A Dragon's Promise
by Dahlia Rose
2
Sugar and Spice Press
www.sugarandspicepress.net
Copyright ©
First published in 2010
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A Dragon's Promise
by Dahlia Rose
3
CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
About the Author
Sugar and Spice Press
* * * *
A Dragon's Promise
by Dahlia Rose
4
A Dragon's Promise
By Dahlia Rose
Copyright (C) June 2010, Dahlia Rose
Cover art by Sugar and Spice Press (C) June 2010
ISBN 978-1-936110-77-3
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events
portrayed in this novel are fictitious or used fictitiously. All
rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or
portions thereof, in any form.
Sugar and Spice Press
North Carolina, USA
www.sugarnspicepress.com
* * * *
A Dragon's Promise
by Dahlia Rose
5
Chapter One
The night was cool as she ran. For a city as big as New
York, she would have expected more people around, someone
to help her. Surprisingly enough, the streets were empty, and
she was left to fend for herself. Valencia called out for help
and heard only the echo of her voice. Barefoot and running
close to the Hudson River was taking a toll on the soles of her
feet. How the hell did I get myself into this? she wondered
fearfully. All she wanted was to make some extra money so
she could start school in the fall. At thirty years old, being an
erotic dancer was a job she was sick and tired of. Yeah she
made the fast money, but God knows she wanted better for
herself. Fashion Merchandising was always her dream, and
when her friend Cathy had said, "Hey, I know how you could
pay for school in one night." She thought it would be a night
of dancing or putting on erotic shows. Men pay big bucks for
private viewings. She certainly didn't expect she would be
shackled and on a shopping block with other women being
sold to those... those things.
Valencia shuddered when she remembered Cathy being
sold for fifty thousand gold coins. She felt a hysterical giggle
rise up in her throat. Who uses gold coins anymore? I guess
you can't use money. Who could possibly know that slave
trading was still rampant in New York City in this day and
age!
"Sold!" The auctioneer's gavel had echoed when it hit the
old desk.
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Cathy screamed, "You motherfuckers. I hate all of you!"
She struggled as she was led over to the buyer, who took
her chains and dragged her close.
"You want me?" Cathy had looked up at her new owner
defiantly. She kicked him between the legs. "Here is a piece
of what you get from me. asshole."
Everyone around him had roared with laughter. He slapped
Cathy down, and when he pulled her back to her feet, she
spat in his face.
Valencia saw the rage on his face, and then she saw his
body begin to shake. When he began to change Cathy looked
back at her, and horror was etched on her face. The man
turned into some kind of serpent, and when he hissed,
everyone for sale saw their fate and began to scream.
"I'm sorry, please," Cathy had begged.
But it was already too late. Even as she scrambled back,
the serpent thing descended and bit Cathy's head clean from
her body.
Dismay worked its way in with the hysteria because of
what she had seen. Being chased did not help either. She
could feel her feet crying out for mercy and for her to stop.
Luckily, the slave traders were so caught up in watching
Cathy fight, they forgot to lock Valencia's leg irons back to
the thick metal chain. Now the iron around her ankle was
cutting into her flesh while she ran, and she could feel the
slickness of her own blood running down to her burning feet.
She dared not stop to look at her wounds. If she did, she
knew she it would be the end. She would run until she found
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a cop or someone who could help her. She would not die. Not
tonight, she yelled at herself, not tonight.
She heard a loud inhuman-like scream behind her, and it
sent terror straight to her heart. They were coming still, and
she looked back for an instant to see if they were right on her
heels. She barreled into something built like a concrete pillar,
and it sent her sprawling backward to the damp asphalt
walkway. She cried out in pain when her hands scraped
against the ground, and her butt bone sent pain coursing
through her. Valencia shook her head as to clear the cobwebs
and looked up to see what it was she hit.
He was huge, almost six four, built muscular and thick as a
tree trunk which tapered down to lean sexiness. He looked at
her with mild interest as she sat on the damp ground. His
eyes roamed from the top of her head to the bottom of her
feet. When he saw the iron shackles, his eyes went back to
her face with a questioning look. He would help her! Valencia
felt elation when she saw it was someone who could get her
to safety—until the loud scream came from behind her again.
He looked to see what was coming. It was then she saw his
eyes flash to yellow for a moment, just like the thing that ate
Cathy. He was one of them, and now she would be dead.
Valencia scrambled away ready to run, but it was too late.
He reached down and plucked her to him, lifting her against
him like she was the weight of a scrap of paper. Even as she
struggled, it did not seem to faze him.
"You're one of them!" Valencia screamed. "Let go of me,
you fucking asshole. I am not going back to those bastards,
so you better kill me now!"
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"I'd prefer to know which bastards I am being categorized
with," the deep baritone voice said casually.
"The slimy serpent ones who tried to buy me and who ate
my friend." Valencia kept up her struggle to escape. "The
ones whose eyes turned colors like yours!"
"Be still, woman, before I drop you... on purpose." The
man easily turned her to face him as he held her. His big
hands gave her a shake. "Now you said you were bought by
serpent dragons?"
"No, I said slimy serpents, not dragons, and you have to
be one of them. You have the eyes." Valencia glared at him
from beneath her hair that had fallen across her face.
She pushed it back so she could see better. His face was
chiseled like an artist had carved him from stone. Jade eyes
were set in a face that had a rugged jaw line. His hair was cut
low but black as pitch, and a sexy mouth finished up a face
that could rival any Hollywood heartthrob. He did not look like
the scarred grotesque man who had bought her and Cathy.
But still his eyes turned yellow, so he had to be just like
them.
"I am no serpent dragon, and they are coming fast," he
said curtly. "Now if you want to live and survive this thing,
don't run away. I can protect you. No matter what you see,
stay behind me at all times. You belong to me now."
"Wait. What? I don't want to belong to you!" she cried out.
"I want to go back to my apartment, drink some tea, and
forget this night ever happened." She turned around slowly,
talking to herself out loud. "Maybe this is a bad dream. Maybe
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someone slipped me a roofie or something, and I am tripping
out."
"Girl, whatever life you had is gone because now you are
marked," he said. "If you want to live which I am sure you
do, listen, do as I say, and shut up."
"Hey, don't call me 'girl,' and don't tell me to shut up!"
Valencia put her hands on her hips.
"They are an abomination of the earth dragon, Fen-Lung.
They have little honor to their heritage, and I can guarantee
no inkling of caring for you, a human," he explained. "Fine.
Don't shut up. Stay here and die."
Big-tall-and-handsome turned to walk away, and Valencia
felt fear shoot through her again.
"Ok, I'm sorry. I'll listen. Just don't leave me here by
myself with them." She hated to hear the fear and timid tone
in her voice. But she was no match for what was coming.
Maybe he was.
He nodded. "Remember don't run no matter what you see.
You have my promise I will protect you."
Valencia swallowed and stepped behind him. He took his
coat off and shirt even though the night was cold. Her mouth
went dry when she saw the muscles of his back. He was sexy
and built like a fantasy out of some romance novel. But what
happened next made her speechless. While the serpent man
thing had changed with the sound of cracking bones and
revolting sounds, mist formed around her new unknown hero.
It was wispy and looked like it was filled with flecks of
shimmering light. It reminded her of fireflies in the midst at
night when she was growing up in the Kentucky mountains.
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The early evening brought the mist across the lush green
grass of their huge front yard, and she and her friends would
hunt fireflies. It was beautiful, and watching him left her
breathless.
His massive frame bent low, and she watched with a soft
gasp as his body grew bigger and morphed into a whole new
creature. Wings sprouted from his back and unfurled like
massive sails to catch the wind. Where there was once skin, it
was replaced by dark read scaled tiles in an intricate pattern
and tinted with gold. There was a spot on the front of his new
body which was completely golden and formed an intricate
pattern. He lifted his head to the sky, released a roar, and
then breathed a huge plume of fire over the water. A dragon
stood before her, an ancient and proud entity, one made of
myth and legend. In dragon form he looked down at her and
gave her a wink, showing humor.
"Holy hell," she whispered.
She saw the serpent creature in human form now coming
with his men to where they stood. When they saw the dragon
standing proud blocking their path, the serpent made his own
change that made Valencia cringe and shudder to watch.
Watching the serpent body shudder and crack was nothing
like watching the dragon who protected her become the
magnificent creature he was.
"What should I call you?" she asked.
He looked at her as if wanting to answer, but he shook his
head. Valencia quickly came to understand that he could not
use his human voice in dragon form. As the serpent
approached, she shivered in fear. She stepped behind her
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dragon protector and placed her hand on his leg to brace
herself as she peeked out from behind his massive frame. In
her mind, she marveled at how smooth his scales felt under
her fingertips, and the heat emanating from his body made
her want to snuggle up to his warmth to ward away the cold
damp night. Would he be able to protect her or would he fall
prey to this serpent's deadly anger?
* * * *
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Chapter Two
All I wanted was a quiet walk along the river to look for a
quiet place to take flight. Orin was tired of the city. The only
place he could find to change and fly was by the Hudson River
under the George Washington bridge. It was always secluded,
and even if a few bums saw him morph, who would they tell?
They probably thought it was the alcohol that had them
seeing delusions. It made him feel restricted in his own skin
when the dragon in him wanted to be free. He was one of the
twelve dragons from the Norse house of Paladin. They
protected the gods who lived there and were respected as the
royalty of their kind. He knew the underworld sold humans as
pets and slaves to some of the lesser dragons. Orin and
others he knew would have no part of it. Looking at the
serpent dragon in front of him, he could see why. The sewer
dregs came out in droves for what they would call an event.
He would not let them take this human girl. He already felt he
should commend her for her bravery. As he looked the greasy
serpent dragon and his counterparts up and down, he could
see why she or anyone would run away.
The serpent dragon spoke in a broken dialect of dragon
tongue. Orin understood it, but he knew that to the human
woman who was standing behind him, it would just sound like
gibberish to her ears.
"It is mine. Give it back," the serpent hissed.
"Exactly what are you referring to?" Orin asked. The
serpent's words just proved his point. The lesser dragons had
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little regard for life and saw any other species as beneath
them, especially humans.
"It cowers behind your leg. I bought it fair and square.
Give it back." The serpent flicked its tongue out tasting the air
and smiling widely. "The scent is very appealing. I can taste
its fear. Give it back now!"
Orin looked down at the frightened woman. He could see
the terror in her big brown eyes. But he could also see the
stubborn set to her chin. She was willing to fight if necessary
instead of being taken. She would of course not even be a
threat, but because she was willing to do it, Orin was very
impressed.
"The woman is mine, serpent. Go back where you came."
Orin flared his nostrils and allowed a small puff of flame to
escape. The serpent's minions, now all in their snakelike
forms, looked at each other warily as they stood behind their
leader. Orin knew he could fry them all with one good breath,
and they knew it too. The leader was of course the only one
who had more bravery than he should. The serpent's scales
along his body moved, and the thick thornlike barbs along his
back straightened as he readied himself for a battle.
The serpent sneered. "Your kind thinks you are better than
us, don't you?"
"Before you do something you might regret, let me say
this. If you did get the best of me, which is doubtful to say
the least, do you think you would be able to fight off the war
it would bring you against the Paladin court?" Orin asked.
The serpent tried a different tactic and bowed low. "My
name is Tokashi, and I am the heir to the throne of my
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people. Let me explain myself. It was bought for fifty
thousand gold coins, a high price for any human. It is only
fair I acquire what I purchased."
"You lost your money on that sale, Tokashi." Orin made
sure to rise to his full height as a dragon. He filled his chest
with the hot dragon breath that he could expel toward his
enemies if necessary. "She is mine. Try to take her if you will
and feel a wrath like no other."
Tokashi bowed low. "I defer to the judgment of one from
the Paladin court for now." He turned to leave, but before he
did, he left a threat. "This is not over. I hope you know this."
Orin inclined his head. "I would be disappointed if it was."
With that he watched the serpent heir Tokashi and his men
move quickly away in their dragon form and blend into the
night. He felt the girl fall weakly against him in relief. He
looked down and noticed the iron shackles cutting into the
skin of her ankles and the blisters on her feet. He could easily
lift her in his arms and walk home with her, but he decided to
do what he came to the river for in the first place. To take
flight and go high about the city lights until he could see the
stars once more.
"Thank you," she whispered and fell into unconsciousness.
He felt something pierce his heart, and he nodded still
unable to speak. He lifted her in his grasp and held her
against his chest taking care not to scratch her with his black
claws. He spread his wings and took to the skies, and even
though he held her tight against him as the wind soared past
his face, he felt the elation of being free. He restrained
himself from releasing a cry of pleasure and taking off to the
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heavens. He had to make sure she was safe and well first.
There would be time for his nightly pleasure soon enough.
Instead he would head for home.
* * * *
Valencia felt herself being laid against one of the softest
fabrics she had ever felt. She murmured in delight as her
body sank into the luxuriousness of the bed. Her eyes flew
open, and a cry of pain escaped her lips when she felt the
shackles being taking off her ankles. Her clothes were gone
leaving only the thin tank shirt and cotton panties she had
worn under her romper. She sat up and looked down to see
him sitting at the end of the bad taking care of her injured
feet.
"Lay back, and let me do this. You might not want to see
what those shackles did to your feet," he said.
"Where are my clothes?" she asked.
"Removed so I could see if you were injured anywhere
else."
His voice sounded like a low sultry growl if he wasn't trying
to be sexy. Instead of following his orders, Valencia placed a
pillow behind her head so she could see what he was doing.
He watched her with an amused smirk on his face but said
nothing and continued to examine her feet. He got up and
went into the bathroom and came back with a bowl full of
water, towels, and a first aid kit tucked under his arm. She
winced as he lifted her leg and rested it on his hard thigh and
began to wash her broken skin.
"Did I pass out?" Valencia asked.
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"Yes, you did. I don't know if it was tiredness, relief, or a
combination of both," Orin replied not looking up from his
task.
"Where are we?" She looked around at the magnificent
bedroom decorated in rich burgundy colors and mahogany
furniture. Even the bed was huge with four thick, carved
wooden posts and a canopy that matched the decor.
"You are at my home. I live in one of the penthouse
apartments in Gotham."
"What's your name?"
"I am Orin one of the Paladin Dragons, and you are?"
"Valencia Thomas of the Bronx Thomas's," Valencia
replied. "How did I get here?"
"We flew." Orin lips lifted in a smile before he gave her the
simple reply.
"Oh, we just flew." Valencia waved her hands in the air.
"It's amazing you can say that so nonchalantly."
"It's the truth." He looked up then and captivated her with
his sexy green eyes.
"I know it is," she snapped and winced again as he began
to wash her other foot.
"I'm at a loss as to what you want me to say."
"What I want you to say is this is all a bad dream and that
dragons flying or serpent ones don't exist. I want to go back
to my life and pretend that this never happened!" Valencia
shouted and then she sighed. "But you can't tell me that, can
you?"
"No."
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She flopped back against the pillow. "You don't say a lot,
do you?"
This time when their gazes met, he gave her a charming
grin. "I am known to be quite a conversationalist."
Valencia could not help but return his smile. Dragon or not,
he saved her from a fate that was very bad. She recalled the
look of horror on Cathy's face before she died, and she
shuddered. Tears threatened to fall, and she held them back
knowing she was alive and that she should be grateful.
"What will happen now?" she asked.
"I will take care of your wounds," Orin answered. "This
salve will help you heal quickly and with minimum scarring."
"You said my life as I knew it was over. What does that
mean exactly?"
"That if you ever leave now, no matter where you go or
where you hide, that serpent will find you," Orin explained.
"He tasted you in the air when he flicked out his tongue. It's
like imprinting your essence into his memory. The Asian Fen-
Lung dragons have mystical powers, and even though he is a
half breed, he is still very strong."
"So what am I going to do now?" Those tears that
threatened to escape before fell from her eyes.
"You will stay with me, and I will become your protector.
Under my charge, no one will dare even look at you," Orin
said proudly. "I am from a long line of Dragon protectors. My
honor and my oath to protect you will be for the rest of your
life."
"Gee, thanks." Valencia could not help the sarcasm that
laced her voice. Finding out she could never be the girl she
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once was didn't make her want to dance with joy. She saw
the hurt look that crossed Orin's face and instantly felt
remorse. "Listen, I am sorry. I am very grateful you saved
me, but I don't want to be protected by you for the rest of my
life. I had dreams of going to school and... and stuff! Now you
tell me I can't have that."
"I never said you couldn't have that, Valencia." He was
now wrapping her ankles with soft white gauze and putting
socks over her bruised soles. "You do not understand what it
means to be protected by one of the Paladin court. I am now
your guardian. Anything in the world you want can be yours.
We are the highest of Dragon royalty. You should be proud to
be called my ward."
"Prideful much?" Valencia rolled her eyes.
Orin puffed out his chest. "Yes, I am filled with pride. We
served the gods of old and still do today. We are the oldest of
our kind and the most favored by the Norse gods. So yes, I
hold my heritage in great pride and honor it as such."
The way he spoke with such reverence in his voice made
Valencia feel humbled. In all her life with crappy parents and
an even crappier childhood, growing up she had nothing to
speak of in that way.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
"Not very. All I really want to do is sleep," Valencia
admitted.
"Very well then you should get some rest. Tomorrow will
be a long day." Orin stood and took the bow. and first aid kit
back to the bathroom. He came back to the bed and lifted her
easily to throw back the thick blankets. He placed her on the
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sheet and covered her, gently smoothing out any wrinkles he
saw. It was a very kind and gentle gesture, and Valencia saw
the gentleness beneath his strength.
"What's tomorrow?" Valencia yawned and snuggled in
between the material that surrounded her.
"We have to leave the city for a little while until something
else catches Tokashi's attention."
"I take it that's the nasty ass serpent's name," Valencia
said. "What would he have done to me and my friend anyway
if he had gotten to take us away?"
"They would have raped you and ripped you to shreds.
Their kind cannot find real mates in our world, so they try to
cross breed with humans so they can have their spawn. It
hardly works because their genitals are ribbed with barbs,
and only females of their kind can deal with such pain. Even if
one happens to get a human woman to host their seed, she
dies in childbirth bringing the spawn."
"Holy shit," Valencia whispered. "What about your
ummm... you know?"
His lips twitched with humor. "My genitals are quite
pleasurable to human women, so I have been told.
"Surprise, surprise."
"Indeed, now go to sleep, Valencia. You are safe with me,
always." Orin turned and left the room. He flicked the light
switch on his way out and pitched the room in darkness. The
moonlight from the big windows bathed the bed in its
luminescent glow.
"Safe with me, always." The words echoed in her mind as
she drifted off to sleep. He had saved her from a fate that
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would have sentenced her to death one way or another. She
dreamed of running and running with no end in sight until his
face came into view and he beckoned her into the safety of
his powerful arms.
* * * *
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Chapter Three
He watched her sleep, a chocolate beauty that elicited
strange feelings of protectiveness and affection in his being.
Her hair was tiny braided strands of pitch black that hung low
down to her back. Now that she slept a few of them fell
across her face, and Orin pushed them back gently. Her smile
was a quick one, and her big brown eyes showed intelligence
and wit. It was more than that. She was a beauty with skin
that glowed in the moonlight like polished ebony. Her full lips
were parted in sleep, and on occasion her brow furrowed as if
her dreams were troubled. He had been alone for a long time.
Maybe that was why he was willing to take her on as his
ward, for companionship.
For too long he was away from home. The mountain of
Greenland was where his clan called home. He was sent to
the cities to be a protector from those dragons like Tokashi
who used it as a playground and overran them. But he longed
for home, only being able to visit once a year to be among his
kind. Some of his brothers were now mated and had children
of their own. He wondered if that would be in his future.
Being three hundred years old, he was still considered a
youngster.
She tossed and murmured in her sleep then cried out and
sat up. "Cathy, no!" Her eyes were wide, but he could see
that she was still trapped in the dream that plagued her.
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He sat on the bed next to her and cupped her face in his
hands. "Shhh, its ok. You're safe. Be still, little bequerel.
Wake up, and the dream will fade."
Valencia blinked rapidly and then began to cry, heart
wrenching sobs from a women who saw her friend die. Her
bravery had finally run out. Orin climbed into bed easily and
pulled her body close to his. He tucked her curvaceous hips
into the crook of his and wrapped his big arms around her all
the while murmuring words in his own tongue to soothe her.
She had to be about five seven or eight in height. But he still
dwarfed her in size. He felt her wriggle closer. The curve of
her ass was pressed against his groin while she moved. He bit
back a moan as he felt his cock jump in response to her
movements and willed his body to stop its reaction to her.
"Thank you for saving me," she whispered and sniffled.
"Can you stay with me?"
Orin smiled. "You're welcome, and yes I will stay."
He didn't want to move anyway. The feel of her curves
pressed against him and the smell of her feminine scent was
appealing to him. So he held her until she was lulled back to
sleep, and he soon followed.
"Orin, you're squishing me."
He heard the words break through the veil of his dreams.
A shove against his shoulder and then a small struggle made
him smile to himself while his eyes were closed. Valencia
squirmed under his leg that he had thrown across her that
night and his arm that was locked around her waist. She
finally flopped back with a sigh, and then he felt her move
once again. She lifted one of his eyelids with her finger. Orin
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23
opened his eyes and stared at her. Her eyes have golden
flecks around the iris, he thought as they stared at each
other.
"Have you been awake all this time while you were
crushing me?" Valencia accused him.
"Not all the time. I found your movements quite
appealing."
"Are you going to move, or should I just lie here?" she
asked. He could see the twinkle of humor in her eye.
"I think I am going to do this," he murmured.
Orin took her lips in a kiss, and pleasure exploded at his
very core. The instant spark of attraction he had felt for
Valencia burst into a flame as soon as their lips touched. Her
mouth opened under his in invitation, and he gladly accepted.
He delved his tongue between her lips and tasted her. A
moan rumbled from his chest as he pulled her closer. Valencia
reached up and cupped the back of his neck as their kiss
deepened. When her nails scraped at the sensitive skin at his
nape, he wanted to be naked with her with every fiber of his
being.
He laid his hands against her thighs and stroked upward
over the curve of her tight ass and then to the front where he
cupped her breasts. She made a purr in her throat at his
touch, and her body trembled against him. Was it fear? That
one thought stilled his hands, and he pulled away reluctantly
from the taste of her lips. He looked down at her, and when
she raised her eyes to him, they were sultry with desire. Even
so Orin rolled away quickly and paced beside the bed.
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"I must apologize to you, Valencia." He rubbed his hand
across the back of his neck and could almost feel her touch
from a few moments ago. "I brought you here to protect you
not to take advantage of your body. You must fear me after
your predicament with Tokashi. I did not mean to be so
callous."
"What? No, Orin, I wasn't scared of you." Valencia sat up
and pushed the braids out of her face. She gave him a timid
smile. "I liked your kiss. I liked it very much."
"Even so you are not here to be my concubine. I am your
guardian, and it is a matter of honor that I treat you with
respect."
The thought of making her fear him or feel that she was
obligated to him in some way for what he was doing made his
shoulders tense. Never would he want her to look at him the
way she saw Tokashi. So from now on Orin knew he would
take special care to avoid a situation like what just happened.
He wanted her, and he could so easily slip back into bed with
her. But it was not why she was here. She was going to be
treated like royalty with no strings attached.
"This won't happen again, Valencia. You need not fear it."
Orin bowed low.
Valencia sighed. "Seriously, Orin, I am fine with it."
Orin paid her no attention. He took a suitcase from the
foot of the bed and placed it on the rumpled blankets. "I went
to your home and brought you some of your things while you
slept. We will buy more when we reach Seattle."
"How did you find out where I live?" she asked.
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"I searched the DMV record and found your address." Orin
grinned. "I'm a dragon, but I do know how to work some
technology. Please get dressed. We leave after breakfast."
"Are we going to fly to Seattle?" Valencia wanted to know.
"Yes." Orin gave a little pause. "In a plane out of
LaGuardia Airport."
She gave him a cute little pout of disappointment making
him rethink his previous promise not to touch her. "I thought
I would be flying first class dragon style."
"Maybe one of these days I will let you ride on my back."
Promises, promises," Valencia teased.
Orin just nodded. He could almost feel her arms around his
neck and her legs gripping him while he soared in the skies.
He had never shared the experience with anyone, and to him
it was a personal one. He couldn't touch her or have her
touch him, because she was like the fire that ran in his blood
and fueled his breath, combustible and hot. But he wondered
if he would be the one consumed by the flames of desire she
created in him.
* * * *
From a New York skyline to the damp cloudy skies of
Seattle, it had been two weeks since she had been taken
under Orin's wing, and her life was turned upside down. She
wanted to change her life from being a dancer to something
better, and it seemed she'd gotten her wish. Now she lived in
a massive house with windows that exposed the beauty of the
new state she was in. When it rained, she liked to sit in her
room on the third floor and watch it like mist on the huge
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trees. She had seen Orin shift to a dragon on one of those
occasions, and it left her breathless.
That first night when they met, she had been more scared
with everything going on. As she watched him walk, the
muscles of his tight buttocks made her want to drool. The
mist swirled around him, and his body morphed into the
magnificent creature that he was. The rain had run down his
smooth scales as he lifted his head to the sky. When he took
flight, she wished she could join him, but she could tell this
was something private for him that he was not willing to
share. Even so she marveled at the beauty of his change
whenever she got the rare glimpse of his change from her
window view.
Their living around the house was personable, formal, and
tense. He never kissed her again after that morning in bed.
But she could feel him staring at her, and sometimes when
she met his gaze, it was filled with need. She wanted him to,
but he would not let her broach the conversation. Half the
time when she came inside, she never saw him, and at meals,
he kept the conversation light and all about her new life, the
school she had enrolled in where she now took classes, and
Seattle in general. Valencia was becoming fed up with his
chivalrous act, and it set her teeth on edge that he would not
see past his honor to the woman who wanted to be with him.
But he certainly seemed to feel differently, so Valencia was
contemplating life as just his ward. A few days earlier while
she studied in the coffee shop, a man she had seen a few
times came over and introduced himself to her, and soon they
were having a great conversation about the local grunge
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scene in the nineties and the affinity they both shared for the
group Nirvana. He had told her about the local band that
played there at night and invited her to join him. He was cute
and smart, certainly no Orin, but if he didn't want her, she
couldn't just sit pinning away for a man who would not give
her the time of day. She was bored of sitting in the house
alone with only the television and fireplace for company.
"What are you doing?" His voice came from behind her as
she stared outside.
"Contemplating."
"On what?"
"Well if you must know, a guy I met at the coffee shop
asked me out, and I was wondering what I should wear since
its always so rainy here," Valencia explained
"I can help you with that. What you have on now is fine,"
Orin said.
Valencia laughed and turned away from the window to face
him. His emerald green eyes always had the power to make
her catch her breath. "I am wearing a sweat suit I had on all
day."
"That's good because you are not going anywhere," Orin
stated flatly.
Valencia felt her temper rise. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. As your guardian I am saying you are not
going to meet some unknown man," Orin replied.
"Who the hell are you to tell me what I can and can't do?"
Valencia shouted. "As far as I see it, I'm grown, buddy, and I
certainly don't tell you your business, so don't you dare get
crazy enough to tell me mine."
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"You are my business, Valencia. I vowed to protect you,"
Orin said. "You do not have my consent to go, and that is
final." He turned to walk out of the room, but her words
halted his feet.
"So I am supposed to sit in here without and grow old?"
she asked. "I want a sex life and happiness and maybe some
kids in my future."
"So you were planning to have sex with the man you
met?" Orin asked.
Valencia raised her eyebrow at him. "Maybe. It was not off
the table. That's usually what happens when a man and
woman meet. They go out a few times and by the fourth
date, there is usually some foreplay going on leading up to
sex."
Valencia watched his green eyes go to slits.
"You are absolutely forbidden to go, and that is final. And
if leave, I will find this man and burn his car. I have the
means to do it, and if he's inside at the time...Oh well." His
words were growled out, and he left the room effectively
cutting off the conversation.
Or so he thought. Valencia stared at the empty doorway as
her temper boiled and overflowed. How dare he tell me what
to do and who I can do it with. I am thirty damn years old!
She paced and threw a pillow across the room. Finally when
she could bear it no more and her tongue needed to let loose
on the object of her anger, she went to find Orin.
The door to his room was closed, and she barged in
without knocking. Not seeing him but hearing the shower
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running, she went in that direction and threw open the door
releasing a billow of steam.
"What the hell, are you heating the water with your
dragon's breath or something?"
"Get out, Valencia,." Orin warned. "My body tends to turn
water to steam when I am upset."
"Oh, you're upset? You have no reason to be upset, buddy.
No one is stopping you from going out and giving orders like
some crazy drill sergeant."
"Please leave, Valencia." Orin voice held a plea.
"Nope, not before I say what I came to say," Valencia
replied. "I refuse to put my life on hold because you said so. I
mean come on, I am grateful for all that you are doing for
me, but you cannot possibly have a say so in my life like that.
You may not want me Mr. Dragon man, but someone does,
and I am going to go see what happens. So there!"
Silence met her, but the billows of steam seemed to
increase.
"Well anything to say?" Valencia asked with attitude in her
voice.
His hand snaked out from between the steam and snagged
her around the waist. Valencia was able to make only a tiny
squeak of surprise before she was pulled in under the spray of
the water and his mouth descended on hers and devoured her
lips in a kiss.
Her clothes were soaked in a minute, and her braided hair
was heavy with water as their lips mated and dueled. His
hands touched her everywhere, and Valencia held on for dear
life. He lifted her easily and stripped her out of her wet sweat
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pants, taking the tiny scrap of her panties with it as she
struggled with removing the top and her bra. She barely
registered the sound of the wet material hitting the floor
before he lifted her high and feasted on her breasts as if they
were grapes hanging from a vine.
She cried out when pleasure shot through her core. His hot
mouth laved her nipples moving from one to the other quickly
trying to taste them both at the same time. She wrapped her
legs high around his torso and bucked restlessly while he
feasted on her. She wanted to touch him, to feel the granite
contours of his body that she had dreamed of. But she would
be denied this for a moment because as a woman she could
sense this was all about dominance, a man taking his prize in
his woman's pleasure.
He placed her on her feet again, and she looked up to
meet his gaze. It was filled with arousal and passion, and his
eyes shined like glittering jewels. He said nothing while he
walked toward her, and she backed away. Anticipation
mingled with just a tinge of fear inside her at his massive
presence. Maybe she had pushed him too far, but she knew
within herself that Orin could not hurt her. Valencia's back
came to rest against the tiled wall of the shower. His eyes
never left hers, and she reached up to caress the muscles of
his chest before her hand ran down his lean abdomen and
wrapped around the thick erect length of his cock. Her eyes
widened when she stroked him, feeling his length and size.
She wondered if she would be able to take him inside her.
Orin growled low in his throat, telling Valencia her touch
pleased him. He lifted her hands and held them pinned above
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her head with one hand, while he ran a finger down her body
with the other hand. He used one of his thick thighs to spread
her legs apart, and lingered just below her belly button.
"Touch me there, Orin please," Valencia begged, hoping
that the feel of it would assuage some of the intense arousal
he created.
He dipped his digit between the folds of her pussy, and the
pad of his thumb rubbed against her sensitive clit. Her hips
rose. She trembled as frissons of electric pleasure went
through her. Valencia cried out when he went lower and
dipped into her soaking went entrance. He inserted the first
inch of his thick digit, and she wanted more. She writhed
wantonly as he bent lower, and while he teased her, he licked
at her nipples and sucked them into his mouth.
"Fuck me with your hand please, please, please," she
begged.
Orin gave into her request and sank his digit deep inside
her, making her cry out in pleasure. She writhed against his
hand as he pressed that sensitive spot buried inside her, and
she came with a scream, and her juices coated her thighs.
He pulled away suddenly, turning her around so that now
her breasts were pressed against the warm tile. She could
feel the tip of his engorged cock at the entrance of her pussy,
and the muscles of her body clenched with excitement. He
rubbed his cock up and down the full thick lips, and he
moaned as if in agony.
"I'll take it slow, bequerel. I don't want to hurt you," Orin
said. His voice held a tinge of desperation, as if he was
fighting to hold onto the last vestiges of his control.
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"Orin, just take me now. I'm aching for you."
The head of his cock spread the lips of her pussy as he
entered her, and she could already feel him against the inner
walls of her body and creating a delicious fullness. She
wiggled against him impatient to have more of him inside her.
With a low harsh cry, he plunged himself inside her, suddenly
lifting her off her tiptoes. Valencia echoed his cry. She was so
deliciously full of him, and he touched places that other men
never breached. So intense was the feeling of fullness that it
brought her to another orgasm and coated his cock with more
of her essence. His big hands enveloped her breasts as he
pumped inside her, kneading the globes of soft flesh and
plucking the tight beaded nipples.
"Do you like how I fill you, Valencia? Do I give you
pleasure?" Orin growled against her ear. He nipped the back
of her neck, and she felt the light scrape of his teeth before
he soothed it with a kiss.
"Oh merciful heaven, yes, yes, yes!" she screamed.
He grabbed her hip and pounded inside her. The sound of
slapping flesh mingled with the spray of the shower. With
each thrust, she moaned and begged for more while he
dominated her body.
Valencia felt her release building. "Oh I'm going to come,
Orin. I'm going to come so hard all over your cock!"
Her words fueled his thrusts, and that brought her to her
orgasm. With a scream she came, and it rolled through her
body like waves. Her body clenched around his cock and sent
Orin into his own release. She felt his hot seed filling her to
the point that it spilled from her body and ran down her leg.
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Her body felt gloriously limpid as he washed her carefully
before washing himself, and then he lifted her in his arms and
took her out of the shower. He toweled her down and
wrapped her hair in a thick towel to dry the braids.
"You know these are going to be hell to dry," she
murmured casually, loving the way he took care of her.
Orin chuckled. "Want me to change form and use my
dragon's breath to dry them?"
"That would be a no, Orin. I actually like my hair not to be
burnt off down to the scalp. A hair dryer will be ok."
"I will take care of it," he said.
He lifted her again to the bedroom where he placed her to
sit in his massive bed. There he dried her hair and ran his
fingers along her scalp. It was so relaxing, Valencia felt
herself falling asleep under his touch.
"Are you sore?" he asked gently.
"You mean my...?" Valencia laughed. "I'll tell you
tomorrow. I plan to do this again before the night is over."
Reminiscent of the first night Orin lifted her and placed her
in bed. This time she was naked and he was too when he
climbed in and snuggled beside her.
"Does that mean I have erased all thought of that man
from your thoughts?" Orin asked.
"He was never there to begin with. It was you, Orin,
always you," Valencia admitted. "I felt lonely and not wanted
by you. I didn't want to feel that way anymore. You've been
hiding from me for weeks now."
"I was not hiding from you. I was trying to control the urge
I had to possess you. It didn't seem fair."
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Valencia rose up to look at him. "You don't scare me, Orin.
I tried to tell you that from the very first night. I know the
difference between the animal that Tokashi was to the
honorable being you are. I wanted to know you as more than
my guardian."
"You shall have your wish." Orin pulled her close and
kissed her gently. "I now call you my mate."
"I like the sound of that," Valencia said as she snuggled
against him. The rain began again outside the big windows,
and she knew she could get used to this with Orin by her side
every night to keep her warm.
* * * *
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Chapter Four
Orin's happiness at his new relationship with Valencia woke
him up with a smile every day. He stared at her while she
slept, and that alone would make his heart swell with pride.
She was his. On many of his flights through the night sky, he
would let out a roar of pure dragon bliss. He hoped
somewhere through the veil of time to his home that his
brethren would hear his triumphant cry and echo it back.
Soon it would be his time to go to his home. He would take
her with him, and they would be joined as mates the right
way. Tonight he would take her on one of his trips and show
her the world through his eyes from the night sky.
"Are you ready?" Orin asked. He held her hand in his and
rubbed his thumb gently across her ebony skin.
"Warm clothes... check, goggles...check and hair pulled
back into a ponytail." Valencia smiled up at him. "I'm so
ready."
Her excitement was palpable, and it made Orin grin.
"When I change, don't forget. You will use our contraption
and fasten it around my neck, and that way you can hold on
tight."
The contraption he spoke of was two of his belts fasted
together so it would fit around his neck and two of her
smaller ones so she could loop them around her hands to hold
on. There were some who could ride on the back of a dragon
bareback. But his scales were smooth, and he certainly didn't
want her to slip off and fall through the sky.
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Orin stripped from his clothes without shame and felt her
approving gaze roam across his body. "Later," he said with a
wink. He closed his eyes and let the dragon inside him take
over. The energy of his change ran through his body, sending
a delicious shiver down his back and elation in his heart.
Unlike werewolves and other creatures that shifted, it was not
one of pain but one of pleasure when his body morphed into
his magical creature. He could feel his skin stretch and
change to scales and feel the heat of his dragon breath fill his
chest.
Fingers turned to claws, and his feet widened to
accommodate his new body structure. Wings sprouted from
his back slowly and stretched out to their wondrous glory. He
spread them wide and felt the wind caress the leathery
surface, calling him to ride the air currents. As always when
the change was complete, he felt euphoria and raised his
head to the sky and let out a roar. He was Orin of the Paladin
court, free from his human bonds and ready to chase the
stars.
He looked down to where Valencia stood. She reached out
and caressed the smooth tiled scales on his belly. He hoped
that when she climbed onto his back she would do the same
to his neck. To a dragon it was like his g-spot. He would make
a note to remind her of that when he was back in human
form. He bent low and very carefully lifted her in his claws to
help her onto his back. When she looped the harness they
made around his neck, he felt a small rise in irritation at
being restrained. He had never worn a harness before, and
the animal in him did not like it much. But he knew it was for
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her protection, so he sat quietly as she made sure it was
secure around his neck and then around her hands.
"All set," Valencia announced. He could feel her thighs
tighten in anticipation.
Orin nodded his head and used his feet to push off the
damp ground. The first rush of wind as he propelled through
the sky caused her to gasp and squeal. Orin wanted to laugh
in joy because he knew exactly how she felt. When he took
flight he could feel every offending thought or trouble fall
away from him like shackles from his shoulders. He was in
the truest form of his kind. And while in the sky, he felt
connected to every one of his dragon brethren. The night's
flights were ancient. From when dragons roamed the skies
feely, they would fly together and play in the moonlight veil
over Greenland.
He made loops and turns, and with every new pattern he
made, Valencia shouted with joy and encouraged him on. He
could fly forever with her on his back, but he soon felt her
shivering from the wind which was much colder at such
heights. Orin descended back to earth and his backyard away
from the city lights. She took a little longer to un-harness
herself from his back, and when she did, instead of placing
her on the ground, he held her close to him and filled his
chest with heat that would make his dragon's breath. Instead
of expelling it, he held it there and let his own temperature
warm her while he shifted back to his human form.
Orin walked back inside with her still cradled in his arms.
Her hands were drawing delicious little circles on his chest.
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His cock grew rigid, and his thoughts were now on more than
just flying.
"You were amazing," Valencia said. She placed tiny kisses
on his chest, and her tongue flicked against the tiny bud of
his nipple.
Orin groaned. "I want to be inside you."
He closed his eyes while the sensations of her tongue on
his nipples rolled through him.
"Take me upstairs, Orin. Fill me with your cock." Valencia
looked up at him and caressed his cheek with her hand.
While he was naked as they moved up the stairs, he
helped her get rid of the layers of clothing she had on until
she was naked in his arms. He kicked the door to the
bedroom open as their lips met. Her mouth opened under his,
and he slid his tongue into her mouth before pulling away to
gently nip at her full lips.
"Orin," she whispered looking up at him, and he saw doubt
in her soft brown eyes. "Do you still want me as a mate? I
mean you are so magnificent as a dragon and as a man.
There must be women of your kind that would suit better
than me. I used to be a dancer for goodness sake. I grew up
in the Bronx projects."
"What you did for work or where you grew up does not
define who you are as a woman, Valencia." Orin cupped her
face in his hands. "Still want you? You are all that I want. No
other, dragon or human, could take your place."
Orin pulled her into his embrace and kissed her with all the
passion he felt for her. Her insecurities about being with him
were his undoing. She needed a protector, a lover and a
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friend, and he was all those and more. He had fallen in love
with Valencia, and he would show her for the rest of her life.
It was as if a dam had broken inside him, and all of the things
he wanted and had kept under lock and key burst free. He
had never had anything like this in his life. She was meant to
be in his arms.
Valencia kissed her way down his body until she reached
the jutting length of his cock. When her lips wrapped around
the head of his thick shaft, Orin threw his head back in
pleasure. She took him as deep in her mouth as she could.
Her tongue swirled and tasted while her lips sucked and
worked the hard length of his cock.
"Valencia." Her name was like a growl from his lips.
"Please stop. I'm not going to be able to hold back if you keep
that up."
She continued her ministrations, keeping her eyes on his
face while she pleasured him with her mouth—until Orin could
take it no more. Her eyes filled with desire, and seeing her
lips formed around the steel of his shaft was an erotic sight.
He pulled her to her feet quickly, and their lips met again with
heightened passion.
"Make love to me. I don't think I could stand it another
minute without you."
He swept her up in his arms again and placed her on the
bed before he lay next to her.
She pressed her cheek against his chest and whispered his
name. "Orin."
In response he kissed her softly on the lips, and a feeling
of gentleness rose up inside him for this woman he loved. He
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watched her eyes drift close as he took over the kiss while his
hand stroked and caressed her body. Her fingers trembled
against his shoulders as his hands worked their way down her
body then up her ribcage to cup her breasts. A gasp of
pleasure escaped her as he fingered the sensitive tips.
Orin stretched out his long lean body on top of hers,
settling between her smooth thighs. Valencia arched in
pleasure when he kissed and licked her neck. She in turn bit
his shoulder, and he wanted to roar. The combination of her
body writhing under him and the feel of her tongue against
his skin was sending delicious frissons of pleasure along the
nerves endings in his body.
He reached and captured her hands, twining his long
fingers with hers and holding them above her head.
* * * *
He lowered his head to suck at the chocolate beaded
nipples. "God, I love how you taste."
"Oh, God, yes." She moaned his name softly. She raised
her hips pressing against his hard cock that was rigid between
her thighs.
It took every bit of restraint he had not to plunge himself
into her to the hilt, and fuck her until they were both beyond
reasoning. Instead he rolled and pulled her on top of him,
burying his hands in her braids. The kiss turned wild and
untamed; their tongues mated sensually. Orin reached
between her legs and fingered her clit. She was already so
wet and slick that his finger dipped inside her pussy easily. He
wanted to taste her essence, and he lifted her as if she
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weighed nothing so her legs were high on his chest and laid
her back. With one of her feet at each side of his head, Orin
grabbed her hips and brought the wet lips of her pussy to his
mouth.
"Oh, my God!" Valencia moaned low and sultry when she
felt his lips.
Her flavor was on his tongue while he slipped it between
the folds of flesh. He licked her clit and dipped his tongue in
her over and over again until her body was shuddering under
his mouth. Her hand wrapped around his cock, stroking the
smooth velvet erection faster as her own orgasm built. It took
every ounce of restraint he had not to spill his come over her
hand. He wanted to be inside her when he did have his
release. Instead he reached up and parted the lips of her
pussy and penetrated her while his mouth sucked on her clit.
He fingered her to release making her pussy flow around his
hand and onto his tongue. Her cries of completion were
making him mad with yearning.
She rolled away and straddled his body. "I want you now."
She took his hard length in her hands and slowly took him
inside her. Orin gritted his teeth as her tight flesh enclosed
around him. He could feel the moist walls of her pussy
clenching him in need.
"Ride me hard," Orin groaned out. Her thighs were gripped
against his waist reminiscent of when they flew. She would
ride now to take them to the edge of realty.
She gladly obliged, teasing him with slow movements. Her
pussy wet and warm, wrapped around him and took him in
with delectable stokes of her hips and coated his cock with
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her juices. Orin cupped her breasts and played with her
nipples as she moved. He wanted to increase the pace, but
still he wanted to prolong the feeling of them coupled forever.
Each time she slid onto his hard manhood, he felt her body
tremble. But yet she continued to tease them both. She
rocked against him, torturing him, making him ache for more.
"My turn," he said suddenly and flipped her under him
again. He let go of the last vestige of control he had. Orin
pushed into her wet waiting pussy hard, pounding into her
deeply with every thrust. He felt her body shudder under his
onslaught, and he could hear the tiny sounds of pleasure that
came from her lips. They merged with his moans of
satisfaction. He slipped his hands under her hips pulling her
more firmly under him. She wrapped her legs around the
taunt muscles of his ass and lifted into each of his thrusts.
"You make me crazy, Valencia, your smell, your body, your
warmth. I can never let you go. You are mine!" he whispered
harshly.
She gasped out in gratification. Her fingers gripped his
neck as he took them to dizzying heights.
"I'm going to come. Please don't let me fall alone!"
Valencia cried out as her body shook with the initial stages of
her orgasm.
"Fall, my darling. I will catch you. I promise you will never
be alone." Orin made the oath as he felt his orgasm take hold
tightening his balls and working its way up to spill his seed
inside her.
He pumped into her over and over again wringing another
cry of release from her and taking her higher while he came
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just as strong. He rolled away quickly so as not to crush her
under his weight and pulled her against him. Valencia's
breath was coming in shallow pants while he felt her
heartbeat try to slow to a normal rhythm.
"You bring me joy, Valencia," Orin said softly. His fingers
trailed through her hair feeling the texture of her braids.
She gave a husky laugh. "After that I can say you really
bring me more than joy."
"It's more than that. You make me happier than I have
ever been, bequerel."
Her fingers played against his skin. "What does that word
mean?"
"It means little lamb in the Nordic tongue," he explained.
"You see me as a lamb?"
"I see you as gentle, kind, playful and frolicky," Orin
teased.
"Ah well thanks, I think."
Orin turned on his side to face her. "I have never said it
before....I mean ...I don't know how to really broach this
subject with a woman."
"Exactly what are you trying to say, Orin?"
Orin said it in his own dragon language, and Valencia gave
him a bemused look. "And that is....?"
"I love you, bequerel." Orin took her hand and held it over
his heart.
"Oh." She gave a soft gasp and then laughed. "Oh, I love
you too! I wanted to say it for so long, but I didn't feel as if
you would want me to, and I didn't know where I stood, you
know like friends with benefits or ....."
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Orin cut off her stream of words with a kiss. "You are
loved, Valencia Thomas. Now and for always. We dragons
mate for life."
She grinned at him. "Since I am a little lamb, wanna frolic
some more?"
"I was just going to make the same suggestion," Orin
replied.
He lifted her easily back over his body and directed his
already hard cock back into her warm pussy. He forgot to
think as they caught the rhythm once more and was lost in
the magic they created.
* * * *
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Chapter Five
One week later, Valencia watched as the rain poured down
outside. Orin had been antsy all week to shift and change, but
sometimes the weather was so bad with thunder and
lightning, she had begged him to stay inside. Because he
loved her he had relented, but there was no stopping him
tonight. Flashes of jagged lightning cut its way through the
night sky. It illuminated the tumultuous clouds above the
acres of forest on the outskirts of his property while she
watched from the floor length window in his master bedroom.
She saw now why he lived in this secluded place outside of
the city. He could fly here without anyone seeing, so it was
worth the forty-five minute drive into Seattle, so he could be
free and unrestrained. It must have been hard for him in New
York finding a quiet spot to shift and take flight. For the last
few days, he had been more agitated and roamed restlessly
outside near the edge of the property as if searching for
something. Finally, he had told her he sensed something was
wrong, but he did not know what.
She turned when he came out dressed in a thick dark blue
terry robe and barefoot. It was how he went downstairs to
the backyard each time he would shift. He left the terry robe
thrown over one of the fancy patio chairs. That way he could
slip into it on his way upstairs just in case someone happened
to be knocking at the front door when he came inside. He
wrapped his arms around her, and she snuggled into his
warmth.
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"I wish you wouldn't go out in this. Suppose you get hit by
lightning?" Valencia bit her lip with worry.
Laughter rumbled in his chest. "I am sure I would not be
the first dragon to have that happen to them. Don't worry,
bequerel. I'll be fine."
"So you say."
He tilted her head up to his with his finger and kissed her
gently before speaking. "So I know. I must fly. My senses are
on fire, and if I can check from the sky, I can see exactly
what's making me worry or if there is nothing at all."
"Well, I'm watching from this window until I see you come
back," Valencia said firmly.
"You're going to stand there for hours?" His lips curved
with a smile.
She pulled away from his embrace and walked over to the
desk in the room. She dragged the chair to the window and
stuck her tongue out at him. "I'll sit thank you very much.
You can't stop me from watching or worrying."
"No, I can't." He lifted her against him and squeezed her
tight. "And I know trying to stop you would be useless, so you
watch for me until I return. Then we can find some other
ways to divert your attention."
This time it was Valencia who pressed her lips against his
and funneled all her love into that one kiss. She felt the
familiar stirrings of desire in her belly when he took over the
kiss and their tongues mated.
He growled low in his throat and went back for another
taste of her lips before sitting her down in the chair. He shook
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his finger at her and winked. "Don't try to sway me with your
feminine wiles, temptress."
"A woman uses what she has against a dragon."
"Well, woman of mine, I shall return to you soon. I love
you."
"I love you too, Orin," she said as he walked out of the
room.
She watched out of the window as he went out into the
rain and shifted to his dragon form. With a look up at the
window in her direction, he was off into the night sky. A flash
of light cutting through dark showed his path as she settled in
to wait.
Valencia kept her eyes to the sky watching through the
sheets of rain and rolls of thunder for her dragon to return.
She ran to the bathroom and quickly returned to her vigil.
She tried to read, but after every few sentences she would
look up expecting to see his form descending from the sky for
home. The flashes of lightning showed another storm coming
in from across the horizon, and Valencia felt her irritation rise.
The damn Seattle rain was making it difficult to see anything
with the dark clouds covering the moon and the rain that
seemed to never cease. She was hoping it would clear out by
the time he was on his way back so she could have a clear
sight of him. Obviously Mother Nature was not her friend on
this night.
Hours had passed, more than usual for him to be gone.
Finally, when Valencia thought she would tear her braids out
with worry, she saw his familiar form when a flash of lightning
cut a swatch through the sky. Her heart jumped with elation
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as he came closer over the forest of trees that was close by.
He would be there any minute, and her hours of worrying
would be over. She was sure he saw nothing out of the
ordinary and they would be able to snuggle, make love, and
her night of anxiety would be over. The rain had even slowed
down to a small drizzle, making her think that the storms
were finally over.
Her joy turned to dread and horror when Orin stopped in
mid flight. He turned with his wide wings unfurled and slowly
flapped to keep himself airborne as he looked down into the
woods below. He released a stream of fire from his mouth,
and she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. She
could not take her eyes away from the window. It was dark,
but she could see Orin move as if he was dodging a force she
could not see. Then he reared back like he was hit. He was
pulled from the skyline by that unseen force in front of her
eyes.
"Orin!" Valencia screamed in terror and slapped her hands
against the glass of the window.
She grabbed his keys off the desk and rushed downstairs
without even thinking and heading to the garage where his
Land Rover was parked. Making a full circle, she ran back to
the patio to grab his thick terry robe before heading back to
the big vehicle. With jerky fingers she turned the ignition
knowing she had to get to Orin but not knowing exactly how.
The forest around his property was vast, and it was the
middle of the night. I have to find him. I have to help him,
her mind screamed. Whatever was out there had taken him
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down in dragon form, and he was massive. How could she
stand a chance?
Tires screeched when she pulled his big vehicle out of the
garage and down the asphalt driveway. She drove down the
road like a bat of out hell bending down low to look out of the
window as she drove looking for any sign of Orin. How many
fucking trees are there? she thought wildly when forty-five
minutes had passed and she still saw no sign. The dense
underbrush showed only darkness, and her heart ached to
think the love she just found had been killed and left her
alone.
The flicker of some light caused her to pause, and then
when she saw it again, she pulled the rover off the road into
the gravel. There were some tree branches that were on fire,
probably from Orin, she thought happily. The rain had begun
to fall steadily again, and in only a few moments outside the
car she was soaked. She wished she had brought a weapon
but then laughed at her silly thought. Orin was a dragon. He
didn't need weapons, but she was a woman, and what chance
did she have against someone who could bring a dragon
down?
Still she started through trees with the wet leaves and
branches scraping her face as she moved steadily. She didn't
know how far she would have to walk into the woods, but she
kept looking up at the branches that were alight with flames,
hoping that she could catch one flicker before the rain
staunched it completely. The chirping crickets, the howls and
screech of night animals, and the sound of the rain was
almost deafening in her ears, but none of that could erase the
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beating of her heart pulsating in her ears. She had lost track
of time again. She didn't even know if she was going in the
right direction. Valencia was determined to find Orin. She
would not stop until she saw him again.
Laughter! The sound made her stop unsure of what she
heard until it came again. She crouched low and moved
forward following the direction of the jovial noise. A small
clearing came into view, and she practically crawled along the
soaked earth to get a better view. What she saw made her
already shivering body colder. Orin was pinned against the
ground with thick ropes binding his snout so he could not
open his mouth. Across the rest of his body was a mass of
ropes staked to the earth. She wondered why he did not
change back to human form, but then she realized that if he
was human he would be defenseless against these men. In
this form, he could bide his time and wait for an opportunity
to strike. He was effectively cornered by the men who had
tried to take her the first night her and Orin had met. Tokashi
had found them, and now he held the upper hand.
The men had built a fire under some kind of makeshift tent
they had made to escape the rain. Tokashi left them for a
moment and said something in his own language before
throwing a cup of liquid in Orin's face. She watched her
dragon struggle against his restraints while the men laughed.
You won't be laughing when he gets free. It wasn't the cold
that made her shake. It was anger and determination.
She moved back steadily, careful to use even her hand to
make sure she didn't step on anything to make noise and
made her way toward where Orin was being held captive.
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From the brush, she reached out to where his tail lay and
caressed the scales and sharp tip. It was then she saw what
had brought him out of the sky. A think harpoon lay next to
him on the ground covered in his blood and an open wound
on his wing that ended in a tear where they had ripped it out.
He must not have felt her hands because he made no move,
so Valencia used her fist to knock on his tail three times hard.
"Ouch!" She mouthed the word silently, not expecting it to
hurt. But it got Orin's attention. His tail swished in
excitement, and it was then she grinned. She moved on her
belly listening for their Asian voices in case they came closer,
and she loosened the stakes one after another around his
back end. They were driven deep into the ground, so she had
to use her feet to shake them and kick them back and forth to
loosen them from the earth. Luckily the cover of darkness
where he was and the rain soaked earth helped make her
task a little easier. She worked diligently, forgetting about
time and only worried about getting him free. There was
more than once where she had to slink back into her hiding
spot when they came over to insult Orin again.
Finally, there was only the stakes that held his mouth
closed to work free. One came free easily while the other was
more difficult. His wounded wing was in the way spread out
and still oozing blood. Before she could get to help him,
Tokashi and his men decided that this would be the time to
play the end game they so obviously thought out. It had been
almost two months since the night by the river, and he spent
time to find them and plot his revenge.
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"You thought you were out of my reach here is this rainy
place," Tokashi spat out as he walked over to Orin. "Even
here the Fen-Lung has it reaches, and they speak of the
dragon who lives here and his new woman. I knew it was you.
I knew I would have my vengeance." Tokashi laughed, and it
was an evil sound to Valencia's ears. "When me and my men
finish eating your flesh, we will take the woman. Before her
death might have been quick, but now she will suffer. I will
make her a breeder, and we now have ways to make sure she
can bring at least three of our young before her body is torn
apart."
Valencia was not even listening to his threats. She knew if
Orin moved now they would be able to react quickly, and he
would have no chance. Neither of them would. She made the
decision that she would have to be the distraction. It was the
only way to give him the time he needed and to give them
both a chance. She could feel a thick branch from where she
lay, and she wrapped her fingers around it. Without
hesitation, she rolled from under his wing and stood with the
branch extended as a weapon. The sporadic rain had stopped
once more, and the night seemed eerily silent.
"You touch him, I beat you to death, you fork tongued
bastard," Valencia shouted.
Tokashi's eyes widened in surprise, and then his laughter
boomed out. "You are such a saucy whore. You will be one of
my favorite pets. I thought I would have to go drag you
kicking and screaming to your fate, but you came to me!" He
spread his arms wide and turned to his men. "Am I not the
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luckiest beast on this earth? She will watch us dine, and then
she will be our play thing."
"Yeah, you'll be lucky to survive the night, you slimy
asshole," Valencia muttered. "I know something you don't."
"Amuse me little whore. What do you know that I do not?"
Tokashi turned to her with his arms folded.
"It rains like we need an ark in Seattle, and the soil is
pretty much mud at this point."
Valencia grinned when Orin reared up and the stakes
pulled from the earth like they were just sticks a child pushed
into the ground. The one around his mouth had not been
freed all the way, and he used his claws to rip the rope apart
while Tokashi's men ran around yelling and trying to gather
weapons. Valencia watched Tokashi back away and begin his
morph into the serpentine dragon he was. A metallic arrow
whizzed by her head, and then another hit the ground next to
her feet.
Orin used his wing to sweep her aside, and Valencia felt
herself flying backward. She hit a tree with a thud, and she
saw stars when the back of her head cracked against the
thick bark. She heard Orin's roar, and even to her ears she
could hear the rage. She opened her eyes and through her
double vision, she saw a stream of fire hit three of Tokashi's
men, and they were screaming as their bodes burned.
Valencia thought vaguely about how right she was on what
would happen when he was free. There would be hell to pay.
She heard him roar again as blackness clouded her mind and
she slipped into unconsciousness.
* * * *
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Chapter Six
Fury unlike he had ever felt left his heart cold to the chaos
in front of him. He watched as Tokashi's men ran around in a
frenzy trying to escape his wrath. He did not even give them
a chance to morph into their serpent form. With each breath
he sent a stream of liquid fire toward their malleable bodies
and watched them writhe in agony before they died.
This was his territory, and they came on his land to do him
and his mate harm. For that there would be no mercy, only
death for each of them. There were none left in only a matter
of minutes, and before he could look around, Orin felt pain
explode on his injured wing. He turned his head to see the
blitz of attack of Tokashi now in serpent form. He sank his
teeth into Orin's already wounded wing and tried to rip it from
his back with scissor-like teeth and a deathlike bite.
With each shake of his head, Orin could feel Tokashi's
teeth sink deeper into his flesh. He whirled and broke his lock
with a swipe of his claws and leaving a long gouge down the
face of the serpent. Tokashi retreated for a moment and then
came charging back. Orin met him with the same force. Anger
made him even stronger, and he sent Tokashi reeling back
with such power that he broke trees apart like they were
toothpicks. Tokashi returned with a slithering body and
snapping jaws that Orin evaded easily. When the serpent
dragon lifted his head to strike again, Orin caught him in the
neck with his own massive mouth, and with one wing injured
took to the sky even though it caused him immense pain.
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He soared upward with such speed that the wind blew past
them with such ferociousness that it whistled in his ears. The
Fen-Lung dragon was an earth creature made to be chained
to the land. Orin knew this when he let the serpent go and
watched his snakelike body fall through the sky. He followed
it down, and it hit the earth with a resounding thud. The
impact broke every bone in the serpent's spine and left a
crevice where he landed. Orin dove through the sky and
planted his feet on the body of the defeated Fen-Lung serpent
heir, effectively crushing him more into the earth and giving
him no chance of survival. He looked at Tokashi's body with
callous coldness before burning it to ashes and leaving only
the hole where he laid in his wake.
Valencia! The danger was over, and there was no one left
to harm her ever again. He shifted back to his human form
with a scream of agony and reached around to his back and
felt the deep wound that was now on his human flesh. He saw
her crumpled against a tree, and his heart stopped in his
chest. He would kill them all again if she was hurt or broken.
Guilt flowed through him. He felt this. He knew something
was amiss even as she begged him not to fly. He now saw
why love clouded judgment, she undid his senses but no
matter, he wouldn't trade her love for anything..
"My love." He cupped her cheek gently and lifted her
against his nakedness. "Wake up, darling. Please wake up."
"Orin?" she whispered, and her eyes fluttered open. "Is it
over?"
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"Yes, it over, bequerel." Orin brushed her braids away
from her face and kissed her over and over again. "We can go
home. You are soaked through, darling."
She sat up and looked at him when he winced. She looked
over his shoulder and saw his injury. "You're bleeding!"
"The same wound that was my wing. I won't be able to fly
until I heal." Orin smiled. "Don't worry. We dragons heal very
quickly."
"Are they all dead?"
Orin growled low in his throat. "I would kill them all again
if I could."
He got to his feet and took her with him. She gave a soft
moan and rubbed the back of her head.
"It seems we are both a bit bruised." She hugged him tight
and even though he was in pain, he reveled in the feeling of
her body pressed against his. "I was so scared, Orin, when I
saw you fall from the sky and I found you...I thought I
wouldn't be able to help you..."
"You were so brave, my love, and even though you had
fear, you did not show it. I am proud to call you my mate,"
Orin answered. "Most would have fled, but you took up a
branch to try and fight. You are my love and my heart."
He began to walk holding her tight so she would not trip or
fall. The sun had just begun to bring a hint of color to the
dark sky. Even so with the canopy of trees, it was still dark
when he started out in the direction of the car. He might not
have been able to fly, but his vision was still sharp, and he
could make out the route she had made to find him. Orin
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spotted his Land Rover, and every now and again a car
passed by with headlights blaring through the dark.
"Wait right here," she said and moved toward the SUV.
She came back holding a familiar piece of clothing. "I
thought you might need this."
He grinned at her as he slipped the robe gingerly over his
wounded back. "You thought of everything."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "I was not coming home
without you, and by the way I was not about to give anyone
on the road a look at my goodies."
He laughed out loud at her remark and kissed her soundly.
"Your goodies... Let's go home, and you can explain exactly
what my goodies are."
He helped her into the passenger seat and climbed in to
drive. He put the heater on high to warm her, knowing that
she was exposed to the rain and the cold night for far too
long. He drove for home, and she snuggled against him while
the night turned to day along the horizon.
* * * *
Even though he had a wounded shoulder, Orin pulled the
rover from its parked position easily and headed down the
dark highway. He drove smoothly with one hand and held her
close to his side with the other. Valencia wondered if he was
in pain. If he was, he showed no signs of it. He smiled down
at her easily while he took them home. It's funny, Valencia
thought. A few weeks ago she would have found all of this
unbelievable. Now she was living a life where men shifted
from human to dragon and battled in the forest. Now she was
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driving home with a man who was naked under a blue
bathrobe. She laughed out loud, and this time he looked at
her curiously.
"What is so amusing?" he asked.
"This, the wonderment of it all." Valencia wiped the tears
of mirth from her eyes. "Do you think if I told anyone this
they would put me in a padded room?"
His lips twitched with humor. "I am sure they would, and
they would do the same if I told them I turned into a dragon."
His comment made her break out laughing again, and he
joined in. They were still chuckling softly when he drove up
the path to the house and stopped the truck with the light on
the front door. All laughter ceased suddenly when she caught
sight of a huge man standing there patiently waiting.
Valencia's eyes flew to Orin's face. "Who is that? Oh no,
you can't fight anyone again. You're injured!"
"I won't have to fight," Orin replied and stepped from the
car. He walked around to her side and opened the door
helping her out from the cab of the Land Rover.
"Then who is he?" Valencia asked as they walked up to the
man.
"One of my brothers."
Valencia's eyes went from one man to the other as they
stared at each other. Orin's hair was short. His brother wore
his long and dark down his back. Orin's eyes were green as
emeralds while his brother's were the deep color of topaz.
Both men were huge in height and body mass.
"Raul." Orin held out his hand.
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"Brother, you look well." They clasped each other around
the forearm, and Orin winced which caused his brother to
raise an eyebrow. "Not as well as I thought. You fought?"
"The Fen-Lung heir. He is no more," Orin explained. "Or
his men."
Valencia could see the approval in Raul's face and rolled
her eyes. Men would be men regardless of dragon or human.
Talk of a fight and they were ready to bump chests and roar.
With dragons she would expect they literally would roar.
"You are summoned Orin," Raul said. "You can leave the
woman here."
"I have a name, and you can address me," Valencia
snapped. The nerve of him talking like I'm not even standing
here.
"Her name is Valencia. She goes with me," Orin replied. "I
have taken her to be my mate."
Astonishment was written all over Raul's face. "You took a
mate? I thought I would surely see hell freeze over before
such a day came!" Valencia was taken aback when he bowed
low to her. "I am honored to be in your presence, mistress."
"Huh?" Valencia stepped back and looked at Orin. "Um
what's all this about?"
"You have not told her?" Raul asked.
"Told me....?" Valencia directed her stare to Orin who
looked very uncomfortable and embarrassed.
"She will know," Orin said firmly. "Come inside. It's cold,
and we must change and eat before we go."
"I will help with your wound," Raul said.
"Don't worry. I got it," Valencia said.
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"But I know how to deal with wounds of this nature." Raul
stood proud and to his full height. "I am his brother after all."
"Yeah, well I'm his mate, so I trump you. I can take care
of my man."
"Very well." Raul stood by the door. "I will wait here for us
to leave."
"Sit in a chair, Raul. This is not court. Relax," Orin said as
he walked up the stairs.
When Valencia looked over her shoulder at Raul, he was
looking at the remote, and when it turned on the TV, he
stared at the images with curiosity.
"Let me guess. He has never left where you are from?"
Valencia said as they ascended the stairs.
"No, he is new to this world."
"I thought you are from Greenland. I am sure they have
television there, right?"
She was still confused as to what exactly was going on.
She figured alone with Orin in the bedroom she might be able
to get some answers. While he sat on the bed and shrugged
the robe from his shoulders, Valencia went to the bathroom
for his first aid kit and bowl. Soon she was doing for him the
exact same thing he did for her on that first night they met.
"Exactly what is going on, Orin?" She washed his wound
with a cloth and winced at the jagged wound the arrow-like
spear had left. "You're from Greenland, but yet Raul is down
there acting like he has never seen a TV. Plus now it's like
oooh Orin took a mate. What's up with that and calling me
mistress?" She stopped and looked at him in horror. "Wait,
are you married? Am I going to have to become your favorite
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second wife or go through some trial of see if I am worthy of
you or something? Because, honey, it ain't happening!"
He grabbed her hand and pulled her from behind him to sit
on his lap. "Stop it now and listen, please."
Valencia nodded and looked up to the beautiful face she
loved. She was half scared to hear what he had to say. His
big hands caressed her face, and he stared at her with so
much love in her eyes she almost would become his mistress
if he asked her right now. But in her heart, she knew she
could not share him. She couldn't live like that no matter how
much she loved him.
"I am not married," he said.
"Oh thank God!"
He gave her a look that said be quiet and listen, so
Valencia did just that.
"We do live in Greenland, but a veil protects our homeland
from human eyes. To everyone else it looks like mountains of
green, but behind the glamour our magic creates, there is a
city that is never seen," Orin explained. "There is where we
dwell, no technology or cell phones which is the reason why
Raul is such an innocent to the gadgets."
"But you know all about that stuff. You are a whiz at the
computer," Valencia pointed out.
"Because I have been here for over fifty years. I learned as
humans did. When you evolved, so did I."
"Exactly how old are you?"
"Three hundred on New Year's day," Orin replied.
"Holy shit, you look good for three hundred," she teased.
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"We can be immortal it we want, but sometimes we grow
tired and chose to move on to the next plane of life."
"Ok, I can understand all that. I can even deal, but what
about this mistress thing?" Valencia asked doubtfully.
"He called you that in honor," Orin said. "I am the next in
line to rule the Paladin court. My father was the first who ever
served the Norse gods. He was given immortality, the
sovereignty of his people. When my father decides to join our
forefathers in the great hall, I shall then be ruler. You are my
mate which in essence makes you the princess."
Valencia's eyes grew wide with amazement. "Holy crap!"
"So now you know the truth, do you hate me?" Orin asked.
How could I hate you?" Valencia laughed and kissed him.
"You have saved my life and told me I am a princess." But
she soon turned serious. "I don't feel worthy of you, Orin.
Your family and your heritage is truly amazing. I have nothing
like that to offer you. I just have my love."
"That is all I want, Valencia. To me that is a priceless
treasure, and I shall honor it as such."
"Well I guess we better get you cleaned up if we are going
through the veil." Valencia laughed nervously.
He kissed her gently. "Don't be afraid, my love."
She nodded and went back to cleaning up his shoulder. His
word didn't relieve the trepidation in her heart. He was
royalty, and she was basically a nobody. What would his
people think of a girl from the Bronx?
* * * *
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Chapter Seven
She dressed carefully is a soft white cashmere sweater
with bell sleeves and tailored black jeans that cupped her
ankles, and then low cut boots. She technically didn't know
how to dress to meet dragon royalty, but the look of approval
on Orin's face made her feel better. He was wearing a black
robe, and his brother wore a red one. They would shift
outside, and as Orin said, he did not want his brother's
manhood exposed to her eyes. She was exhausted, literally
walking asleep when they headed out the door.
"We have to pierce the veil as a dragon. You must be
asleep when you go through. If not, it will be painful for your
human form," Orin explained.
Valencia nodded actually happy to be able to sleep through
part of this journey. And he held her tight. He whispered
words in her ears that she did not understand, and after that
she heard nothing more. Instead her dreams swirled with
mist, and dragons flew in the sky while humans walked on
the streets. She did not know how long she slept, but she
heard Orin whisper in her ears again. She was instantly
awake.
Valencia sat up with a gasp and looked around. They were
no longer in Seattle, and the big bed was not the canopy she
had come to love. This bed hung from the ceiling by chains
that were so thick they could be the width of her body. The
covers she lay on were no longer sheets or comforters but
thick exquisite furs. Torches hung from huge metal holders
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that held them firm to stone walls. The walls themselves
looked like they were threaded with gold and shimmered with
the light. Not saying a word, Valencia scrambled off the bed
and ran to the big windows. She laid her hand against the
think glass and looked out at the picturesque scene before
her.
It reminded her painted fairytale books. Towers were
carved out of the side of mountains, and they circled a
courtyard where people walked. She looked up, and in the
sky dragons flew freely, even little ones which had to be
children in dragon form. The courtyard drew her attention
once more. On each side, rows of dragon statues stood like
soldiers. Flowering vines grew on stones, and more than one
fountain had water that bubbled out. It was breathtaking.
Valencia turned back to Orin with her hand over her mouth.
"Do you like what you see?" Orin sat back casually on the
bed.
"It is amazing!" She bounced excitedly. "How long have I
been asleep? Can we go outside?"
"You have been asleep for a few hours, and yes we can go
outside. It's time anyway." Orin moved smoothly off the bed
and stood.
Looking at him made her mouth water. He was wearing
dark slacks and an un-tucked shirt with only a few buttons
fastened.
"Aren't you supposed to be better dressed to see your
dad?" Valencia asked.
"He knows how informal I can be." Orin held out his hand
to her. "Ready?"
A Dragon's Promise
by Dahlia Rose
66
Valencia took his hand, and he opened the wooden door
before leading her out of the room. She soon realized that the
towers were all separate living quarters for the dragons that
lived there. The stone steps echoed beneath the heels of her
boots as they descended and stepped out into the evening.
Everyone stopped when they crossed the courtyard. They
bowed to Orin, and she saw firsthand the amount of love his
people had for him.
The path they were taking led them to two massive doors
at one huge stone structure. Her view out the window did not
show her this part of the courtyard. Valencia felt her
apprehension rise again when two huge men opened the
doors, and they stepped inside. This room was cut deep into
the mountainside. The hall was huge and opened up into an
even bigger room. At the far end, there sat who she
suspected to was Orin's father. He looked up when he heard
them enter, and so did the other men who stood with him.
They were all tall, muscular, and handsome. Even his father,
who had streaks of gray in his dark hair, was attractive in his
own right. She counted eleven including Raul who winked at
her, and she knew Orin made up the twelve. Valencia felt Orin
squeeze her hand, and she smiled knowing he was telling her
he was by her side.
"Orin, you look well," his father said.
"Thank you. You look rested and happy father." Orin
smiled. "May I present Valencia, the one I have chosen to be
my mate? My love, this is my father, Dammir leader of the
Paladin Court."
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"Come forward, girl. Let me see you more clearly," his
father ordered. His voice boomed across the hall.
"Stop trying to scare her, father," Orin ordered with a
smile. The rest of the men who stood around snickered, and
she heard someone try to hide their laughter with a cough.
Valencia stepped forward and stood before Dammir. She
held her head up proudly.
"Can you cook?" Dammir asked.
"Are you kidding me? Of course I can cook, but that does
not define me," Valencia replied. "I am intelligent as well."
One of the other brothers spoke up. "Mother could not
cook, Dammir."
Dammir ignored him. "Are you a good lover for my son?"
"I don't think he has any complaints, do you baby?"
Valencia looked back at him and blew him a kiss.
Dammir laughed. "She is saucy. I like her, Orin. Like me
you have fine taste. I give my blessing for this union."
"I am so glad you approve," Orin said dryly. "Why was I
summoned, father?"
"The rise of un-naturals has been high of late, wreaking
havoc in the cities and calling attention where there should be
none. More often or not, they have been attacks against our
kind, and we now know there is a siege to disrupt what has
been kept sacred for so long. They want chaos to reign and
humans to become slaves. They want us dead." Dammir
slammed his hand against the wooden arm of his chair, and
the noise resounded throughout the room. "We shall not let
this happen. The peace we have created for thousands of
years will not be put asunder. I have decided we need to
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make more of a presence in the cities. Therefore, I am
sending Ramel, Ciric, and Raul back with you."
"I understand." Orin bowed. "We will fight with honor and
keep the threat at bay."
"Your battle with the Fen-Lung was victorious. That is one
head of the beast gone. They were integral with the siege at
hand."
Valencia saw Orin's father's chest swell with pride at his
son's victory. In fact looking around the room, she saw all his
brothers nod their heads in approval. They loved him and
respected him, and even though he was not yet the leader,
they already saw him as such.
"Now we fly, to show our people we are always united
whether we sit together at court or are separated to protect
man," Dammir announced and he stood.
He began to take off his shirt, and the rest of his sons
followed suit including Orin who gave her a wink. "Oh, oh
hell." Valencia gasped and covered her eyes but couldn't help
but peek out between her fingers. Each man in the room
began to shed their clothes with no inhibition, and she caught
sight of muscled, toned thighs and chiseled chests. The mist
swirled and twined between them. She understood now why
the room was so big, because as bodies turned from skin to
scales, their size grew. They were all magnificent, in colors of
bronze and dark hues of the earth. Blues that could rival the
blue waters of any ocean or the sky. Silvers and grays to
catch the wind, and red and gold to signify the fire that
burned within them all.
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The doors opened when Dammir who was colored just like
Orin gave a roar, and the rest echoed. They flew out one after
the other and took to the skies over their sanctuary and
home. Valencia ran out behind them and stood on the stone
steps watching like everyone else. They circled and called to
each other in the sky. Valencia felt tears threaten to spill
while she watched them. She was a part of this, the magic,
the beauty of it all. These were her people now as much as
Orin's. In him she had found love and a place to belong.
* * * *
A few nights later, she sat on the bed and traced her hand
down the thin line scar on his back. It was the only lasting
reminder of his ambush by Tokashi and his men. While they
were at the Paladin Court, the magic there had done wonders
for the injury. Valencia had also been accepted by his
brothers, their wives, and his people as a part of their world.
"You are right. You do heal quickly," she commented,
folding the bandage and placing it on the bedside table. She
caressed his back and teased, "You have a small war wound."
Orin lay back against the pillows. "I'm an injured man,
Valencia. How can say such a thing? I was severely
disfigured."
"Yeah, sure. You just like me taking care of you," Valencia
retorted.
"And why should I not? You are a very good nurse." He
winked at her. "Very thorough in your abilities to tend to me
in such a pleasing way."
"Are we still talking about your recuperation?"
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"I suppose I'm making small talk," Orin said mildly.
She straddled his body leaning over to kiss his lips, and
her braids made a canopy around them. "Then let's not talk."
He reached up and cupped his hand around her neck so
their kiss could be initiated again. Soft kisses grew
demanding with growing passion. Valencia's fingers nimbly
played with the nipples on his chest, scraping the sensitive
buds lightly, and he shuddered beneath her. His hands slid up
her thighs to her waist and then farther to cup her breasts
over the material of her bra. She arched pressing herself
more firmly into his strong fingers, moaning softly against his
lips.
Valencia stood and quickly shed her panties and her bra
before helping him remove his shorts, leaving them both
gloriously naked. Orin's eyes traveled along her body, and
she felt excited and exposed under his stare. He held out his
hand to her, and she gracefully knelt beside him. His lips took
her nipple, and she trembled as pleasure made her wet. His
hungry mouth was soon filled with the smooth globe.
"Touch me, Orin," she whispered. She climbed across him
and straddled his lower body. She felt his cock against her
before she rose up on her knees above him. She watched as
his hand slid down between the valley of her breasts to the
flat plane of her stomach to settle between her thighs.
His first touch caused her to jerk against his hand. She
was already dripping wet. She met his gaze as he slowly
rubbed her clit, and then with a little more pressure, he
rubbed the delicate nub. Her lips felt swollen from his hard
kisses, and she moaned in pleasure at his touch. She could
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71
see the raw desire on his face and knew it pleased him to
watch her as he manipulated her body. He slipped his finger
inside her, and Valencia leaned down to brace herself on her
hands while she rode his finger like she would his cock.
"Yes, baby, let it come," he whispered in her ear. He
slipped another finger inside her, and Valencia arched with
pleasure.
"Oh, God," she moaned.
She felt it building inside her, as if she was reaching for
something she craved. He plunged two fingers inside her and
pressed his thumb against her sensitive clit. She rode his
finger, and he shuddered against her as if her excitement was
rolling though him. Then she came apart in rapture, her body
shaking as she fell over that sensual cliff. Orin stroked her
braids as she lay against his chest, her body still having little
shivers from delicious aftershocks of her release. She looked
at him then and held his gaze as she slipped his manhood
into her wet waiting body.
A groan escaped his lips, and she echoed it when she felt
his thick cock bury to the hilt inside her. His shaft was hard as
steel, and her muscles contracted around him, holding him in
and taking him deeper. He clenched his teeth and dug his
finger into the thick blankets as she rode him. With every
movement of her hips, she wanted to let the storm of passion
take her away, but she tried to maintain control.
"Ride your dragon, Valencia," he growled out to her. He
grabbed her hips and pulled her down onto his cock to show
her exactly what he wanted. His words made her wanton, and
she bit her lip to keep from crying out. "I know how you like
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it, baby," he panted. "I am your mate. Let go and do my
bidding. Ride me hard."
She moaned low in her throat, letting go of the last thin
thread of control. She let lust and carnal need take over and
gave up her restraint. She ground her hips taking him even
deeper. The intensity grew, and she rode him. Her fingers
were like claws pressed against his chest, while his hands
gripped her hips lifting her and pulling her down on him
harder.
Her head thrown back in ecstasy, she whispered, "I'm
going to come, Orin. Please don't stop!"
"Yes, baby, let it come," he said through gritted teeth.
Once again she exploded like a new star being born in the
sky in a burst of fire. Orin followed and spilled his seed inside
with a loud roar. She could hear the loud thud of his heart
while she lay against his chest completely weakened from her
thrilling flight that needed no wings. Soon she rose up to look
at Orin. His eyes were closed, and there was a small smile on
his face.
"Why are you smiling?" she asked. "Did I please my
dragon?"
"You should not even need to ask that. You please me just
by looking at me with love in your eyes. I need to fly and roar
at my great luck and finding the woman I love," Orin
announced.
"Are you sure you are ready?" Valencia asked. After the
last time when she saw him fall from the sky, she felt
apprehension at him taking flight again. Even though she
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73
knew there was no more Tokashi or anyone to hurt them, she
could not help her fear of seeing take off into the night.
"It's more than time," he answered gently. "I know you
worry, my love, but I will be fine."
She kissed him gently knowing full well she could never
restrain the dragon that shared this form. She loved him in
both forms, and to keep him from being himself would
destroy something pure in him.
"Fly well, my love, and come home to me," she whispered
against his lips.
"I always will, Valencia. That is my promise, and a
dragon's promise is his oath," he replied.
They shared more tender kisses until he donned his
familiar blue robe and headed downstairs barefoot and walked
out to the grass. She watched as her man changed from
human to dragon. It was a mystical cycle that always left her
breathless at his beauty. As he rose to the sky, he looked
back at her, and she saw him wink. Valencia giggled, and love
filled her heart while she watched her dragon soar across the
horizon, knowing that he would return home soon.
* * * *
The End
* * * *
A Dragon's Promise
by Dahlia Rose
74
About the Author
Dahlia Rose is the best-selling author of contemporary and
paranormal romance with a hint of Caribbean spice. She was
born and raised on a Caribbean island and now currently lives
in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her five kids, who she
affectionately nicknamed "The Children of the Corn," and her
biggest supporter and longtime love. She has a love of
erotica, dark fantasy, sci-fi, and the things that go bump in
the night. Books and writing are her biggest passions, and
she hopes to open your imagination to the unknown between
the pages of her books.
* * * *
A Dragon's Promise
by Dahlia Rose
75
Sugar and Spice Press
Where romance is everything nice.
www.SugarNSpicePress.com
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