Page 80 of To Ignite a Dragon's Desire

“And I’m yours,” I swore, knowing I was ruined for life. No one else would be able to make me feel this way. This full. This taken care of.

“You were always mine.” Lucan increased his thrusts now that he’d fit in completely and the orgasm I’d been holding back built around us both. “Come for me.”

That third ridge stretched even further as Lucan pounded me over the edge.

I screamed his name as I crashed boneless, stars bursting into flames.

His teeth sank into my neck and fire burned through my veins, heightening every sensation and matching the burn of his cock between my legs as it dragged out my orgasm, rolling it over and over again.

Just when I thought I couldn’t take anymore without combusting, a comforting warmth settled deep into my bones as Lucan gathered me to his chest, being careful of where we were still connected.

“I’ve fought for you all my life,” he whispered as his seed warmed inside me and something deep, almost primal, settled between us both.

I felt the call of it in my soul, begging to be acknowledged, and the sense of no longer being alone lit up a dark corner in my mind.

Lucan laced his fingers through mine. “I didn’t know it then, but this was what I wanted. What I was willing to live and die for.”

“I know exactly what you mean.” I nodded as I clung to his arms, tears streaming down my face as I whispered, “I fought for you, too.”

30

Lucan

Threats and Promises

Dobby purred in the space between our legs as Riley slept with her head on my chest.

We’d been wrapped up in the mating frenzy for days and she was exhausted. She’d mustered up enough energy for one more round in the middle of the night, requesting the trick I could do with my tongue.

My tongue you mean.My dragon chuckled, still high on the mating pheromones.

I was satiated in a way beyond my wildest dreams, but reality threatened to force inside of my protective wards upon waking.

I resisted the urge to probe the tender flesh of Riley’s scalp, feeling it again to reassure myself that my venom had healed what that bastard did, before softly pushing the hair back to expose her neck.

I hadn’t thought of my mother often, but in the quiet of the early pre-dawn, I had a memory of her. As with all things in time, her voice had faded and her face was forever frozen in the image I’d sharpened through my own mind. Photographs couldn’t capture her kind strength.

She’d worried about me training with Malachy.

I hadn’t come home to visit in a few days and I’d lost some meat on my bones. Nothing compared to my brother, though. But she’d already resigned herself to raising a guardian and did her best by us both.

I remembered her scolding me for staying by his side when I didn’t have to. Not many guardians had a sibling willing to sacrifice so much. She didn’t see my ward skills as I did—my gift from Earth to help the guardian—and thought I should use them to make my own way in the world.

It was because of her that I always knew I had the choice to leave, but I always stayed close. Even when I traveled the world, finding use for my dragon’s size and strength, I was one call away from my brother should he need me.

Knowing I’d protected him with my wards was enough to ease my conscience when I could no longer tolerate his bullshit some days and had to take a break.

Centuries later, it was still hard to fully explain why I stayed by my brother’s side when it wasn’t my cross to bear. I didn’t feel the same religious loyalty to sacrifice everything to Earth.

But I think it was because I could see Malachy’s suffering like no one else could. Despite the parties and tributes and love bestowed upon him, I saw the light slowly fading from his eyes.

We’d fought and gone periods without speaking, but I still couldn’t abandon him completely. When we learned he’d be the last guardian of our kind, I’d built this nest close enough to be of service until the end.

Holding Riley in my arms was the first time I seriously contemplated leaving it all behind.

She was all I ever needed.

This purpose filled me deeper than any other I’d found. I hadn’t realized that throughout the centuries of throwing myself into battles not mine to fight, I’d been searching for this. Something that was mine alone to love and protect.

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