Page 53

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

X enia rubbed at the bandage on her neck, staring at the peak of Typhon Mountain through the window of the cottage.

A radiant peace stole through her as the setting sun dipped beneath the summit, nearly a hundred miles away.

Behind her in the small but cozy living area, Cael spoke to an old Beastrunner with tanned skin and bushy white eyebrows.

Leonard.

“Thank you for letting us stay here.” Cael’s voice was drenched in the same relief Xenia herself felt. “The Teles Chrysos have promised protection for your assistance.”

Leonard chuckled, a time-worn rasp. “I’ve been dreaming of this for centuries. To release her from her shackles. Hard to believe it’s actually happening.”

“Not happening yet,” Cael said, a hint of his familiar pessimism sneaking into his tone. “Lots of things need to go right for us to have even a slim chance of freeing her.”

Leonard smiled, tugging at his long beard. “A little optimism never hurt anyone.”

Xenia liked Leonard.

Cael nodded. “I’ll send you a message once I’ve gotten the name, and you can release her. Hopefully for the final time. You’ve still got that cuff I gave you, right?”

Leonard nodded, then creaked open the cottage door.

Xenia called after him, “We don’t mean to put you out!”

“Nonsense,” he said. “I barely use this cottage. Got a little cot in my office at the mountain so I can stay close to her.”

Xenia’s eyes stung. Leonard had cared for the dragon for centuries. She was his family. And if this worked out, he would lose her.

Leonard curled his fingers around the door. “She deserves her freedom, lass. Not to mention the opportunity to rain down some fiery vengeance upon the Empire that used her. No old male’s sentimental feelings should get in the way of that.”

Cael clapped Leonard on the shoulder. “You’re doing the right thing.”

“I know it.” Leonard blew out a resigned sigh. “There’s not much in the pantry, but whatever’s in there is yours. Help yourselves. I’ll wait to hear from you.” He saluted Xenia, then slipped out into the impending dusk.

Xenia joined Cael at the window, then swiped away a tear as she watched the old Beastrunner hobble away from the cottage. Toward his final days with his friend.

Cael glanced down at her. “Sap,” he teased, thumbing her remaining tears away. “He’ll be okay.” He draped an arm around her shoulder and led her back toward the kitchen. “How are you feeling? Are you hungry? How is your neck?”

She chuckled at his fussing as she took a seat at the rickety table. “It’s still a bit sore. But I’m fine, Cael. Really.”

He crept up behind her, then peeled back the bandage. “It looks much better than it did earlier.”

She grabbed his hand, kissed his knuckles. “I had a good healer.”

His wing rustled at the compliment as he began opening cabinets. “There’s not much in here. Crackers. Couple tins of canned meat.” He pulled out a jar with a bit of sticky red… something topped by puffs of green fuzz. “Whatever the fuck this used to be.” He tossed it into the waste bin in the corner. “Might make sense for me to portal down to the village and grab some supplies.”

“Not tonight. Crackers and canned meat will do. I’m not that hungry anyway. And I’d rather have you stay here where I can see you.”

Cael chuckled low, amused. “Possessive.”

Xenia stood and threw her arms around his neck, tilting her face up. “If you dared leave me again, I’d just hunt you down. Managed it once, remember?”

Cael ran his fingers through her curls. “My little predator.” He leaned down to kiss her, a gentle brush of his lips, and she arched against him, sliding her tongue into his mouth. He indulged her for a moment, his arms tightening around her, before pulling back and whispering, “You’re injured.”

“Not too injured for this,” Xenia breathed out, desperate, refusing to let him pull away. “Cael, we made it. For who knows how long. Don’t you think we deserve a night to celebrate? Just one night.”

He let out a rumbling purr as his hands traced up her body, scintillating heat following in their wake. “And how, exactly, would you like to celebrate, sweetheart?”

She ran the heel of her palm up the hard length straining against his pants. “With this. Inside me. As soon as humanly possible.”

He tugged aside her collar, then grazed his fangs along her bare shoulder. “I’m not human.”

Her core went molten, and he let out a sharp hiss as she squeezed his cock. Sweet Amatu, he was so fucking big. A tiny ember of fear blinked to life within her blaze of passion.

He reclaimed her mouth, a fierce, soul-searing kiss, then hoisted her up onto the table. The wood creaked and popped beneath her.

She tore her lips away. “Careful. Don’t want to damage Leonard’s table. Not after he was so kind to let us stay here.”

“I’ll buy him a new one,” Cael growled, hiking up her skirt and kneeling beneath her. He slipped his fingers into her panties, then pulled them down over her stockings. She opened her legs, baring herself, and he groaned. “Fuck, I’ll build him a new one.”

She braced her hands behind her and the table squeaked another protest.

Cael trailed his nose along her inner thigh. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this again. Haven’t been able to get the taste of you off my tongue since Rhamnos.”

She stared down at him, wide-eyed and breathless. “I thought about it all the time. About how good your mouth felt on me. About how much I wanted you, too.”

“You have me,” he confessed, unblinking. “Always. Any part of me.”

She grabbed his shirt, trying to tug him upwards. “I want all of you, Cael. No more waiting.”

Resisting her tug, he grinned, a fang glinting in the waning sunlight. “Sorry, Blondie. You’re going to have to wait a little longer.”

He spread her thighs apart, then licked her from base to apex. A long, slow glide. Stars bloomed in her vision.

He shuddered a breath against her bare flesh. “ Fuck , I could live off your taste.”

Xenia threw her head back, rolling her hips as Cael licked and suckled her. Teased out her pleasure. Flicked his tongue through her flesh. Her thighs trembled, and staccato whines parted her lips. He sucked her clit into his mouth, and she nearly bucked off the table.

“Cael, please,” she moaned, needing to be filled by something. And though she very much preferred his cock, right now she was desperate enough for his fingers, his tongue. Anything .

He huffed an arrogant laugh, licking her again slowly. Content to take his time. He circled his tongue over her clit, then speared two fingers inside of her, and her toes curled inside her stockings.

She gripped his shoulders with her heels, using the leverage to grind herself onto his fingers. He pumped them in and out, slow at first, then faster, lapping her clit in rhythm.

She fought against her rapidly approaching climax. She didn’t want to come this way. Had been dreaming about coming on his enormous cock ever since she’d seen it gloriously in the flesh in Rhamnos.

He must have read her mind because he removed his head from between her legs, his lips swollen and glistening. He helped her out of her dress—but left her stockings on. Of course. He removed his own shirt and pants and then there he was. Towering above her with his sole wing kicked out. Utterly naked and breathtakingly beautiful.

They stayed like that for a moment, staring at each other. Studying each other. Wearing matching incredulous grins like they couldn’t believe their luck.

She wished Cael could have been her first. She tried not to remember the last—and only—time she’d done this. But thoughts of Jaz the scholar, of that miserable experience back in the Temple library, brought a frown to her face.

Cael leaned down to kiss it away. “No thoughts of the past. It’s just you and me. Tonight, and forever after.” He fisted his cock, then dragged the blunt head through her wetness.

“Oh, is that so?” she teased, quivering with pleasure. “Not sure I’ve agreed to forever yet.”

“I don’t share, Xenia,” Cael snarled. “You’re fucking mine .”

Her entire body throbbed at his possessiveness, and all she could manage was a strangled, “ Yes .”

He grabbed her thighs again, spreading her wider, then notched himself between her legs.

She sucked in a breath. The head of his cock felt double the size of her entrance.

There was no fucking way .

Cael looked down between their bodies, ash-brown waves tumbling into his eyes. His muscles tensed and his brows furrowed adorably. As if he’d come to the same conclusion.

“You’re gonna have to breathe through this.” He recaptured her gaze, his lips curling into a sinful smile. “You ready?”

She nodded, biting her lip, trying not to squeal with delighted laughter as all her wicked fantasies came true.

Cael was about to talk her through it.

“Inhale,” he whispered. She did. “And exhale.” He stepped closer, his cock pushing against her, but not breaching her yet. “Good. Again.”

When she exhaled a second time, he thrust in less than an inch. Just enough for her inner lips to wrap around his head.

“ Good girl ,” he sighed. “One more time.”

She did as she was told, and he pushed in deeper. Her body stretched around him, pinching, and she yelped.

“Relax, sweetheart.” He brushed her hair off her sweaty face and stroked his thumb along her cheekbone. “Relax. You can take it. Go again. Deep breath.”

His cock was barely in her—two, three inches, at most. But it already felt so fucking good, pleasure edged in the slightest pain.

She stared into his stormcloud eyes, savoring the lust and affection in them. All for her. She sucked in another inhale, then let it out slowly.

Cael dipped a hand to her breast, running a callused thumb over her nipple as he continued spreading her, filling her, lubricating himself with her arousal. Working himself into her in small increments. He pushed in, then retreated. Pushed in, then retreated. All while cooing soft words of encouragement that had her trembling beneath him. “Good. Yes. That’s it. Breathe. Good girl, taking me so well. Fuck, you’re so beautiful.” He speared his hands into her hair, folding himself over her and pressing their foreheads together. “Is this real, Xenia? Are you mine?”

“It’s real, Cael. I’m yours.”

He slanted his mouth over hers but kept his eyes open. Let her see every part of him, laid bare only for her.

Then he thrust all the way home and she could do nothing but scream with pleasure.

Cael’s soul left his body.

That was the only explanation for the mind-erasing ecstasy he felt when he fully seated himself inside Xenia. Her perfect, tight heat swallowed his cock and he never wanted this moment to end. Wanted to spend the rest of his life trapped inside her, watching her pant his name, her curls askew and her cheeks flushed.

She wiggled her hips. A silent request for him to move.

She didn’t need to ask twice.

He slid his palms under her thighs, then lifted them as he pulled his cock out to the tip and thrust back in again.

She kicked her head back, moaning his name and squeezing her eyes shut.

“Open them,” he growled.

She obeyed, her mouth forming a surprised O . Like she couldn’t believe he’d actually fit inside her. He almost couldn’t believe it either.

He set a languid pace to start, priming her for his full force. “ Gods , you feel perfect.”

He dipped his chin to watch his glistening cock plunge into her, drunk on the slick sounds and her soft whimpers.

Her hands traveled up her slim, golden torso to play with her breasts, and the sight of her pinching her nipples while he fucked her sent electric pleasure jolting down his spine. His wing shuddered. As if it remembered how good those fingers had felt the other night. Good, but this was better.

It was so much fucking better.

He increased his pace, slamming into her so hard that his balls smacked her ass. She cried out again.

“Touch yourself,” he demanded, digging his fingers into the flesh above her stockings. How many times had he imagined this exact scenario after he’d first seen her in them?

She brought two fingers down to her clit, rubbing in tight circles as she let loose a string of dirty babbling.

“ Fuck , that feels so good. Yeah, right there. Oh High Gods … A little higher. Yes, right there, yesssssss … I’m so close. Harder. Never stop fucking me, Cael, please. Shit, yes. Harder! ”

He bit his tongue to keep from laughing. Xenia had always been chatty. Of course she’d be chatty during sex. He loved it. Could listen to her stream-of-consciousness sex talk for eternity and never tire of it.

“Gods, you’re so big.” Her fingers circled faster over her clit. “I love your cock. Your monster fucking cock. Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop. I— Fuck , yes, right there. Right there !”

He did laugh then. A bubbling, joyous sound as he ran the tip of said monstrous cock across that spot just inside her entrance.

“Oh shit, Cael , I’m gonna come. You’re gonna make me?—”

He replaced her fingers with his own at her clit, then bent over and captured her wail with his mouth as she shattered. Her cunt squeezed him so tight, pulsed so fast, that he couldn’t stop his own climax. He growled against her lips as he came harder than he ever had in his entire fucking life.

Just as his hips stilled and he finished spilling himself, the table let out a final groan of protest and disintegrated beneath them.

Xenia yelped, and Cael was quick enough to get one hand behind her head and to brace himself with the other before they crashed to the floor.

She clung to his neck, her uproarious giggles a balm to his soul.

This bright, sunny, sassy little human—with a mouth even filthier than his own—was his .

He eased out of her, then rolled over, arranging her atop his chest. He pushed sweaty curls off her face, kissed her rose-tinted cheeks and the tip of her nose, laughing right along with her.

Xenia caught her breath, and her eyes widened. “Leonard’s gonna be so pissed at us.”

Cael chuckled, running his knuckles down her cheek. “I think Leonard would agree that the table’s sacrifice was well worth it.” He saluted the broken shards beneath them. “Thank you for your service, friend. Thanks for holding out until she came.”

Xenia cackled, then rested her chin on his chest, looking at him in a way that made his insides glow.

Like he was the brightest star shining in her sky.

“You’re a god . That was incredible.”

“I know,” he said. She smacked him playfully, then nuzzled in and closed her eyes. “Should we get out of the pile of broken table?”

Xenia shook her head. “Not yet. Just let me stay here a moment and savor this.”

He closed his own eyes and dipped his head back, profoundly content. Whatever Xenia wanted, he would give to her. For the rest of her life.

A small pang seized his chest as he remembered she was human. That her years on Ethyrios would be far less than his own.

But he let the thought rise, acknowledged it, and let it go.

I am in control of my happiness and my destiny.

And with Xenia here in his arms, safe and exhausted and sated and his , he knew it was true.