Runaway Heart (12 page)

“Uh oh. You don’t have a harem, do you? Because I am putting my foot down right now and…” Jaren cut her off with a kiss.

“No. No harem. But I do need you to promise me that you won’t run away screaming.” Jaren’s voice was teasing, but a part of him was worried that running away was exactly what she would do. And if she did, she would take his heart with her.

Kari snorted and rolled her eyes. Then her eyes went wide as Jaren began removing his clothes. “Um, Jaren? As exciting as it might be to have sex with you on the beach, don’t you think someone might see us?”

Jaren chuckled. “That sounds like an excellent idea, my love, and we just might try that out later. But I need to show you something first.”

He couldn’t believe how nervous he was about this. He could fight the mightiest of warriors, but letting this woman see his alternate form was the most nerve-wracking thing he had ever experienced.

“Karinna, have you ever known any shifters?” Kari’s face scrunched in confusion, then her eyes went wide and her mouth formed a little ‘o’ as understanding dawned on her.

“You shift?” Instead of being frightened, Jaren was astonished to see his
sha-lia
start to bounce up and down with excitement, a stunning smile lighting up her beautiful face.

“Well, go on! What are you waiting for?”

Jaren shook his head and laughed softly. “You will never cease to amaze me, my precious mate.”

He stepped back several paces from Kari and held her excited gaze as he let the transition take him. The air around him glimmered and his body began to morph, growing larger and transforming. He looked down and watched Kari’s mouth fall open as his dragon form emerged. He knew it would be an intimidating sight. He looked down at his body as he was finally able to fully transform for the first time. Shiny blue-green scales covered him and lethal emerald-green claws extended from his feet and hands. He knew he would have horns protruding from his massive head and dagger-like teeth. He stood twice as tall as Kari now. He stretched and he felt his massive wings unfurl. Bringing them around to encircle him, he saw that they were dark blue and leathery. He also felt his tail flex, and he thumped it happily on the ground, producing a vibration from the impact. It felt wonderful to finally be able to fully shift. His beast reveled in the long-awaited freedom.

He stilled himself and looked at Kari, waiting for the screaming and running to begin. Instead, Kari slowly approached him, holding her hand out as she got close to him. He lowered his head to her and Kari carefully placed her hand on him, then slowly stroked along his neck. Jaren purred with pleasure.

“Jaren?” Kari’s voice was barely a whisper as she looked into his eyes.

“Yes, love.”

Kari gasped. “I can hear you!” Jaren felt her awe travel through their bond.

“I hoped you could. It is common for a sha-lia to be able to hear her dragon, but I was not sure you would be able to since you are not from Aldryss.”

“You’re so pretty.” Jaren snorted, gray smoke issuing from his nostrils. Even in dragon form, he managed to arch one eyebrow. “Um…I meant handsome.” Kari giggled. “Very, very handsome.”

Jaren chortled and Kari continued running her hand over the smooth texture of his scales.

“Can you fly?”

“No, the wings are just for pretty decoration.”
Jaren let out another dragon-laugh.
“Climb on.”

Jaren was amazed at his mate again as he lowered his shoulders to the ground and she climbed on his back without any hesitation. Once she secured herself by latching her arms around his neck, he stretched his wings and pushed them down, letting the air propel him upwards. He flapped the great wings and they traveled up into the clear sky, lifting higher and higher until the castle seemed to be a small house, instead of the massive structure it really was. He soared out over the sea and swooped down, letting Kari get a good view of the pod of large, gentle ocean creatures that had surfaced in the deeper waters.

“This is amazing!” Even without her speaking the words, Jaren could feel the exhilaration flowing from Kari. He knew she would be able to feel his own excitement as well. The feeling of soaring through the air for the first time was unbelievably liberating.

Finally, he pointed his head downward and flew in great circles, getting lower to the ground with each turn. He landed smoothly on the beach in the same spot they had lifted off from, and Kari slid from his back onto the sand.

“Wow! Just…wow!”

Jaren chuckled.
“I agree, my love. I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Jaren leaned his head down and rested it against Kari’s chest, enjoying the closeness with her in this form. They stayed that way for a few moments, then suddenly Jaren reared back, transforming back into his humanoid form as he staggered backward. Kari ran to him.

“What’s wrong? Are you all right?” Her concern flooded into him as Jaren stared at her in amazement, unable to speak for a few moments. Finally he regained his composure and wrapped Kari in his arms, picking her up and spinning her as he started laughing.

“Jaren! What are you doing?”

Jaren put her down and stared into her eyes. “
Sha-lia
, when I am in dragon form, my hearing is extremely sensitive. When I put my head against your chest, I was listening to your heartbeat, but I did not hear what I expected.” He hesitated.

“I heard two heartbeats.” He waited, watching Kari’s face carefully as she processed his words. Finally, understanding hit. Her eyes went wide, and her mouth fell open.

“I’m…I’m…”

“Going to have my babe, Karinna.”

* * * *

Kari stood there on the beach, engulfed in complete and utter shock. She had escaped her father. She had met the man she would spend the rest of her life with. It was going to be a very, very long life. She had been crowned queen. Jaren was a dragon—a dragon that she thought was very, very pretty, regardless of what he thought. And now she was…was…pregnant!

Jaren’s joy flowed to her like a rushing stream, shaking her out of her momentary paralysis. His happiness was so pure that she couldn’t help but be carried away by the same current, the elation pouring out to him and then back to her in a constant loop. It was magical.

As she watched Jaren, the joy he was sending to her became tinged with another feeling. She saw his eyes begin to glow at the same time she felt his hunger.

Jaren ran his fingers down her cheek, her neck, grazing her breast as he continued moving down her body. He reached the hem of her shirt and tugged it upward, pulling it over her head. Kari felt his heated gaze on her bared skin. He slid his fingers into the waistband of her skirt and slid it down over her hips, letting it fall to the sand. He fell to his knees and pulled Kari down with him. He grabbed his shirt that was lying nearby and spread it over the sand, then laid her back against the soft fabric. Jaren slowly leaned over her to place a tender kiss on her abdomen, then flashed her a brilliant smile that beamed his exhilaration.

His smile slowly changed to a feral grin, and he moved his hand down between her legs. He slid his fingers through her wet nether lips, gathering the moisture on his fingers before pushing two digits inside her. Kari felt the desire building as he worked his fingers, twirling them around and finding a sensitive spot deep inside her. She cried out as he caressed that spot, and she arched her back into his touch. He slowly pulled his fingers back out and then brought them to his lips. She watched in fascination as he put his fingers in his mouth and sucked off her juices. Then he leaned down and kissed her long and deep, the taste of her own passion mingled with the sweet taste of his mouth.

“So delicious,
sha-lia
.”

It was all too much. Kari wanted him, needed him inside of her, now. She reached between them and wrapped her fingers around his shaft, guiding him to her heated hole.

Jaren chuckled. “One of these days, Karinna, I am going to have to teach you some patience.”

He thrust into her and buried himself deep inside her. She moaned her pleasure as his length filled her up completely. He started a hard, steady rhythm, driving into Kari without mercy until her head began to spin. With the sound of the gentle waves lapping against the shore and the breeze caressing their bare skin, they climaxed together. With one voice, they shouted their release as love and passion flowed through their link and wrapped around them, renewing their bond and sealing them together, forever.

THE END

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Scarlet Day originally hails from Texas, but has made her home on the sunny beaches of Florida. It took her a while to figure out what she wanted to do when she grew up. After spending many years in the insurance industry, she went back to college and got a degree in Environmental Science. After that, she spent a few years sloshing around swamps in South Florida, helping to preserve the Florida Everglades, and ensuring preservation of endangered wildlife during land development.

Scarlet has been happily married to her loving, adoring and patient husband for over twenty-three years and has one teenage son, three spoiled-rotten poodles and fish that keep breeding. When she isn’t writing her next book, Scarlet spends time at the beach and firmly believes that one can never take too many trips to Disneyworld.
 

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