The Wyvern King's Mate Read online

  She felt his nod and then he was settling himself down next to her, his big, solid form warm and comforting against hers. A sigh escaped her as he pulled her into his arms. She felt safe with him, secure and… loved? She locked the thought away, letting the blessed warmth and the nearness of his wyvern lull her into sleep.

  “Always,” he murmured, just on the edge of hearing as her limbs relaxed and her breathing deepened. “Whatever you need, my love. I’ll be here for you.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered back, secure in the grip of almost sleep. “And thank you for the roses. I love rock roses.”

  And with that, she drifted into sleep.

  Zahra had fallen asleep in his arms last night. More than just fallen asleep there by accident, she’d wanted him to stay. Wanted the safety and security of his arms around her. And, well, who was he to argue with his beautiful little mate on such matters?

  It sure as fuck beat sleeping outside as he had been, curled around the entrance to his lair in his scaled form… both to protect her in case his enemies had something else up their sleeves, but also to avoid temptation until she was ready to invite him to join her in her bed. He’d never forced a woman in his life. He wasn’t about to start with his mate.

  So the feel of her in his arms all night, and the trust it implied, had him on cloud nine the next morning. There was a definite softening of her attitude toward him. Even this morning, when she’d almost-woken as he disentangled himself gently from her arms, she hadn’t pushed him away. Still half-asleep, she’d simply pouted, a soft sound of disappointment in the back of her throat before she’d turned over and gone back to sleep. He’d stayed for a while, watching her sleep, before leaving.

  All day he’d been as hard as a fucking rock at the memory of her soft body against his and the delicate fragrance of her sleep-warmed skin wrapped around him. She was a siren, a temptress in human form, sent to enslave him to her will.

  Far from running a mile, as he’d always said he would, not willing to be yoked to any woman’s will and desires, he couldn’t wait to make her totally his… and become hers. Instead of running, he was on cloud nine as he winged his way back from checking that the villages on the foothills were indeed being moved on by the council’s people, as they’d promised. They had been, mostly, just one or two stragglers, one going the wrong way, that he’d left Arnor to check out.

  Any dissent appeared to have died down since the challenge last night, the wyverns he passed offering him a nod or a cheery wing-dip in greeting. With the sun brightly overhead and the chill winds from the north replaced by warmer ones from the south, even the inhospitable mountain range they called home seemed pleasant and welcoming.

  Things were, indeed, looking up. But never more than when he banked to wheel over his lair and spotted a delicate feminine figure dipping her toes into the clear mountain pool just behind and below the cave entrance. Shielded from even the day’s mild breeze, the little valley usually warmed quickly, but the water, fed from higher up, never did. Even for him, bigger built than she was, it was enough to numb his human body through to the bone. Usually he shifted, warming his scales from within to heat the water, and then switched back to swim as a human.

  Near silently, he glided down to hide himself behind an outcrop of rock as he waited to see if she’d do the same. It wasn’t about seeing her naked human form. Although, he had to admit, the man part of him really wanted to see that, preferably spread warm and willing over his bed… but the main curiosity driving him was finally seeing his little mate’s elusive dragon.

  She’d be delicate as well, he decided. Finely boned but sleek in the way dragons were, compared to wyverns at least. A lovely long neck, slender body and tail topped with powerful wings to keep up… he paused the thought right there as he remembered her accident. Gossip said she couldn’t fly. Had the accident left scarring… was that why she’d never shifted in front of him? Because she was self-conscious? He wanted to hold her tightly and never let her go at the thought. Scars or not, ability to fly or not, she would always be perfect to him.

  She was his mate. How could she be anything else?

  He hunkered down, looking through the gap between a couple of rocks when she looked up suddenly. He worried that his cover was blown before he’d gotten a chance to see her other form. Hand shielding her eyes, she stood upright for long moments, scanning the rocks near where he was hidden.

  Roc lay flat, hugging the rock like some kind of moronic lizard, even holding his breath in case that would help her not see him. Shit, where was his tail? Could she see it? He daren’t move a muscle to check or switch his tail down into cover in case she either saw the movement or it moved some rocks and made a sound. Sweat rolled down his spine scales as he begged the gods he didn’t believe in to keep him hidden. He wanted to see her other form that much.

  Finally, she dropped her hand and turned back around to the water. He sagged against the stone in relief for a moment and then picked his head up again as she shed the light fur she’d had wrapped around her and waded into the water.

  For a moment his attention was caught by the sheer perfection of her naked human form, with its tightly packed curves and creamy, delicate skin highlighted by the fall of flame-like hair. But the man’s interest gave way to the wyvern’s as the water hit her knees. This was it, she was going to shift…

  But she didn’t, a small yelp reaching his ears as she plunged into the icy water. He sat up in surprise, his eyes widening. What was the daft female up to now? She’d damn well freeze to death in that water without her scales. Not caring about dislodging rocks now, he surged out of his hiding place and scuttled down the small cliff face.

  Change, you silly female! he ordered when she turned with a squeak, dipping into water that had to be turning her skin blue already. Or is this another attempt at trying to bloody well kill yourself?

  Chapter 7

  Zahra jumped as stones and small boulders skittered from the cliffs around the pool, sending more of the freezing water splashing over her. It was so cold that already she couldn’t feel her feet and her teeth were chattering. Turning, she found herself face to face with Roc in his wyvern form. Squeaking, she dipped further into the water, hiding her naked body from view.

  “G-g-go away!” she hissed, waving him off. “I’m not trying to kill anyone. And it’s bloody cold enough in here without you making me take longer.”

  He tilted his head to the side, the long tendrils of the spiked and scaled ruff at the back of his head dipping into the water and causing ripples. Why don’t you change and heat the water? You’ll freeze otherwise.

  She looked away, unable to hold his gaze. But she was so cold, it dragged the truth right out of her. Before she could stop it, the words were off her tongue and past her lips.

  “I can’t, okay? My dragon… I can’t feel her anymore. She’s asleep… nearly gone. I don’t know if she’ll ever wake up again!” she yelled, louder than she meant to, and the words rebounded from the rock walls around them. To her horror, tears welled, running down her cheeks in twin rivers. Turning in a swirl of frigid water, she wiped furiously at her cheeks, expecting a smart comment from him at any moment. But instead of speaking, the water moved and a second later a large, scaly form slid through the water around her.

  “W-what are you doing?” she asked, moving to cover herself up.

  If wyverns were anything like dragons, he’d be able to see as well under the water as above it. But he didn’t look at her, settling himself against the rock walls around the edges of the pool, his wings folded along his serpentine back and his wedge-shaped head resting on the small “beach” she’d entered the water from, facing up the path. Then she saw it, the glow of his fire between the scales of his chest and throat, the scales lifting to allow the water in and the heat out, and fresh tears welled. He was warming the water up for her.

  Have your bath, his deep rumble sounded in her mind. Take as long as you need. I’m quite comfortable.

 
; She had been going to argue, to say that she couldn’t impose on him so much, but then he started to wave his scales from head to toe, washing the warm water toward her and she groaned in pleasure. Dropping beneath the rapidly heating water, she reveled in the feeling of warmth as it penetrated through her frozen body right down to her bones.

  She washed quickly. Then, when she was sure Roc would keep to his word and not turn around, she turned on her back to float in the water. Finally, she lifted her head to study the big scaled form of her kidnapper… no, she couldn’t really call him that now. He was a good man, if a little misguided, as most of the wyverns seemed to be. That probably came from the rest of Altorian society banishing them all the way up here and hoping they’d either die out or kill each other off.

  His scales were still raised, his fire keeping the water warm for her, but there was a smooth patch behind his ruff, just below the tendrils half-floating in the water. Swimming over, she tentatively reached out and put her hand flat on his neck. He gave the slightest start and made a sleepy, content noise.

  Do you want to get out? Even his mental voice was lower, as though just coming out of sleep, and it did dangerous things low down in her body, need and arousal making her tingle.

  “No, not yet. I wanted to…” Screw it, in for a penny, in for a pound. “I wanted to touch you. I’ve never really seen a wyvern before. Your scales are bigger than ours, and harder.”

  You can touch me anywhere you like, beautiful. His voice was still deep, but rapidly more aware and focused as he replied. He didn’t move, but she felt his awareness, his interest, as she ran her hand over his scales. They shivered as she touched him, an automatic reaction that made her jump and then giggle.

  “Ours don’t do that either,” she said with a gasp.

  Not all of ours do, he revealed. Just the more… primitive of us. They do it as a warning to others… and for pleasure.

  “Pleasure?” She couldn’t help asking, stroking one hand, then both over his scales. They were warm to the touch and not as rough here as she’d expected.

  I like you touching me.

  “Yeah? You mean your beast likes it…” She had to check, just to make sure, the question out before she could stop it. Then she realized she didn’t want to. She wanted to know more about wyverns… about him.

  No…

  His voice in her head was still low and intimate with the edge of a growl she was rapidly coming to realize meant he was aroused. That fact fascinated her. All her life she’d been told that his kind, wyverns, were little more than animals… losing their humanity when shifted… but that wasn’t true. Not only was Roc “speaking” to her intelligently… as a man… but he seemed more than capable of differentiating his beast’s needs and desires from his own.

  I like you touching me, in either form. There is no difference to who I am, scaled or otherwise. And your touch… turns me on.

  She paused, her hand resting against his neck. He didn’t move, not so much as a scale, at the admission.

  “Why me?” she asked softly and then cleared her throat to speak again, not sure if he’d heard her. Before she could, though, his soft rumble filled her head.

  Because you are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen… the moment I saw you I wanted you for myself. To protect and treasure for always. The instant your lips softened under mine, I knew you were mine. My mate.

  She leaned against his neck, resting her cheek against his warm scales, and closed her eyes. The need to believe him, to just give in, almost overwhelmed her.

  “My dragon is asleep, Roc. I don’t know if she’ll ever wake up. If we… do this, I can’t promise I’ll be able to stay forever.”

  I’ll take a moment with you over a lifetime with anyone else, he rumbled softly, still not moving. And count myself lucky to have had you for even that, my love.

  She shivered at the heat and sensual promise in his voice, tracing her finger down the edge of a scale. “As long as we have then…”

  His shift magic enveloped her, making the water dance as he went from a couple of hundred feet of scaled muscle to just over six foot of hot, hard man. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close into his body, and she shivered again, realizing that this time, he was naked.

  His fingers lifted her chin, their gazes locking for a second, and in his eyes she read everything she’d ever dreamed of in a mate—heat, desire, need… love. Her lips parted in subconscious invitation and he growled in the back of his throat as he swooped down to claim them.

  She clung to him, hands spread over the broad, hard expanse of his chest as he kissed her. Although kissed was far too tame a word for it. He made love to her with his lips, using his tongue to penetrate her in lazy dips past her teeth to slide along hers in erotic invitation. Teasing her and tempting her to play with him.

  It worked. She couldn’t resist chasing him when he pulled away, the predator in her peeking through a little when he denied her the kiss she expected. Wanted. Needed.

  With a growl, she drove her hands into his long hair, holding him still as she pushed upward in the water. He chuckled in the back of his throat, a sound that became a sexy little growl as he wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her in place. She plundered his lips, nipping at the full curve of the lower one to make him open for her and, when he did, slid her tongue in to tangle with his.

  The kiss went from hot to torrid in a heartbeat. Open-mouthed kisses ramped the heat up between them as his free hand slid over her hip to cup the curve of her ass. Held tightly against him, the thick, hard length of his cock was trapped between their bodies. She whimpered mid-kiss and rubbed against him, needing more. Needing to feel all of him.

  He broke the kiss with a growl, nosing her chin up to nip and kiss along the soft skin of her throat. Her feet kicked gently in the water above the stone floor of the pool, her weight easily supported by his strong arms as he walked her backward. Her back hit smooth, sun-warmed stone and she was pinned, at his mercy as he explored her curves. The cooling water was forgotten as heat of a more carnal nature raged between them.

  Soft moans escaped her lips as big, callused palms swept up her soft skin, pausing in the cello curve of her waist for a moment before he cupped the generous mounds of her breasts. His lips covered hers, her soft cry as his thumb swept over her nipple swallowed by their kiss. He teased the peak of her breast to a tight bud before breaking the kiss and dropping his head to lave it with his tongue.

  Her eyes fluttered closed, her head falling back to rest against the rock as he feasted on her. He gave her no quarter. Licking and kissing, he nibbled and teased until her back arched and she offered more of herself to him with a soft cry.

  He took her into his mouth, wet heat engulfing her, and then he sucked, pulling on her nipple. Heat hit her, arrowing down from the nipple captured by his lips right down to her clit. Soft cries of pleasure were echoed by the gentle slap of water against their heated bodies. He was relentless, holding her still as he paid attention to both her breasts in equal measure, until her hands were in his hair and her hips moved restlessly against him.

  Only then did he take pity on her. His hand stroked down her body, sliding between her legs. Thighs parting automatically for him, her breath caught as his fingers slid between her pussy lips to graze her clit. The little bud was already swollen and aching with need.

  Shhh, I got you, he rumbled in her mind as he surged back upward, abandoning her breasts to claim her lips as he stroked her. There was no tenderness in his movements now. He touched her deliberately, ruthlessly, driving her arousal higher and higher until she was panting and gasping… clinging to his shoulders.

  “That’s it,” he murmured in her ear in his deep gravel. “Come for me. I want to see your pleasure, what you look like as you come around my fingers.”

  “Huh?” There was just enough of her brain functioning for her to frown and look at him. “But you’re not—”

  His grin was wicked as he arched his eyebrow and slid h
is finger deep inside her pussy. The ride was wet, his penetration easy, and she gasped. The sound was echoed by a deep groan. His eyes closed, fist clenched on the rock above her head.

  “Fuck me, princess… you’re so tight,” he managed, his voice ragged. “You’ll need to be good and wet to take my cock.”

  Her look was one of challenge. “I figured that was your job…”

  He grinned, pulled his hand back and added another finger. This time it was her turn to groan as he pushed inside of her. “Oh, it sure is.”

  Pumping his hand slowly, deliberately, he worked her. Teased her arousal higher and tighter. Thrusting in, he pressed deep and hard, alternating between curling his fingers up and back as he pulled out to stroke along her g-spot. He drove her mad with want and need before pressing his thumb against the slick nub of her clit.

  She cried out, her nails digging into his muscled upper arms, but it didn’t stop him. Moving harder and faster, he brought her up to the edge of pleasure, holding her there ruthlessly. He kept her a mindless slave to pleasure as she thrashed her head on her rock pillow and writhed on the thick fingers impaling her… wishing they were his cock.

  “It will be soon,” he promised, obviously picking up on her thought. “Now come for me.”

  And she did, her scream echoing around the rock as she came apart in his arms. Long, hard waves of sensation washed through her body, igniting every cell and attuning it to him.

  Soft whimpers and feminine moans filled the air, all coming from her lips, but she could do nothing to stop them. Didn’t want to stop them. But all too soon he pulled his hand away, sliding his fingers from the embrace of her body with a wet pop.

  Holding her gaze, he licked them, eyes darkening as he growled. That simple act, and the sound of pleasure he made was enough to send the heat in her blood spiraling again and she reached for him, not caring that they were in a rock pool where anyone flying over could see them.