“Wait a second,” Marina said, struggling slightly as Mercury pressed her into the bed, placing kisses in the crook of her neck and shoulder, making her shudder. “You said you were going to explain.”

“I know,” he said. “I’m sorry. I’m going to.” He sat back, looking down with a sigh.

Her heart was pounding, and she wasn’t trying to hurt him, but she needed to know more before she went on.

“What made you change your mind? This was all so fast,” she said. “You really hurt me last night.”

“I know,” he said. “I can’t seem to do anything right in regard to you. Until today that is. And that was only with Lead’s help.”

“His help?” she asked, letting out a little yelp as Mercury leaned forward and kissed her neck again.

“Yes,” Mercury said. “He decided to pretend to be dishonorable to provoke me. It worked.”

“What did he say?”

“It doesn’t bear repeating,” Mercury said. “But that’s all right. It helped me come to my senses.” He sat back, looking at her with glowing, silver eyes that were finally focused on her with nothing but love. “Though, I think I would have anyway, once you picked him and he tried to carry you off. The thought of any man’s hands on you sends me into a rage I can’t contain.”

“You contained it today when you didn’t kill Nilo.”

Mercury’s eyes darkened. “Only because you were no longer in danger. I still want to kill him for trying to take you away.”

She laughed, reaching up to touch his face. “It’s fine now. I’m fine.”

“I know,” he said, giving her a look that was so gentle that she realized he really was changed. “So is that it, then? Do I get to take you?”

“You already have me,” she said. “Then again, you already knew that.” As he pinned her back again, she let out a little growl. “But why do you always get to be in control? Marina, I don’t want you. Marina, I do want you, blah, blah—”

He cut her off with a laugh, surprisingly amused and lighthearted for some reason. He folded his arms and looked down at her with a grin. “So what, you want control, dragon princess?”

She swatted at him. “Don’t call me that name.”

He leaned over her and whispered in her ear, “Okay, princess.”

With a little hiss, she let him have it. She quickly raised her hips, knocking him off balance so he fell onto the bed. Then she quickly came on top of him, straddling him with her hips and pinning him down. Her hands pinned his above him, and she let him feel her strength, the reminder that she was also a dragon.

He stared at her for a minute, shocked, and then a grin curved his lips. “I have no problem with this, lady dragon.”

She grimaced. “That’s worse.”

“Marina,” he said, his tone growing serious. “Marina, what do you want?”

“You,” she said. “I’ve just wanted you.” She ran frustrated hands over his chest. “But I just want to know that I’m done struggling for it.”

He reached up and cupped her cheeks, a pained look in his eyes. “I’m sorry you ever did struggle for it. But just so you know, you were always the one in control. You’ve always had me around your finger, from the moment you came to my cell. Every day, you were all I could think of. I just wanted to see you, though I knew I had no right. When Silver’s sword pierced my chest, I think it released some of his purifying power. I was changing even while I was locked up. But no matter how much I tried to be better, I never for a moment felt I deserved a treasure like you.”

She nodded softly, fighting back tears once again. He wiped them away with his thumb.

“I never wanted to hurt you at all,” he said. “I didn’t want to take your choice away. I knew you wanted me, but I didn’t understand how deeply you cared, that I could hurt you by pulling away. I’ve never been loved in my whole life, Marina. How was I supposed to believe I could be loved by an angel like you?”

“Dragon,” she said, her voice tight with emotion.

“Dragon,” he said, stroking her cheek. “Even better.” He reached up and pulled her down against him, hugging her to his chest as she quietly wept. “Why is it that I finally gave you what you wanted and now you’re sad?”

“I’m not crying because I’m sad. I’m crying because I’m happy.”

“That makes no sense. You cry too much.”

“Water dragon,” she said with a laugh. Then she finally contained herself and sat up on him. His hips and abs were hard beneath her soft thighs, and she loved the feel of him. The dragon inside her was pacing, waiting.

Waiting for her mate.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

“For you to be in control? Maybe. Is there going to be rope? I’m not sure how I feel about that—”

She flushed. “No. I just want you the regular way. I just want us to be together.”

He nodded. “That’s what I want, too.”

Moments later, they were together on the bed, side by side, clothing shed so they were naked, looking into each other’s eyes. Marina felt nervous despite the fact that they’d already done so much together.

Still, this was something new.

His hand dipped between her legs, playing at her entrance. He smiled and used his other hand to pull her in for a kiss, still keeping them side by side but angling them together so they would fit. She could feel his hard length. She’d never tried this position, but it felt right, looking into each other’s faces, accommodating one another carefully. They threaded their legs together so they could get close, and as he kissed her shoulder, licking and nipping while his hand played at her clit, she knew she was already ready.

Her body just knew him, went from zero to a hundred in seconds just at the thought of being his.

He’d fought for her today. He’d been her warrior, and then he’d given her his heart.

She couldn’t wait to get the very last thing he could give. His hand reached down to cup her hips, lifting her slightly so he could position himself at her entrance.

His other hand cupped her face, his eyes boring into hers as he slowly began to enter.

She moved toward him, exquisite sensation filling her as he came all the way inside. With his member stretching her, his legs entwined with hers, his hands holding her gently, she couldn’t have felt more at peace.

Totally one with him.

She began the movement this time, closing her eyes against the exquisite pleasure that bordered on pain it was so strong. At this angle, he was pushing her toward the edge more quickly than ever before, and she wasn’t sure how long she could last.

His hand came up lazily to play at her breast, flicking her nipple, and she gasped, opening her eyes.

“That’s right. Look at me, princess.” He shook his head. “Look at me, Marina.”

She smiled. He was so handsome with those silver eyes, that gorgeous hair, those perfect, roguish features that it practically hurt to look at him. But it was a hurt she could bear. “Okay.”

“Are you all right?” he asked, looking between them as he continued to gently move.

She nodded.

“I haven’t tried it like this, but I wanted to. I wanted to know you’re in control with me. That we’re here together. I’m not pushing you down.”

She nodded, loving the lazy movement as he stroked the fire inside her to an unbearable peak.

“Of course, I’m sure there will be plenty of pushing you down later,” he said, leaning in for a kiss.

His tongue stroked deep, echoing the movements of his body, and she felt totally overwhelmed, owned by him despite his position.

“That’s okay,” she said breathlessly when they finally pulled apart. “I like a dominant dragon.”

He grinned at that and began to move faster, and she gasped as the intensity she hadn’t thought could get any stronger increased.

“Oh, Mercury,” she said, burrowing her head in his shoulder. “Don’t stop.”

“Look at me, Marina,” he said, pushing her gently back. “I want to see your beautiful eyes. I want to know how you’re feeling.”

She shook her head, burrowing against him again and letting out a moan as he stroked deep inside her, setting off little sparks. Her hands clutched into his back, digging deep. “You can tell how I’m feeling… either way… can’t you?” Her breath was coming in gasps as she fought against her pleasure, wanting to make it last as long as possible.

He chuckled and nodded. “All right. But I’m going to look at you when you come. That moment when you become mine, I’m going to look into your eyes.”

“That’s fine.” She gasped. “As long as you never stop doing this to me.”

“Never,” he said. “For the rest of our lives, you’re all mine.” His voice was hoarse now, and he thrust hard, retreating and returning in a rush of energy that was building all around them, not to mention inside her.

She could sense the same from him, see the tension in his hard, muscular body. Finally, finally, she would see him lose control and feel it deep inside her.

“Mercury,” she murmured, pulling back to look at him in a daze because she was too close. “I can’t hold back any longer.”

He kissed her nose, his body warm and sweaty and completely mingled with hers. “Go then, sweetheart, and I’ll join you.”

His words were so gentle, so unexpected, that she fell over the edge without meaning to, right into a screaming orgasm that overtook her whole body from the inside out. She felt her dragon roar and felt Mercury jerk, still inside her, calling out her name as he found his own release.

It was intense feeling his warm, hard length pulsing inside her as she came, rippling around him, but she loved it. She wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

“You’re so beautiful,” he rasped, kissing her mouth deeply as they both continued to come. He thrust the whole time, through both their releases, and she felt helpless to the dragon inside, the one who was triumphant now that she was finally mated.

“I love you, Marina. I’ll protect you forever.” He pulled back and kissed her forehead gently, then slumped against her, finally content.

She smiled and stroked his hair. “I love you, too, Mercury. I think I did from the moment I met you.”

He jerked, looking at her in surprise before a smile broke out over his face and he curled in around her again, hugging her close for a few moments more.

Once they cleaned up and were back in bed, Mercury spooned her from behind, and she was still trapped tightly in his arms as he fell asleep, snoring lightly.

She smiled, feeling his chest rise and fall against her back. Not surprising that he was tired after fighting so hard.

She had fought for him, too, in a much different way. But it was significant all the same. And it made sense because all the dragons on Earth had to fight for their mates in one way or another.

And she was, above all, a dragon.