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

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “Let me be the judge of what I can handle.” She surprised herself with the ability to speak a whole sentence. The way her mind fragmented at this moment, she hadn’t expected more than a few disassembled words.

  “Are you sure?” His hand flattened between them, decreasing the space, allowing her to take him glorious fractions deeper. But she needed it all. She was desperate.

  “Positive. Please, Hugh.” Her words came between pants of breath now, low and pleading.

  He seemed to think about it for a moment more, then slid that big hand out of the way, bringing it to rest on her hip. A fiery brand of possession that felt so right.

  She took him all the way, grinding against him when he was fully seated. She gasped at the sensations and met the fire in his eyes with abandon. She didn’t care what he might read in her expression. She was open to him completely. Bared to the soul. And it was the right thing to do. She felt it in her bones.

  This man was different from all others. With him, she could release the beast she kept carefully hidden within. She could be what she was born to be. With him. Only with him.

  Hugh alone could handle her fire. She knew it instinctively.

  She began to move, holding his gaze, wondering what he might see in her eyes if she let loose completely. She’d been told about the magic inside her all her life, but had never been in a position where it might come out whether she wanted it to or not.

  Not until Hugh.

  “Can you handle my fire?” she whispered, dipping to kiss his strong chin as she increased her pace.

  “I’m half dragon. Fire is my element,” he replied, his own breathing satisfyingly abrupt.

  She felt the leap inside her at his words. A leap of magic. A leap of excitement. A leap of fire. A leap of faith.

  She closed her eyes, knowing the flame was reflected there. She bent low to kiss him for all she was worth, needing to seal their bodies together in every way possible while the magic was riding her, glad he was who and what he was. Glad she needn’t fear burning him with the power she’d been born with.

  She pounded her hips into his, mhe into hatching his upward thrusts from beneath her as they met in the center of the storm, a timeless place apart from the rest of the world. There, in the heart of the maelstrom, their souls met and fused, heated by the magic of two separate traditions, now joined.

  Lera hoped it was the first of many such joinings, but only the goddess she served knew for sure.

  There, at that blinding center, passion exploded, whooshing outward and then back in to take them both on the ride of a lifetime, upward into the heavens and back, toward the rushing sea of sensation. Lera clung to him, physically and mentally, knowing he was with her in this climax of climaxes, even as their souls and magic parted and drew back into their separate bodies.

  The pleasure was like none she had ever experienced. It was on a deeper, more magical level than she had ever even imagined. Something she had not known existed. Something sacred.

  The power rose up, engulfed her and drained her, all at the same time. A sweeping sensation beyond any she had heard of from all her teachers, supposedly so wise in the ways of magic. They had done their best to try to explain what she might find waiting for her if she ever found that once-in-a-lifetime partner who could match her both physically and magically. None of their many words had been even near adequate to describe such a thing.

  The ecstasy rode her long and hard. She felt the strain in every muscle—and in the strong body that lay rigidly convulsed in matching pleasure beneath her. Long, long moments of utter bliss, followed by a long sl

  ide down into the satisfied oblivion of one who had given her all and had it returned twice over.

  Sleep claimed her while the pleasure washed down into wavelets, lapping at her senses, lulling her into a heavy state of relaxation. Hugh was still joined with her body even as she felt the deep, even breathing that indicated he was following her into the abyss.

  Chapter Five

  When Lera woke, hours later, she knew something had changed on a fundamental level. Memory returned with the twinges of strain in her muscles as she came more fully awake.

  She’d fallen asleep all over Hugh. She had to laugh at her own discourteous actions. She’d been his living blanket for most of the night, while he’d warmed her from beneath. At some point, he’d found the strength to cover them both with the thin blanket from his bedroll, and it had been enough to keep her bum from getting cold, but he hadn’t moved her off him.

  Maybe he liked the feel of her draped all over him. And by that, she meant all over. His impressive cock, even while soft, had stayed within her while they slept. As if it had found a home. Again, she smiled at her own thoughts.

  Disengaging from him with some difficulty, she rolled to the side, watching him as he slept. The fire had died down to embers, but the faintest hint of dawn over the rolling dunes of the sand flats allowed her to study the chiseled angles of his face.

  He was such a handsome man. Even in sleep, he was hard-edged and stunning. A warrior’s warrior. He also had proven he had a kind and gentle heart. He’d taken in Miss and then rescued Lera and took it as his task to protect them both. He wasn’t a glory hound. He did it all with no expectation of glory. It was just who he was.

  And she was very attracted to this strange man who had come out of seemingly nowhere to seduce her senses and boggle her mind. He didn’t mean to. It was just that when he touched her in just the right way, all coherent thought seemed to fly right out of her head.

  nig It was time to turn the tables and see if she could do a little mind boggling of her own.

  Sliding down his body, Lera spared a glance across the campfire to be certain the gryphlet was still asleep. Miss hadn’t moved all night, her eyes still tightly closed, her wings folded neatly along her sleeping body. She’d be asleep for a while still.

  All that much better for what Lera had planned.

  Reaching out, she trailed her fingers along Hugh’s muscular abdomen, playing in the thin arrow of hair that led downward to the rod that had brought her so much pleasure in the night. He’d given her more satisfaction than any man—not that she’d had that many lovers. But even the two who had professed to love her had taken their pleasure without giving her anything in return.

  Growing bolder, Lera trailed her fingertips lightly over Hugh’s cock, pleased when it stirred. She looked upward to gauge his level of slumber. Sleepy, sexy, half-slitted green eyes met her gaze.

  “I’m glad you’re up,” she whispered, her touch growing bolder.

  “Not yet, but I’m getting there.” His deep voice rumbled through her mind in a mental caress that made her shiver with an added dimension of excitement. “Keep doing that, baby, and I’ll be up in no time and ready to please you.”

  “Mmm.” Lera licked her lips, moving closer. “I had something a little different in mind. I’ve never done this before, so let me know if I do anything wrong.” Her voice dropped to an even lower pitch as she opened her mouth near his straining cock, reaching out with her tongue to lick a delicate line along his expanding flesh.

  “Nothing you do with your mouth on my cock could be wrong.”

  She heard the excitement in his mental communication and smiled. There was no doubt he liked what she was doing. Emboldened by his reaction, she stroked her tongue over him again, this time more fully.

  His legs moved restlessly as she lowered her mouth over the tip of his cock. He was rigid now, straining against the insides of her cheeks as she rolled her tongue around him. He had a faintly cinnamon taste. She’d noticed that about him in dragon form as well. He smelled of cinnamon, not brimstone. So different than she had expected.

  Everything about this magical man enchanted her.

  And she’d always loved cinnamon.

  She sucked inward and he muffled a groan. No doubt he was as conscious of the child sleeping nearby as she was. She knew the gry
phon baby would sleep for some time still, but they did need to keep the noise to a minimum. In a way, that made the encounter the tiniest bit more exciting.

  Still, the faster they moved, the safer they’d be. That in mind, she redoubled her efforts, taking him as deep as she could down her throat. She was just getting into a rhythm when Hugh lifted her by the shoulders and rolled her under him.

  Pushing her clothing out of the way, he slid into her body with little preamble, thwarting her plans to give him an early morning gift. Instead, he was giving them both pleasure—taking his from her body and giving her the same in return.

  His cock was wet from her mouth, and her pussy, though tender from the night before, was wet with excitement. He slid in easily, rousing the sensitive tissues that had gotten to know him well already. Her body knew him now and knew he would bring her pleasure like she’d never known, except with him.

  It was easy to join higaiy to jom at the fever pitch of excitement. The way he handled her body inflamed her senses. There was something about being with such a giant of a man. His immense strength made her feel small and feminine. At the same time, they way he tempered his power when he was with her made her feel cherished in a way she’d never experienced with any man.

  Hugh was an original. A once-in-a-lifetime lover.

  He began to ride her, his thickness making her want to cry out his name on every thrust. But she dare not.

  Instead, she grabbed onto his shoulders, digging in her fingers, hanging on for dear life.

  It didn’t take long. The power of his thrusts increased as the magic between them rose to engulf them both. The fire came to her—his, hers—she wasn’t sure which. It didn’t matter. The flame in them was everything. It was nothing. It was heaven on Earth for the few life-altering moments while bliss rolled over them, holding them together in its grip.

  She wanted to scream as she came but settled for muffling her moans against his shoulder as he did the same. They were wrapped around each other tighter than tight, his body possessing hers as she held on, claiming him with arms, legs and magic wrapped around him.

  He didn’t resist. In fact, it felt like he did the same, though she couldn’t be certain. After such an explosion of feeling, she couldn’t be sure of anything. She could only feel the incredible bliss, the unending and magical fire that he brought her.

  She dozed in the predawn, blanketed by him, though he made a small effort to take most of his weight off her by rolling to one side. But he didn’t let go of her. And she didn’t mind at all.

  A stirring on the other side of what was left of the campfire drew her attention as she woke again from her light doze. The baby gryphon was coming awake by slow degrees. Dawn was just breaking over the dunes and Lera was able to see better with each moment.

  “I guess we’ll have to postpone the rest of this interlude to another time.” Hugh’s voice promised even more naughtiness of the most delicious kind.

  “I’ll look forward to it.”

  She kissed him one last time, then slipped away under the blanket he’d thrown over them, searching around for the clothes she’d discarded so carelessly the night before. The bodice was close enough for her to grab and wriggle into under the covers.

  When she poked her head out, Hugh was already up. She saw him standing above her with a devilish grin on his face a moment before he flung a pile of fabric at her. It landed with a soft whoosh, making her laugh. It was her skirt and undergarments. She fought her way out of the yards of soft fabric to look at him.

  “There’s a bit of water and privacy over that dune.” He nodded toward the east, a few yards distant.

  Lera used her skirts as cover, making her way toward the dip in the sands that held the trickle of a clear-running stream. There was also a bit of vegetation they were using as an outhouse. She was able to take care of necessities, bathe somewhat, drink her fill and dress more fully before she returned to the campsite. Nothing could be done, however, about the nest her hair had become. It would take her hairdresser a week to comb out all the tangles, she was sure.

  When she walked back over the dune toward the rekindled fire, the gryphon’s sharp gaze was the first to spot her. Hugh turned his head and winked as he leaned over the fire, tending it.

  In the golden light of dawn, he took her breath away.

  The gryphlet flapped her wings, breaking the silence and drawing attention.

  “Good morning, little Miss.” Hugh addressed the gryphlet. “Are you hungry?”

  The little kitten head nodded as she pranced over. She was careful of the fire, Lera noticed. Smart girl. Or maybe she’d already learned the hard way that fire, fur and oiled feathers didn’t really mix well.

  “Hungry,” she agreed in her simple way as she butted her soft head against Hugh’s arm.

  “So am I,” he agreed. “If you can wait just a bit, I’ll go find us something to eat, all right?” He caressed the kitten’s head with genuine affection just as Lera’s stomach growled. He laughed and looked at her. “Sounds like Lady Lera is hungry too.”

  “Iss dat why sshe growlss?” Miss asked, her head tilting in question.

  Lera had to laugh. “Sorry about that.” She moved closer to the fire, enjoying the heat it gave off in the chilly morning air.

  Hugh stood from tending the fire and walked over to Lera, stealing an all too brief kiss before striding even farther from the campsite. A blur of black fog and suddenly the dragon stood where the man had been only an eye blink before.

  “I’ll be back in a few minutes with something to eat.”

  The feel of his thoughts in her mind was comfortably familiar after the harrowing night before. She’d never even heard of anyone who could speak mind to mind before, much less experienced it, but with Hugh, it just seemed right. As did many things. He was comfortable to be with, which was something she had rarely experienced in her life of privilege.

  People were usually uncomfortable with her elevated status. Either that, or worse, they courted her favor purely for their own gain. While not evil in itself, such self-interest tainted all her dealings with people to the point where she seldom had a simple, friendly conversation with anyone.

  There was a saying that it was lonely at the top and Lera knew it to be true from firsthand experience. She gathered her skirts around her legs and sat at the fire on the folded bedroll. The gryphon looked at her suspiciously.

  It was about time she set the little one straight and did her best to make friends. While Hugh had protected the child thus far, she would probably be better off among her own kind. It was up to Lera to give the little one the opportunity.

  “My name is Valeria, but my friends call me Lera. I hope you will be my friend.” The gryphlet took a tentative step toward her, skirting the rebuilt fire by a wide margin. “I’m sorry if I frightened you yesterday when we first met, but I was concerned that Hugh might not be a good man and I wanted to protect you.”

  “Hoo iss good,” the baby insisted with a stubborn set to her pointy jaw.

  “I know that now,” Lera agreed. “He saved my life. As did you. I owe you a great debt, Miss. Thank you for helping when those bad men were trying to kill me.”

  “Trying to hurt Hoo too,” Miss mumbled. “Don’t like.”

  “You were right not to like those bad men. The men with the eyes painted on their bodies are dangerous. You were very brave to attack that man. Very brave indeed. You have the heart of a lioness, little Miss. Helios is proud of you. And I am proud of you and thankful. To show my thanks, I give wanks, I you a boon.”

  “What’ss a boom?”

  “Boon, dear one. It means that I owe you one special treat. When we get back to the city, you can ask me for anything that it is within my power to grant you and I will give it to you. It is a very rare honor given to only the bravest gryphons. It has been years since I have given one.” The kitten moved closer, her folded wings gleaming with health in the crisp dawn light. She looked much better than she had only the day b
efore. Perhaps the benefit of Hugh’s magic? Lera wasn’t sure, but it would make sense. “You must think long and hard about what you want. Do not waste such a gift on something simple. You should ask for something really important. Something that is your heart’s desire. If it is within my power, I will give it to you.”

  “You have power?” The baby looked up at her with tilted chin and Lera had to laugh.

  “A very good question,” she congratulated the gryphlet. “As a matter of fact, I do. That’s why my cousin sent those bad men to kill me. If I died, she would take my place and that’s something Helios cannot afford.”

  Lera’s attention was caught by the return of the black dragon. He landed some yards distant. Far enough away that the wild game he held in one clawed hand wasn’t recognizable. Hugh used those sharp ebony claws to slice whatever it was and tossed the remains farther away from the campsite.

  He walked toward her and her attention was snagged by how gracefully he moved even in dragon form. She wouldn’t have expected something that was so clearly born to be in the air could be as good on the ground. The gryphons were different. They were half cat and therefore able to prowl as well on the ground as their raptor could conquer the air.

  Dragons? They were something altogether different. Purely their own species, not made by a wizard from two separate creatures like the gryphons had been.

  “How do you like your mutton? Well done or pink in the middle?”

  His voice in her mind made her feel warm in a good way. He was close enough now that he would hear her if she spoke aloud.

  “Can you do medium well?”

  “Most certainly, milady.”

  “But what can we cook it on?” She looked around, even though she knew there hadn’t been any cooking gear in his pack.