Page 30 of Realm of Flames (Reborn 3)
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The woman was absolutelyaware of how much she was teasing us. I firmly believed that now. Now I was just left to wonder how much shit I would get from Marco for pinning our little mate up against one of these walls and ripping off that damn cupcake dress so that I had access to every inch of her golden skin. She had managed with one garment to make herself look legitimately edible, and I had to physically restrain myself from touching her, knowing that if I started I probably wouldn’t stop and then we really would never make it to the physician’s office.
Honestly, my need for her was slowly growing into an obsession and overriding some important matters, something that concerned me way more than I expressed. Not that there was anything legitimately more important than Maya, but I would say her health was pretty damn important, and considering I was worried about making it to the doctor in the first place, it left me feeling both like crap and still equally as turned on.
I was very slightly appeased because my mark was on her, but was it enough to completely settle me? Absolutely not.
In fact, I was finding that my angel was a legitimate trigger for the loss of any sense of self-control. Even now, on the way to see a doctor that would have important information regarding her health, I wanted to pull her into one of the many hallways we passed and claim her completely. First making her come with my mouth, tasting her sweet wet heat before burying my cock between her thighs, bouncing her up and down as her moans echoed loud enough that everyone in the Dreki realm was goddamn aware of who was fucking her so hard.
We needed to handle this medical shit first.
It was like a mantra I repeated in my head, and I forced myself to look away from where she practically floated next to me, her soft humming causing my dragon to start to act up in response. I was finding that both of us were very reactive to any noises she made, but mainly humming or that panicked, high-pitched sound that sometimes left her throat during a nightmare.
I had figured out that the reaction was in part because it was her phoenix’s magic interacting with those around her, but that knowledge didn’t lessen the effect in the slightest. Rather, I found myself extra protective and watchful over her responses to things like that because I knew it was a side to Maya that was still being fully let out. The woman was glorious, but I knew that she would be even more so when she was able to fully embrace the side of her that had been so long repressed.
The side that was in large part responsible for why Croy had insisted that we leave so quickly for the Dreki realm. There was something very different about Maya’s phoenix, and I think all of us had a fairly good understanding of what. I mean, you couldn’t imagine the beautiful burst of colors that the woman had turned into only the other night. It was something you had to see to believe.
My main concern? Not only questioninghowthat was possible but how it would impact her health. Sure, she had been okay the past day or so, but the random fevers and her not feeling well left me with a sense of dread.
The concept of not knowing something that could hurt my angel scared the absolute hell out of me, so while the plan had been rushed and I would rather have her back in our home outside of this damn realm, I needed to know what all of this meant. Croy had made his thoughts known, but what he suggested seemed… insane. And it also could create a cascade of problems that I wasn’t positive we were prepared to protect her from. I would fucking die before I let anything happen to Maya, but I also knew our flight up against an entire realm was a bit of a stretch. If Croy was correct, I had absolutely no doubt that it wouldn’t be just the council that was the problem.
No. Everyone that we came across already wanted a piece of Maya, and this would just result in them wanting all of her. Something I was not fucking okay with.
As if knowing the direction of my thoughts, Maya’s hand tightened around mine. Sai and Croy followed behind us, both of their energies filled with tension as Maya’s humming and easy sway of her hips seemed to fill the entire space with a crackle of soft energy. The tension was in part because of the doctor appointment and what we would learn, but it was larger than that. It was the energy that had surrounded Maya since she first shifted. There was an air to it that was even more vibrant than before, which wasn’t something I had thought possible. I mean, she appeared to be legitimately glowing. I looked down at the top of her head as she met my gaze with a soft and curious look that made my heart tighten.
Emotions that I hadn’t ever expected to feel crowded my chest as I nearly let out a shaky exhale. I knew one thing regarding Maya, one thing that I couldn’t deny or doubt.
I was absolutely in love with her.
I loved and respected the men in my flight, I easily admitted that. They were the only family I had, and I would always view them as brothers, especially Marco. But my love for Maya was something that existed within my soul. It was also something I very much needed to express to her, despite not being able to find the right words or time to do so.
How did I express to Maya that I loved her more than I had ever loved anyone in my entire life? That she was fundamental to my existence? That she was a glowing warmth, like a candle that seemed to light up and infiltrate all of the shadows that crowded the corners of my life and my past? She did it in ways that she wouldn’t even recognize. Things that shouldn’t have made a difference but instead added a depth to my life that I didn’t expect to ever feel.
It was even in the smallest things—like Bella.
Bella, who was currently sleeping off the shadow magic that I had used to protect her while traveling through the portal and then to the Fire Lands. Bella, who I had without a doubt started to consider my own dragon whelp, despite her being very much a kitten. Although I could blame my dragon for that one. He was convinced that Maya should be a mother by now anyway, so the fact that we were taking care of a small creature together only confirmed his thought process, and he had all but adopted Bella into his protection. I didn’t disagree with the action.
I had also avoided the fuck out of those thoughts as much as possible, but with my inability to stay relaxed around her, they were growing. I wanted her to believe I was as calm and collected as she assumed, but I was far from it. I had just accepted how much I wanted her, and I was trying to gauge how much of this insanity I could let her see without sending her running for the hills.
Something we would immediately bring her back from, as my dragon unhelpfully reminded me. I inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to not get further turned on not only by the concept of chasing and catching Maya, but then marking and claiming her as ours completely. That wasn’t even including the instinctual and primal urge that was eating away at me to do just what my dragon wanted, to get her sexy ass pregnant. To create a life with her. It would only complicate things, especially right now, but he didn’t see reason, and unfortunately, that was starting to change my judgement as well. I mean… would it really be that complicated? I felt like there were enough of us that together we could figure it out if that was something Maya wanted as well.
I had to admit, I had never expected these thoughts to appeal to me. Marco? Sure. Maybe even Henry, considering their instincts as alpha and beta would be so aligned with growing our flight. But the past few days, this rush of desire to mate with her completely had hit me like a Mack truck. I had been attracted to Maya the first moment I’d seen her and had been imagining sliding into her tight warmth since then, but this was different. This was overwhelming, and I had absolutely no idea what to do with the fact that I legitimately wanted to get Maya pregnant. As in, the thoughts were strong enough that Henry was catching whispers of them despite him usually keeping out of our heads. The bastard found it amusing, but that was only because it made him feel better about his dragon that was a snap away from being out of control completely.
Both of us were fighting a losing battle when it came to Maya.
I would just avoid the concept of her becoming a mother unless she somehow alluded to being ready for that. It was painful enough that Marco had told me about what she had said before brunch, about how she wanted to be a mother for sure. Practically confirmation.No.We needed more than that. But if she ever did say that, I would never question her.
A low groan broke from my throat as I imagined Maya whispering in my ear, asking me to get her pregnant as I rode her hard. The fact that I knew it was a likely scenario once the mating heat hit only made the concept that much more appealing. Honestly, I was a bit concerned that I would never leave her tight little pussy once she let me between her legs. Either that or I would be begging her day-in and day-out for her to let me back inside of her.
It was one of the reasons that I was hoping our first time would be before the mating heat hit. Before our animals decided to take over completely. Either way, I would never deny her or what she needed. I was absolutely lost when it came to this woman. Still, I worried that with the mating heat riding her hard, my dragon would be more inclined to take over, and I wanted to fully experience Maya for myself the first time.
I had absolutely no doubt it would be unforgettable.
“It should be the door ahead,” Sai commented quietly, causing me to pull from my thoughts. Ahead was a pair of large golden doors that had large dragon-like door handles in a vibrant emerald green. Maya’s eyes tracked every glittery surface we passed, and I found myself wanting to find her more objects and places that would result in the same interested light flashing in her gaze.
Maya stopped suddenly, her body going rigid as her hand tightened on mine to the point that it caused me to frown, rounding to face her as I watched her golden eyes darken to a camel brown. Sai and Croy both offered me a look as I gently led her towards one of the benches that lined the hallway, sitting down as Maya stepped between my legs, her eyes running over my face as she seemed to be struggling to say something. I didn’t understand what was going on with her, but it was very obviously something.
“Angel,” I spoke softly, her eyes tracking the movement of my lips. “What’s wrong?”
