Page 25 of Red Fury (The Dragon Tributes #8)

F ury

Shadow straddles my hips, her long legs bracketing my thighs as she lowers onto my lap. The sight of her naked body in the dim hotel room lighting steals my breath. Her skin is flushed from our first round, her short hair mussed in a way that makes me want to run my fingers through it.

Her tits… Fuck, those tits. They’re perfect. Just the right size for bouncing and cupping in my hands. Her nipples are plump and a deep pink.

“You’re staring,” she says, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

“Damn right, I am.” My hands grip her waist, thumbs tracing the curve of her hipbones. “You’re fucking beautiful, Shadow.”

She leans down to kiss me, her breasts pressing against my chest, and I groan at the contact. Her lips are soft and warm, still tasting like the cocktail she had at the club.

I put my hand between her legs and gently rub on her still swollen nub. She groans, throwing her head back.

My other hand roams over her body, relearning every curve and hollow. When I cup one of her breasts, she arches into my touch with a soft moan that makes my balls clench tight despite the mind-blowing orgasm I just had.

“I want you again,” she whispers against my mouth.

“Then take what you want,” I growl back, the tip of my finger now strumming her clit gently.

She’s panting a little, and her eyes are unfocused.

She reaches between us, wrapping her fingers around my length. She strokes me slowly, her thumb circling the head until I’m aching for her.

“Fuck, yes!” I push out, gripping her hips as she slowly sinks down onto me.

Her mouth falls open, and her face gets this look that drives me wild as she takes me inch by inch, her tight heat enveloping me.

I grunt because fuck me. She’s still slick from our first coupling, but I’m big.

She pants as she starts bouncing a little, still inching herself onto me.

Her tits jiggle. I can’t take my eyes off her.

Nearly there.

Nearly.

“Holy hell,” I growl as soon as she’s fully seated, my hands trembling with the effort not to thrust up into her.

My dragon wants her on her knees again. This time, he wants me to bite her as we come.

Not fucking happening, asshole!

She starts to move, rocking her hips in a rhythm that makes my eyes roll back. Taking me so deep that my balls pull tight and I have to hold back a snarl. This time is different from our frantic sex earlier. This is slower, more intimate somehow, even though it’s just fucking.

I feel more.

I feel everything.

I lean up to capture one of her nipples in my mouth, sucking and flicking it with my tongue until she cries out.

Her movements become more desperate. She bounces on my dick so sweetly that I can barely take it.

I have to pull back a little and grit my teeth to keep from coming.

Finally, her inner walls start to flutter around me.

“That’s it,” I encourage, one hand sliding between us to find her clit again. “Come for me.”

She throws her head back, her movements becoming erratic as I work the sensitive bundle of nerves.

When she finally breaks apart on a long, hard wail, her orgasm triggers mine as she tightens around me.

I thrust up into her one final time, spilling myself deep inside her as waves of pleasure crash over me.

I groan and then snarl, a few scales popping out on my arms and chest.

We move against one another, at first frantic and then slower and slower, drawing out our pleasure until we’re both vibrating from the force and intensity.

It’s never been like this for me before.

Never been this fucking good.

We collapse together, breathing hard, and then roll away from one another, no longer touching. This wasn’t lovemaking. This was sex.

After a few minutes of trying to catch my breath, I get up and head to the bathroom, returning with a warm washcloth and a bottle of water from the mini-fridge.

“Here,” I say, offering her the cloth first, then the water.

“Thanks.” She takes both, looking grateful, and we lean back against the headboard, sitting close but not quite touching.

Shadow cleans up, dropping the washcloth on the floor next to the bed. Then she uncaps her water and takes a big drink.

I do the same.

The post-sex haze is starting to clear, and reality is creeping back in. I know I need to address what happened earlier.

“Shadow,” I start, turning to look at her. “I owe you an apology. A big one.”

She raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything.

“Earlier today, when I accused you of lying about being kicked out of that meeting… Yeah, well…I was completely out of line. Thompson confirmed that all unnecessary personnel were dismissed. You were telling the truth, and I was an asshole for not believing you.”

She’s quiet for a moment, then nods. “I accept your apology. You were under a lot of stress. We both were.”

“That’s no excuse for not trusting you.” I rub the back of my neck. “You’ve given me no reason to doubt you.”

“Thank you for saying that.” She takes a sip of water. “So, what happened today? Where did you go with Webb? You seemed…stressed.”

“That’s putting it lightly. Part of how I treated you had to do with what happened. What I heard and how…terrified it made me.”

Her eyes widen. “What happened?”

I tell her about the meeting with Kozlov, about the nuclear weapons, about Webb’s casual mention of “two small countries.” With each detail, I watch her face grow paler.

“Nuclear weapons,” she repeats, her voice hoarse. “Do you think they’re planning to blow up both islands?”

“I can’t say with certainty yet. Either that or they’re stockpiling them for future use.

Either way, it would seem that both our people could be in serious danger.

” I lean forward, my voice urgent. “This is bigger than any petty rivalry between Draig and Mistveil. We need to work together on this, Shadow. Firstly, at confirming our suspicions and then at stopping them if our worst fears are validated.”

“You’re right.” She nods firmly. “Whatever’s been going on between our islands, it doesn’t matter now. It would seem that we, more than likely, have a common enemy.”

I nod, feeling a surge of relief that she’s willing to partner with me on this.

She’s quiet for a moment, then says, “There’s something else. About Kozlov.”

“What about him?”

“Out of an entire club full of beautiful women, why did he approach me specifically? It happened almost as soon as I arrived. It can’t be a coincidence.” She shakes her head. “Maybe he’s made it his business to get to know Harrison’s staff? Maybe he recognized me as Harrison’s PA?”

I consider this. “That’s probably it. A guy like Kozlov doesn’t get where he is without doing his homework and knowing who all the players are.

” But even as I say it, I remember the way he looked at her, the possessive hand on her back.

“It’s also clear he found you attractive.

Might just be a simple case of him wanting to hook up with you.

” My voice gets this rasp, and my jaw clenches tight, but I force myself to continue.

“Look, you’re free to do whatever you want with whoever you want, but I’d be careful around Kozlov.

There’s something about him I don’t like. I don’t know… He…he seems dangerous.”

It’s not entirely true. Yes, Kozlov seems dangerous, but that’s not the only reason I’m warning her off.

The main one is the jealousy that gnawed at me while watching them dance together.

The thought of his hands on her body makes my dragon snarl.

I might not be able to stop myself from tearing him apart if it happened again.

But I can’t tell her that. This was a onetime thing. Just scratching an itch.

“Understood. How do you think we should go about finding out about these nuclear weapons?” She scratches her chin. “I think I need to try to find out more in a more proactive manner.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“If I could get into Harrison’s computer, I might be able to find more information.”

“I’m sure his device has a password,” I tell her.

“It does, but I’ve been trying to learn it.

I can’t make it obvious, though. It’s ten characters, and I have the first four and the last one.

He’s starting to get complacent around me.

I’ve been working for him for a few months now.

He wanted me in that meeting today. The Secretary of Defense insisted I leave, or I would have been allowed to stay.

” She sighs. “I need to go back to Draig first. I wish I didn’t have to. ”

“Why not cancel this trip?” I frown, shaking my head. “There is too much at stake right now. Surely your council would understand that?”

“Firstly, they don’t know I shifted. They think I’m desperate. And then—”

“Tell them, Shadow. Tell them we’re working together. I plan on doing the same.” It’s a conversation I dread having. I will make Steel understand. “I’ve already informed them of my suspicion about the nuclear weapons. You need to do the same.”

“I will. Of course I will. I have told them we’re working together, and they don’t like it much.

” Then she’s shaking her head, her eyes hazy with thought.

“I can’t stay, though. I need to go back because I have to get my annual vaccination against Hemorrhagic Fever.

I’m already overdue. I’m sure I’ve been flagged on the system.

Aside from pissing the Mainland off, I don’t want to contract the illness. ”

I run a hand through my hair. “You’re right.” I mutter a curse. “You will have to go, but perhaps you could get away with just one night?” I raise my brows.

“I will see what I can do,” she says, her eyes still hazy with worry. “I’m sure, in light of the recent developments, they’ll allow it. Long story short, I think I need to be more proactive in getting information. We need to stop this.”

“You also need to be careful. If you’re caught—”

“I know the risks. I’ll be fine.” She cuts me off.

I sigh. “You’re right. You can handle yourself.”

Shadow gets up from the bed, and I can’t stop myself from drinking in the sight of her naked form. Every curve, every line, the way her muscles move beneath her skin. Part of me wants to pull her back into bed for round three.

But twice will have to be enough. It has to be.

“Thank you for tonight,” she says. “I think I should get back to my room now. We have an early start tomorrow.”

I feel a sharp pang of disappointment, even though I know she’s making the right call. “Of course.”

She moves to gather her clothes, and we both survey the damage as she holds each item up. Her black dress is torn, and her panties are completely shredded.

“Shit,” I mutter. “I’m so sorry. I’ll buy you new ones. It was the heat of—”

She laughs, holding up the remains of my shirt. “Don’t be silly. Look at this. And your jeans. I’d say we’re even.” She has a gorgeous grin on her face. I love it when she smiles.

I go to my closet and pull out a clean dress shirt. “Here, you can wear this back to your room.”

When I turn to hand it to her, I catch the way her eyes darken as they roam over my still-naked body. The desire there is unmistakable, and it takes every ounce of willpower not to drop the shirt and reach for her again.

I can’t.

We can’t.

It’s nice to know she isn’t completely unaffected.

She slips into my shirt, and I love how she looks wearing my clothes. The white cotton falls to mid-thigh on her, and with her tousled hair and bare legs, she looks like she belongs in my bed.

I keep that thought to myself.

She steps into her heels, and I can’t help but appreciate how great her legs look.

When she’s ready to go, I move toward her, intending to kiss her goodbye, but she steps back and shakes her head.

“Don’t you dare,” she whispers. “That’s not a good idea, Fury. We need to go back to being professional.”

“Of course. It seemed like the right thing to do…but, again, you’re right.”

She extends her hand for a shake. “Partners?” she asks.

I take her hand, noting how small it feels in mine. “Partners. And we trust each other from here on out.”

“Agreed.”

She heads for the door, and I watch her go, admiring the way my shirt barely covers her ass, the way her heels make her legs look endless.

The door closes behind her, and I’m alone.

I should feel relaxed and sated now. Mission accomplished, itch scratched, ready to move forward professionally.

Instead, I feel… I’m not sure how I feel.

Restless. Empty. Like something’s missing.

I shake my head and walk to the bathroom so that I can take a shower. This was exactly what we both needed, nothing more. Tomorrow we’ll focus on the real threat: the nuclear weapons and whatever the hell the Mainland government is really planning.

My stomach clenches just thinking about it.