Keeper of the Flame: Dragon Knights, Book 7 Read online

  “I never thought you would.”

  Hugh smiled and lay back down at her side, his hand turning over in hers so that they were palm to palm. He lifted her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles with lingering, licking little kisses.

  The warmth of him amazed her. On one side the fire did its best to warm her bare skin. On the other side was Hugh. Warm, huge, smoldering Hugh. With him around, she would never be cold in any way.

  “Now can we get back to where we were?” she asked breathlessly as her temperature resumed its climb upward.

  “And whf t#8220;Aere was that?” The wicked glint in his eye brought a smile of anticipation to her mouth as he climbed gently over her, insinuating his legs between hers.

  She parted her thighs eagerly, wanting him with increasing desperation. Never before had she been so quick to excite, so eager to accept a man into her body, but she knew this was right. She felt it in the very marrow of her bones. This man. This time. This night.

  There might never be another as perfect as this moment.

  “Just about there,” she agreed as he moved into position and then halted. She frowned. “A little farther?” she asked hopefully, looking up at him in the dim firelight.

  His grin was sultry and the intent in his gaze made her tummy clench.

  “You don’t think we’re moving a little fast?”

  “I know we are, but I don’t care. Don’t you feel this?”

  “I thought I was the only one,” he admitted, making her gasp. She’d put herself out there not really expecting anything in return. He hadn’t come out and said it. Not really. But he’d definitely implied that he was feeling some of the same magic she was at the moment.

  “You’re not in this alone, Lera.”

  She thought she read something deeper in his gaze, but she couldn’t be sure. The feel of his skin against her body made her crave more and he still had his pants on.

  “Too many clothes, Hugh,” she complained breathlessly. “Please don’t make me wait.”

  Hugh laughed and rolled a bit, taking the time only to release the vital part of his body and return. She felt the blunt head of him against her leg as he moved back into position.

  “I’ll make you a bargain. This first time will be quick, the way you want it. After that, it’s my turn.”

  His smile widened as she began to pant. She was in a bad way and he’d barely even touched her. What was this power he held over her? If he was using his magic to inflame her responses, she couldn’t sense it. And she’d been trained from birth to be able to deal with various forms of magic. Of course, she’d never come up against dragon magic before.

  Still, did it really matter? She had been attracted to him since almost the moment she’d seen him in that inn. His appeal had only increased in the hours since when he’d saved her life. Twice.

  He was heroic in a way she’d never really seen before firsthand. For the past twenty years or so, her land had been a mostly peaceful one. Her father had ruled during the last big conflict, when he’d moved the seat of power to Alagarithia after the assassination of the entire House of Alagar—the hereditary rulers of this city.

  Since her father had come here and dispatched those who had killed off the House of Alagar, nothing else had caused such a military response. She’d known soldiers and guardsmen. She’d rewarded those who’d demonstrated bravery in the course of their duties, but there hadn’t been a war in Helios since before she was born. The opportunities for real heroes to prove their worth were few and far between. Thankfully.

  But Hugh had been where she needed him to be twice that night.

  If he’d move a little closer, he’d make that three times, she thought with a wicked grin.

  “What’s so funny?” He moved, dragging the aroused head of his cock along her most tender skin. She hadn’t seen him s17;t sem or even touched him, but she could feel the substantial size of him against her inner thigh.

  “Not funny,” she clarified. “More like desperate.”

  One of his hands slid downward, insinuating itself between them. His agile fingers zeroed in on her clit, rubbing lightly at first, then in harder, circular motions. Lera could feel the wetness seeping from her body, making ready for his entry. An entry she craved with every last fiber of her being.

  She squirmed under him, trying to coax him closer to no avail. Hugh was too large for her to maneuver easily, but she liked the weight and heft of him over her. He was careful not to crush her, considerate of her smaller frame under his and she was grateful for his care. Everything about his actions proved how good he was as a man.

  He’d impressed her by taking in the vulnerable misborn baby gryphon. He’d earned her thanks and respect for killing the Eyes and whisking her away from danger. And now he was in the process of proving how considerate a lover he was. Everything about this man made her like him more.

  If only he would move his arse and get inside her.

  Hugh’s fingers delved deeper, pulsing within her as he watched her intently. She felt vulnerable under his scrutiny but could do nothing about it. Not at the moment.

  “Are you ready for me, Lera?” She met his gaze, aware of how in control he was and how out of it she felt. He definitely had her at a disadvantage.

  “I was ready ten minutes ago, but some fool of a dragon has been keeping me waiting,” she whispered against his lips as he bent over her.

  He chuckled and moved closer, sealing his mouth to hers as he used the hand that was still between them to line himself up with her opening. She felt the first gentle probe, followed by the steady slide inward as his tongue danced with hers.

  He went slow, for which she was grateful. It had been years since her last foray into the world of physical pleasure. When this first bout was over, she wanted to examine that rigid shaft in depth, but the moment was too urgent just now to take the time.

  “Oh, Hugh…” She gasped when he was seated fully within her. Stars, that felt good.

  “All right?” he paused to ask, concern in his green gaze.

  “Better,” she replied breathlessly. “Keep going.”

  “I’m in all the way,” he laughed.

  She shook her head, wanting more. “I know. Just keep going. Move!” Increasing desperation forced her to use simple, urgent words.

  “As milady commands.” Hugh dipped his head, placing sucking kisses under her ear and down along her neck as he began to move in shallow thrusts that nearly made her scream. It was so good. So perfect.

  He picked up the pace, moving faster now as her body opened to accept him fully. She was wet and willing, ready for the pleasure she sensed only he could show her.

  She’d had climaxes before, but she’d never heated up so fast for a man and had definitely never been so desperate. She wasn’t sure she would survive the ecstasy that loomed just out of reach. She yearned for it. She wanted it so bad, it almost hurt. Would Hugh be able to take her there—to the place beyond mere pleasure? She thought she might have finally found the man who could show her the true power that waited just over there, on the other side of the massive orgasm that was even now building within her.

  Hugh’s speed incre#82 speed ased again as his breathing began to match pace. His thrusts were harder, deeper, more compelling, and she welcomed every stroke, every contact.

  “Hugh!” She fought hard to keep her voice down even as her senses began to explode.

  It didn’t take much. Hugh accelerated, grinding into her in short digs that put pressure on just the right places inside and out. Three strokes and she shot to the stars, stifling the scream she would have voiced if they hadn’t been so out in the open. The real stars above her swirled as her vision faded and sparks flew behind her eyes. Her body trembled and shook under him as Hugh clenched, his cock spewing warm jets into her body, heating her from within as his blanketing bulk heated her skin.

  “Lera… Sweet Lera…” His words came to her through the fog of pleasure.

  Finally. F
inally she knew what it was like to feel the highest of highs, the pinnacle of pleasure. Finally, she touched the stars with a man. Finally, she understood what it was really all about for her as a keeper of magic.

  She had touched the place that had been out of reach with her other lovers. She had seen behind the curtain and learned there was ever more to see, ever more to experience. But at least she was on the path now.

  Hugh rolled off her, never losing touch with her bare skin. He lay behind her, spooning her back with her front to the fire so she was warm on all sides. He’d proven himself a considerate lover in all ways, including now, in the afterglow.

  Lera must have dozed, for when she woke next, Hugh’s warmth at her back was gone. In fact, she was lying flat on her back on the bedroll, her legs splayed wide apart and Hugh was between them, his head very near the juncture of her thighs. He looked up when she tensed.

  “Glad you’re awake.” He winked at her, an audacious smile on his handsome face.

  “Why’s that?” She felt strange, exposed like this, under the stars.

  A quick glance across the fire reassured her that the baby gryphon was still fast asleep. She’d seen youngsters of that race before and knew they required more sleep than most infants and when they slept, very little short of an earthquake would wake them until they were fully rested.

  “Because I was taught it’s not gentlemanly to take advantage of a woman while she is sleeping.”

  “And now that I’m awake, it’s all right?”

  “Definitely.” Hugh lowered his head, keeping his gaze locked with hers as he did something unexpected. His mouth opened over her clit, taking it inside the warm, wet cavern where his tongue waited to torture and play.

  No one had ever done this to her before. Lera didn’t know where to look, but that problem was solved by the fact that Hugh would not release her gaze, holding it with his own. The moment was far more intimate than when he’d been inside her. They’d been in that together. This time, it felt like only she was being driven to distraction, and he was doing it to her. He was in control here and she’d given over her free will with no fight at all. Whatever he wanted to do to her, she was open and ready. That was the message her body was giving him and he was taking full advantage.

  At the moment, she didn’t give a damn. Let him take charge if this was the result. She’d give total control to him, and gladly.

  A dangerous thought for a woman in her position. Danger, of course, had been following her for years. Only yesterday, two separate attempts had been made on her lan ade on ife. Now was not the time to deny herself any sort of pleasure Hugh had in store. She might not live much longer, in which case, she wanted to enjoy these stolen moments to their fullest extent.

  Hugh delved lower, his tongue stroking out to tease and tempt until finally, it made its way into her body. Stroking, licking and thrusting, Lera had never known a tongue could work such magic. She shattered against his mouth, suppressing her cries lest someone hear.

  Hugh rode her through the climax, taking his time before prowling his way back up her body, kissing and trailing that talented tongue against her skin as he went. He didn’t stop until he was face to face, his mouth on hers. She thought she tasted a bit of herself on his lips, and the mere thought rekindled the fire in her belly. Never before had she been so easily aroused.

  “One day we will make love somewhere you don’t have to stifle your sounds of delight, Lera. You will scream my name when you come, for all to hear.” His words were spoken between kisses as his hands stroked her nipples, pinching and squeezing in the most delightful way.

  “But the baby…” she tried to explain.

  “I know. And regardless of how barren this place looks, we do not fully know who or what might be around. No sense advertising our presence any more than we already have.” He swooped in for a masterful kiss, then rolled to her side, propping himself up on one elbow as their eyes met.

  He had added wood to the fire, for the flames danced once more, licking his skin with their subtle light. They reflected in the cool green crystal of his eyes. He really was the most breathtaking man, now that she could see all of him. Those dusty traveling clothes had not done him full justice.

  The thought occurred that perhaps that had been deliberate. Perhaps he’d been in disguise. In a land full of very observant gryphons, it seemed odd to have a dragon shapeshifter walking without notice among her people. Was he the only one? Were there more such as him, roaming the streets of the capitol city? If so, what were their real intentions?

  “I never knew there were people like you in the world, Hugh.” She reached out to stroke his stubbly cheek with one hand.

  She wanted to know more about him. Not just because his kind could pose a threat to the people and creatures of her land, but because he’d been as kind and gallant as a man could be, and he’d made love to her with a caring and skill she’d never experienced.

  “There are a few of us. Not many, of course, and none that I know of, other than myself, in this realm.”

  The clarity of his gaze became clouded with unease. He wasn’t comfortable with her implied question. That much was plain to see. But she had to ask. It was her duty to protect this land from all possible threats.

  “Why are you here? Surely not just to rescue mistreated children and women on the run for their lives?” She tried to make a joke of her very real inquiry.

  He smiled and stroked the hair back from her face. His touch was warm and gentle, soothing. She wondered again if he was using his magic on her, but had no way of knowing for certain. His was a kind of magic she’d never been trained to deal with. She wasn’t sure her usual tricks for detecting magical energy would work on him.

  “I came to discover more about this land. I can’t tell you much more than that, but my intent was never hostile. I came here only to learn.”

  And report back. He didn’t have to say it. She was savvy enough to know hokinh to knw these things worked. He’d been sent to gather first-hand intelligence on her land—whether for good or evil, only those he reported back to would decide. He was but the messenger. Or so he implied.

  “And somehow you find yourself rescuing not only one female in peril, but two.” She tried to make light of the situation, hoping to distract him so their night together would not end abruptly. She hadn’t finished with his devastating body yet.

  “I didn’t plan any of this,” he agreed ruefully. “But part of being…what I am…” he seemed to hesitate over the words, “…is protecting those who are innocent. Miss is clearly that.” He glanced over at the sleeping gryphlet and his compassion was clear in his expression.

  “And me? You really have no way of knowing if I deserve to die.” She held her breath, waiting for his answer.

  “Nobody deserves an assassin’s blade.” His words were unequivocal. “If you’d done something worthy of a death sentence—which frankly, I cannot believe—then it would properly be carried out by legal representatives in a formal proceeding. I know at least that much about Helios. It is not a lawless place run by assassins and thugs. Not from what I’ve seen.”

  She wondered what he’d been doing in Helios before their paths had crossed. How long had he been observing her city before he came to her attention by rescuing the gryphlet? What had he seen and done?

  And why was she so fascinated by him?

  Usually a woman of thought rather than action, Lera decided not to let this night pass in introspection. He was what he was. And right now, he was naked and if the hardness of that giant cock was any indication, he was more than ready to bring her pleasure again.

  There would be time for thinking later. Or not. It was really up to the goddess how much time Lera had left and for right this moment, she planned to enjoy every last moment she had with Hugh.

  She rose and moved so that he was under her, her legs straddling his middle. He seemed surprised, but helped her reposition them so that they were both comfortable.

  Lera had
never taken charge in bedsport before and was uncertain of exactly what to do. Hugh helped, cupping her breasts as they hung above him, bringing her hardened nipples to his mouth in turn as she squirmed over him.

  “Do you like that?” Hugh whispered against her breasts.

  She could only utter a soft moan of agreement as her hips moved restlessly against him. The friction of his hard body against her clit was good, but it wasn’t enough.

  “Do you need some help, sweetheart?” His tone held a humor she was far from feeling at the moment.

  “I need you inside me,” she said, desperation coloring her softly voiced words.

  “So greedy,” he chastised, playfully nipping at her breast. “I like that about you.” He slid one hand between them, cupping her, letting his fingers roam through her curls until he found her clit and rubbed.

  Oh, that felt good. But she needed more.

  One long finger slid inside, as if testing her readiness. She wanted to scream. She was ready! Oh, so ready!

  But he made her wait. The devil.

  His finger pulsed inward, then out, and when it returned, there were two. Then three. Stretching, filling, pleasuring her.

  “Hugh…” she whispered, a desperate plea.

  “We’re going to have to do something about this impatience of yours, Lera,” he teased, moving his fingers in delicious ways. “But not now.”

  “Praise the goddess,” she breathed in relief as he withdrew his fingers, replacing them with the very hard, very large cock she’d glimpsed in the firelight.

  He certainly knew how to fill her. And then some. In this position, she was able to influence the speed and depth and it occurred to her that he hadn’t really given her all of himself that first time. He’d definitely been holding something in reserve.

  Bright stars, had he! She sank onto him, annoyed by the hand he insisted on keeping between them. His care of her body would have been touching at any other time, but not now. Definitely not now.

  She wanted all of him. No. She needed all of him, and he was holding back. The sneak.

  “Move your hand.” Her tone held a trace of the command she was used to wielding and she knew it surprised him when his gaze shot to hers, full of question. Never mind, she thought. This joining was too important. “Give it all to me,” she tried again, hoping her voice sounded more coaxing than ordering.