Twenty-Nine
Soul Mate
Saber felt the deep, dark, aching chasm within him filling up, and knew there was no denying it any longer. She was his mate.
What are you waiting for? With his cock at her entrance, aching to plunge deep inside, Saber stared into Tirah’s eyes. They were now glowing. He could feel himself getting lost in their depths and found he didn’t really care. Not anymore. “There’s no going back,” he warned.
Tirah swallowed and a tremble ran through her. “I know.” Then she licked her lips, her pink tongue darting out and all around.
Saber closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them when Tirah wrapped her arms around him.
“Please, I’ve waited so long,” she whispered.
“I’ll … I’ll try to be gentle.” But it was an effort not to just thrust himself deep and hard, straight into her.
“I might be crazy, but I trust you. I know you won’t hurt me.”
At her words, Saber clenched his jaw and slowly, as gently as he could, entered her. Tirah tensed up and he lowered his mouth to hers. “Relax. Breathe,” he murmured, then plunged his tongue deep into her mouth, his senses reeling at her sweet, yet fiery honeysuckle taste. A taste he now knew he’d never tire of.
With a sigh, Tirah melted underneath him, and then her tongue began to explore him as well.
Saber felt the fever burning in them, as if they were connected, and knew he’d have to eventually bond with her. That, too, was inevitable. “I will never let you go, you are mine now.”
Surprise, and momentary alarm, seemed to light Tirah’s eyes, then she cried out and clutched him tighter as he entered her warmth.
“Are you all right?” he asked once he was all the way inside.
He felt Tirah’s heart pounding against him as she drew in a breath. “Yes.”
“Tell me when you’re ready,” he said, gritting his teeth as he fought for control.
“I’m ready,” she said right away, her hands searing his skin as if she wanted to memorize every inch of him.
Slowly, he began to move, and all too soon, Tirah was urging him on.
“Faster,” she cried, holding him tight. Then she arched into him so that he went even deeper. Saber moaned at how wonderful it felt to finally be inside of her.
“Yes,” she cried out, eyes flashing for a moment and a tingle of magic, not his own, rocked Saber, stunning him. It was wild, exciting, and absolutely exquisite. Not to be outdone, his own power surged.
It shuddered through the both of them, mixing and mingling, straining for acceptance, wanting to bond. Saber cried out. He’d never felt anything so wondrous. Then he felt the prickle of his black scales rise on his upper arms, shoulders, and back. Oh shit.
Realizing what was happening, Saber reined his power back in, yet unable to stop, he plunged faster and harder, wishing this moment would never end. Suddenly, Tirah clutched him and screamed as he sent them both over the edge on a whirlwind of intense pleasure.
As the shock waves slowly petered off, they lay panting and Saber stared down at Tirah, soaking up the pleased expression on her face.
“That was … fun,” she finally said, making him laugh.
“Fun?”
Tirah grinned at him. Then Saber didn’t know if it was the ten years of no sex, or Tirah, but suddenly he was hard all over again.
“I’ll show you fun,” he said and began to move inside of her once more, until he brought her screaming again.
Afterward, Saber rested his weight on his arms and nuzzled Tirah’s succulent neck. How had this happened? He hadn’t intended on taking her virginity, though she seemed to have him twisted around her little finger. Obviously, he had zero control around her.
Saber shifted onto his side and held her in his arms while Tirah ran her fingers over his chest. “That was … better than I ever dreamed.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, feeling blissfully happy for the first time in many years. Maybe ever.
“You were very impressive,” she said.
Saber closed his eyes. She was the one who was impressive. Never in all his years had he felt like this with anyone.
“You said it had been a long time, how long?” she asked.
Saber stilled and then opened his eyes to find her watching him. “Since I first laid eyes on you.”
Tirah stared at him, then snorted. “Oh, come on. You mean to tell me that you haven’t been with anyone since that night?”
Saber remained serious. “That’s what I’m telling you.”
“I don’t believe you couldn’t find anyone to …” She waved her hand over him. “You know.” Saber frowned. With a sigh, Tirah rolled her eyes. “You know … have sex.”
“I couldn’t. They weren’t you. From the moment I first gazed upon you, there hasn’t been anyone else,” he said, knowing it might be one of the stupidest things he’d ever done, baring his soul this way.
Tirah gaped at him. “Have you never mated?” she asked, as if almost afraid of the answer.
Years of loneliness engulfed Saber at her question. “No, I haven’t been that lucky. Until now.”
Tirah started to say something, then stopped. She stared back at him for the longest time. Finally, she leaned close and kissed his chest. Then her hands began to roam, and suddenly he was ready for her once more.
They made love four more times that night, and at one point, while he held her in his arms, she smirked at him. “You are quite the surprise.”
“I am?” he asked, thinking she was the one who was a surprise.
Sparkling eyes grinned up at him mischievously. “Yes. You cook. Very well I might add.”
Saber shrugged. “That is why I’m a surprise?”
Eyes teasing, Tirah nodded. “Yes.”
“Well then, I’ve had a lot of time to learn how to cook.”
Tirah reached up and ran a finger through his beard. “I found your library.”
“I noticed.” He grinned as he recalled the risqué romance she’d been reading.
“I would never have taken you for someone who spent much time reading,” she said, staring at him curiously. “And certainly not romances.”
Saber shrugged. “Actually, I used to spend a lot of time reading.”
Tirah frowned. “Used to?”
Saber nodded. Reading had been an escape for him for many years, but after that fateful night when they lost Maya and Adarias, he’d been so set on revenge that he took little time for anything else. Then later, he was too close to turning rogue, and his mind wouldn’t let him focus long enough to read, even if he had wanted to do so.
Once again, he marveled at his reaction to Tirah. He’d always heard how mates grounded dragon males. Yet hearing about it was much different than experiencing it. “Like I said, I’ve had a lot of time.” In fact, he loved the romances most of all, the love in the stories would give him hope, and take his mind off the horrible realities of life.
“Exactly how old are you?” she asked, studying him.
“Old, very old.”
She raised her eyebrow at his vague answer. “What else can you do?” She teased, and while it was a new experience for Saber, for someone to be so playful with him, he found that he thoroughly enjoyed it.
He shrugged and then grinned. “Well, I can think of some things I’d like to do with you.”
“Can you now?” she asked with a speculative gleam.
“Uh-huh,” he murmured and claimed her lips once again.
When they came up for air, there was a satisfied expression on Tirah’s face that brought happiness to Saber’s soul.
“Well, this is quite the place you have here. I noticed the appliances are not from Tartaria.” Tirah trailed her fingers over his chest as she snuggled close.
Saber shrugged. “I might live in a cave, but I don’t need to live like a caveman.” Tirah giggled, and Saber soaked up the sound.
“Did you just find this place?” she asked curiously.
“No, I made it.” He drew his fingers through her hair, marveling at how soft it was.
“Made it? How did you do that?”
Saber let her hair go and hesitated for a moment. How they made their lairs was not really a secret, but also not well known outside the dragon community. Then he figured it wouldn’t matter. She was his mate. It was only a matter of time before they were bonded. “It’s something that all dragons are able to do with a combination of dragonfire and magic,” he answered.
Tirah stared up at him in awe. “Wow, that is impressive, and your home is so beautiful. But what’s with the area just beyond your room?”
Saber stared at her in shock. With the misdirection spell he had at that section of his lair, Tirah shouldn’t even have given it a second thought. “What do you mean?” He kept his expression smooth. Maybe he just hadn’t heard her right.
“You know, the only dark wall here, just past this room.” She stared at him.
She’d seen it as dark? He shrugged. “It’s just a wall,” he said a little too tersely. Tirah frowned and he couldn’t help but wonder just what kind of magic she wielded. Most Ilyium could do spells, but they didn’t hold a lot of magic within themselves. He thought again of what would happen when he bonded with her. He’d not be able to keep anything from her.
In return, there wouldn’t be anything she could keep from him either.
He’d find out everything he needed to know. Everything she knew, and everything she didn’t realize she knew.
Sure, he could have delved into her mind when they had sex, and it had been hard to resist doing just that, especially when his power had spun out of control that first time. Plus, he craved the intimacy, the sharing of their souls—their minds—that a bond would bring between them. Even his beast yearned for it.
Yet, he hadn’t wanted to violate her in that way, for she’d surely see it as just that. Normally he wouldn’t have hesitated to delve into another’s mind, take just a peek. Demons knew, he’d used his gift in just such a way many times before. But to do that to Tirah, without her permission, was just abhorrent to him.
Yeah, once they were bonded, there’d be no secrets left between them, he thought with excitement, though he didn’t know if that would end up being good or bad. Still, one thing he did know was that Tirah had thoroughly bewitched him, and he’d fallen hard for her. There was no going back. Not for him. He’d fallen in love with her.
Shit. Saber stared down at Tirah in his arms, sleeping like an angel. What did I do? Terror flooded him at the knowledge that if she left him now, it would completely and utterly destroy him.
He loved her.