Firebreather 1: Firebreather (9 page)

She made as if to protest, secretly pleased when he shoved his hand under her dress and sought her wet pussy.

“So wet. You just love my cum, don’t you Emmaline?” He thrust a finger deep inside her, making her arch into him. “No, don’t close your eyes. Watch the mirror.”

She moaned and stared at them, at her petite frame being invaded by a much larger, stronger Dracon. The sight stirred her like no other.

Being dominated aroused her, and the one time she and Ferin had played such games, she’d fallen in instant love. Of course, then the king had pawned her off on his brothers and Lucas, like no more than a plaything. And she’d known she had her work cut out for her.

“Pay attention, Emma.”

She hated when he called her that, and the cruel twist to his lips knew it. He thrust another finger into her pussy while his thumb rode her clit.

“Do you love my cum, Emma? Do you like sucking my cock?” His fingers rode her hard, the calluses and thickness of his digits almost as satisfying as his shaft.

“I love your cock,” she whimpered as he held her on the verge of climax.

“Yes, you do. And just so you know, you can’t lead me around by it, baby. I fucked you because I wanted to. Not out of any desperation.” 

He laughed and rubbed her clit harder, almost bruising, and she came.

He watched her with calculation and leaned closer to whisper in her ear. “I watched the king fuck his Draka. And trust me, that woman has no competition when it comes to Ferin. She’s his, Emma. His only.” He withdrew his fingers while she panted with repletion, and wiped his hand on her dress. “Remember, anything happens to Lea or the royal family, and the offender deals with me.” He blew a cold breath in her face, a warning reminder that icebreathers could wreak as much havoc as their firebreathing brethren.

“Oh, Lucas, I was just teasing earlier.” He shook his head and left, not even a good-bye, or heaven forbid, a thank you. She rubbed her thighs together, taking cold comfort that she’d at least managed to rile the large Dracon, and started to make new plans.

Obviously Lucas was taken with the human bitch, and that most likely meant Ferin was as well. No matter. Once she was gone, Emmaline would regain favor with Ferin and his brothers. It would require some careful maneuvering, but she had the right connections to resume her rightful place. And ridding the clan of an interfering human would be an enticing bonus. Of that she had no doubt.

* * *

In three days spent at the castle, Lea had never before seen so many dragons up close and in one place. High above the castle they flew, bursts of green, red and gold soaring through the air. And on the ground many Dracon remained in dragon form, no doubt basking in the safety of this place, where dragons and Dracon mingled freely, without fear of capture.

Though several laws remained in place about the illegality of dragon poaching, too many humans cared little for the law, only for the incredible money to be made selling dragon bone and hide. Watching the dragons dance through the air, Lea couldn’t believe anyone would want to destroy such magnificence.

“They’re showing off for you.” Ferin took her hand and led her into the main hall, where many of his people gathered daily to eat and spend time with one another. The fare had a delicate, though sharp, bite, dishes of meat laced with tangy spices and a lot of green vegetables.

Surprisingly, she also noted the mounds of fruit on nearby tables.

“Ferin, I didn’t realize the Dracon liked fruit so much.” He blinked at her in surprise, then looked away, as if uncomfortable.

“Ferin?”

“It’s another clan secret, Lea. Another one you’re worming out of me as I show you the castle and the Dracon within. Dare I trust you with it?” he asked jokingly, but the hard stare behind his words made her think twice before answering.

In the time she’d been here, she’d been wined and dined, and loved nearly to death. Aside from Ferin’s constant loving, Matthias had again taken her by complete surprise again yesterday, not to mention the forays with Adrian last night. Lucas remained to be seen, but Ferin had told her he was busy with security issues. Yet for all that the five of them hadn’t repeated their earlier coming together, Lea didn’t mind.

She’d loved every minute with the Dracon and their free sexuality. But her alone times with Ferin meant more to her than anything.

Despite their short span together, Lea couldn’t help feeling so close to Ferin. He constantly watched her, paid her every courtesy, and treated her like a true treasure. And she loved seeing him around his kind. The hard man she’d grown accustomed to in town gave way to a more relaxed, tolerant man. And he was a man, of that she was sure.

Despite his ability to change into a dragon, Ferin had the foibles and needs that she and everyone she knew shared.

The time she spent with him seemed to be eroding his mental safeguards. When he looked at her, she felt overwhelming need and affection, mixed with a sorrowful loneliness, which made no sense.

Here he was, richer than Midas, surrounded by friends and family who loved him. And she’d seen plenty of instances in the past few days to verify that love. She sniffed. To her disdain, Emmaline had intruded on them
again
today, all smiles as she batted her thick, sooty eyelashes.

Ferin, to his credit, had been friendly, but not overly so, and introduced the witch to Lea.

Shocked to find the vampy Emmaline daughter to Shino, Lea had done her best to be pleasant, inwardly wanting to punch the woman’s lights out. Too bad the Dracon had superior strength and endurance when compared with humans… Which made Lea’s marathon sexual acrobatics all the more puzzling.

“Lea?” Ferin frowned at her, and she realized he’d been waiting for an answer to his question. “I can trust you, can’t I?” She wanted to say, “Of course you can,” but from a Venlay, “of course” might not be enough. Lea took a deep breath, searching inside herself for the right words.

“Ferin, though I wasn’t exactly keen on leaving my house, and my
ruined
study,” she reminded him, still determined to find out who had destroyed her chair. “And although you kidnapped me and stole not only my clothes, but my research material, I’m not mad at you…anymore.” She grinned at his pique, thinking how boyishly cute he looked when annoyed, as compared to devastatingly handsome when in a charming mood.

“Glad to know.”

“I can’t tell you how much these past days have meant to me. Not as a researcher, but for me, personally. I’ve dreamt of dragons for so long, it’s as if they’ve always been a part of me.” His stare sharpened, and she hoped he believed her. She’d never been more honest in her life. “I’ve never agreed with my family, or should I say, my brothers and my father’s side of the family. My mother and sister just love you,”  she muttered, still not pleased with Cora’s “Ferin infatuation.”

“Oh?” He lit up, and she scowled.
“Oh.”

“I was saying how much these past few days have meant to me,” she gritted, not amused at the mirth glowing in his eyes. “You’ve shown me a world of magic, of dragons and the Dracon, and such incredible, almost unreal loving.”

She blushed, not sure she should have described it as “loving” considering they’d had raw sex. Yet at times Ferin had felt so tender, so caring, and in her eyes, they’d made love every time. As carnal, as erotic and wild as it had been, their interactions had been full of emotion, at least on her end.

“Yes, loving,” he murmured, as if reading her mind.

“So bottom line,” she said quickly, aware she’d probably said too much. “Is that yes, you can trust me. I could never write about what I’ve learned here, about the royal line or anything potentially damaging to the Dracon.” She swallowed around a tight throat. “If anything ever happened to harm the Dracon because of something I said or wrote, I don’t think I could handle it.”

Ferin took her face in his hands, his look so intense she couldn’t breathe. “Lea, you, I….” He stared hard, then blinked and exhaled heavily. “We’re addicted to sweets. Apples in particular are a weakness. And they’ve been used in the past to lure many a dragon from his treasure, especially if they’re drizzled in honey.” Lea stared into his eyes, conscious he hadn’t finished what he’d started to say. She could feel his hesitation, could sense he wanted to tell her something, but didn’t know how. But she felt it wrong to intrude, so remained mute, hoping he would trust her as she now trusted him.

“Lea, there’s something I should have told you.” He paused, looking around him, and seeing the nearly empty room continued.

“There are lines drawn to protect the Dracon, boundaries we don’t cross. But with you, nothing seems off-limits. I’ve wanted to tell you for a while, but things kept interfering. The time has come, however, for you to know. You see, I’m—”

“Lea, how nice to see you again.” Shino approached with a smile, then stopped. “Oh, my lor—Ferin, I’m sorry. Am I interrupting?” Ferin sighed. “No, Shino. Please, stay. I’ve got to meet with Lucas about a security matter anyway and I’m already late. Would you mind keeping Lea company for a while?”

Shino nodded, his eyes sparkling. “It would be my pleasure. Please, Ferin, don’t let me keep you.”

Lea waved goodbye to her lover, wishing Shino hadn’t spotted them. What had Ferin been about to say?

“So what do you think of the compound thus far in your stay here?” Shino asked pleasantly.

“It’s incredible. Like a well-oiled machine, a corporation of family and friends rather than business associates.” Lea puzzled over the matter. “Yet they all live here, with Ferin. I’d heard about Ferin’s stature among the business community, but never could have imagined how he lived.”

Shino chuckled. “Yes. The Dracon have changed much over the years, but our sense of community, of oneness, hasn’t dimmed.” She caught the speculative look he gave her and asked a bold question. “So does it bother you then that I’m here? A human with such an important man like Ferin?”

“Not at all.” He smiled, his grin sincere, yet Lea sensed something else in his eyes. A not altogether welcoming feeling. “Many years ago I might have felt differently. I’m sorry to say, I didn’t get along well with your father.”

“You knew my dad?”

“We ran into each other now and then. A stubborn man, your father.”

She shook her head and smiled. “‘Stubborn.’ You’re being nice.” Her father had hated the Dracon, and she could only imagine he’d been less than pleasant in his encounters with Shino. At least her brothers tempered their dislike with a sense of fairness. Though they stepped outside their bounds and involved themselves in Dracon law, they’d never actually condemned an innocent Dracon…that she knew of.

Frowning, she tried to change the subject.

“I think I met your daughter yesterday.” A she-devil with eyes on Ferin. “A very beautiful woman.”

Shino smiled. “Emmaline works in logistics for Dekker Enterprises.

Looks just like her mother did at that age. Ah, my Rowena was a veritable beauty with brains to match. I was heartbroken when she passed, but I still see her in Emmaline every day.” Why the hell had she brought up his daughter? Jealousy seethed through her. “That’s nice, being able to work with your family. I’ve worked for Venlay House for the last few years. I like knowing my mom is so near.”

“Yes. Though my family and the Dekkers aren’t related by blood, we’ve been friends for generations.” He paused, regret shining in his dark eyes. “It was a shame what happened all those years ago. Meredith Venlay was reportedly a wonderful woman who loved the king very much.”

She stared surprised. “Oh? What do you know about that?”

“What everyone knows, I suppose. It’s part of our history. It’s rumored that in the king’s chambers a portrait of Meredith still hangs to this day. You should have Ferin show you.”

“Ferin? He has access to the king’s chambers?”

“Of course he does.” Shino looked confused, then uncomfortable.

He coughed. “Well, he is an important man around here. But talk of our king isn’t exactly public, especially not with outsiders—no offense, Lea. We consider our monarchy sacred, a topic of conversation only to those with Dracon blood. Honestly though, the power wielded among our clan is an internal thing, nothing to concern humanity in the slightest.”

“Less political and more ceremonial?” she offered, knowing the truth—that the Dracon couldn’t exist without the royal line intact.

“Exactly.” Shino seemed relieved. “But I’ve monopolized this discussion with dour topics. What say I show you a special place I’m sure Ferin’s avoided?”

She stood with him and moved to a large door leading to the outside. “Why would he avoid it, whatever ‘it’ is?”

“Because no man can resist showering a beautiful woman with jewels.” Shino’s eyes twinkled. “Come, and let’s view what we like to call The Hoard.”

Ten very cold minutes later, they entered a warm, overlarge stone chamber set apart from the main keep. Several worktables lined the area, and each was covered in gemstone. Rubies, emeralds and sapphires gleamed under halogen lights recessed in the ceiling, while a raging fire blazed in the hearth at the far end of the room. Two men sat working, both inordinately tall yet slender for their species, each possessing large, graceful hands.

“Amazing,” Lea breathed, causing the men to smile as they worked on the stones with nimble fingers.

“We procure our stones from several Dracon mines, particularly those in South Africa, Australia and Burma,” the one closest to her said. “But we’ve also begun digging deeper into our mines here in North Carolina.”

He held out a ruby he’d been polishing. “This one in particular came from deposits found in Franklin, North Carolina. The stone is actually called corundum.”

“Corundum?”

He nodded. “Sapphires and rubies are both varieties of corundum, and all the colors of corundum are called Sapphire but one—the red corundum we call rubies.” He handed the stone to her.

Surprisingly, it heated in her palm, and she felt a burst of fire spread though her body. She handed the gem back quickly and murmured her thanks, bemused at the quiet satisfaction in the jeweler’s eyes.