DragonMate (10 page)

Her eyes darkened and her lips parted. She remained where he’d placed her and watched him gather more lubricant on fingers.

He spread some of it on his cock, giving her a moment to think, to anticipate having him slide into her virgin entrance. It excited him to have her gaze linger and admire his human form. It made him ache to stand in front of her as dragon, both of them knowing he’d soon cover her body and thrust inside her, his wings spread and quivering in ecstasy as he did it.

She lowered her eyes and turned, bent over and grasped the edge of the tub. In challenge or in shyness, she parted her legs only enough for him to glimpse her wet folds and glistening slit.

He caressed her buttock with his palm while the fingers of his other hand clamped mercilessly on his cock to keep from closing the distance and shoving it inside her. By the Great Shared Ancestor, she delighted him.

“Will you defy me and earn a spanking where your cries might bring an audience?” he asked, the thought of others watching as he disciplined then took his mate feeding the flames of both aggression and lust. “Or will you obey?”

It was sweet torture to see her shiver, then part her legs in silent acceptance of his will. He tormented himself by trailing his fingers between her swollen cunt lips, gathering the slick evidence of her arousal and using it to lubricate her back entrance.

Molten heat streaked through Jazzlyn, flaring to life where his fingers traveled along the crease of her ass, circling the tight rosette then slipping inside. There was something wickedly thrilling in his threats of punishment, in letting him take her this way.

Her imagination was alive with images of a chase that ended in a spanking, followed by fierce lovemaking. They were dark fantasies, ones she’d never explored, just as she’d never dreamed of letting a man press his cock to the puckered opening of her anus.

His touch was possessive, sure, as he prepared her. She closed her eyes and the sensations grew stronger, hot pain joining to dark pleasure.

Her clit throbbed. Her nipples were tight. If she didn’t need to grasp the rim of the hot tub, she’d try to gain a measure of relief by touching herself.

A moan escaped when the head of his penis touched her back opening. The image of him coating himself with lubricant, his hand moving up and down on his shaft made her channel clench.

Despite wanting him, she tensed when he tried to enter her. “Easy, beloved,” he said, kissing the spot where her neck met her shoulder.

His words and the purr of his voice melted her. They lodged in her heart.

She wanted to be his beloved. Somewhere in the course of the day, she’d come to believe in heartmate stones and him.

His fingers found her clit and drove all thought away. Fire raced to the soles of her feet, to her nipples. It filled her anus as he worked the smooth hot steel of his cock into her, burning her with erotic heat.

She could feel him shaking, trembling with need and the desire to go slowly so his claiming would bring only pleasure. His care heightened her desire, making her rock backward.

Her internal muscles rippled around the thick heat of him. He panted, seemingly unable to stop himself from thrusting, quick shallow digs that were devastating in their intensity.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, his arm tightening around her waist, the fingers on her clit doing the same.

Exquisite agony scorched through her. “I need more,” she said, pressing backward, intentionally clamping down hard on his cock.

He was a throbbing presence that filled more than her anus. It felt as though his heart beat deep inside her and was completely in sync with her own.

“Please, Kir.”

He couldn’t deny her, not when he burned with the same hunger.

Shallow thrusts became harder ones. Each made in concert with the squeeze and tug of his fingers on her engorged clit.

The husky sounds of her pleasure made control impossible. And even when his wrists began to tingle and burn, the talons on the verge of descending, he couldn’t stop.

Instinct drove him closer, so as much skin as possible touched. His nipples rubbed against her back. His lips caressed her shoulder.

The need to fully claim her built until there was no fighting it any longer. His teeth marked her shoulder as the talons finally slid free to drag across her belly, piercing skin and delivering the serum.

She screamed in orgasm, and the knowledge that the other males would hear it and know what it meant, amplified the ecstasy of his own release. He came in a series of lava-hot waves. Each one making him cry out, his semen forced from him in savage spasms.

It left him lightheaded, in danger of slipping into the same unconsciousness she’d succumbed to. Dragon pride was the only thing that gave him the strength to carry Jazzlyn to the bathroom.

He bathed and dried her, finding it deeply satisfying to care for her so intimately. Then he took care of his own needs before settling into bed with her.

Satisfaction purred through Kirill as he watched his mate sleep. She was irrevocably his now, her body adjusting so in the future, when they both desired it, she would grow heavy with his young.

He cupped her breast possessively, his purr deepening when she murmured, welcoming his touch even in the depth of serum-induced unconsciousness. He leaned in, nuzzled her nipple, licked over it as his hand slid downward, briefly pausing on the light scratches left by his mating talons, before slipping lower to cover her mound.

His
. Every inch of her, every minute of her life now belonged to him. And he would treasure her above anything else he possessed. Always.

He pressed his chest to her back, snuggling close and tight in a nest of bedclothing and heated skin. With any luck, this business with her cousin would be done tomorrow and he would take her to his lair.

Contentment settled on him. His thoughts wandered over the events of day. There was nothing about it he would change, including Aislinn’s interference. Because of it he’d lingered here and not only gotten a chance to imprint himself on his mate, but to prepare her for the existence of dragons.

Confronting reality would still be a shock to her. There was no way to avoid it. But unlike the sacrificed and stolen virgins of long ago, Jazzlyn wouldn’t die of fright or throw herself from a rocky ledge at finding herself in his lair.

His heart wouldn’t let him believe she could ever be terrified of him. Not when she’d teased and taunted him, tormented him and claimed him as thoroughly as he’d claimed her.

He pressed an adoring kiss to her shoulder. After they returned, he’d suggest she examine the gems he kept deep in the hidden part of his lair. He’d encourage her to choose several of them as a gift for the half-elf. Xanthus could deliver them and see to gathering Jazzlyn’s things at the same time.

In fact, he’d ask Xanthus to purchase duplicate tools so Jazzlyn could have two work areas. One would be set up in the open section, where he enjoyed stretching out during the daylight hours and guarding his territory against trespass and poaching. The other would be in an internal chamber. There were several that would be suitable once they were cleared of treasure.

The sound of music interrupted his planning. He recognized its source immediately and slid from the bed to answer Jazzlyn’s phone.

“Is Jazzlyn there?” Aislinn asked.

“She sleeps.” His cock stirred in remembered pleasure at having her orgasm around it violently when he raked her with his talons.

Aislinn didn’t suggest he wake his mate, but then the shopkeeper would know what a dragon’s serum did to a human female. “Trace has a lead on where Mark might be. Nothing certain yet, but hopefully there will be by morning. I wanted to let Jazzlyn know.”

“I will tell her.”

“Something else came up while Trace was looking into this. There have been three restraining orders filed against Mark. The first was in California. The second was in Nevada. The last in Texas.”

Kirill frowned, not liking the news though he didn’t completely understand it. “These restraining orders were put in place to keep Mark from doing something?”

“From having contact with women he’d been going out with.” There was a slight hesitation on the other end of the line. “Trace was able to find two of the women. They both told him the same thing. At first Mark was attentive and wonderful, but as the relationship progressed he got more and more controlling and possessive until they’d ended up feeling cut off from their friends and family. When they broke things off with him, or tried to, he refused to stop calling them or showing up in person and acting as if nothing had changed. It unnerved them to the point they filed for restraining orders. The woman in Nevada is officially declared a missing person. The police suspect Mark had something to do with her disappearance, but there’s no proof.”

Aislinn’s description of the human male’s behavior sent uneasiness rippling through Kirill. His gaze swept over his unconscious mate and he told himself it was only worry for her that left him feeling unsettled and out of sorts.

He would make certain Jazzlyn had no further contact with Mark. It was too dangerous.

“Will the police involve themselves in this?” he asked.

“Not without probable cause. Carolyn isn’t officially missing and hasn’t filed any kind of complaint against Mark. The most the police could do is approach Mark and ask to be allowed on the boat, if that’s where he is. Without a warrant, if he says no, they can’t insist.”

“I am at Hakon’s estate. If Mark is located, I will ask for Hakon to help me handle this matter.”

“I’ll call again as soon as I know something more.”

“My thanks again for your aid.” He ended the call and placed the phone on the nightstand as he rejoined Jazzlyn in bed.

He slid his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest and kissing her shoulder. Despite the pleasure he felt at holding her, tension knotted his stomach at what the morning might bring.

Chapter Nine

Jazzlyn woke to dragons in flight, their beauty turning the white of the bedding into a kaleidoscope of color. The stained glass had been breathtaking in the moonlight, but with the sunlight streaming through it, every exquisite detail was revealed.

“You’re awake,” Kirill said, his arm tightening around her waist, his lips administering small kisses to the place he’d bitten her in the hot tub.

She could hear a wealth of satisfaction in his voice at having fucked her so thoroughly she passed out in the throes of orgasm.

Against her buttocks, his hard cock expressed its desire for an encore.

Her phone rang before they could act on it.

She scrambled to answer and ended up lying across Kirill in the process. It was Aislinn. “I’ve got an address for you.”

“Hold on a second.”

Kirill grunted when she left the bed to scrounge for pen and paper. “I’m ready.”

Aislinn recited an address before saying, “There’s no way to know if Mark has Carolyn there or not. The house belongs to an uncle. Trace wasn’t able to contact him though he did have a patrol car swing by first thing this morning and then a few minutes ago. According to them, none of Mark’s registered vehicles were there on either visit. Neither was your cousin’s. The boat wasn’t there on the initial visit, but it’s there now. No one answered the door and they can’t get close enough to the boat to look inside it.

“Trace thought it’d be better not to have the police approach from the water for fear it could spook Mark if he’s watching from inside the house. I’m at the shop now. I tried another reading and got even less than before, murky darkness and the feeling of subtle movement, like being on a boat. Trace is trying to find out if Mark might have rented another boat.”

Jazzlyn’s stomach cramped as she remembered Kirill returning from his search of Mark’s house and mentioning traces of a chemical substance along with the wineglasses. She’d jumped to the conclusion it was a party drug, but what if it wasn’t?

“Do you think Carolyn’s drugged with something that’s knocked her out to keep her quiet?”

“It’s possible.” There was a hesitation. “Did Kirill pass on the other information?”

Jazzlyn glanced at him. He was up and seemingly content to wait until the last moment before tugging on his clothes.

“Not yet. I’ll have him tell me while we’re in the car.”

“You’ll let me know what you find?”

“Yes. Of course.”

Jazzlyn nervously rolled her phone between her hands as she repeated what Aislinn told her. “I feel guilty for thinking the worst of Caro. I should have guessed he’d drugged her. He must have let her come out of it long enough to make the phone call, then dosed her again. That’s probably why he said it’d take a couple hours before I heard from her.”

Kirill closed the distance between them, pulling her flush against his chest and stroking her back. “It would have changed nothing. Even now we don’t know the full truth of your cousin’s circumstances.”

Jazzlyn slipped her arms around his waist. “I’m so glad I have you.”

His laugh was a satisfied purr. “You can demonstrate your gratitude later.”

He rubbed his cheek against hers. “If I could bear the thought of leaving you in another male’s care, I’d insist you remain here while I investigate the house and the boat.”

“As if I’d let you go by yourself.” She emphasized her point with a pinch to his very firm buttock.

“You dare to challenge me again after the events of last evening?”

Jazzlyn laughed. “Somehow being fucked so well that I passed out isn’t exactly a deterrent.” She turned her head and placed a kiss in the hollow of his neck. “Not to challenge your masculinity or anything, but I’d feel better if Hakon came with us.”

“If he accompanies us, you’ll stay in the car where I won’t have to worry for your safety?”

As much as she wished she could be a kick-ass heroine when the need arose, she knew she’d be more hindrance than help. “Yes.”

“Good.” His lips covered hers and his kiss was deep and long, praising and possessing and promising all at the same time.

They dressed quickly and sought out Hakon. He said, “I suggest you and Jazzlyn go by car while I approach on the water. If you desire, I can send one of my men with you so Jazzlyn will remain guarded while we investigate the house and the boat.”

Kirill suppressed a growl. He felt the phantom flaring of his neck crest though the amusement lurking in Hakon’s eyes belied the offer of protection for Jazzlyn.

A human was no match for one dragon, much less two. The only reason he’d agreed to Hakon’s presence at all was because it gained Jazzlyn’s compliance without an argument.

“Additional protection won’t be necessary,” Kirill said, hand curling possessively around Jazzlyn’s upper arm. “I’ll protect her from any threat found in the house.”

Hakon’s lips curved into a smile. “Shall we exchange phone numbers before we head out? I’ll get there faster by boat but will wait for you to arrive so we can coordinate our search.”

Jazzlyn recited her number then input Hakon’s before passing her phone to Kirill as they went to the door. In the daylight they could clearly see the huge alligators lying along the sandy banks and basking in the sun.

“Lazy cousins,” Hakon joked before jogging around the side of the house, disappearing in what Kirill assumed was the direction of his private dock.

Kirill’s hand slid down Jazzlyn’s arm. Their fingers entwined as they hurried through jungle foliage, their progress marked by bird calls.

Just as they reached her car, Kirill heard the sound of a powerful engine roar to life. “Hakon’s on his way.”

Jazzlyn’s hand tightened on his. “I hope this isn’t a dead end. If it is—”

“We will still find her.”

By the Great Shared Ancestor he wanted to be done with this.

They traveled in tense silence. And when they got to their destination, he directed Jazzlyn to drive past the house.

There were no obvious signs of occupancy. No vehicles or lights. The place looked dark and ill-kept, the landscaping untended.

Adobe walls served as a fence preventing trespass. A gate allowed a view of the waterway a short distance behind the house and the private dock extending into it.

“The boat’s there,” Jazzlyn said. “What about Hakon?”

“Nearby, I’m sure. I’ll call him in a moment.”

Kirill scanned the area. He didn’t like the idea of Jazzlyn being anywhere near the house, and yet he liked the thought of her being out of sight and further away even less.

“Park across the street from the gate,” he directed. A touch of his hand to the front door, accompanied by the same incantation he’d used yesterday and he’d know if this house was empty of humans or not. The answer would determine whether he joined Hakon on the boat, or waited for Hakon to deal with the situation there while he dealt with the one in the house.

Jazzlyn parked the car and turned off the engine. He contacted Hakon.

“How do you wish to proceed?” Hakon asked, deferring to Kirill despite the fact he was a dragon prince and an inhabitant of this realm.

“Let me determine if there is anyone in the house first.”

“I’m at the mouth of the waterway. I can see the boat from here. I’ll wait on the line while you check the house.”

Kirill gave a low growl at the loss of privacy. But its loss didn’t stop him from touching his lips to Jazzlyn’s.

Her fingers tangled in his hair for a second, her mouth clinging to his after an all-too-brief kiss. “Please be careful, Kir.”

“Stay here, beloved. Stay safe.”

On the other end of the line, Kirill could have sworn he heard Hakon sing, “Another one bites the dust.”

He ignored the other male in favor of hurrying to get this task behind him so he could take Jazzlyn home.

At the door it took less than a minute to learn the house was exactly as it appeared to be, unoccupied. Kirill headed toward the gate, speaking into the phone as he did so. “I’ll meet you on the dock.”

In the distance there was the rev of a boat’s engine.

He slipped Jazzlyn’s phone into his pocket and used the same commonly known sigils accompanied by dragon will to unlock the gate. It was impossible to pass through it without a glance back at the car.

Jazzlyn’s worried expression was pain and pleasure both. He’d never guessed at the emotions having a mate would lay bare.

He forced himself to move forward, telling himself the sooner it was done, the sooner he’d return to her. Hakon’s boat was already gliding smoothly alongside the dock, one of his men at the wheel.

Hakon jumped to the dock, cautious despite the innate confidence of their kind. Kirill joined him, both of them watching for movement at the curtain-covered windows of the power yacht.

When there was none, Kirill edged forward, touching the boat’s hull. With Hakon crouched next to him, he spoke the spell words, using his left hand for adding the intricate, gestured patterns.

This time an electric thrill jolted through him. “There’s a female inside. No one else.”

“Nice trick,” Hakon said, both of them standing and climbing onto the boat’s deck. “Perhaps you’ll be willing to teach it to me.”

Kirill could do no less given Hakon’s hospitality and aid, as well as the generosity he and Malik and Severn demonstrated in sharing the Dragon’s Cup. “I intend to leave this realm as quickly as possible. Visit me in my lair and I will teach you the spell.”

Hakon chuckled. “Considering your newly mated status, I will allow some time to pass before approaching.”

The door to the cabin gave under Hakon’s will. They entered, their good spirits disappearing in a heartbeat at the sight greeting them.

Carolyn was gagged, her arms bound to her sides then tethered by locked cable to a metal loop set in the wall. She didn’t stir when the cabin filled with the sound of their curses at finding her held captive in such a manner. Her breathing remained deep and rhythmic as they freed her.

Movement in the side-view mirror made Jazzlyn glance away from the boat just long enough to see the rear end of a car disappear behind a row of shrubbery in a neighboring driveway. She had a brief worry that her presence and the open gate would elicit a call to the police, but dismissed it. They would be gone in a matter of minutes.

Hakon must have seen something from his position on the water. It was the only explanation she could come up with for Kirill abandoning his plan to enter the house.

Her fingernails dug into her palms as she waited for them to emerge from the cabin of the power yacht. “Please, please let her be there,” she whispered, terrified that if Caro wasn’t, then she was dead and at the bottom of the ocean somewhere.

She didn’t know how much longer she could stand waiting. Every second dragged yet her heart raced as though she were running. How long did it take to search such a small space?

Her breath caught in her throat when Kirill emerged, Caro in his arms. Without conscious thought Jazzlyn left the car and hurried to the gate.