Page 34 of The Storm of the Empire (Flyers Of The First Kingdom #3)

THIRTY-THREE

HAZEL

H e suggestively took in my naked form, his mind filled with filth.

I secretly loved it.

“You are seriously incorrigible,” I huffed.

“What?” he protested. “It can’t be helped, you’re naked!”

“You’ve been hard since we left the temple.”

“I’d argue before.” His damn smile drew me in.

I wanted him.

“That’s the problem.” I placed my hands on my hips, then realized my mistake when his eyes tracked the way my breasts were thrust out in the process. “I ripped through my clothes, and we have no money.”

“I thought you dragons didn’t get bashful about nudity?”

“We don’t, but this is a strange town. I don’t know if there are any shifters in this region. I can’t just go strutting in naked while you’re fully clothed. It will draw attention to us.

Luka chuckled and closed in on me, wrapping me in his arms and nuzzling me with his nose. “Didn’t I say I would protect you? That includes from horny mountain folk. Okay?”

“Goddess save me.” I pressed my hand to his chest to push him away, but he didn’t relent.

“Just trust me. I will find you some clothes and somewhere we can stay for the night.” He seemed so certain, I didn’t have the heart to doubt him.

“For now, here,” he said and pulled off his jacket, tossing it to the ground and untucking his tunic, then whipping it over his head. He helped me into it, then unclasped his weapons belt and used it to cinch my tunic into a somewhat short dress.

He then slipped his jacket back on over his bare chest, and I swallowed at the sight. He lifted a brow slightly, acknowledging my reaction.

“Thank you.” I tugged at the linen until it felt right and then looked around. “What will we do about coin?”

“Leave that to me,” he said taking my hand. “This is what I do.”

We wandered through the trees into the town. It was larger than it looked from above. The streets were bustling with fae finishing their days and enjoying the evening. We headed for where there looked to be an inn, with drinkers sitting outside and packed within. The bar was full, and the maid serving ale was rushed off her feet. Luka strode up to the bar and leant over, catching her attention, then said something to her which was drowned out by the high spirits of several males along the bar.

After a brief exchange, the maid nodded, and Luka turned to me.

“Wait here,” he spoke into my mind to save shouting over the din while nodding to an open stool.

I took the seat, and he disappeared into the crowd. For a moment, I felt vulnerable. Being half clothed like I was felt somehow more provocative than if I’d just owned my nudity as a dragon. But the weapons hanging from Luka's belt might have proved to be a successful deterrent to anyone staring because I didn’t attract much notice.

Luka returned in moments with a bundle of clothing and handed it to me. “Go through there”—he pointed to a door—“and put these on. I’ll be out here when you’re ready.”

I looked at the clothes, then back at him. How did he rustle these up with seemingly no effort?

“Go on,” he urged. “I’ll get you a drink.”

Nodding, I headed through the door and found a bathing chamber with separate stalls. I closed myself in one to change and unfurled the clothing I’d been given. To my shock, it was a stylish dress. It was nothing I would ever have worn given the choice, since I lived in battle leathers at all times. This was low cut and belonged to someone whose aim was to attract the attention of males. Nevertheless, I slipped it on and worked to cinch the various ties, fitting the dress closely to my form. It left me feeling less clothed than I had in just a linen tunic.

I had a moment when I wasn’t sure I could go back into the tavern dressed like someone I was not. But Luka was waiting, so I gathered up the weapons and his tunic and returned to where I left him by the bar. Except he wasn’t there. He was on the other side of the bar itself, serving drinks like he’d been doing it his entire life!

Maybe his magic was persuasion. He could sell water in the River Kingdom if he wanted to. I’d never seen a gift like it—and so smoothly. Like it was second nature.

“What are you doing?” I asked mind to mind, retaking my seat.

He didn’t even look in my direction before using our new bond to reply. “Earning our accommodations. Drink?”

He’d rendered me speechless.

Was he for real?

He just walked into a strange tavern, and within just a minute, we had fresh clothes and somewhere to stay for the night in exchange for work at the bar. I was suddenly very aware I didn’t know the half of what his life had been like, hustling his way around the kingdoms. But I didn’t distrust him for it, unlike before. Now, knowing his mind, I was in awe of him.

He placed an ale on the bar in front of me, winked, and then he was on to the next patron, pulling their ale expertly and giving change for the silver they handed over.

The maid working the bar looked impressed and extremely grateful for the help.

“Should I help?” I asked him, loving how we could communicate now.

“No, relax. You flew for hours. I have food coming for you.” He handed off more ales and glanced my way with a smile as he took payment from the males.

I just watched him work. Bare chested and moving with such ease, he was mesmerizing. He drew a crowd of young fae. They leaned over the bar, trying to speak to him and keep his attention. He didn’t give any of them a second glance, but that didn’t deter them.

I must have been more tired than I realized. That or this dress was restricting blood flow to my head because I wanted to crawl over the bar and claim him.

I heard him chuckle in my head and cursed myself for allowing that to slip out to him.

What was wrong with me?

A tray came up from a kitchen below, via a pulley system, and the maid hefted it onto her shoulder, heading out into the tavern. She stopped off by me first and put down a bowl of delicious looking soup with some fresh bread.

“Your friend says eat. He will take his once this rush has calmed.”

“Thank you,” I told her and looked to Luka in appreciation.

The maid carried on with her laden tray, delivering food to tables around the tavern.

Luka worked hard for over an hour, then took a break to eat soup since the crowd had thinned.

I marveled at him. No matter how many different situations he found himself in, he always knew exactly what to do. It was amazing.

I would have slept curled up in a cave, but here we were with full bellies and a warm place to stay. And he made it look so easy.

“What are you thinking?” he asked, sipping the last of his soup.

“Just about this fae I know who has a knack for making everything right,” I teased.

“Oh?”

“Don’t be coy.” I tossed his bar cloth at his face. “It doesn’t suit you.”

“I’m not being coy. I just didn’t really do anything special. It was clearly too busy in here for one fae to manage, and we needed something she could provide. It was a fair trade, and we all gained something. That’s just good sense if you ask me.”

“I’m just saying I wouldn’t have thought of it, and I’d be sleeping on rock tonight if you hadn’t, so thank you.” I rubbed my eyes, tiredness taking hold of me.

“You look like you’re half asleep already,” he said, stroking a lock of hair out of my face.

“I think I might be.” I’d used a lot of magic today and then flown far.

“Why don’t I get our key and you can settle in while I finish up here?”

“I don’t want to leave you here working. I can wait,” I insisted. A yawn seized me before I could stop it, though.

“This is not a negotiation, Goddess.” He touched the tip of my nose. “You need the rest if you are going to fly us home tomorrow, and I made a deal with the barmaid for our lodgings. So you are going to go to bed, you can make it nice and warm for me, and then I will come and cuddle you when I’m done.”

Too tired to carry on a back and forth, I relented and soon found myself floating upstairs behind the maid to a bed chamber with a very comfy looking bed. Thanking her, I closed the door and dragged my feet over to the bed. I wanted so badly to wait up for Luka, but I couldn’t resist the call of the blankets.

Light movement stirred me from my sleep, and I felt the blankets move. I turned towards Luka as he slid in beside me, and he reached for me in the darkness.

“Go back to sleep. I didn’t mean to disturb you,” he whispered, slipping an arm around my waist and pulling me to him, and then he froze. “Ignore that—are you naked?”

“Hmm?” I mumbled sleepily.

“Hazel, wake up. You’re naked.”

“You told me to sleep.” I tried to snuggle down and wriggle out of his hold playfully, but he pulled me closer.

“I know, but I didn’t know you’d be naked. That changes things.”

“You’re insatiable,” I grumbled, but it was all talk, my body was already wide awake. Our bond was still new and, more than just a flying partnership, the instinct to claim would be unusually strong for both of us for a while. I was as ready for him as he seemed for me.

“Ugh, sorry.” He withdrew. “You’re right. I wanted you to get a good night’s sleep. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, it’s just that you naked is hard to resist.”

I draped my arm over his stomach and sleepily laughed, gliding my fingers down over the hard length tenting his undergarments.

“Goddess,” he hissed. “Hazel, we don’t have to do this. Go back to sleep. Really”

He wasn’t fooling anybody. His desire was a tangible thing between us. “Shut up and kiss me.” I gripped him to make my point.

“Anything you say,” he said, rolling us so he was over me and settling his length between my thighs.

He pressed his lips to mine, and I instantly melted into him. The mate bond was hard to ignore, especially when new, and I’d known that in theory, but feeling it was something else. I needed to tell him why he felt so insatiable, but I was afraid it would be too much for him to accept all in one go. Right now, we needed each other, and I wouldn’t let conversation stand in our way.

I parted my thighs, inviting him in. He tugged down his undergarments so that we were skin to skin.

I reached for him again, but he slowed my hand. “Just relax,” he whispered. “Let me take care of you.”

I sunk back into the pillows and sighed, accepting his kisses and opening myself for more. I could get used to this treatment and the feel of him exploring my body with his fingertips and tongue. It made me feel vulnerable and powerful all at once to give over control of what pleasure was given yet be the one he took his pleasure from.

His hand worked its way down until he stroked my clit, and I arched into his touch for more. He didn’t give it, and I chased his touch until I was pleading with my body.

He kissed me, and as his tongue tangled with mine, his fingers teased their way inside me. He knew all the ways to touch me to bring the ultimate pleasure, and I luxuriated under him. He watched me build beneath him and worked me until I was begging him for more.

“I need you inside me,” I pleaded. It wasn’t desire it was need.

He was my mate. My dragon knew it and demanded the connection. I had to have him claim me and I wouldn’t survive if it wasn’t now.

Answering my plea, Luka took his cock in hand, guiding it to my entrance. Then he took me in one thrust, claiming me as his body and soul. He rocked into me, marking me as his with his lips and teeth, punctuating each stroke with further evidence of his claim on me.

I would gladly wear any brand of his.

I closed my eyes, losing myself to the perfect rhythm of our bodies as we sealed our bond and became what the Goddess intended us to be.

Soul bonded.

Our magic filled the room and came alive between us as the strands of our souls fused together as one. And with the power of my lightning crackling between us, I came on a cry.

He pulled out of me then, and I whimpered at the loss. But he lifted me up until I straddled his lap and our bodies were pressed together. He let me sink back down onto him, holding me in his arms so we stared eye to eye. I gasped at the new depth he reached inside me, but I didn’t take my eyes away from his.

My eyes locked with his, I rocked over him, grinding my clit into his base, and I almost lost it right there, but I knew he was still holding back, and I wouldn’t leave him behind this time.

He thrust up into me, driving us to move faster.

Sweat beaded between us, and we moaned our pleasure to each other.

His thrusts became more deliberate, measured, and they drove into the place inside me that other males didn’t seem to touch.

We were perfect together, made to fit in every way.

He shuddered, giving me everything he had, moaning my name and finally giving over to a shattering release. I thanked the Goddess for making him to be mine, and then I kissed him deeply as I came.

There were things left unspoken between us, but as we lay tangled in each other, nothing felt out of reach.

We would fly home tomorrow, and everything else could be dealt with then.

How, I didn’t know. But that was tomorrow’s problem. Tonight, I had my mate in my arms.