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Chapter Fourteen

Anaki

M y dragon demanded to keep her on my lap for the truck ride up the mountain, but the more sensible part of me—the human side—had buckled her up in the passenger seat. That didn’t make me keep my hands to myself.

My hand wrapped around her luscious thigh.

I perhaps inched further up as the ride went along.

She was in a fit of giggles. The walls that once stood tall around her heart were slowly falling.

At least, at that moment, they were. Later, when she came to her senses and realized I would never let her go after this, she might change her tune.

Once my dragon had her in our cave, I worried he wouldn’t let her go, and the closer we got, the more his tail slashed about in the back of my mind. It reminded me of the documentaries of those alligators and crocodiles of Earth, barrel-rolling their prey before they submerged them under the water.

Only with this, Elena was my prey. She would roll in the sheets from pleasure, and would only surface when my dragon and I had completely consumed her.

It terrified me of what she would think afterward. I had to keep my dragon under control, at least not claim her until I had her permission, which I knew I did not have—yet. I just got her to accept me.

Accept me for what? I’m not sure. For this one-night stand? The date? I don’t know what I would do if she just fucked me and left. That would be worse than the rejection when she wouldn’t even touch me.

The more I thought, the more my dragon lashed inside me. Elena reached over the console and wrapped her hand around my arm. “Are you alright? You’re sweating?”

I didn’t have a shirt, too excited to even find my discarded clothes. I cracked the windows to remove some of her scent. Her arousal that I had marked my skin with was the stupidest thing I could do. While my dragon roared with pride that we wore her perfume, it drove me mad.

I swallowed deeply, the taste of nervous anticipation lingering on my tongue, and turned down Bear's driveway.

The wheels skidded on the loose gravel, the sound of their friction filling the air with a sharp, gritty scrape.

My heart pounded in my chest, its rhythmic thumping resonating in my ears as I hit the turn too hard.

In that moment, Elena let out a surprised yelp, her voice echoing through the stillness of the surroundings. “Just excited,” I said.

I wasn’t going to let her go. No matter what she thought or said.

Elena licked her lips, biting down on the bottom one.

Goddess, did she have any idea what she was doing to me?

She spread her legs wider. My hand went up higher as we bounced over several holes in the road.

Her breasts bounced, and while I had to keep my eyes on the road, they kept wandering to her side of the cab.

“You’re stunning, you know that?” I rasped. “Not just your body, but you? ”

Her playful seduction turned to a look of surprise. “W-what?”

We pulled up to the cabin, and the lights were on inside.

Nadia didn’t care for the loud sounds at the bar and was currently babysitting Delilah’s pup.

I saw her form as she pulled the curtain away to check who was outside, as she held the baby in the crook of her arms. Her vision having improved significantly, she smiled and waved.

I turned my attention back to Elena. “You, Elena. Just you. Just want you to know this isn’t just a… fun time for me. I’m serious about this.”

Her mouth opened and closed, her arm loosened around mine. Panic set in, and I braced myself for a rejection. She’d rejected me before, so why wouldn’t she do it now? I’d have to just try harder.

“You hardly know me.” Her touch didn’t leave my arm, but I missed how she was wrapped around it like a lifeline. “What you said earlier.” She shook her head. “You don’t actually want—”

My grip grew stronger around the softness of her thigh.

“I absolutely meant everything I said back there.” I jerked my head toward the bed of the truck.

”\ “You are stunning. You raised a child, helped your elder, worked, and took care of yourself. You are sweet and kind and think of others before yourself. My dragon can see your heart, and I can see”—I traced a finger down her cheek—“you. I see you, not the flaws you think your body has.”

Why would I say such sweet words to sleep with her? Who would ever do such a thing?

“I—”

I released my grip on her trembling leg, twisting the key and pulling it out of the ignition.

As I forcefully kicked open the stubborn door, it swung wide, colliding with the nearby tree, causing a resounding thud and a shower of leaves.

My heart pounded in my chest as I hurriedly dashed around to the other side of the truck.

I took in the dazed expression on Elena's face, her eyes lost in a haze after the weight of my words settled upon her.

She was about to get another earful.

I opened the door and put my arm across her body to unbuckle her, then backed away and held out my hand.

“If you take this hand…” she looked down at it, and then back at me.

“I will take you. Not just your body, Elena. I will take all of you. Your body, your mind, your soul. Maybe not right away, because I will give you time to process. I can be reasonable. My dragon, not so much,” I muttered under my breath.

“I’ll do my best to keep him under control, though!

” I quickly added, my face heated with embarrassment.

“I want the complete package. All of you. Not one night, not a couple of days.” I waved a finger back and forth between us. “We are a thing.”

My dragon roared enough for it to rumble in my chest.

I couldn’t say mate, not even soulmate, for her to understand because Abuela had said it before, and she became very upset. I would do the best I could to skip around the word, until I needed to.

My chest continued to vibrate. She stared at it and tilted her head in curiosity.

Elena rubbed her lips together as I waited. Seconds passed that felt like an eternity. Her eyes danced between mine, searching for the truth in my words. In that moment, I could see her weighing her options, considering the gravity of my proposition. I held my breath, waiting for her decision.

Finally, she took a deep breath and placed her small hand in mine. "Okay," she whispered, a hint of vulnerability in her voice.

My smile widened when I pulled her out of the cab and into my arms. She made an “oomph” sound when she landed on my chest, and I twirled her in my arms.

I set her on the ground, grabbed her hand, and pulled her to the trail at the side of the cabin. She looked around her as the cabin began to grow distant. “Wait, wasn’t that your place?”

I shook my head. “No, what gave you that idea?” I chuckled and gave her a little pull.

I saw the tiny wrinkle between her brows furrow, and I pressed my thumb between them to straighten it. “I’m a dragon, remember? I have a cave.”

Her eyes widened in shock. “Wait, so it’s true? I thought it was a joke.” She playfully smacked my bare chest.

I rubbed the back of my neck. “No? When I shift, I need somewhere big to stay. My dragon can be sort of a dick and not change back into my human form, so I need a big place. A cave is the best place.”

Her hands went to her mouth as she gasped. “You really are a dragon?!”

Isn’t that what I have been telling her all this time?

“I mean, I have seen Bear and Nadia shift, so I know they are bears. That was more believable because there are actually bears you see in real life and in zoos, but… a dragon? You don’t just see a dragon; they are in fairy tales! Luis will be—oh, he will be so excited.” Her eyes beamed.

I puffed out my chest. “Yes, well, what about you? Will you be impressed?”

Why did I have to be so desperate for her affections? I was like one of those wolves that always sought to do anything and everything for their mate. I was just glad my dragon's tail hadn't yet emerged, because it wagged incessantly when she complimented me.

If she gave me pets through my hair, I would be done for.

“I’ll have to see first,” she said coyly as she approached me. “Depends on the shade of blue.”

Compliment denial. I don’t know if I liked that or not.

I cleared my throat when she put her hand on my chest. My dragon grumbled, wanting more of her touch on us. Elena’s eyes widened, and she placed her palm flat. “Is that your dragon?” she asked.

I nodded and gripped her wrist. “Does he like me touching?” She fluttered her eyelashes.

I nodded again and cleared my throat. “Very much.”

She smiled and her hand rubbed down my stomach and to the edge of my pants.

Nope, nope. She cannot go there.

But she’s going to in a minute, and that is another conversation.

Fuck!

I pulled her hand away from my raging erections and had her follow me on the trail.

Her infectious laughter reverberated through the dense forest, filling the air with joy.

Each step she took seemed to resonate like thunder to my healing ears.

She gracefully pranced ahead of me, as the leaves rustled and twigs snapped under her feet.

The sweet scent of moss and damp earth wafted through the air, immersing us in the lushness of nature.

I could feel the cool breeze against my skin, its gentle touch a reminder of the freedom she embraced, daring to let go of my hand and dance with abandon.

“Elena!” I called out as I realized she was getting further and further away from me.

"Sorry, I just don’t hurt, and I don’t remember the last time I ran.” She turned around, and her dress flew around her hips. Her lace thong caught my eye.

My dragon's sharp teeth glistened as drool dripped from his mouth, fixated on her graceful twirling as her lacy thong peeked through. The soft moonlight bathed her face, illuminating the strands of her rich, dark brown hair. Her radiant smile and laughter had lured me in like a siren's song,