Page 16

Chapter 16

M ari went to find Cisco the next morning. He was in his office staring daggers at his computer screen.

When he glanced up at her, his forehead wrinkled. “You look different.”

“I feel different.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“We’re not two people anymore. The goddess and me. Completing the circle healed something that was broken.”

“Is that good? You sound like you’re not sure.”

“I think so. I have her memories. All of them.”

Cisco turned in his chair to look at her straight on.

“Ashdei was kind to me the night of the ritual. Gentle even. He told me that it was because he didn’t want me to be scared when I remembered.”

He clenched his jaw, his turmoil obvious. “He still agreed to kindle your magic knowing that you were a child. I can’t forgive that.”

“He refused at first. The goddess sent my mother to convince him by telling him everything and explaining how they were going to foil my father’s plan. That’s the only reason he agreed.”

He stared at her for a long while, saying nothing. His voice was low and ashamed when he finally spoke. “So, I’ve been angry with him all this time on your behalf for nothing.”

“No, Cisco.” She moved closer and rested a hand on his horn. “Not for nothing.” She angled his face up to her. “I’m grateful for every moment of that anger. It means you love me, and you were furious that someone would hurt me. But that anger should be aimed at my father and not Ashdei.”

He looked up at her but didn’t say anything in response.

“I just don’t want you to hate him for that, okay? Because, while the situation was fucked up and we all know that, there were worse things that could have happened to me that night. He made sure I was cherished.”

“Fine.” He sighed. “I’ll stop plotting to kill him.”

She moved to sit on his thigh. “Were you really doing that?”

“You bet your fine ass I was.” He reached for a drawer to pull a thick book out and put it on his desk.

Mari leaned to read the spine. Enemies of the Hells . “What’s his entry say in that?”

“Largely considered to be impervious to most forms of damage,” Cisco offered in a lecturing tone. “Ephemeral magics thought to be his one weakness, although not confirmed as of this writing.”

She caressed the side of his face. “And what did Willow say?”

He showed her a sheepish smile. “They are working on finding a weapon forged by Ephemeral magic for me.”

“I love you.” She reached up to stroke his horn. “And I adore your drive to protect me.” She paused and reconsidered her choice of words. “Us.”

“But you’d like it very much if I didn’t kill him?”

“Please.” She kissed him, holding his mouth to hers longer than was necessary.

“I love you too,” he whispered against her lips. “And I can’t wait to spoil our babies.”

Mari pulled back and smiled. “You’re more excited about that than I thought you’d be.”

“Are you kidding? I can’t wait to see Rio be the bottom of a napping baby dragon pile. Gods, that’s the sweetest thing I can possibly think of.”

She giggled at the image that conjured of tiny dragons climbing all over Rio, tugging at his hair and ears. When she’d made the split-second decision to conceive, she hadn’t known what to expect from her partners—if the ones she hadn’t chosen to go first would be pleased or envious—but none of them seemed anything but elated. Cisco’s only hesitation had been that their lives were still currently in danger, and he wanted that resolved before their children arrived.

“You’re going to be such an amazing dad.”

“I’m going to try my best.” He picked up her hands and kissed each of her palms. “How are you feeling?”

“Good. After last night, I’m fully recovered.”

“I’m glad he treated you right.” He wrapped her arms around his neck. “Have you got anything on your schedule today, or can I enjoy your company for a while?”

“Pricilla is off with Emil today, so I’m free this morning. Dante will be along eventually to feed me something.” She let out an exaggerated sigh. “He has a whole list from Dohal of things I need to eat for optimal dragon production.”

Cisco huffed with amusement. “Are they at least delicious?”

“For the most part.” She honestly had no complaints. The food Dante had started bringing around was rich and satisfying, but she had to keep up appearances of being grumpy about it.

Cisco smiled wide. “It’s pretty adorable how much they both want to take care of you.”

“It is.” She leaned against his shoulder. “Don’t tell, but I’m not even a little annoyed by it.”

Chuckling, he kissed the top of her head. “I’ll take your secret to the grave.”

Reminded of the danger they were all in, her in particular, she shivered against him and clutched him tight. “If something happens to me, you’ll stay for Rio, won’t you?”

“Considering what happened when you fell, I think it’s unlikely.” His voice was low and serious. “I was a heartbeat away from frenzy.”

She rested a hand against his heart for a long while before she could find more words. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I just couldn’t let him sacrifice himself for me.”

“Never apologize for caring, mi tesoro.” He ran a comforting hand down her back before hugging her around her hips. “Your kind heart has always been my favorite thing about you.”

Mari hadn’t allowed herself to voice her doubts with anyone yet. She was too scared of what the implications were to say it out loud, but in this moment alone with Cisco, it felt right. He’d been her anchor for so long. “I don’t feel any different aside from really understanding the goddess now and having her memories. I don’t feel more powerful. I’m not sure what I was supposed to get from completing the circle, aside from the memories, but I don’t think it happened.”

“You’ve got a lot going on right now, both physically and emotionally, that probably makes it difficult to tell what’s happening with your magic.”

“I’m just worried I still can’t beat him. When he comes for Dohal again, I don’t know what to do.”

He pressed his face into the top of her head and exhaled a long breath. “We’ll figure it out.”

They sat together for a long while quietly talking, until Dante showed up around noon with a tray of cloches that had been spelled by Giselle to retain temperature piled high. Somehow, he’d known she wanted breakfast for lunch and set the most perfectly gooey omelet overstuffed with veggies in front of her. She didn’t question whatever his culinary sense was and dove in immediately, because it was exactly what she’d wanted.

Rio wandered in just in time for lunch and made himself at home in the seat next to Mari with an entire mountain of pigs in blankets that he snuck her bites of when Dante’s back was turned.

Dante caught her sucking syrup from Rio’s fingers and pretended to be angry, but he couldn’t keep a straight face while trying to be stern. Cisco made a joke about pouring syrup over various body parts to enjoy them as much as she clearly was Rio’s fingers. And that had Mari considering all sorts of delectable options. Maybe the goddess had been right—for a little while at least, everything seemed exactly the way it should be.

She tried her best to put the danger from her mind and live in the lovely moment, and she almost succeeded. Still, the threat of the Old One stretched over her, casting a long shadow that made her shiver despite the warmth and love surrounding her.

Mari woke to the sensation of Cisco’s mouth on her, lapping at her clit like she was an ice cream cone. She knew it was Cisco even before she opened her eyes because of the delicate prick of his claws where he held her thighs—exactly the right pressure to make her hypersensitive, but not enough to cause pain. Nobody knew her body better than him.

Saints, how she’d missed him. She reached to run her fingers through his hair as she exhaled a sigh.

Since the second incident with the Old One, the more intense of her lovers had kept their distance, letting Dante or Rio give her what she needed to keep her magic stocked. While she very much enjoyed her time with them and the sweetness they both favored, something she hungered for had been missing.

She finally opened her eyes and gazed down at him. “I’m going to need you to stop teasing me soon and give me the hard fucking I crave.”

He murmured his agreement into the slick heat of her body, but didn’t change the leisurely pace at which he tortured her. Her toes curled when he sucked her clit into his mouth with a filthy slurp.

“Francisco,” she warned, feeling her magic tighten within her.

He chose that moment to use his teeth. Her back arched as the sensation raced through her, a moan falling from her lips. Power pulsed along her veins, deep and intoxicating. He dismantled her with his lips and teeth and tongue for the next several minutes, bringing her to the precipice, but never pushing her over.

She was boneless and whimpering by the time he rose from his feast and turned her onto her front. He clasped the back of her neck in one powerful hand and lifted her hips with the other. He held her that way for a long while, her body trembling in his grip, until she begged him for his cock.

Without warning, he plunged deep, parting her with a powerful thrust that had her gasping for breath. He pushed all the way to his last ridge, stretching her.

She moaned into the bed, her body tightening around his hard length. “It’s so fucking good.”

His dirty chuckle vibrated through her. “It is.” He dug his fingers into her neck. “I missed the feeling of you quivering around me when I take you like this.”

When he remained motionless, she groaned. “Please, Cisco.” She flaunted her ass at him the way she knew he liked when he was inside her. “I need you.”

He rumbled in appreciation and smoothed his hand over her ass. “You don’t come until I do.”

She whined, but nodded her head all the same, because she didn’t have it in her to refuse him right now. She’d offer him anything if he would just start moving and ease the delicious ache growing inside her.

With a sexy-as-fuck growl, he pulled back and surged forward again, setting a brutal pace that had her crying out in mindless pleasure in seconds. She balled her hands into fists, gripping the blankets under her for purchase.

She couldn’t think as her desire and magic wound tightly, slicing the softest parts of her as she tried desperately to hold on when her body wanted nothing more than to give in. The feral need of his rising lust surged with every stroke as he drove into her.

The rhythmic slapping of their skin with each pump of his powerful hips filled the room. He rammed into her, forcing her wide around his girth until she mewled in ecstasy, her entire body tensed. It was too good. She’d never last.

Finally, just when she was on the verge of giving in, his hips stuttered. He roared as his climax overtook him, and she let her body go. She shattered under him, her orgasm moving through her and scouring her of everything but the blazing pleasure that drove her to the very edge of consciousness. She shuddered around him as he continued to fuck into her, his cock throbbing inside her as he filled her.

She made a tiny noise of pleasure as her body clenched once more when he leaned down to kiss her back, and his fingers flexed around her neck in acknowledgement. He rested against her and let her bask in the afterglow, his warm breath feathering her skin. He waited until she came all the way back to her senses and then slowly withdrew, prompting a groan of protest from her.

When she didn’t move, he stroked a hand over her back. “You’re getting better at holding onto the magic.”

“Baby dragons are greedy,” she murmured into the blanket. “I think it’s helping me learn control.”

“Should I have Dante deliver you breakfast in bed?”

She rubbed her face into the bed and laughed. “He’d love that.”

“Do you want to clean up first?”

She rolled delicately onto her side, pulling the blanket up around her legs. “No.”

He leaned down to nip her shoulder with a little growl. “You’ll smell like me all day. I’m going to get hard every time you walk in the room.”

“That’s the plan.” She aimed a smile back at him. “I’ll wear something short for easy access.”

He moved to rasp in her ear. “I’m going to have you bent over my desk before the afternoon is over. Might even leave the door open so everyone can hear you screaming for me.”

She rocked her hips into him as her arousal spiked again. The way he could rile her just by saying what he wanted to do to her never ceased to surprise her.

He gripped her hair and pulled her head back to bite her neck. “That’s right, keep teasing yourself by rubbing that hot ass all over me.”

She arched her back and groaned, “You really going to leave me like this?”

“Yup, and I’m giving Dante orders not to touch you. Going to make you beg me for it.” With that, he let her go and stalked into the bathroom.