“Is that a lion?” someone asked as they pointed up to the sky.

Aleida looked where they were pointing and sure enough, there was a flailing lion falling from the sky. She didn’t stop to think, she just sprinted forward, letting her dragon come.

“I’m coming, Gunner,” she whispered the second before her turquoise dragon burst from her body.

She never took her eyes off the falling cat as she flapped her wings and jumped off the ground. Come on. Her dragon was moving as quickly as she could, but it wasn’t quick enough. Gunner was falling fast.

A fall from that height at that speed would kill even the toughest of shifters. Enhanced healing didn’t do much good when your brain was leaking out of your cracked skull.

Go. Go. Go. Her dragon got to him just in time, catching the golden lion with her long talons. The lion screeched out in pain as the sharp talons sunk into his skin.

Aleida’s dragon flapped her wings harder as Gunner’s heavy body pulled her down. She felt bad for the pain her talons were surely causing, but it was still better than the alternative.

She carried him back up and flew away from the burning barn with the freaked out shifters. All she wanted was a minute alone with him. She didn’t know why, or what she was going to say, but she didn’t care.

She wanted it to be just her and him.

It was a beautiful night now that the chaos was behind them. Aleida flew to the quiet mountains and finally landed on a large flat rock that was sticking out of the face of a cliff.

They both phased back into their human forms and stared at each other in awe.

“You can thank me now for saving your life,” she teased, trying to keep her eyes on his, but it was hard with his nakedness tempting her. “Twice.”

“Thank you and thank you,” Gunner answered. He wasn’t as good at keeping his eyes up. Aleida felt arousal course through her as his hungry eyes roamed up and down her naked body.

“Is he going to come back?” Gunner asked, looking into the far distance at the burning barn. It was barely visible from up here.

“Probably not tonight,” Aleida answered. “He only cares about my brother.”

“That was…” Gunner said, shaking his head. “There are four of them?”

Aleida gulped as she nodded. How could she tell him that Terrowin and Valerius were even worse?

“Your skin,” he said in a low gravely voice as he reached out and touched her. Her nipples hardened under his gaze. He was looking so sexy in the moonlight. “The fire didn’t burn you?”

“I’m a dragon shifter,” she said with a soft smile. “Nothing is too hot for me.”

Her breath quickened as he touched her cheek, staring at her with smoldering eyes.

Well, most things are not too hot for me. Gunner on the other hand…

She closed her eyes as he leaned forward, taking her lips in a deep and shameless kiss. Her body melted under his big protective arms. He grabbed a handful of her red hair and tugged her head back to deepen the kiss. Aleida whimpered as she let him have her.

It had been so long since she had been carrying the burden of her brothers’ plans. It had been so long that she had to be smart, had to be in control. Just for one night, she wanted to hand over her control to Gunner. Just for one night.

She had an irresistible urge to let him take control, to do whatever he wanted with her, and the thought of that made arousal and lust flow through her like a corrupting wave.

“I thought I lost you,” Gunner said in a breathless tone as he pulled away. His strong hands were cupping her cheeks as he stared into her eyes with all of the need and desire that she was feeling right back.

How could she tell him that it didn’t matter? That they would all be gone as soon as Jarin and the rest of her brothers got started with their plans?

But the truth was that it did matter. They had tonight and nothing else mattered to her in that moment.

His grip on her cheeks tightened and she let out a little whimper as she saw his face twist up in what looked like pain.

“Oh,” she moaned as her body felt a comforting warmth flow through it. A black cloud was spreading over Gunner’s eyes as he stared at her. In all of her many years, Aleida had never seen this before, but she knew what it was. The sexy lion shifter was bonding to her.

But does that mean I’m goin—

Her question was answered when her body froze on the spot. It felt like her soul was merging with Gunner’s as blackness filled her vision, blocking out everything but him.

He was the only thing visible in the darkness—the only thing that mattered—as their animals bonded to one another.

They were both out of breath, staring at each other in shock when it was over.

Gunner’s huge chest was heaving up and down as he stared, looking at her like he was seeing her for the first time.

“You’re my mate.” He said it like he still didn’t believe it. When it slowly dawned on him, the corner of his lips curled up into a smile.

“Can your little pussy handle the heat of a dragon?” Aleida asked, grinning up at him.

He bit his lip and growled as he stepped forward, taking her in his arms. “Let’s find out.”

This kiss was even better. She now knew beyond a doubt that they were meant to be, and kissing her soulmate felt like pure bliss.

Gunner swept her wild curly hair to one side and kissed a trail down the side of her neck. Every touch of his lips gave her warm shivers that made her excited body tingle even more.

“Oh, Gunner,” she moaned when she felt his long hard cock press up against her stomach. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since she first saw it, but now it was taking over her mind. She couldn’t think of anything else but wanting to feel it inside her.

Aleida reached down and touched it, wrapping her fingers around the thick shaft. Gunner groaned against her neck as she began to stroke him up and down.

The cool breeze was caressing her warm skin, making her feel so alive. They were on the side of a mountain in the middle of the wilderness with no one to see them.

“This body,” Gunner said as he slid his big hands up her sides and cupped her breasts. “You’ve been driving me crazy with it since I first saw you.”

“Well, it’s all yours now,” she said with a grin.

Gunner let out a low grumble as he dipped his head down and took a nipple into his hungry mouth. “Oh, Gunner,” she moaned as he swirled his tongue around her aching nipple, sucking and licking as she began to pant. He alternated between breasts, loving every round inch as she threw her head back and moaned.

His big palm slid down her stomach and she shuddered as he cupped her sex.

“Is this mine too?” he asked as he began to slide his fingers back and forth through her wet folds.

Aleida swallowed hard. She could barely breathe, let alone talk. “Yes,” she gasped. “It’s all yours.”

“Good answer,” he grunted as he slipped two fingers inside. A deep throaty moan fell from Aleida’s lips. It had been so long since she felt the touch of a man, and she had never felt a touch like this.

Having her mate’s fingers inside her was enough to make her nearly come from just his touch.

Her clit was aching. Her pussy was on fire. Luckily, she had a sexy fireman on hand to take care of it for her.

“You’re so wet,” he growled as he played with her pussy. She sunk her nails into his arm as he pressed the base of his palm against her throbbing clit. “You like that?” he asked with a smirk. He didn’t wait for an answer before he did it again.

“Fuck!” Aleida cried out as his perfect touch brought an orgasm racing forward. She gripped his forearm, gritted her teeth, and cried out his name as the heat swallowed her whole. She writhed against his touch, clamping her legs shut around his hand as her body twisted in pleasure.

“Was that fun?” he asked with a grin.

Aleida was in too deep to answer and all she could manage was a nod.

“Good,” he said as he reached down and grabbed the back of her thighs. “Because you’re about to do it again, and again, and again.”

A thrill rushed through her as he picked her up and pressed her back against the cold rock of the cliff. She immediately wrapped her legs around him, locking her ankles in place to prevent him from leaving.

She wanted him so bad. She had never wanted anyone like this before and it was completely consuming her.

“Yes,” she moaned as he pushed the thick head of his cock against her wet opening. It was already so big and it was barely in. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed the back of her head against the hard rock as he slid in deeper.

Aleida never had anything close to filling her like that, and he was only halfway in. She gripped his round shoulders and hissed out a breath as he thrust all the way in, filling her completely with his big cock.

“Oh, my God,” she moaned, digging her nails into his golden skin as he held himself inside her, feeling her warmth surround him.

It felt so good that Aleida’s eyes drifted closed as he began to thrust in and out of her with long powerful strokes.

“Oh, Gunner,” she moaned, feeling so tiny in his strong arms. “This is how I always want us to be.”

He started to fuck her harder and deeper. “You’re mine now, Aleida. You’ll wake up every morning on my hard cock and fall asleep with it buried inside you.”

That sounded like fucking paradise.

He squeezed her ass cheeks as he slammed her body down on his dick with every thrust. His cock was perfection. It felt like it was made for her body.

Because it is. We’re mates.

This is how it would feel every time he touched her from now on. It would feel like a piece of heaven on earth.

“Come for me, Aleida,” Gunner purred as he picked up the pace. “Make that pussy come on my dick.”

She was already so close and the sound of his sexy words being growled into her ear was bringing her even closer.

His hips were relentless, driving into her at a pace that made her heart pound. She felt herself heading for the edge and with one powerful thrust from her man, her body gave in, erupting in an intense orgasm.

Her body went limp, but Gunner was there to catch her. He held her up and then hit her with a couple of powerful thrusts before he finally rooted his cock deep into her pussy and let go.

“Fuck,” they both moaned as their orgasms took over. It was loud and violent and messy, but it was also pretty damn perfect.

In fact, Aleida was stunned at how perfect this all was. She wondered if every moment with Gunner would be this good from now on.

It felt like she had finally found where she belonged. She had been alive for hundreds of years, but that was a foreign feeling for her.

He slipped out of her and they sank down to the cold rock, still clutching each other like they weren’t ready to let go. Aleida wondered if she’d ever be ready to let go of him.

They looked out at the beautiful view as they caught their breaths, enjoying the moment before they were forced back to the cruel reality that awaited them.

“Can we just stay here forever?” she asked as he held her tight.

Gunner let out a contented moan. “I was thinking the same thing.”

They couldn’t stay there forever, but no one was going to complain about a few more hours.

And if they did, then too bad.

Because they weren’t going anywhere for awhile.