Hands on the steering wheel, Mathis gazed straight ahead, hardly seeing the dirt road in front of him. His mind was far away.

He had bared his soul to her, told her everything, explained his innocence in what had happened, and she had rejected him in the end. When he had met her last month, he thought he’d sensed a flicker of the feelings she’d once had for him. When he’d kissed her hand, seen that look in her eyes… but no, he’d been wrong. Maybe she was merely remembering, and was happy to leave what they once had to the past. She had moved on ages ago. As he should have.

Now he was left to rebuild the pieces of his crumbled heart on his own.

I deserve this for taking so long to tell her. When Ephephany first released me from compulsion, I should have got in touch with Gwendoline immediately. If only I had been stronger, and not distracted by power. If only I had the courage…

He was wrenched from his thoughts when a sleek, beautiful white dragon flew over the road above him, wings flapping loudly.

“What the—”

Its wingtips skimmed the treetops that bordered the road on either side; then it swung wide, turning around, and landed on the road almost right in front of him, blocking his path.

He slammed on the brakes.

He reached through his bone accessories and touched the Strength, readying himself for the worst, and got out. He withdrew the sawed-off from its holster, and while he didn’t direct the muzzle at the dragon, that he had drawn it was enough to make his point.

“What do you want, Dragon?” he shouted up at the beast. “You do know you’re breaking the law by traveling outside your domain without a collar? I’m going to have to take you in.”

In answer, the dragon shrunk. The exaggerated shape of a human female began to take form.

This should be interesting…

He approached as the dragon became smaller and smaller, and more human.

And then, just like that Gwendoline stood before him, naked.

Mathis could only stare at her for several moments. His jaw dropped. She was so breathtakingly beautiful. Even more than he remembered. When she had been his girlfriend all those years ago, her figure had been little more than that of a teenager, essentially a boy with long hair, but she had developed into a full-bodied woman complete with all the curves since then.

“Gwen,” Mathis finally managed. “You’re breaking the law…”

What?? Those are the first words out of my mouth when this is the first time I’ve seen her naked in nearly two hundred years? Idiot!

“I don’t care about your laws,” Gwendoline said. “All I care about is being with you. Arrest me. Do what you must.”

Her eyes were moist, and it broke Mathis’ heart.

He was angry at himself for his insensitivity. He dropped the sawed-off, took two steps toward her, and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her into him, kissing her hard, channeling his anger into passion.

He scooped her up into his arms and walked toward the Range Rover. She kissed his neck the whole way.

“I don’t care if you arrest me,” she said. “It was worth it. For that one kiss.”

When Mathis reached the vehicle he lowered her onto the hood. “I’m not going to arrest you.”

“Then what—”

In answer he kissed her again, slowly this time, enjoying every inch of those beautiful, perfect lips. Still kissing her, he reached for her folds and thrust a finger inside her. She moaned under his touch.

“You’re so fucking wet,” Mathis said.

“Take me,” she begged. “I’ve wanted you for so long.”

“And I you.” He flung off his trench coat, then tore off the vest and holster underneath. He slowly opened his dress shirt. “You have no idea.”

She sat up on the hood and slid her hands under his open top, exploring his pectoral muscles. She wrapped her legs around his hips, and planted her lips on his. He drank hungrily, like a man who had walked the desert for over a hundred years, and had finally stumbled upon an oasis. And what an oasis it was. She was everything he dreamed of. Everything.

“You always were a good kisser,” she said.

Mathis grunted, finished opening the last button of his shirt, and tossed the fabric to the side. She cupped her hands around his muscular shoulders and let them slide down his wide back. He felt proud of his body, and wanted her to enjoy what two hundreds years of hunting had done to his physique.

“All of this,” Mathis said, glancing at his body. “It’s all for you.”

She slid her hands under the cord of the bone necklace, breaking it off. He let it fall. He didn’t care about touching the Strength in that moment. He only wanted to touch her.

In fact, to prove that to her, he slid the bracelets from his wrists, and removed the rings one by one. This while kissing her the whole time. He let the rings drop. Though some of those rings were adorned with priceless gems, including the heirloom he had carried with him for two centuries, he wasn’t worried about losing any of them. She was more priceless than any gem or heirloom.

When he was freed of the dragon bone, he bent down to cup one of her breasts, and focused on it.

“Such beauty,” Mathis said. “Such magnificence.”

He kissed her nipple and suckled with his tongue. She tightened her legs around him, pulling him firmly against her.

“Mat, oh Mat,” Gwendoline said.

“Gwen,” Mathis replied. He moved down, planting gentle kisses along her belly, while sliding a hand up her thigh.

She lay back on the hood and spread her legs to him.

He inhaled deeply. “You smell so good.” He licked her center. “And taste even better.”

He began licking her full name over her folds.

G.

W.

E.

N.

D…

Gwendoline squirmed underneath him. It felt so good to pleasure her. If Mathis could do this for the rest of his days, he’d be content.

This was how life was meant to be lived. Not in pursuit of power or money. But this. Keeping my woman happy.

Mathis reached down while he worked and took off one silver-spurred boot, then the other. Then he opened up his pants and slid them off, too. He left on his underwear for the time being, though he did lower the top hem to free his suffering manhood.

He continued licking her center until her back arched and a fresh smell greeted his nostrils. He almost came, too, without even having to touch himself.

Then she collapsed on the hood, panting, breathing hard.

“Now take me properly,” she said.

“Oh, I intend to,” Mathis replied.

He opened up the back door of the Range Rover, slid her down off the hood, and carried her to the seats. He lowered her inside, went back to his abandoned leggings, and grabbed a condom from a pocket.

He returned to the back door and lowered his underwear down all the way in full view of her, wanting to give her a show. Then he ripped open the condom and slid it on.

When he looked up at her, he realized she was frowning.

“What is it?” Mathis said.

“A condom?” she said. “You planned this, then? You came here, expecting to have sex with me?”

Mathis shook his head. “No. Not really. I remember asking myself at the gas station, before I picked up the condom, did I really want to take the risk of not getting one? What if we managed to make up? I knew it was a long shot, but I’d be kicking myself right now if I didn’t have one.”

“I’ll buy that, I suppose,” Gwendoline said. “Now come here, your dragon is getting cold.”

* * *

Lying there in the back seat of the Range Rover, Gwendoline stared at Mathis’ amazing body as he lowered himself onto her. Holy crap, he had become hot. Gone was the awkward teen body she remembered, replaced by that of a fully grown man. The bulge of his biceps. The corded thighs with the inverted V above the knees. The chiseled chest, the ridged abs. He was the complete package.

She could hardly believe this moment was real.

And then she felt his member shove inside her, stretching her to the maximum, just as she remembered.

This is really happening. It’s happening!

How long she had yearned for his touch. The nights she had stayed awake over the past century, crying herself to sleep, were too numerous to count. And yet now, finally, he was hers once more.

Mathis slid backward and then thrust again; Gwendoline couldn’t help but gasp at the sensation.

“You feel so good,” he said.

He soon found his rhythm, and began bucking into her hard, almost desperately, as if he was afraid she’d vanish. He bent over and kissed her fervently as he thrust. He smelled like sweat, with hints of oak, smoke and pine. An outdoorsman. Sexy as hell.

She wrapped her arms around his muscular back. She didn’t want to let him go. She didn’t want to wake up from this dream. Oh, and what a sweet dream it was. A dream to be remembered for an eternity.

She pinched herself.

“What are you doing?” Mathis said, momentarily breaking his prolonged kiss, but still thrusting frantically. He seemed angry.

“Pinching myself to make sure it’s real!” she said, panting.

His face softened, and then he sucked her lower lip, biting it slightly as he continued bucking. “You’re mine.”

She used her dragon strength then and flipped him sideways, pulling herself on top.

“No, you’re mine,” she said. She sat up and began to ride him.

She reached down and pressed her hands into his pecs to hold herself upright.

“God, you’re sexy as fuck,” Mathis said.

“Mat Mat Mat,” she said with every thrust. She was getting close.

Mathis bucked underneath her, matching her every up-down motion. “Gwen. Gwen!”

He shuddered, and the sight brought her over the edge. She squeezed tightly, but then the contractions took control of her body. Her back arched and she shouted his name into the backseat.

Then she collapsed, lying on top of his hard chest. She lay there for several moments, gasping for air, trying to catch her breath.

He was panting, too. He slid a finger across her back, tracing gentle shapes. Spelling her name?

“I keep expecting to wake up,” she said.

“Oh I do, too,” Mathis said. “You make me feel the world is a good place again.”

She smiled at him. “And you make me feel like I can do anything.”

He kissed her, and she returned it just as passionately, if not more so.

When he broke away, he gazed at her fondly and clasped her chin with his thumb and forefinger. He rubbed his thumb from side to side along her skin, giving her goosebumps.

“You always were the queen of the dragons in my eyes,” he said.

“And you always were the king of the witches,” she replied in kind.

Mathis slid his hand down her back, and clasped it around her buttocks in a gentle, possessive grasp.

“You never loved anyone else?” Mathis asked.

“Not really,” Gwendoline said. “I tried. I really did. I took many slaves to my bed. Courtiers. Didn’t love any of them. The closest was probably this one dragon, a man I met while visiting another den. He looked like you, had your same easy smile. Our courtship was brief. Maybe a week. He asked me to marry him. That was when it all fell apart. The whole relationship… I was acting as if he was you. But when I realized he wasn’t, I couldn’t do it. Couldn’t marry him. Because I didn’t love him. I told myself I would have grown to love him, but it didn’t help. No one could replace you. I thought I was doomed to be alone forever.”

“Sounds like a similar situation to the vampire who reminded me of you,” Mathis said.

“Can we not talk about who we’ve been with?” Gwendoline said. “It only makes me jealous. I swear, if I ever meet this vampire, I’ll burn her to a crisp.”

“I’ll bet,” Mathis said. “But I can tell you honestly, I’d probably let you.”

She pushed off of him slightly to gaze down into his face. “Would you have really run away with me all those years ago? Away from the power the witches promised? Tell me truthfully that you weren’t glad Ephephany used compulsion on you to make you stay.”

Mathis sighed, unable to meet her eyes. “A part of me was glad. The part that sought to learn everything there was to know about the Strength. The part that wanted power. Another part forever regretted not getting in touch with you. Some days I wondered if I’d ever forgive myself.”

“So what now?” Gwendoline said, getting up and sliding into the seat beside him. The angle afforded her a good view of his naked body. And yet it distracted her from what she wanted to tell him, so she concentrated on his face. His beautiful face. Even that was a distraction. “We go our separate ways? Never to see one another again?”

“No!” Mathis said. “At least, I hope not. I so want to see you again. But we’ll have to keep our relationship a secret, unfortunately. Until you can get your king to abolish the First Rule.”

“Maybe I want him to banish me,” Gwendoline said.

“No,” Mathis said. “I don’t want to be responsible for your downfall. I couldn’t live with myself if I was responsible for that happening to you.”

“And I can’t live apart from you,” Gwendoline said. “My treasure hoard, my estates... they don’t mean anything to me now. Not without you. Where are you assigned at the moment?”

“I’ll be testing shifters starting in territories three hundred kilometers to the east of Midnight. I should be able to swing by every two months or so. Maybe every month.”

“Two months?” Gwendoline said. “Are you kidding?”

“What’s two months apart, compared to the two hundred years we’ve had to wait before this?” Mathis said.

“No, I won’t lose you now,” Gwendoline said. “Not after everything. I’m coming with you as soon as I get Ephephany to collar me. I’ll tell my brother I’ve grown weary of being cooped up in Midnight, and want to explore the countryside.”

“He’ll find out someday, you know,” Mathis said. “You of all people know how many spies Midnight has lurking throughout the country.”

“I certainly do,” Gwendoline said.

Mathis studied her intently. “You don’t care?”

Gwendoline shrugged. “If he banishes me, then we can make our relationship official. And who knows, it might be another step toward abolishing the First Rule. The royals are an example for all other dragons, and I’ll be the second in the royal family to have broken the law. Other dragon shifters might begin to flaunt the rule, too, and if enough do, then the law is moot. Unless Gabriel intends to banish us all, which I doubt: a kingdom without subjects is no kingdom at all.”

“God I love you,” Mathis said, kissing her.