Page 25 of Lahaina Noon (Modern Legends of Dragons & Shadows #1)
Chapter 25
A t her admission Vaughn shuddered and wrapped his wings around them both, pulling her into his lap. It was like a warm cocoon, and she snuggled into his chest while he rested his chin on her head, holding her tightly. They were quiet for a while. Then he softly told her about when a dragon and their human side both fell in love with someone, and that person loved them in return; it became a magical bond, and they became mates. He told her that she was his mate. His destiny and the only one he could ever love. He shared how he’d realized it was happening when she’d picked up on his thoughts at the office and she’d channeled his magic in the car. He told her about how his heart was so connected with hers now that without her, his magic would wither away, and he’d lose the ability to change into a dragon. He talked about how fiercely protective dragons were and how an insult to a mate was an affront to the dragon.
Bridget sat quietly, taking it all in, listening to the rumble in his chest, the beat of his heart that was so strong and full of life. She’d never thought of loving anyone again after Brian, and she’d certainly never thought to be loved like this in return. This was on a different level. She learned that now that Vaughn had recognized her as his mate, there was no way for him to ever be mated with anyone else. He’d told her there was a process to mark her; it involved sex and blood of course. She wasn’t surprised.
She was ready to go for it right now, but he declined. They had time. He wanted to make it special for her. They only got one shot at it, and he wanted her to know the full extent of what she was getting into before she committed. Bridget knew it didn’t matter what else there was. She knew it deep in her soul. This was right. This was meant to be, and she was going through with it.
Bridget was in the kitchen chopping vegetables for a salad because even though dragons were meat and potato creatures, she had a growing son to try to shovel healthy food in. That was her job, wielder of vegetables. She heard a cry of amazement and saw Gabe cheering as Vaughn used his fire breath to light the oversized fireplace in the dining room. He kept it going until the grate he’d placed there was hot enough and put the steaks on. She had wondered why there was such a large fireplace in the dining room of all places, but now she understood. She remembered her first night here when Vaughn had made a joke about cooking on an open flame. She rolled her eyes. Dragons. She glanced over again.
Now, Vaughn was showing him how to check for doneness. Her heart filled with joy to see them bonding over guy things. Gabe needed this. She needed to ease up and let people help her. Vaughn obviously enjoyed being around Gabe; he must have needed it too. Surrounded by friends, he’d been alone for hundreds of years .
Earlier, when they’d come back into the kitchen, Gabe had hugged her, whispering that it was all going to be okay. He’d begged her not to be too mad at Vaughn.
She whispered back that she’d only yelled at him a little, and everything was going to be okay now.
He looked at her, “Does he make you happy, Mom?”
She’d nodded. Yes.
“He loves you.”
“What do you think about that?”
He tilted his head, looking just like his father in the moment. “I like it, Mom, I like it a lot. And if you want to love him back, I’m good with that too.”
She hugged her baby and told him, “I do love him.”
He shrugged and warned her not to do any mushy crap in front of him.
Vaughn had heard the last part, so of course he dipped Bridget over his arm and kissed her right in the middle of the kitchen.
Gabe had pretended he was gagging and throwing up, but she had seen the smile on his face. He really was happy, and that was all she needed.
They sat down at the table, just her, Vaughn, Liam, and Gabe.
“Where did Siobhan go?” she asked as she added more salad to Gabe’s plate than he had originally taken. She heard him complaining under his breath about the vegetable enforcement officer and added salad to both Liam and Vaughn’s plates as well in solidarity. They wisely didn’t comment and tucked into the food .
“Oh, she left when the fireworks started,” Liam said then jumped. Vaughn had obviously kicked him under the table. Liam grinned while he rubbed his shin.
Bridget laughed, “Well, I just wanted to thank her again for helping me earlier. It was amazing, really.”
Liam smiled with pride. “Yes, my baby sister can do amazing things. She’s not really supposed to be able to heal, but she’s worked out some things that turn warding into healing spells. Vaughn thinks she’s really gifted; I just think she’s too stubborn to accept she can’t do something.” Liam put a bite of steak in his mouth and smiled his boyish smile.
Bridget couldn’t resist teasing him a little. “You know she reminds me a lot of Jorrie in that way, stubborn, beautiful, won’t take no for an answer. I can see why you like her.” She derived a small about of pleasure from seeing Liam flush and take a big gulp of his wine.
“Hey,” said Vaughn, “You peasant. That is a very nice Bordeaux. It’s meant for savoring, not chugging.” He winked at Bridget.
Gabe looked up from his potato, a piece of cheese hanging from his mouth that he was trying to catch with his tongue. “Wait, Liam, dude. You like Aunt Jorrie?” he said incredulously. “Weird. You know she can curse you out in five other languages and probably knows, like, a gajillion ways to kill you and hide the body.”
“So I’ve heard,” Liam said dryly. They all laughed then, and Bridget couldn’t help smiling when the warm feeling of family settled over her.
They adjourned to the living room to watch a movie. Once they had picked something to watch, Liam and Gabe made noises about popcorn despite the large meal they had just inhaled .
Bridget was quite sure Gabe had a hollow leg and it was obvious Liam hadn’t grown out of his yet, either. Since it wasn’t a school night, and quite frankly, what boy didn’t deserve to stay up late and gorge on snacks after being shot at, she didn’t protest when they came back with popcorn, soda, and a bag of M that hip was delicious.”
His eyes almost rolled back as she pressed light, fluttering kisses along the top of his boxers to his other hip, where she lightly sank her teeth into that one as well. “Bridget,” he whispered in a strained voice. “I had no idea you were so… bitey.”
She smiled up at him and slowly inched the last of his clothing down his body. She watched as he sprang free and braced himself.
He shuddered when she wrapped her warm hand around the length of him. Dying. Yes, he was dying, and there was no way he’d rather go.
She stroked him and watched as he quivered, spreading the small drops that were seeping out with the pad of her thumb. “You’re always so in control, Vaughn,” she said quietly, “Let me have a turn.” She leaned forward, and he moaned as her soft velvet lips close around him .
He bucked his hips and almost lost it there. The woman was trying to kill him, he decided.
She put one arm around him and squeezed his butt, humming in pleasure around him. She slid further down his length, and he let loose a strangled cry. She reached underneath and lightly scraped her fingernails over his balls.
He was pretty sure he heard angels singing. This beautiful creature before him was pure sin wrapped in velvet.
She began to glide back and forth on his shaft, sucking and flicking her tongue over the head.
Her fingers dug into his backside as she continued her happy little humming noise, and she moved faster and harder. “Bridget,” he gasped, “If you keep doing that, I’m not going to last!” Her shrug and a small laugh in her throat had him growing impossibly hard. He wasn’t going to make it. “Bri- Bridget!” he cried out, feeling that last tense moment before he knew he couldn’t stop. She flicked her tongue over the slit, and he lost it, jetting his pleasure down her throat. As he spasmed in her mouth, he found his hands in her hair, reveling in the silky texture as it brushed his thighs. His legs were shaking as she gave him one last long lick and settled back on her knees like a satisfied cat. He sank on the bed next to her, trying to remember how to breathe. He turned to her and said, “I like it when you take control. But now it’s my turn.”
Bridget gasped when he pushed her onto her back, yanking her arms up over her head. She hadn’t wanted anything from him in return; she’d only wanted to repay some of the pleasure he’d given her. To take some control from his massive shoulders for a little while and let him just enjoy. The look in his eyes said there would be none of that.
“Vaughn,” she begged, “You don’t have to. I just wanted to give to you.”
Smoke filtered slowly from his nostrils, and he let the flames in his eyes roam her body. He looked in her eyes again, and she knew she was lost.
“Oh, but my love, this is you giving to me. Because there’s nothing I want more right now than to have a little bite of you.” He leaned in and kissed her fiercely, then smiled a wicked grin showing his fangs.
“That’s new,” she said, trembling bravely. When he lightly scraped his now razor-sharp teeth over her neck, she began to get a feel for what the mating ritual would be like. She trembled thinking about where else he might place those teeth.
As if he was reading her mind, he lowered his face to her breasts and scraped his fangs across them as well. He pricked one hard nipple with the tip of a fang and held her down as she almost came off the bed. “No, little one,” he growled, “You’re not the only one who gets to be bitey.” He began to roll her nipple in his mouth, nibbling and sucking until she realized her body was going to overheat again. He generously paid tribute to the other side while her hands flexed in the shackles of his, still locked over her head. He finally let go as he slid down her body, and she gripped the sheets instead. “Watch me,” he commanded as he pushed her legs apart.
She tried to resist, not wanting those fangs anywhere near her tender parts, but he overpowered her and held her thighs wide .
He ran a finger down her center, parting her lips and saw the moisture already there for him. He leaned down and gave a small lick, then a feral smile as her hips bucked. He locked eyes with her, then turned his face to her thigh and scraped his fangs down the tender flesh there.
She squirmed again, and he laughed his rumbly dragon laugh. More moisture flooded her in response, and he stabbed at it with his tongue. He lapped at her and circled her clit, his tongue warm and impossibly soft. She clenched and unclenched her hands in the silky sheets, unsure if she could take much more. She looked down and saw him watching her with those flaming eyes. She froze as prey does when a large predator gets them in sight. She shivered, and that earned her another rumble, and he blew warm air onto her. Her back arched, and her legs began to shake. She was so close, and he was doing amazing things that she almost couldn’t stand. Suddenly, the tip of his fang scraped across her sensitive bud, and she exploded.
He greedily latched his mouth to her, sucking it all in as she had taken him.
She screamed, experiencing wave after wave of pleasure. She finally stilled, gasping for air. He lay there, draped over her legs, his head on her thigh, nuzzling her skin and making purring sounds. This was a satisfied dragon, and he was all hers.