Ice Dragon (18 page)

He set to work, drawing out the steps of tying first her right wrist to the bedpost, and then her left. She watched his every move and her breathing increased as her excitement grew. When he was done with her wrists, he climbed between her spread legs and looked at his handiwork.

She was wet. Glistening with excitement. Her little bud was quivering with need already. Oh, she really did like this game, as he’d suspected she would. After all, she was perfect for him in every other way.

He ran one finger down her slick folds, pausing to rub around her clit, and her hips nearly bucked off the bed. He held her down and felt the flow of her desire increase a bit.

But it wasn’t yet time.

Leaning to his side, he ran his hand from pussy to ankle, slowly and seductively. He liked the gooseflesh that rose on her thighs as he stroked her. She was with him, thrilling to his touch.

With sure, deft movements, he secured her ankle to the lower bedpost, leaving a little leeway so she could bend her knees a bit. He then tied the other ankle the same way, sitting back on his haunches between her widely spread legs when he was done, with a deep sense of satisfaction. She was beautiful. And so responsive.

“You’re mine.” Roland’s voice was a deep growl he almost didn’t recognize as the dragon in him roared inside his mind. “You understand that, don’t you?”

“Yes, my liege.”

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He could have crowed at her quick affirmative. Instead, he moved swiftly, depositing playful, snarling, biting kisses over her slightly rounded tummy and hips. As he shifted lower, his playful nips turned to licking sweeps of his tongue and teasing scrapes of his teeth over her soft thighs. She had the finest skin he had ever beheld, creamy and pure, and the soft texture of silk. He moved lower and settled between her thighs, pressing them wider with the span of his shoulders as she moaned.

“Let me hear your cries, sweetheart. Let me hear your passion.” His words whispered against her inner thigh, but he knew she heard him from the increase of her sobs as he parted her slick folds and stroked his tongue within. She tasted like the sweetest ambrosia, delicious and addicting to the dragon that lived within him.

“That’s it,” he growled against her, “let me know what you’re feeling.”

He redoubled his efforts, sweeping his tongue around and over the little nubbin, and almost had her crying out.

But not yet.

He pulled back slightly and raised his head to meet her eyes.

“Now I’m going to kiss you,” he stated, loving the confusion that flickered in her eyes. “Do you want my kiss, Lana?”

“Oh, yes, my liege.” Her breathy whisper nearly made him break into a smile, but he held firm. How he loved teasing his woman.

“Would you beg for my kiss, Lana?”

She nodded, holding his gaze. “Yes, my liege. I’m begging you now.

Please kiss me.”

“Where do you want me to kiss you, Lana?” He liked the look of desperate yearning on her face, and the shocked puzzlement that crossed her lovely features a moment later as she digested his words.

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“Anywhere! Anywhere you want, my liege.” She writhed as her excitement rose higher yet. She evidently liked his teasing talk.

“Coward,” he scolded softly, cajoling. “Tell me where you want me to kiss you, Lana. Come on, be the daring woman I know you to be. Beg me to kiss your pussy, Lana. You know you want to.”

“Oh, stars! Roland, I’m begging you!”

“What?” he pulled back, reminding her of his role in this game.

“My liege! My liege. I’m begging you, my liege.” Her head rolled side to side, just a bit, as desperation nearly consumed her. She was so close.

But he would push her still further.

“What
exactly
are you begging for, Lana?” His quiet words purred through the bedroom.

“I’m begging for your mouth, my liege. Your mouth on my pussy.

Please! Please, Roland. My liege!”

Oh, he liked that. Roland took his time, stretching the moment out.

“That was nicely done, Lana. And now, your reward.” He moved slowly, noting the increase in her little shivers. Lowering his head, he spread her outer lips and settled his mouth over her, stroking his tongue deep within, kissing her as she’d begged him to do. With one thumb, he stroked the little nub as her cries shook the rafters of the room, her climax exploding in a great thundering rush.

Roland rode her throughout, extending the pleasure, until she began to settle back down. He then rose swiftly to his knees and ripped the tattered fabric that held her ankles to the bedposts, freeing her legs with his dragon’s strength. Pushing his unlaced leggings down and out of the way, he pulled her bare legs up around his waist and sank into her warmth with all possible speed.

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Oh, how he needed this! He needed her warmth, her surrender, her love. And he had it all. He knew that without a doubt. He had her, as she had him, and they would never part.

He’d thought, for one desperate moment that morning, that she would die. His entire life had flashed before him. In that moment, he knew he’d die gladly to protect this woman. His woman. And without her, he would never be whole again. Without her, he didn’t want to live.

But she was here, beneath him, a piece of him now, and nothing would part them. Ever. Roland stroked deep within her hot depths, loving her impassioned cries, capturing them on his tongue as he kissed her mouth, plunging his cock deep within his woman. His lover. His love.

Lana’s legs wrapped around his waist, squeezing his flanks as she urged him faster, and he obeyed. Roland’s pace increased and soon they shot to the stars once more. Together.

As they would be now…for always.

Sometime later, Roland and his brothers questioned Salomar and the soldier caught with him at length, learning a great deal about conspiracies that all seemed to trace back to Skithdron and its mad king.

Salomar was little better than King Lucan of Skithdron and the two had formed an unholy alliance to try to overtake Draconia.

One startling fact they learned from Salomar was that Lucan had sent team after team of explorers into the far north looking for…something. Salomar didn’t seem to know all the particulars, but he confessed Lucan was after some rare, ancient artifact of magic and was willing to equip Salomar’s army with the costliest diamond blades in www.samhainpublishing.com 183

order to attain safe passage through the Northlands for his search parties.

Roland planned to transport Salomar and his minion to the castle for further interrogation and imprisonment, but even as the knights did their best to subdue him, Salomar broke his bonds and made a run for it. Unfortunately he took a tumble and sailed over the edge of the Lair’s landing ledge before anyone could get a hand on him, crashing to his death on the rocks far below. A few scouts were dispatched to retrieve the body and bury it properly, for Roland believed even his worst enemy deserved a proper burial. After Salomar’s soldier saw his leader die, he was surprisingly eager to tell what little he knew and went with the guards with little fanfare.

The Northern Lair held a huge banquet to celebrate their victory, as well as to welcome their new sister of the skies and future queen. Prince Nico even arrived just in time for the party, much to his brothers’

surprise and amusement. Nothing, it truly appeared, was hidden from the Prince of Spies.

It was the first of many feasts Roland and Lana would attend at the various Lairs and, of course, back at Roland’s castle, but this one was special. As she thought back on it later, Lana realized this celebration marked the wedding of their hearts, though a state wedding with all the pomp and circumstance would be held at the castle later.

No, it was the people and dragons who made this celebration stand out. That, and the fact that after the dancing and feasting, Lana and Roland made their first mating flight, much to the delight of the dragons and knights alike. The two black dragons soared to the stars together, other dragon pairs all around them in the twinkling night sky, joining them in ecstasy as they flew and fell with their life mates. It was the first time in centuries two black dragons had made the flight, and it marked 184

the beginning of a new era for the dragons and knights alike. They trumpeted their joy as they joined their king and queen in happiness and pleasure.

A new day was dawning in Draconia, and though there were still enemies on the horizon, for the moment, at least, there was peace, joy, and most important of all…love.

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Under cover of darkness, the black dragon slipped across the border into Skithdron, his black hide blending with the night. Nico truly was the Prince of Spies and he was on a noble quest. The North Witch Loralie had told Lana her sister was in Skithdron, but Nico’s agents had been even more specific.

Aside from the girl, Nico had some spying to do on the Skithdronian king and his troops. Things were not yet settled between the two kingdoms, and though they had so far held back, Nico knew more violence was coming. Such was the way with tyrants.

Roland had taken care of the tyrant to the north and now celebrated with his new queen. It would be up to Nico to gather enough intelligence to defeat the tyrant to the east.

Mission firmly in mind, Prince Nico landed on the outskirts of the capital city hours later, changing swiftly and secretly from dragon to human form. His contact would meet him shortly, hopefully with the information he needed—or at least another piece to the puzzle that was slowly taking shape.

Nico was eager, but not stupid. He’d checked over the area from above while still cloaked in the darkness of his dragon shape. The immediate area of the pre-arranged meet seemed clear, but Nico approached cautiously, eyes wary for any sign of trouble.

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When it came though, trouble still caught him by surprise. A troop of royal guards had him surrounded before he could react. He dared not change to dragon form in front of so many witnesses. Odds were he couldn’t kill them all before escaping, and the secret of the royal blacks was too precious to reveal so clumsily. He would hold that in reserve.

For now, Nico allowed himself to be shackled and led away toward the palace. He wanted to get a look inside King Lucan’s palace anyway, though he would have chosen another method had it been left up to him.

Still, this would get him in. Once inside, he had little doubt he would be able to free himself. There wasn’t a chain or shackle made that could hold a black dragon.

With an eager stride, Nico went to face whatever waited. There was more at stake in this game than just his own safety. No, Draconia itself was at stake here, and the safety of his land and people was more important than anything.

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