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NOTHING HAD EVER felt so exhilarating, arousing, or powerful than taking Cray that way. Taking him to such pleasurable heights that he lost himself. That he gave up control and trusted her completely. And while she had loved every minute of having his dick in her mouth, she was eager to give him back control.
To let him have his way.
Something he did without hesitation as he drove her back beneath the waterfall to the other side. When her back came against a rocky wall, he ordered her to wrap her legs around him. Desperate, willing to give him anything he asked for, she did as told. Just in time too, because he thrust deep a second later, driving the breath from her lungs as he tended to do.
As soon as she caught her breath, she groaned in pleasure at his deep intrusion, eager for more, wanting everything he had to give. Which turned out to be a ride that made her skin so sizzling hot she swore steam came off it when met with the waterfall’s cold spray. A temperature that should have had her freezing but felt wonderful. Relieving.
He moved fast then slow, working his hips, touching places that made her whimper in pleasure. On and on, over and over, he pounded into her, taking her to heights so high she sobbed his name, begging for release. Begging to let go. But he kept her at bay, forcing her to feel the sweet agonizing burn of hovering on the edge of climax.
It was brutal.
Torturous.
And nothing had ever felt so good.
When at last, he murmured in her ear that she could let go she orgasmed so hard she lost all ability to hold on. In turn, he grasped her butt and thrust deep one last time, following swiftly in the wake of what seemed like an unending release. One that made the world go away and left only him. Them. What they had found in each other’s arms.
She knew she had him heart and soul, but still waited for the words. To hear from his mouth that he could spend the rest of his life with one woman.
One dragon.
One mate.
Until then, she would not give him forever. Only this. Her body. The euphoria they found in each other’s arms. While her viewpoint was in part because of how he’d been before she came into his life, it also had to do with coming full circle now.
Accepting the life they had left behind and the one that may lie ahead.
Like him, she lost sense of time as the night wore on, immersed in pleasure, and how they made each other feel. The incredible bliss they found in one another’s arms. Pleasure that sometimes slammed into her and other times ebbed and flowed to a sweet crescendo that left her in tears.
“I remember what it felt like in our last life,” she said softly hours and hours later as they lay entwined on the shore, watching clouds roll past the moon. Though she feared this might be hard to talk about considering their last memory, there was joy to be found in it too. “I remember what it felt like to make love as dragons.” She rested her hand on her belly. “What it felt like when your seed sprung to life inside me.”
“Aye.” He rested his hand over hers. “I remember too. ‘Twas...,” he seemed to search for how to phrase it, “almost better than the feeling of taking you. ‘Tis telling that because the taking of you both then and now is...untouchable.”
She marveled at how much he had changed since she haunted his mind before they met. How much more affectionate and loving he could be versus the brute who was always so upset with her. But then he had suffered beneath the weight of so much.
“Maybe we’ll meet this Irish dragon tribe someday that Grant spoke about,” she murmured, not sure where she stood with that other than she was profoundly happy their children had lived, and life went on. However brutally sad it must have been without her mate.
And her little Ceann.
“Aye.” He dropped kisses on her cheek, absently stroking various areas, comforting her in ways she knew had everything to do with his inner dragon. “Until then, I can only think of...”
When he trailed off, she knew he thought of Ceann too. The one they should never have made but turned out to be the one closest to their heart. Not that they didn’t love all their children, but he was just him. Weaker than the others, most certainly the runt of the litter, but sweet souled and loving. The idea that his little spirit was out there struggling to get back to Cray, or even her, broke their hearts.
“You didnae dream about Maeve prior to meeting me, aye?” he said softly. “Only saw her in that nightmare?”
“No, I never dreamt of her.” She rubbed his thigh, subliminally offering him the same comfort he offered her. “Though I have a feeling when I did eventually dream of her, it wasn’t all the brotherhood at work.” She met his eyes, never more serious. “I think she wanted me to know she had been pregnant so I could comfort you. Maybe so we could discover what was lost to us.”
“Aye,” he murmured in agreement, his thoughts brushing hers. He was no longer angry or heartbroken when he thought of Maeve but at peace, hoping she was too.
His thoughts kept brushing hers as he tilted her chin and brought her mouth to his. Despite having already found ample fulfillment, he was hungrier for her by the moment. Something he made clear as he came over her and spread her thighs, desperate to have her again. This time, however, he didn’t order her or demand a thing but simply made love to her.
Lost himself in her as much as she did him.
His loving thoughts only made the moment more poignant. Richer. More intense. He felt like he was coming home. Finally with the one who should have been his all along. The one he had been looking for without realizing he sought her. Aroused by his deep emotions, she moaned and purred as he pressed deep again and again.
He never moved fast but slowly and languidly more often than not kissing her passionately as he found a deeper sort of fulfillment. It wasn’t their inner dragons at work this time as she spread her thighs wider still, and she took him even deeper, but their human halves.
It was impossible to know how long they lost themselves in one other, bringing each other to the edge and back, only that the sun was peeking over the horizon when it became too much. When they began chasing their pleasure in earnest, sweat slicking their skin. She grasped his butt with one hand and dug her nails into his shoulder with the other until she couldn’t hold back anymore and let go. She arched and shuddered, bringing him to release with her.
Though tempted to doze as he rolled onto his side, pulling her with him, keeping himself lodged inside her, they knew time was limited. The army was waking, and they would be leaving soon.
“I’ve never pulled an all-nighter.” She yawned. “But, I do make a habit of being up at the crack of dawn.”
“Aye?”
Almost at the same moment she realized it, he seemed to as well.
“That’s when I was set free in our last life, isn’t it?” she whispered, both saddened but relieved. Leaving him and their little one had been pure torture, but the idea of their other children being left parentless was unbearable. “The sun set when they took me but rose when I went back through the portal. When I was released in lieu of you and Ceann and able to go back to our children.”
She narrowed her eyes, following the truth, hoping to understand more.
“Not because the brotherhood was merciful,” he murmured, seeking the same truth. “But because the unicorn didnae want us suffering any more than we already had.”
He was right. The mystical creature had helped her somehow.
“I just wish I could remember what happened,” she whispered.
“We will know soon enough, lass.” Cray brushed his lips across hers, then helped her up. “I dinnae doubt it.” He brought the back of her hand to his lips. His eyes lingered on hers as he kissed her ring. “Then, once we know our truth, this will shine as it should.”
Her heart leapt into her throat as his gaze lingered on her. Would he finally voice how he felt? Did she really need him to? Yes. She did. Call it a quirk, but both she and her dragon had to hear it. Had to know that he could say it.
Unfortunately, he didn’t say anything, but he did kiss her deeply as he chanted them back into clothing. Something she soon realized he did because he sensed Marek coming.
“The king has requested we ride at the front with him today,” his brother said in greeting. He took in their rumpled state with knowing amusement before he crouched at the pond’s edge, and splashed water on his face. “We should reach Roxburgh by this eve.”
She glanced at Cray, surprised. “Is today the day then?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Aye,” Marek confirmed, standing. “’Twill be interesting to see how the brotherhood intends to interfere this time.”
“Any changes with Ethyn?” Cray asked as they headed back to camp.
“Nay.” Marek shook his head. “If he’s been possessed again, I cannae sense it.”
She had wondered about that. More so, what she’d heard about Aidan and Chloe’s adventure. “Why do you suppose the brotherhood isn’t possessing soldiers like they did last time?”
“’Tis hard to know,” Marek replied. “Other than to say, Grant felt they might change their methods as time went on.”
“Which they obviously have.” She referred to Ethyn but worried about them all. “If they could possess Ethyn, what says they can’t possess all of us?”
“They can no longer manipulate those who have sealed off their Stonehenge.” Cray shook his head. “And though I might be wrong, I have a feeling they dinnae much like the minds of dragons.”
“Nay.” Marek contemplated it. “So it makes sense they would target Ethyn next.”
“Aye.” Cray frowned. “Which is interesting considering his dreams of the Irish Stonehenge have always been favorable.”
“Do you think that makes him more susceptible somehow?” She stopped short at the same moment as Cray, sensing his sudden certainty about something before he even said it.
“Aye, it does.” His troubled eyes met hers. “And ‘tis because of you and me.”
