Page 15 of Echoes of Fire (Drakarn Mates #2)

FOURTEEN

RATH

Her clothes fell away like ash from a cooling forge. My claws hovered over the fastenings of her tunic, pulled back to their narrowest points as I worked the stubborn closures. A bead of sweat slid down my spinal ridge—not from heat, but from the excruciating care required not to shred the fragile human flesh.

My talons trembled as they skimmed her collarbone, her breath hitching when the blunted tips caught the strap of her breastband.

Fragile. So fragile.

The garment slithered free. Her breasts rose with her next indrawn breath, rosy peaks tightening under air that suddenly felt too thick. Two emotions warred—the urge to mark and the need to worship. My tongue swept over an ivory-sharp fang, restraining myself against instinct’s surge.

Slow.

Orla’s fingers grazed my flank with agonizing hesitation, undoing the seals along my combat harness. Her blunt nails caught on an old scar near my hip. My cock throbbed at the sensation, scales flushing hotter where her knuckles brushed them. When the last clasp released, the harness fell with a heavy thud. She didn’t flinch.

Her palm met the center of my chest, halting me.

“Let me,” she whispered.

Her shirt followed mine to the ground. Moonlight through the steam painted her human curves in silver—soft where I was ridged, vulnerable where I was armored, perfect in all the ways that infuriated and entranced. I traced the line of Cygnus’s path along her forearm with a single claw, watching goosebumps flare in its wake. The stars etched into her skin called to me, a language I couldn’t parse but desperately wished to claim.

My tongue followed where my talon had traveled.

She shuddered.

Her skin tasted of salt and wild energy, humming with the same charge that gathered before a lightning storm. My lips closed around the faded ink of Ursa Major, suckling the scar tissue beneath with just enough pressure to make her fingers knot in my hair. The groan that tore from me vibrated against her pulse point—a sound I hadn’t meant to release, raw and stripped of dignity.

Weakness. Sacred weakness.

Her hands found hair, not gripping but cradling. The contact speared through me—a Drakarn’s head in human hands, our most guarded vulnerability. I froze, torn between wrenching away and leaning into the blasphemous intimacy.

Air hissed through my teeth.

“Look at me,” she urged.

Reluctance burned like swallowed embers as I lifted my gaze. Her irises held flecks of gold now, mirrored fragments of my own eyes caught in the territory of hers. The world narrowed to that impossible symmetry.

My claws flexed against her hips.

“If I hurt you?—”

“You won’t.”

Her certainty destroyed me.

My tongue mapped her—every constellation, every scar—laving slow, wet stripes across the faded ink of Ursa Minor. Her flesh quivered beneath the broad, flat strokes, each deliberate swipe calculated to draw gasps. When I reached Lyra’s curve, I let the tip flick outward, rasping over the sensitive dip between rib and hip. Her hips jerked.

“Fuck—!”

The human curse shattered against the hut’s walls as I pressed deeper, the full length of my tongue undulating now—a hot, living blade writing devotion across her abdomen. Drakarn anatomy allowed for precision no human mouth could match—broad enough to span her entire navel, pointed enough to circle a single tightening nipple.

Dragging the tip up her sternum, I paused at the scar above her heart—the one she’d inked over with dots of Andromeda. Here, my tongue softened. Broad, flat laps interspersed with the delicate pierce of its pointed end, tracing every link in the tattooed shackles until her moans turned fractured.

Her hands fisted against my ribs when I reached her throat. “Rath?—!”

A warning. A plea.

I consumed both.

My tongue delved into the hollow beneath her jaw, twin points massaging the frantic pulse there. Her back arched violently, breasts brushing my scales as I worked higher—flicking her earlobe, then retreating to swirl around the shell. The vibration of her gasp traveled straight to my throbbing cock.

“You taste …,” my growl hitched as her nails found the gaps between my back plates, “like lightning.”

Her thighs framed my face as I knelt—an offering and a conquest. Heat curled around us as my tongue extended to its full length to trace a path up her inner thigh. She gasped, heels digging into the notched scars between my shoulder blades. The musk of her arousal cut through the mineral air, igniting glands beneath my tongue I hadn’t known could burn .

“Fates’ breath ? —”

Her curse dissolved into a moan as the primary ridge of my tongue pressed against her cleft. I stilled, savoring the shiver that racked her body—the way her human softness yielded to my heat.

There.

Her hips jerked, but my tail coiled tighter around her waist—an unyielding anchor. The tip found her lower back, vibrating faintly with the rhythm of my pulse. Every gasp, every twitch of her abdominal muscles mapped directly to the swollen ridges along my cock. Pre-cum slicked the scaled base where it strained against my stomach, the tongue-like foreskin writhing against empty air.

“Look down,” I growled against her thigh. “Watch what you do to me.”

Her fingers tightened in my hair as she obeyed. The breath left her in a rush.

My cock arched upward—thick, veined, and glistening—the barbell piercing catching the light. The fleshy lip at its crown undulated hungrily, dripping translucent fluid that steamed where it struck the rocks.

“Rath, I?—”

My tongue plunged into her without warning, the tapered tip curling upward to stroke that spongy ridge inside that I’d learned drove her mad. Her scream fractured against the walls as my fingers carefully stroked her clit. The dual assault left her thrashing—a wild thing caught in the jaws of something ancient and ravenous.

My claws found her hips, blunt tips dimpling flesh as I dragged her closer. “Come,” I commanded against her quivering skin. “Mark my face with it.”

Her orgasm hit like lava erupting through bedrock—a flood that drenched my chin. I drank it greedily, glands beneath my tongue swelling to absorb her essence. The taste changed as she peaked—sweetness giving way to something metallic and vital, a flavor that seared itself into my marrow.

Mine.

My cock lashed the air, desperate and slick, as I rose on trembling knees. Her dazed eyes tracked the movement, lips parting as I gripped the base, smearing her release across the weeping crown.

“This,” I snarled, guiding that writhing lip to her tender inner thigh, “needs you.”

“Stop teasing,” she gasped, nails scoring my flank.

A feral grin split my face. “Beg properly.”

“Please fuck me. Now .”

Her plea hung in the air, and something deep in me surged to meet it. My talons flexed against her hips, the blunt tips pressing just enough to leave faint marks—not to hurt, but to claim. Her breath hitched, her body arching toward mine, and I knew I was lost.

I guided her down onto the soft moss that lined the ground, her back pressing into the warm surface as I positioned myself above her. My wings mantled around us, creating a cocoon of heat and privacy, the membrane catching the faint light filtering around us. Her eyes locked onto mine, wide and trusting, and seeing her like this—open, vulnerable, and utterly mine—sent a shudder through my scales.

“ Karys’veth ir ,” I growled, the endearment slipping from my lips as I bent to kiss her. My tongue swept against hers, hot and demanding, and she moaned into the kiss, her hands sliding up my back to grip the ridges along my spine. The sensation of her blunt nails scraping those sensitive grooves made me shudder, a low, involuntary sound rumbling from my chest.

I broke the kiss, my breath ragged, and trailed my lips down her throat, nipping lightly at the sensitive skin. Her pulse fluttered beneath my tongue, and I couldn’t resist marking her there, just once, with the faintest graze of my fangs. She gasped, her hips lifting instinctively, and I growled in approval, my cock throbbing against her thigh.

“You’re mine,” I murmured against her skin, the words a vow and a warning. “Every part of you.”

Her response was a breathless whimper as I positioned myself at her entrance, the tip of my cock pressing against her slick heat. The fleshy lip at the crown undulated eagerly, leaving a glistening trail of pre-cum as I pushed forward, inch by agonizing inch. Her body stretched to accommodate me, the sensation of her tight warmth enveloping me almost too much to bear.

“Rath—” Her voice broke on my name, her nails digging into my back as I seated myself fully inside her. I stilled, giving her a moment to adjust, my breath coming in harsh pants as I fought for control. The urge to move, to claim her completely, was a fire in my veins, but I held back, my claws flexing against her hips.

“Look at me,” I commanded, my voice rough with need. Her eyes fluttered open, meeting mine, and the trust I saw there nearly undid me. I began to move, slow and deliberate, each thrust drawing a gasp or moan from her lips. The ridges along my cock dragged against her inner walls, the barbell piercing adding an extra layer of sensation that made her writhe beneath me.

Her hands slid down to grip my forearms, her nails leaving faint marks in my scales as I increased the pace. My wings tightened around us, the membrane vibrating with the force of my thrusts, and I could feel her body tightening around me, her climax building with each movement.

“Come for me,” I growled, my voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through her. Her back arched, a cry tearing from her throat as her orgasm hit, her inner walls clenching around me in waves. The sensation was too much, and with a roar, I followed her over the edge, my release pulsing deep inside her, the scaled base of my cock throbbing with each spurt.

I collapsed onto my forearms, my breath coming in harsh gasps as I pressed my forehead to hers. Her hands slid up to cradle my face, her thumbs brushing against the scales along my jaw, and I felt something in me shift—something deep and un-nameable.

“ Karys’veth ir ,” I whispered again, the words softer this time, reverent. Her lips curved into a faint smile, and she pulled me down for a kiss, slow and tender, her body still trembling beneath mine.

The world narrowed to the rhythm of her breathing, the faint rise and fall of her chest beneath my palm. My tongue traced the curve of her shoulder, lapping at the residual slickness of our joining. The taste of her—sweet and mine , tinged with the smoky musk of my release—was intoxicating. My glands swelled beneath my tongue, absorbing her essence, marking her as mine in a way no Drakarn could deny.

Her fingers carded through the ridges along my spine, the touch sending shivers through my scales. I nearly purred, and she laughed softly, the vibration of it humming against my chest.

“You’re trembling,” she murmured, her voice still thick with the remnants of pleasure.

I lifted my head to meet her gaze, my eyes narrowing slightly. “Drakarn do not tremble,” I said, though the faint quiver in my wings betrayed the lie.

Her lips curved into a knowing smile, and she reached up to brush a strand of hair from my face. The motion was so tender, so human, that it made my chest ache. My tail, still coiled loosely around her waist, tightened reflexively, pulling her closer.

“You’re beautiful,” she said, her voice soft but unwavering.

The words struck me like a blow, leaving me momentarily speechless. Drakarn were not beautiful—we were fierce, powerful, unyielding. But the way she looked at me, with something akin to reverence, made me feel as though I were something more.

Something worthy of her.

I leaned down to capture her lips in a slow, lingering kiss, my tongue sweeping against hers in a silent promise. When I pulled back, her eyes were half-lidded, her breath coming in shallow pants.

“I am yours,” I said, the words a low rumble that vibrated through her.

Her fingers traced the line of my jaw, her touch feather-light but searing. “I know,” she whispered.

I shifted slightly, my wings mantling around us as I reached for the dagger I had placed on the stone beside us. The blade gleamed in the light, the heat crystals embedded in its surface casting a soft glow. I held it out to her, the hilt resting in my palm.

“This is yours,” I said, my voice rough with emotion. “A symbol of our bond. Of what could be together.”

She hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take it, her fingers brushing against mine. The contact sent a jolt of heat through me, and I had to fight the urge to pull her back into my arms.

I reached out to cup her face, my claws gentle against her skin. “You are my heart’s eternal flame, shyrarva .”

Her breath hitched, and she leaned into my touch, her eyes closing briefly. When she opened them again, they were filled with a determination that made my chest swell with pride. “You keep calling me that. What does it mean?”

“It is your mating name. And I just said you are my fire’s heart.”

How could she not know?

Sweat had plastered some of her fading purple hair to her forehead, and she brushed it away. “And you just had that ready on the tip of your tongue when you, uh,” she stumbled over the word, “claimed me?”

I could hide the full truth from her no longer.

“I’d had some time to think of it. I’ve known you were my mate from the moment I first laid eyes on you. Healer Mysha had to throw me out of the healing caverns when you first came to Scalvaris. I nearly tore the place apart to find you. If I had not been sent out to protect the city, I would have come for you long before that day.”

My shyrarva was silent for several beats.

She placed the dagger on the stone beside us, her movements slow and deliberate. Then she reached up to pull me down into another kiss, her lips soft and demanding against mine. My wings tightened around us, shielding her from the world as I lost myself in the taste of her, in the feel of her body pressed against mine.

There was nothing else. Just her. Just us. And the bond that tied us together, unbreakable and finally whole.