He erupted in her hand and stiffened as cum spilled over her fingers, his breath hissing between his teeth, the veins in his neck proof he was suppressing a shout. Her lips curved, and not sweetly.

Amnan’s eyes opened again and he glared. “Don’t think this makes me helpless for you.”

She didn’t say anything. And wondered exactly what a man would do to earn this particular treat every night. Was this why Maddugh followed her mother around like a lost puppy?

“Let me return the favor,” he said, voice soft.

“What?”

His lips curved; a dark, diabolical smile she recognized as a mirror of her own. His hands wrapped around her waist, lifting her as he stood and swung around, setting her down on the ledge. Time slowed, Serephone hyperaware of every movement. Aware that she did nothing to stop him. He spread her thighs, eyes lowering to the flesh in between as he sank down into the rising water and his mouth latched onto her bud.

She hissed, her hips undulating as he lavished her with a greater attention than that she’d shown him. The pleasure was unknown, she’d never allowed a man to touch her like this. She’d never trusted one enough. Not after years of guarding herself and her sisters from predators; not after having her love betrayed in the worst possible way.

He lifted his head, pressed a kiss onto the inside of her thigh, and reached over to turn off the water. “Do you want a bit more?”

She wasn’t quite sure what more meant other than the obvious, but he made no move to rise above her, covering her with his body. And it hit her, suddenly, the strength in that body. The broad shoulders, the thick ropey arms. Next to him she was fragile; and Serephone knew she wasn’t a delicate woman. Despite her poverty, they’d always eaten well. And hard work sculpted lean muscles.

But she nodded, watching him, every cell in her at attention. His tongue lapped along her folds and she gasped as a finger slid inside her as he continued to play with her clit. A second finger joined, stretching her as her body slicked his passage. She braced her hands on the tile and lifted her hips, riding his fingers, teeth sinking into her own lip. It wasn’t long; her body rose to the peak and tumbled over. She didn’t recognize the cry in her ears, or the languid aftermath in her limbs. But she recognized that Amnan had given with minimal in return; certainly not the kind of pleasure any other male might feel entitled towards.

“You don’t want?” she asked, voice low.

He rose to his feet, erection jutting towards her. “I crave. But you aren’t ready.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Did I say I wasn’t ready?”

“You’re sitting on the ledge instead of crawling all over me, demanding my hot body.” He smirked. “Though if you’re inclined to a bit more play, I won’t say no.”

She stood slowly. “The bed.”

His face lost the smirk, his eyes darkening as he searched her face. “You lead.”

Serephone stepped out of the tub, pausing to drag a towel from a stack on a shelf. She hated wet sheets.

“Are you strong enough?” she asked when she heard him behind her.

He lifted her, tossing her onto the bed. Serephone twisted, hissing like cat, and rose to her knees. “Not a rag doll.”

“I really can't help myself. How do you want me?”

The words ignited an urge. She wanted him on his back, spread eagled, hands chained to the bed posts. Completely at her mercy.

“Lie down.”

He obeyed. Serephone straddled his lap. “What are we doing?” she asked.

“What do you want to be doing?”

His eyes bored into hers, clear, undemanding but hot with desire. She wrapped her hand around the base of his cock.

“And after?” she asked.

His hands trailed up her naked back, tiny shockwaves dancing under his fingertips wherever he touched her. “Dragons can have sex without mating. But when we mate, it’s for life. The dragon may want to keep you.”

“You talk about your ‘dragon’ like he’s separate from you.”

His half smile was rueful. “It helps me keep myself at bay with you.”

“The man wants to keep me?”

Hands slid from her back to cup her breasts, squeezing. She inhaled, mouth trembling as he plucked her nipples.

“I want to keep you,” he said. “But do you want to be kept?”

She didn’t know. A relationship was new to her. Even a few days ago she would have laughed if someone had said she would be here, so abruptly, in bed with…Amnan.

“I’ve never had a relationship,” she said. “I don’t know if I want to jump into happily forever and I don’t even know what happily for now is like.”

“I know, sweetheart.” He sighed. “You’re so young. My father couldn’t help himself, but your mother was a divorced woman with children, no matter how young she was. She knew what she was doing.”

Serephone ignored the insult of him assuming she didn’t know what she was doing. She supposed a certain level of misogyny was inevitable. “I want you.”

Amnan’s eyes closed, jaw clenching. “Goddamn, Serephone. You aren’t making this easy.” When his eyes opened they were glowing, pupils slitted, scales restless under his skin, giving him the undertone of his blue-black dragon form.

“Can we have sex and worry about maybe mating later?” she asked.

“I’ll take you anyway I can get you.” His lifted her so her thighs straddled his cock. “Now?”

She nodded, licking her lips, and he impaled her. Serephone cried out. Her body had never felt the invasion of a male before. As slick and ready as she was, it was still new.

“Move when you’re ready,” he said, teeth gritted.

Her body was ready. Her mind, her heart, not so much. She wanted him, but something inside her held back. But if she wasn’t ready now, would she ever be? Not that sex would resolve her trust issues, that was ridiculous, but she had to make herself move forward. Stop using the past as a guard against living her life.

She angled her hips instinctively, and rode him. Each grind of his cock inside her touched a spot she’d heard of, known had to be there, but had never understood. Her hands rested on his shoulders, gripping him tight as she sped up, feeling her control slip as an animal-like frenzy replaced her misgivings. All she wanted was completion.

He reached between their bodies, somehow, and touched her clit, fondling her with a skill that wrung a cry from her throat.

“That’s right, baby,” he said, a guttural croon. “Fuck me good.”

This was the mindlessness those men before had craved. The times she’d defended her sisters from a dark, sickly look in a man’s eyes. The time she’d been covered in the blood of someone, who had tried to stick his hand up her skirts. The skirts of a twelve-year-old girl, because he liked her eerie eyes, and her mother hadn’t know her daughter had snuck out of the market stalls to go watch the ladies in the saloon dance. She’d been curious, as tall as any of the adult women, the first stirrings of her sexuality developing.

She’d also had a knife on her. Hatcher hadn’t allowed the man to press charges.

Desire unlocked a darkness that was an irrevocable part of her psyche. She stared down at him, saw the pain and fury reflected in his shimmering gaze. Steel fingers hotter than a furnace dug into her waist. Her hands slid up his chest and wrapped around his neck; she imprisoned him as he imprisoned her.

“Never again,” he said.

She didn’t know if he knew what he was saying never again to, but on one level he knew. On one level she accepted. It wasn’t that she’d ever truly been alone; she had her mother, her sisters. But she was their shield more than they hers; even her mother relied on her, though it was unlikely it was conscious. Serephone didn’t blame Kailigh. She was strong enough to be her family’s backbone.

Still, she smiled. “Never again, what, Amnan?”

“Whatever I see in your eyes.” He arched up, pressing lips to the curve of bone just under her eye. “Whatever taught you the evil inside men. It will never happen again.”

Her fingers dug into his shoulders. “Don’t need a shield. I am a sword.”

His eyes didn’t leave hers. “Then let me be your sheath.”

“Isn’t it the other way around?”

He smiled, and she thought she saw the faint impression of scales move restlessly under his skin. “Everyone needs somebody, Serephone.”

Amnan moved, flipping her over onto her back. He draped himself over her, nestling between her thighs but not entering her body. “Let me have you.”

She pulled her legs back, wrapped them around his waist. His cock nudged her entrance and he slid in to the hilt. Moving in and out, the force of his thrusts pushing her deep into the bed. She screamed when the orgasm overtook her.

His face buried in her neck. “Yesss,” he hissed. “Scream for me, baby.”

He ground inside her and heat flooded her pussy, his cock swelling inside her body. He moaned, low, an animal like rumble, and ground his hips against her for a bit longer as if he were milking every drop of pleasure. Her legs slid from around his waist, limp.

“Fuck,” she said.

Amnan laughed, voice muffled. “That’s just a teaser, sweetheart.”

* * *

“Why such a foul mood again, Persia?”

She slammed her drink down on the counter, slid off the stool and turned, swinging at his jaw. He was already halfway drunk and not expecting it. The blow landed solidly, but he didn’t move, blinking at her. Bastard.

“Ouch,” he said.

Persia leaped, screeching. Hrutha dropped his drink and wrapped arms around her, so when he tumbled to the door, so did she.

“Bar fight!” someone yelled.

“It’s the prince and princess. Bets?”

“Fifty on the chick. He wouldn’t want to muss his pretty hair.”

“Nah, Ruthy’s vicious. You remember that time—”

Hrutha chortled until she sank her hand into a lock of his hair and yanked. “You witch!” he yowled.

“You tease!” she screamed.

He pinned her to the floor, face in hers. “You shouldn’t drink. You’re a harridan when you’re drunk.”

She bucked beneath him, a little astounded by the strength of his hold. He usually walked like a breeze would blow him over. She’d assumed he was gay until the other almost night.

“Get off me,” she growled. “I’ll bite your face off.”

His brow rose. “I’m glad you have no teeth. Why are you so angry? I only wanted to guard my virtue.”

She glared, sealing her lips shut. Damned if she would say another word in the middle of a damn tavern in a damn town, where everyone knew everyone else's business. He’d led her on, got her hot and horny…and walked away, stating that he didn't want her to have regrets in the morning, so they would wait. If he thought he was being a gentlemen, he wasn’t. He was being a cocktease.

“Get off me, Hrutha. You still have to sleep sometime.”

He opened his mouth, closed it. Eyed her consideringly. “Very true. And you are proving to be as homicidal as that mad twin of yours. If I let you up, don’t swipe at me.” He rolled off her and Persia stood, dusting herself off with frigid dignity. “All of this because I told you, you had to wait to have me.” He pressed his finger on his chest, expression wounded. “Aren’t I worth waiting for?”

She approached the counter and her lonely drink, lifted it to her mouth and took a sip. And turned. Casually. When Hrutha approached, she flung it in his face.

“I’m going after my sister. And if you follow me, I’ll cut your balls off.”

Something flashed behind his pale blue eyes that if she’d been more sober, would have given her pause. Would have had her considering the brief snippet of conversation over his hidden temperament. But she really didn’t give a fuck.

“Careful, darling,” he said, voice quiet.

She walked out. She was going to go get Serephone. And get away from the non-human man, who was driving her crazy.