he said, “When we’re away from here and you’ve healed up, we’ll go away to some place quiet. I’ll let you dig around in my memories all you want.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  She took another bite and winced. She rubbed at the bruises on her left wrist. They had removed the chains from her wrists and ankles four days earlier, but her skin was still raw and blotched with red and purple patches. She was making the most of her ability to move freely about the cell. Right now, she had chosen a spot on the floor that had been warmed by the slivers of sunlight that had been streaming through the high, thin window covered by bars.

  The setting sun washed her pale skin in yellow and pink light. Every once in a while, she would close her eyes and turn her face toward the window, almost as if hoping to soak up the life-giving sun. He silently vowed that he was taking her to the beach when she was safe and healthy again so she could sunbathe to her heart’s content.

  “So what did you do when you were a kid? Obviously, you weren’t playing T-ball or soccer on Saturday mornings.”

  “Childhood was different then,” he said, pushing beans around his plate with a spoon. He wanted to share the plate of hot food sent into the cell for him, but any time he had tried to feed her something other than the bread and water allotted for her, the Seer found ways to torment her and cause her great pain. It hadn’t taken him long to catch on to the game these assholes were playing—or to make his plans for revenge. “We worked alongside our parents. There wasn’t any of this coddling that happens now. Life was hard. Even as dragons, we were susceptible to the diseases that killed and crippled the young.”

  “Really?” She seemed genuinely surprised by that. “But you’re so strong.”

  “Once we’re adults, yes,” he agreed. “Before we hit maturity and develop the ability to shift, we’re basically human. Going through the first heat phase is the real sign of adulthood. It awakens the full power of our inner beast.”

  “How old were you the first time you went into heat?”

  “I was seventeen or eighteen.”

  “Was it scary?”

  “It was terrifying,” he admitted. “It’s an all-consuming pain and discomfort that you cannot even imagine. It’s so much worse than the small doses of lust root they gave us the other night.”

  She swallowed her bite and licked her lips. “I assume I won’t have to imagine it much longer.”

  He didn’t meet her questioning gaze. “No, probably not. You’re getting to the right age for a full mating heat.”

  Her lips parted but her reply never came. Instead, her gaze snapped to the door. Forehead furrowed, she pushed the last of her small meal into her mouth and chewed fast. “She’s awake. They’ll be coming soon.” Her eyes closed briefly and she shuddered. “They’re going to take me from the cell.”

  “Like fucking hell,” he snarled. Anger surged through him. He was sick and fucking tired of the way that awful crone hurt Ivy. The Seer and her flunkies had been hauling Ivy from the cell all hours of the day and night to pry into her mind and mine her for information. Anytime he tried to intervene, they caused her such incredible pain with that damned collar. As weak as she was from the lack of food and the Seer’s constant mental torture, he didn’t dare risk their ire by attempting to intervene. No, he paced the cell like a caged lion while Ivy was out of his sight and desperately tried to think of a way to get them out of this mess.

  When Ivy returned from the Seer’s torture chamber, she always smelled of death. It had terrified him that first time he had caught the gut-churning scent, but he had calmed when he’d realized it wasn’t coming from within Ivy. No, that stench belonged to the Seer.

  He had hoped that being near Ivy would allow her to siphon more energy from him, but the lack of food was keeping her very weak. The Knights were trying to break her control over her mind, but she had an iron will that filled him with such pride. Though she seemed to be strengthened by his presence, he was worried, very worried.

  Where the hell are you, Griff?

  He finished shoveling his meal into his mouth, cast aside the plate, and swept Ivy into his arms. She had gotten used to his near-constant touch and seemed to crave his body heat. It was a damned good thing because he held her every chance he got.


  Being cooped up in close quarters was doing crazy things to him. She wasn’t in any shape to play amorous games with him, but his body—and his inner beast—didn’t seem to care. Every time he caught her scent, lust flared within him. His heart raced, his palms grew sweaty, and his mouth watered for another taste of her.

  Cradling her close, he sat down on the small pallet. It was far from comfortable, but it was better than the cold stone floor. Her stomach growled pitifully. Guilt gnawed at him. Not for the first time, he wondered if he had made a big mistake coming to her before making sure his messages had reached Griff or Ignatius.

  He glanced at the wall and noticed the tick marks he had been making next to hers. While she had been counting the days since she had been taken, he was keeping track of his brothers. They were close enough now he could feel them. What had kept them from zeroing in on him? Ignatius was the oldest and most powerful of them all and had always shared a special link with the brothers. Niko was tied to Ivy through blood and kinship and ought to have felt her presence easily, but both men hadn’t located them yet.

  A few nights earlier, Griffin had arrived south of the border. The familiar pulse deep in his chest had been impossible to miss. No doubt the moment his cousin’s heat phase had ended, he had taken off in search of him. Despite being mired in this awful mess with Ivy, he couldn’t help but wonder if Griff had been successful in his bid to impregnate the beautiful half-Indian shifter who had ensnared him that afternoon at their gym.

  Find us, Griff. His cousin was close. Though the Knights had probably deployed some sort of spell to dampen the beacon-like pulse of his dragon imprint, Griff would home in on them. He was one hell of a tracker and the type of man who never gave up, not even when the odds were against him. His cousin would see the situation as a dare—and he never backed down from one of those.

  Mad’s sensitive ears perked to the sound of footsteps. Even before the guards opened the door at the end of the hallway, he knew trouble was coming. Big trouble. The kind that was probably going to end with him in a lot of pain and at least one of the guards dead or dying.