But now. Here and now, under the trees, in his bedroll, he could make Lily care for him. He could bind her to him with strands of desire and hope passion kept her there once he returned home.
Chapter 12
Lily watched the determined set of Enar’s jaw as he strode through the trees to their campsite. He refused to set her down, insisting upon carrying her. Not a problem. Being carried felt a bit odd, but enjoyable. What woman wouldn’t want to be held by a muscular, attractive, and attentive man?
Nothing wrong with her in that regard.
Nothing wrong with her at all. She drew in a deep breath, relieved to feel no pain. No fever either. She didn’t remember much of the healing, but she did remember the weight of Fafnir’s foot resting upon her chest. And when he removed it, the pressure weighing down her lungs lifted, allowing her to breathe. Before he removed his foot, warmth infused her, bathing her body in drops of peace. It had been years, but that feeling had happened once before. On the day she became friends with Keara.
That day stuck in her memory like honey on fingertips. She remembered the sounds of her parent’s store as customers came and went, the feel of the hard wood under her bottom as she sat behind the counter playing with her doll. The blurry shapes of objects, the tinkle of the entrance bell as Keara and her grandmother entered the store. Keara never said what made her notice Lily, if she saw a kindred outcast spirit, if she wanted the doll, if she wanted a friend.
Sitting beside Lily, Keara put a finger over her lips, a warning for a secret, the first of many between the two. Then she placed her hands on either side of Lily’s face and poured into her what Lily could only describe as warmth coated with peace. It couldn’t have taken long, no one noticed what two girls did as long as the doing didn’t interfere with store business, but when the warmth faded, Lily could see.
Shapes, colors, outlines. The grains in the wooden floor. The stitches in her doll. The whiteness of her skin. How Keara’s hair shone bright red as she slumped against the wall, unable to move. Lily’s eyes popped wide and stayed that way as she stared around her, as she saw her parents clearly for the first time.
The warmth and peace felt the same as when Fafnir healed her. What could Draconi not do? Heal the blind, restore the almost-dead to life, turn from dragons into men. Maybe their abilities also included raising the dead.
Wasn’t she a wit?
“You’re lost in thought.”
“Umm,” Lily looked at their campsite and back to Enar. Weren’t they on the path? “I guess so.”
He placed her on the bedroll, loosened the laces of his shirt and pulled it over his head. “If you’re thinking, then I’m not doing a good enough job of distracting you.”
Fighting off death and winning—even if she did have help winning—made her realize how much she wanted Enar, how much she needed his touch on her skin, the feel of him inside. Lily let the smile breaking over her lips spread to her face.
Heat pooled in her core, flushed her skin, tightened her nipples so they brushed against the fabric of her shirt. Not hers, Enar’s. And didn’t that thought heat her more. Dressed in his clothes, about to be filled by him, but not loved by him.
Love? Why did that word pop into her mind at a time like this? Emotions were fragile things, liable to break in the slightest breeze. She didn’t need his love. She needed his caress, his touch, his ability to save her from harm, which was worth a lot more than an emotion.
She pulled his shirt over her head, gasping as chill air brushed her erect nipples. Darkness bathed them, punctuated by the dying breath of firelight dancing across their skin. Even through the darkness she saw Enar’s pupils dilate, saw him take a deep breath as his gaze raked her from head to toe.
He cared. She squelched the thrill in her chest and slipped off the rope holding his leathers around her waist, shoving them over her hips. Less clothing made her feel free, unfettered. She stretched against the pallet, raising her hips to him, beckoning him in a wordless language.
Wasn’t she the wanton all of a sudden?
And may the Goddess take her where she laid if it didn’t feel good.
Enar’s leathers dropped to the ground before she took another breath, his body covering hers. He slipped inside, filling her, completing her.
As he moved above her, he crushed her lips to his, kissing her with tongue and teeth, branding her as his. Each stroke, each kiss, drew her deeper into waters only he could save her from. As the waves of pleasure crashed through her, through him, as she cried his name and he echoed with her own, she felt the waters closing over her head and knew that without him, living was worth nothing. He belonged to her and she to him, despite her mind’s decree to the contrary.
Did he realize it? Could he feel the bonds tightening around them as surely as if they possessed a physical body?
Enar collapsed on her, his weight pleasant in its own way. He hid things from her, things she needed to know about her place in his society. Not to mention what his society was like. Things that weren’t hard at all to say.
Unless it boded ill for her. She shuddered.
“Am I too heavy?” Enar started to move, but Lily grabbed him.
“No. I just thought of something.”
“Blast it, woman. Clearly I need work on my technique if you’re still thinking.”
She shrugged, batting her eyelids. “Show me what else you got.”
“You’re killing me.” His mouth crushed hers, obliterating her reply.
Who needed a reply? Sensations streamed through her, little touches carrying away her thoughts, leaving her drowning in his embrace.
****
Enar woke to the sound of chirping birds and leaves rustling in the wind. Lily slept beside him, her back pressed against his front. Light drifted between branches, dotting the ground with splotches of color. Light?
He sat up straight, trying to get a reading from the sun. Obstinate thing remained hidden behind the trees’ canopies. Nothing for it but to leave Lily’s side.
Rolling to his feet, Enar grabbed his leathers and pulled them on. After ensuring the blanket stayed wrapped around Lily, he made his way through the trees to the path where Jamie and Fafnir slept.
Only they were nowhere to be seen. Not on the path, not in the grassy field next to the path, not—he squinted up to the sun—flying around. Nowhere.
And it looked like it was mid-morning instead of the dawn with which he meant to start the day.
“Jamie!” He added a mental touch to the bellow, trying to use mind-speak to call the wandering brat, um, boy.
Uh-oh
, flickered through his mind before Jamie snapped barriers in place to keep him from hearing more.
Uh-oh was right. “Jamie! Get back here now!”
Enar felt a gust of air, heard the rushing of wind, and Fafnir appeared, landing in front of him, Jamie sitting on the dragon’s back. Crossing his arms, he glared at the boy.
“Don’t hurt me! I came right back.”
“I know. Go pack your bags. We need to leave.”
Jamie slid off Fafnir’s back and scurried off into the woods. Enar turned to follow.
You hurt him and I’ll kill you.
Enar turned and glared at Fafnir. “What is your problem? I’ve done nothing to you but free you from your cell.”
Fafnir returned the glare, eyes narrowed.
Clearly over twenty years in a titanium-lined cell had warped the dragon’s mind. Enar had better things to do than posture to a demented dragon. He started to turn back to the campsite.
Maybe I just don’t like you.
Maybe I just don’t care.
Enar continued walking, ignoring Fafnir’s huff of mirth or anger, he didn’t know which. Fafnir was the first Draconi he’d met who didn’t like him on sight.
And it bothered him more than he wanted to admit.
Watchers shouldn’t be bothered by such trivialities. They guarded the Draconi, they didn’t become friends with them. Except for him. Thoren was his best friend. Thoren’s friends were his friends. Before he claimed Lily, Draconi females fascinated him, and he them. Most Watchers, though, remained aloof, apart from the Draconi. Enar spent so much time with the Draconi he now thought like they did.
Not a good place to be in. No wonder he was the laughingstock of the Watcher village. Something that would change when he returned with Lily, when he showed he found the Watcher’s ideal woman, when he proved he was every bit as much a warrior as they were.
When he lost her respect.
Enar shook the thoughts away. One must live in the present, not the future.
He burst into the campsite, stalking to where Lily sat, no doubt awakened by his bellowing for Jamie.
“We need to leave. The sun is halfway through the morning and we’re still sitting here. Get dressed and let’s go.”
Twenty minutes later—who knew it took a woman so long to relieve herself, comb her hair and get dressed—they walked out of the trees and started down the path. No surprise to Enar that Fafnir had flown off.
“He left.” Jamie searched the sky, more disappointment written on his face than Enar wanted to see.
“I’m sure he’ll return.” Lily patted Jamie’s arm.
Enar repositioned his pack and continued walking. Fafnir was one odd dragon. Enough said.
Jamie walked by Lily’s side, Lily seemed no worse for her near-death experience, the sun was bright, but not hot, the best day of this journey so far. What were the chances of the rest of his journey going as well? Slim or none?
The day passed, bringing them one step closer to Draconia, to home. Fafnir landed right after they set up camp for the night. Two blinks later and Jamie plastered himself against the dragon’s side. Surprise, surprise. The dragon actually looked happy to see the boy.
Should he be glad Jamie was happy or wary the demented dragon would somehow cause Jamie to become demented?
Conflicted much?
I have decided to walk back with you.
“You” was spat out like a bad piece of meat.
“Did Fafnir just say something?” Lily asked. “It’s rather rude to mind-speak when I can’t hear it.”
My apologies, Lily. I will project my thoughts so you can hear them.
“Thanks.”
I said, I will walk with you.
This time “you” came out in a cheerful tone.
Fine. Fafnir didn’t like him. He was a Watcher. Watchers didn’t care about whether or not a Draconi liked them. Enar shook his head. Why did he care?
He didn’t. It was just a fleeting thought.
He was such a liar.
“That’s great!” Jamie patted the dragon, eyes sparkling. He mustn’t have heard Fafnir’s thoughts to Enar.
How are you feeling, Lily?
“I feel fine. Better than fine.” She glanced at Enar, who tried to stop a goofy grin from escaping and failed. “Thank you for healing me.”
Fafnir inclined his head.
I’m glad you’re pleased. So, what’s for dinner?
Chapter 13
If she had to walk one more step, she was going to...what exactly? Take another step? Wait for her feet to fall off? Her legs to cramp? Been there, done that. Well, not her feet. Lily’s feet remained attached to her legs, although they felt like falling off.
Step after step after step she walked, until the scenery blurred and all she knew was the sun on her skin, the grass rustling against her legs, the strange tension between Fafnir and Enar.
It sure seemed like Fafnir disliked Enar, but the why of it remained a mystery. She liked Enar’s company. Especially after dark in the bedroll. Lily blushed and pulled the hood of her cloak tighter around her face. Obviously too much sun beating down on her fair skin.
Or too many thoughts about a gorgeous naked man and his talented tongue. And fingers. And hands.
She tugged the hood further over her face. It did nothing to hide her blush.
Perhaps you would like to walk in my shadow?
Lily turned to Fafnir. Jamie walked beside the dragon, behind her and Enar. They left trees and shade behind that morning to walk through a field, Fafnir’s shadow the only shade. Her cloak offered some protection from the relentless sun, but not enough to keep her from burning in spots. Like her nose and hands. As much as she enjoyed walking beside Enar, shade sounded like a cool drink on a hot day.
Speaking of drinks. Lily took a sip from her canteen and let the warm leather-tasting water attempt to soothe her thirst.
“Enar, I’m going to go walk in Fafnir’s shadow. I’m burning.”
Enar looked at her, a flash of jealousy in his gaze flickering into concern. His eyes widened. Maybe her nose looked worse than it felt. “I thought the cloak hid your skin better. Are you all right?”
“Sun and me don’t go well together. Fafnir offered.”
“Get on back there. I didn’t realize.”
“It’s not your fault. I have fair skin. Fair skin does this.”
“What are you waiting for, woman? Go walk in his shadow. Scoot, now.” Enar gestured with his hand toward Fafnir, worry bleeding from his eyes across his face.
Lily stopped walking, waiting for Fafnir and Jamie to catch up with her. Shade, cooling shade, fell across her and her skin breathed a sigh of relief.
She kept the hood on in case a stray ray of light took aim at her again.
How are you?
“A little—”
Do not speak. Think.
—burned. But other than that I’m fine. Thank you for making me well the other night.