Page 44 of Chosen By the Dragon Alien

“Kaelen!” she squealed and launched herself into the smuggler’s arms.

He grinned and caught her deftly, apparently used to this type of greeting. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and they kissed deeply, oblivious to everyone around them.

“Xentia,” Kaelen said when he came up for air. “We have guests.”

She looked up and blinked at Fivra, Turi, Ellion, and Cyprian. Her stunning face quirked into a mischievous smile when she laid eyes on Cyprian. “You brought the director here?”

“Not the director anymore, love,” Kaelen said. “He’s not on the Axis’ good side anymore.”

“About time,” she said cheekily, not budging from her spot, wrapped around Kaelen. “Welcome to our little paradise.”

“Thank you, Xentia,” Cyprian said smoothly. “I’m glad to see you well and happy.”

“Oh, I am.” She pressed another hard kiss to Kaelen’s mouth. “Nowyouare sticking around for a while,” she said to her mate. “I have plans for us.”

“Hmm. Let’s get our guests settled in their rooms first,” Kaelen said, placing her on the floor, but keeping an arm locked around her waist. He led them to the corridor toward the guest quarters.

Cyprian pulled Fivra close as they walked behind Ellion and Turi. One hand drifted to her bottom and squeezed. “I have plans for us, too.”

Her skin shivered with anticipation. “You’re still recovering, Cyprian,” she said with a grin. “You mustn’t hurt yourself.”

He leaned close to her ear. “It hurts to be near you and not have you. I can’t wait any longer.”

Neither could she.

TWENTY-TWO

Fivra

Their room was spacious and well appointed. A narrow window ran the length of the room, giving a view of the vivid landscape. A large bed sat dead center in the room, like a huge beacon. Cyprian closed the door behind them. For a moment, neither of them moved. The quiet hum of the outpost was the only sound that filled the air. Fivra’s skin tingled with anticipation. Every nerve was alight as Cyprian took a slow, purposeful step toward her.

“You’ve been so brave.” Cyprian’s voice was a deep rumble that resonated through her chest. His wings flared slightly as he closed the distance between them. “I don’t think you realize how much you mean to me.”

Her breath held as he raised a hand. His fingers brushed against her cheek with aching tenderness. His touch sent a delicious shiver over her skin. She burned where his fingertips grazed. The sensation was sharp and electric. “Cyprian…” Her voice trembled with emotion.

He cupped her face with both hands. His thumbs traced the line of her jaw. The intensity in his molten eyes pinned her in place. “I almost lost you,” Cyprian said. “And every moment we’re together, every moment I can hold you, I…”

His words faded, replaced by the heat of his lips crushing down on hers. The kiss was deep and passionate. Fivra melted against him. She clutched the front of his shirt as if afraid he might pull away. His lips were demanding, yet reverent, moving over hers with a hunger that left her breathless.

Cyprian growled low in his throat. The sound moved through her as his hands slid down her neck, over her shoulders, tracing the curve of her waist. He pulled her closer, pressing their bodies together until there was no space left between them. The heat of him seeped through her garments, warming her from the inside out and making her forget everything but him. She tilted her head, giving herself to the kiss, letting her lips part as his tongue teased hers, exploring, tasting, claiming her in a way that left her trembling.

Her hands roamed his chest, marveling at the solid planes of muscle beneath the thin fabric of his shirt. She wanted to touch his bare skin, to feel every line, every ridge, every piece of him that had burned itself into her heart. Her fingers found the hem of his shirt, grasping it in a silent plea.

He broke the kiss, only just pulling back to search her face. His silver eyes blazed with a heat that made her stomach knot with longing. “Fivra,” he murmured, his voice thick with restraint. “I want you so much, but I don’t want to rush you—”

“Shush,” she breathed, cutting him off. Her hands tightened on the fabric. “I want this. I want you.”

A low rumble escaped him and in one smooth motion, he pulled his shirt over his head, revealing the expanse of his sculpted chest. His skin glinted faintly in the warm light, the crimson veins of his dragon scales just visible beneaththe surface. The sight stole her breath. He was magnificent—powerful, primal, yet so achingly tender as he reached for her.

His hands found the closure of her tunic. His movements were smooth as he undid the fastenings. Her skin tingled as the fabric fell away, exposing her body to the warmth of the room and the caress of his gaze. He made no move to touch her right away. Instead, his silver eyes traced every curve, every line. The intensity in his expression made her shiver, but it wasn’t from the cold—it was from the way he looked at her, as though she were the most precious thing in the universe.

“You’re beautiful,” Cyprian said, his voice a low rasp that sent a thrill coursing through her. His large hands spanned her waist. His thumbs brushed against her bare skin. “You take my breath away, Fivra.”

Her cheeks flushed with heat, a mix of shyness and molten desire. The way Cyprian looked at her unraveled her completely. Her hands, trembling slightly, found their way to his chest. The heat of his skin under her palms was intoxicating. The ridges of muscles were alive beneath her touch. She swallowed hard. “And you’re…perfect,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, her every sense consumed by him.

His lips quirked in a small, tender smile—raw, genuine. He leaned down and kissed her again, slower this time, savoring the taste of her. Fivra moaned softly into the kiss, the sound sending a ripple of tension through Cyprian’s body. She felt the strength in him—the way he trembled under her touch. The way he held himself back, as though worried he might break her if he wasn’t careful.

But she didn’t want careful. She wanted him wild, unrestrained, andhers.

---