Page 36 of The Fire Dragon's Mate
“Gods bless us,” Tennyson said reverently before his gazewent up and up and up until he was looking at Cighyss. Even from this distance, I could hear him gulp before he said, “Thank you, sir.”
Cighyss rumbled a laugh. “You’re welcome, my boy. Hagen, if you wouldn’t mind sharing your room with Tennyson tonight, I’ll scratch out a new one in the morning.”
“Oh, of course,” Hagen said as he helped Tennyson sit up. “I’ve plenty of room.”
I had to wonder how many beds there were, though, and grinned.
“Goodnight then,” Cighyss said before walking away on three legs while holding me to him. “Here you are now,” he whispered before placing me in the nest of pillows and blankets in his lair.
I blinked sleepily at the sudden swirl of light and heat before man-sized Cighyss walked over to me.
“Cighyss! Your wings are back.”
“They are,” he said as he settled in beside me. “I just needed a chance to heal, room to shift, and the ever-incandescent love of my mate.”
I hummed happily as I snuggled against him, one of his wings resting against my back like a leathery blanket.
“And tomorrow, I’ll start reclaiming my hoard,” he said and kissed my forehead. “You and Tennyson are the only ones who smell right at all.”
I chuckled as I imagined Cighyss chasing them down two or three at a time so he could have his wicked way with every last one of them. It was good to be home.
Fifteen
SUPERNATURAL STAMINA
Cighyss woke the whole mountain the next morning by scratching into the stone to create a staircase for me to use to come and go from his lair. Sweet of him, of course, but I’d never heard such a terrible screeching sound! I’d woken fearing our attackers were back and somehow breaking in to kill us all.
“You could’ve woken us first,” I complained while sitting on the ledge, “and then gone to work.”
“Apologies, my delicate and slumberous mate.”
I held back from choosing words to describe him because he picked up a large boulder, blew fire on it until it glowed red, and then he began stretching it like it was molten taffy. Long and smooth and about the size of my forearm, Cighyss held the glowing rod of rock into position as a railing on the open side of the new staircase. He blew air on it, and I watched it cool to a glossy black stone again.
I couldn’t deny it. “You’re incredible.”
“Yes, I know.” He licked the side of my face with his giant forked tongue. “Be careful touching that for a while yet, if you’re coming down. I must see to my hoard.”
“See to… Ah, yes,” I chuckled, remembering what he’d said last night about none of them smelling right. “Let the fucking commence.”
“Claiming, love. None of them smell like they’re mine at the moment, and I can’t have that.”
“Well, know this, Dragon.” I started down the stairs, keeping well away from the heat of the railing. “I’m the only one who knows you in this form. That’s mine alone.”
He grinned at me before shifting in a swirl of flames and smoke to land on the step below mine in his more human form. “Only my mate can fuck the dragon.”
I looped my arms around his neck. “Correct.”
“Agreed.” Cighyss pulled my head down and devoured me with a kiss.
I let him feel my cock firming up for him, and he grasped my ass in both hands. I broke the kiss to laugh at him and shook my head. “Save your strength for your hoard. There’s a lot of them.”
He massaged my ass and grinned cheekily. “I’ve enough stamina for an army of princes and will still have plenty left to bed you tonight.”
“Then get to your duties.” I flicked a glance to those emerging from their chambers. “Why not start with my brother?”
Phineas was just trotting out from his doorway, shirtless and barefooted, as he headed for where they already had water heated for coffee and tea.
“Mmm, yes,” Cighyss said in a seductive tone, “he does look like a particularly delectable morsel in which to begin my day.”
