Breath of Flame and Shadow (3 page)

“I interrupted you two, didn’t I?” Rowan asked, making a move to get up. Darius dug his fingers into her hips, preventing her from moving.

“You’re still in need,” Zak said. “Take what we can give you. You will be giving back so much more by doing so.”

“I don’t want to come between you…what you have…”

“Rowan, what we have is yours, but we’ll never take what you won’t give willingly.” Darius lifted a hand to brush along the edge of her jaw from behind. He hooked one finger in the neck of her robe and tugged at the ties of her robe. Zak’s eyes drifted over her bare skin as the fabric parted. Darius let a fingertip skim down the center of her chest and he slipped his large hand beneath the fabric to cup one breast. His breathing came shallow and quick in her ear. “I can already feel the magic clinging to you. You would be fulfilling us even more. Trust me, having you would be a rare treat. One we don’t commonly get up here.”

Rowan shrugged her upper body free of the robe and reached to place her hands at either side of Zak’s head. The blaze in his eyes had subsided, but there was still a deep amber glow. His eyebrows drew together. She got the sense that he was on the verge of begging and it only endeared him to her further.

“Yes,” she said, and pulled him down into a kiss. He groaned against her lips, letting her slip her dragon tongue into the warmth of his mouth and tease against his tongue. The hand at her breast squeezed gently and Darius’s fingertips plucked at her nipple, making her gasp at the sudden burst of pleasure. While she and Zak kissed, the soft sensation of his hands became apparent. Zak pushed at the folds of her robe until the fabric fell away and pooled beneath her, leaving her utterly bare. Zak moved lower, his lips found her inner thigh and he kissed his way along its length, pushing her legs apart to gain access. The wet, velvet heat of his tongue startled her when he found her already throbbing core and pressed his lips against her.

Delicious zings of sensation tingled between her thighs with each stroke of his tongue against her clit. Sweet Jesus, dragon lovers were so much more adept than humans at this. She rested one hand atop Zak’s smooth head and reached behind herself with the other to find Darius’s thick, hard cock where it pressed against her backside. When she gripped his length, he dropped his forehead to her shoulder, murmuring an incoherent sound of pleasure.

With a nudge of her hand, Zak rose and Rowan turned to face Darius. She stroked Darius’s cock more deliberately and scooted backward on her knees to gain better access. He leaned back on his elbows, watching her with bright eyes gazing down his torso as she took him into her mouth and sucked. The eager, probing tongue returned between her legs from behind this time, but was soon replaced with the welcome thickness of Zak’s cock pressing into her wet heat and sliding deep. She moaned around Darius, becoming lost in the slick, stretching friction of Zak as he moved inside her.

Their hunger for her was the headiest influence. She realized when Darius threaded his fingers through her hair and began thrusting his hips up against her lips that she could sate these two men easily and have more to spare. Perhaps she was spurred on by the memory of being hungry herself as a child and being forced to find creative ways to sustain herself. This didn’t quite resemble the charity work she imagined she might do once she found herself able to give back. This was far more enjoyable an experience because they were just as intent on her pleasure as she was on theirs and she could offer them something even greater. It wasn’t only her power she intended to give, however.

Once she left here, she resolved to make her way back home and pledge her support to their cause. Rafe could go to hell, but the rest of their race needed her. She just wished she could find the conviction to believe that she could ever get over Rafe.

Her heart ached at the sudden thought of giving up even the memory of their few days together. She released Darius from her mouth and looked into his eyes, hoping for reassurance. His response surprised her, the voice ringing clearly through her mind.

“
Love doesn’t care about loyalties or betrayals. If he loves you, he’ll find you and it will have nothing to do with his other agenda.
”

“Is it terrible of me if I don’t intend to wait?”

Darius smiled and stroked the side of her head. “No. The chase will be good for him, no doubt. It might do Zak a little good, too.” He sat up with a wicked look on his face that was directed over her shoulder. He pulled her close, dislodging her other lover from her rear. She was forced to straddle his hips or else lose balance.

“You shit,” Zak said with a laugh.

“We share everything,” Darius murmured into her ear, the humor in his tone evident and emphasized by the lovely rumble that erupted from his chest when he sank his cock into the space recently vacated by Zak.

“Does he know that?” Rowan asked. She only had a second to glance over her shoulder at Zak’s perturbed face before Darius lay back, pulling her with him.

Zak’s laugh from behind her was her only answer. A second later she heard in her head,
“He left me the best part.”
The words were coupled with the feel of a tongue probing between her ass and a slick fingertip swirling around the sensitive opening.

Her eyes widened and she stared down at Darius whose grin only widened. “We don’t often have the pleasure of a female. Indulge us?”

“Oh God, you two are so fucking evil.”

She braced her hands on Darius’s wide shoulders, her entire world focused on the thrust of his cock inside her. His mouth latched onto her nipple and sucked, then switched to the other. In between, he looked up at her with raised eyebrows, waiting for her response. He flicked a pointed and very human-looking tongue against the tip of her breast and she realized he had no way to manifest his dragon. She was fortunate to have the freedom she had.

“Yes, okay. Fuck my ass, too. Just… just fuck me.”

The hot tip of Zak’s cock pressed between her ass cheeks. The very slight pressure against her sensitive opening made her clench her pussy around Darius and she moaned at the converging threads of pleasure that raced through her lower body.

“Like this?” Zak rumbled into her ear. His smooth chest was flush against her back but he held his hips back. She could sense his need to penetrate her, and God she wanted him to, but wasn’t quite prepared.

“Yeah, just go slow,” she breathed.

She held still, her heart pounding. Her nails dug into Darius’s chest and she looked down at him. He had one hand on her hip and the other behind his head, watching her as though waiting to see her reaction to having Zak’s cock slide into her ass. He’d slowed down his fucking and his erection throbbed inside her while he waited

Zak nuzzled at the side of her neck, murmuring hungry words. “You have the most beautiful ass. If we had a week, I’d spend every day with my tongue down there, making you come a thousand times.” The slick tip of his shaft finally found its way past her barrier, the tight friction making her gasp. She leaned into Darius, who shifted his hips with a tiny thrust up into her as though he couldn’t avoid moving them. The sensation his small movement caused nearly made her come, and the tentative invasion of Zak’s cock was too much.

“Just do it, Christ! Fuck me!”

Zak gripped her hips tightly in both hands and pushed. Darius threw his head back and let out an otherworldly groan then looked back up at her with fevered eyes as he began fucking her again in earnest.

Rowan couldn’t move and just clutched at Darius’s chest, digging her nails in until she drew blood. They kept her poised on the edge of orgasm while they fucked her, both glorious cocks filling her to bursting. When Darius shifted a hand between her thighs it took a mere caress of her clit and she was flying.

She was sure she’d partially shifted when it happened, and the trumpeting yell she let out was enough evidence of that. She was only half aware of the hot pulses of their orgasms shooting into her and the brief and anemic bursts of energy that came along with it.

Her own well still felt hungry, but the look on Darius’s face told her he’d received a much larger helping of the magic through her than she had through them.

She collapsed against his chest and Zak followed, reluctant to retreat from her just yet. Zak pulled them both to the side and pressed against her, sighing into her shoulder.

“When you find your lover, bring him back here so we can thank him for sending you running.”

C
hapter 4

R
owan left the mountain with just enough energy to make it to a resort village in Bali. Before she said farewell to the two men, Darius shared some dragon wisdom that Rowan intended to make use of once she found the appropriate targets.

“Find a group and use your breath to work them up. You’ll replenish your energy much faster once they begin to feed off each other’s need. They don’t even need to participate at first. Just get them to watch long enough that they are pliant. Humans in that state of arousal are highly susceptible to suggestion.”

The craving hit her hard as soon as she shifted back to her human form. Her stomach cramped like she’d starved herself, and her head spun. She turned and braced herself on a palm tree. Nausea overwhelmed her for a moment.

She avoided throwing up, at least, and stood on shaky legs staring down the slope toward the ocean.

“Jesus, this should be easier,” she whispered to herself. She expelled a deep breath, concentrated, feeling every molecule of her own breath settle around her at her command. She pictured what she wanted in her head—a short, green summer dress, with a wraparound bodice that pushed her breasts up just so.

The constriction of the fabric ceased just on the edge of discomfort, the silky fabric flowed against her naked skin.

She walked through the foliage and tall palms toward the sounds of revelry that had attracted her. The verdant noises of the coastal jungle bombarded her, its moist warmth a cocoon. The fecund scent of all that life around her filled her nostrils, soon replaced by the salty breeze coming off the ocean. She’d always been unusually attuned to her surroundings but never so much as she was since being with Rafe—since learning what she was and then learning the man she had fallen for was noncommittal about being with her.

Weary of the ache of rejection and hungry for energy, she shoved the thoughts as far back as she could and focused on the task at hand. Soon she came across a smooth flagstone path with glowing globes of solar lights illuminating it in the darkness. She stood in the shadows beside the path for a moment to get her bearings. The path led through the foliage to a wide teak deck illuminated by the windows of a large beach cabana and by strings of twinkling lanterns that criss-crossed above milling partiers. A breeze blew through, setting the palms above her swaying. The current cooled her hot skin but did nothing to shift the steady pull of magic she could feel from the bodies below. Sometimes it was even a visual current if she shifted her eyes the right way, a shimmering mesh over the world. When she got close to a person, she could actually sense their level of arousal like a cloud of static around them.

There was a potent pull here. Multiple pulls, which set her craving on edge. It was akin to walking into a bakery and being surrounded by the aroma of fresh-baked confections when she was starving.

She hovered at the edge of the party for a moment, catching her bearings. It was full of young, beautiful people, all in casual dress suitable for a tropical vacation.

“You look like you need a drink.” The deep voice surprised her, but the shimmer of arousal around the bare-chested man who approached captured her interest.

She turned to gaze into deep, sultry eyes framed by black lashes beneath a head of slightly too long hair the color of mahogany. She let her eyes skitter lower, across the loose linen shirt and shorts to his bare feet. He rested easy on his heels waiting for her response and seeming to enjoy her perusal of him.

“I do feel a little thirsty,” she said.

“Well, allow me to slake that need.” He trotted off and she moved further into the party, skirting the large pool where several men and women cavorted. It was a perfectly hedonistic corner of the world. One couple was on the verge of sex nearby but paused and laughed when they realized how visible they were. Another couple surreptitiously snorted lines of cocaine in the shadows before slinking back to the party.

“I’m Trevor,” the pretty man said when he handed her a drink. “Are you one of Meredith’s friends?”

“Yes,” Rowan lied. “Where is Meredith?”

Trevor chuckled. “Tied up with her man of the week, I guess. Showing off her digs to him and his cronies. We get the perks of her trust fund here and don’t question where she ends up in the process. How do you know her?”

“Ah…we met at school.” Rowan knew it was a stretch, but vague enough to not raise suspicion. The man’s energy pulsed energetically to the point she grew distracted by it. He was being way too polite for a guy as horny as he was. It was almost endearing.

“You went to Dartmouth?” Trevor asked.

“I did, but didn’t stay. Transferred to Stanford to be closer to my family.” Another lie, but less so, since she had actually graduated from Stanford, but had gone there to get as far away from her upbringing as possible.

“Hah, Meredith didn’t stay, either. I don’t remember her mentioning a hot redheaded friend though. I’d have remembered you.” His dark brows twitched as though he were making a concerted effort not to let his gaze wander lower.

“Meredith and I had a few classes together, but lost touch. We just caught back up online this year and she threw out this invitation…I was planning on being here so I figured why not?” She was reaching, but it wasn’t that big a stretch. Trevor’s energy pulsed enough to make her want to strip him bare and devour him right there, she was so hungry. But she held back. He was at least a very lovely man. Attentive, considering his eagerness to get her a drink. Attractive, too, with his wayward brown hair and pleasant, straight-toothed smile. He had a pleasing scruff on his chin that contributed to his relaxed, vacation persona. She let her gaze wander over his tanned, toned chest, dusted with dark hair that tapered to a dark line leading into the top of his shorts. He had potential, but wouldn’t be nearly enough on his own.

The music pulsed through her, distracting them both. “Hey, you want to get in the hot tub?”

She eyed the pair she’d seen snorting coke a moment earlier. Trevor must’ve seen her uncertainty. “We don’t have to do that if you don’t want.”

She gave him her sweetest smile and nodded. “The hot tub sounds nice,” she said. “I just didn’t bring a bathing suit.”

“So? Go natural. I will if you will.” He grinned widely and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

His playful glance back at her as he strode toward the hot tub made her laugh. He dropped his shorts and kept walking. She admired his naked backside and followed him, dropping her own dress by his shorts. She slipped into the hot water a moment later, glancing shyly at the other partiers who relaxed around the large tub, some sitting on the edge and others immersed in the steaming water. There were six others—two couples and a pair of men who seemed unattached but who both gave her appraising looks when she slid into the water

“Who’s your friend, Trevor?” one of the single men asked. His bright eyes stayed latched onto her face and waves of lust cascaded off him. He was high, she could tell. Most of the partiers were, but the cocaine seemed to be enhancing the pull of the magic to them.

“This is—” Trevor paused, glancing at her.

Rowan filled in the gap deftly. “I’m Rowan. Old friend of Meredith’s. And who are you?”

She eyed the man while sweeping her splayed fingers through the bubbling heat of the water.

“I’m Charles.”

He was hungry for sex, as was his quiet friend, a blond man who sat patiently watching the exchange. She wondered how best to begin. The men were all focused on her, even the ones with women. They tried to hide it, but she could feel the subtle pulses of their desire like tiny tendrils seeking her out. The women were curious, if slightly threatened. Nothing unusual there. But if she was going to get the most out of this night, she needed them all to love her.

“Nice to meet you, Charles. Are you guys all friends?”

One of the women laughed. Rowan looked at the dark-eyed brunette. The arm of the woman’s lover lay limp across her shoulder while his head rested back on the edge of the tub. His low-lidded eyes still watched Rowan surreptitiously.

“I think we all know each other a little
too
well. Charles has already decided he’s going to fuck you tonight. Poor Trevor there will be too nice to stand in his way, even though Trevor’s a better lover. You are, sweetie—you should own it.”

“I aim to please,” Trevor said, but his discomfort was obvious.

Rowan’s eyes widened, surprised by the honesty of the woman. “Oh! Well, I see no reason we can’t all be friends… and do what friends do.”

The brunette grinned and leaned across her man to extend a hand to Rowan. “I’m Paige.”

“So, Paige…” Rowan began after releasing Paige’s hand. “You seem to have intimate knowledge of most of these guys. Care to share more details?” The man next to Paige let out a derisive grunt of laughter but didn’t comment further.

“Jesus,” Charles said. “Keep your mouth shut for once, will you, Paige?”

“Forewarned is forearmed,” Paige said, giving Charles a wicked look. She turned back to Rowan. “Charles is quick on the draw. No finesse—he thinks he’s hot shit because, well, look at him… he’s hot shit. His silent partner there, Justin, secretly wants to fuck Charles but goes along with the asshole’s ploys for seduction.”

The quiet blond man behind Charles turned an even darker shade of red that couldn’t have been due to the heat of the tub.

“What the fuck, Paige!” Charles started to surge across the tub. Rowan intervened, rising from her seat to meet him.

Her naked breasts pressed against his chest and she met his wild blue eyes. He really was an attractive man, but devoid of character. He’d be the perfect start. His anger faltered when he met her eyes, an uncertain smile twisting his lips. Jesus, this was too easy.

Rowan took a deep breath, drawing on her remnants of power. She was made for this, after all. As she spoke, she let the breath flow out, seeking her target. “I think Justin deserves a little piece of you, just once, for being such a good friend. Don’t you, Charles? Why don’t you be a good boy and show us your pretty ass and tell Justin what you’d like him to do to it.”

Charles blanched at first, but soon her breath took hold. She could feel it seeping into his blood, making him pliant and willing better than alcohol or even the best drug could. His brows twitched and his mouth spread into a seductive smile. “You want to watch me get fucked?”

“Oh, yes, Charles. I would love nothing more than to watch Justin slide his cock in your ass and fuck it.
Hard.
”

“I brought lube,” Charles blurted.

The comment threw Rowan for a second but she absorbed it quickly and nodded. “That’s good.” She let her hand slide down his muscular arm, down his warm, wet hip, and reach back to grip his ass. Charles closed his eyes and let out a soft gasp. His cock was rock hard and huge pressed against her belly. “Why don’t you go get it now?” she said.

Charles nodded and nearly walked on water to get to the edge of the huge tub. He leapt out, splashing water on Paige and the others who watched in fascination.

Rowan turned her attention to Justin, who sat, mouth agape, staring at her. He was an adorable, pretty-faced blond. His hair perfectly trimmed, his face perfectly shaved, his entire body below the neck seemingly waxed to the roots. He looked every bit as spoiled as the rest of the people in the tub, but somehow a little bit sweeter for his shell-shocked longing.

Just another breath and the entire group would be eating from the palm of her hand, but she would draw this out just to see how much she really needed to push them. If she was lucky, it would take very little energy on her part to get things moving. She knew Darius had been right, just incite one or two into the right level of misbehavior and the rest would follow, particularly if it felt good. And what Rowan had in mind would feel very good.

She glanced around at the others. Justin averted his eyes. Paige grinned at her. Trevor made a move to shift closer so she edged her way back to him, the one sane person in the mix.

“Whatever you did to Charles, can you do it to the others?” he asked.

“Why do you think I did something?”

Trevor chuckled softly and spoke in a low tone that only she could hear. “You’re not quite human, Rowan. I don’t know what you are, but I’m no fool. My family’s been working for someone like you for as long as I can remember. We don’t talk about it. Ever.”

“What do you mean ‘like me’?” Rowan asked, cautiously. Her discussions with Rafe had made it clear to her that dragons hid very well among humans, but he’d never mentioned any humans being aware of the presence of dragons without being mated to one.

“I mean someone with a particular knack for bending wills.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I like you. And I really want to see Charles take it in the ass. Mostly the second thing.” Trevor grinned at her.

Rowan glanced around at the party. She didn’t have the power left for more breath. She needed one infusion. She slipped between Trevor’s strong thighs where he sat naked on the lip of the tub, and twined her fingers in the dark, wet threads of hair that clung to the base of his neck. She leaned in and whispered in his ear. “Who do you think is the weakest?”

He stilled to the point that she might have been clinging to a statue. His wide blue eyes met hers, the dark lashes clinging together with wetness. His lips tried to make words, the pink bows of them curling in patterns before her eyes, patterns that should have elicited communication, but didn’t. Had she broken him? The swirls of energy around him were evidence enough of his desire, and his cock twitched and swelled just below Rowan’s field of vision.

His lips pressed together, then drew apart again. It took her a second to register the barely whispered sound that passed through that changing shape of perfectly sensual flesh.

“Me.”

The word and his earlier admission was enough. She reached between them, gripped the shaft of his cock and stroked. Trevor’s eyes fluttered closed and he let out a soft moan.

She leaned in to rest her lips against his ear. “You have a beautiful cock. And you have beautiful energy, too. You feel so good.”