Claiming the Dragon King

  “Why didn’t your brothers save you from what your father was doing to you?” he asked carefully as he turned her around and pulled her close against his heat as the chilled air ruffled her dress.

  “They didn’t know,” she admitted. “I never told them because men weren’t allowed inside the pavilion, and yet they would sneak in, but they’d have died to protect me, and I knew it. I hid from them when they came to see their mothers, pretending everything was fine until one day Ryder came before I’d healed. He found me torn apart. I’d hidden it well, but then Father took Mother out of the pavilion when Keir came to visit. He abused her in front of the entire assembly as he tried to start a war with the Dark Fae’s King. Dristan intervened, and my brother was forced to act before he was ready to. He did it to save our brother. Three days after Ryder had discovered me, he killed our father. But you knew how he did it, didn’t you?”

  “I did,” he admitted as he rested his forehead against hers. “We forced the death wish of the dragon to come for him.”

  “You killed my father,” she swallowed.

  “I raised my mother from the dead to kill him,” he admitted. “My mother was unable to do it, but we found a way for her to make it happen with the help of some witches. Three sisters, who carved the same symbol that you have on your ribcage upon her remains,” he whispered thickly as his hands tightened against her.

  “So if my brother takes me from you…”

  “He will die for it,” he replied. “You were right, Ciara, I can’t go to war to secure peace. I can’t put my army against the Horde’s numbers and expect them to live, not all of them. But now you’re their queen and my wife. You said he was different than your father was, so prove it.”

  “Wait, Blane, just wait a damn minute,” she said, staring at him. “You called in a dragon wish to kill my father, but Ryder killed him. Not you. Not your wish.”

  “A death wish is a curse; it’s something that plays out for those who cannot carry out the death themselves. Alazander took my father. He killed him, and in doing so, their souls were torn apart. It was her right to call for his death, but she wasn’t like us. She was a lot more than anyone else knew, but she wasn’t able to call for it in life. When I brought her back, she called for the death wish. It would have made those around him stronger, faster, and able to carry out her wishes without them realizing or knowing it. It’s absolute. When Ryder walked into that hall to kill your father, there was no way he could lose. There was no way he wasn’t killing him that night. It would have entered the strongest creature around Alazander, and he became the vessel to carry out the death.”

  “And you thought getting me drunk and forcing me to marry you was the best idea?” she asked.

  “I did what a king should do: force an alliance that protects his people. We can’t keep moving around like this. There are creatures out here who feed on the young, and anytime a child wanders out of camp, they could die. Two months ago we lost over one hundred of our people to a creature we cannot even see to fight against. I’m supposed to protect them, Ciara. I can’t fight against you and the creatures out here. We’ve been lucky lately, but that luck is running out as the holes to Faery grow. Creatures are turning mad, attacking without warning. You tell me, what would you have done? Marry a beautiful woman who drives you mad, and hope you can gain peace through her, or watch your people slowly die to monsters that not even the Horde will stand against?”

  “You think I’m beautiful?” she whispered, not knowing how to answer his question without lying.

  His hands framed her face as his mouth crushed against hers. Her lips opened to him, allowing him to lay claim to her in front of everyone there. He slowly broke away and stared into her eyes.

  “You’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen in my life,” he uttered. “Also the most stubborn, sassiest, and smart-assy too,” He laughed as he pulled away. “We have to dance, and then you and I are retiring for the night.”

  “Blane, I can secure peace, and you don’t have to stay married to me to have it,” she admitted as he watched her. “I know you and Fyra…” His hands landed on her lips.

  “Ciara, dragons don’t divorce. My dragon chose you, not her. I chose you because of who you are by birth, and no, I don’t love you, but most people who marry for the reasons I did don’t do it for love. You’re not getting away from me. You’re mine now; the rest will come later or it won’t.”

  “Unless my brother comes and takes me, and your stupid curse kills him,” she mused as he moved her into what she assumed was the dancefloor. “If Ryder dies, Blane, there will never be peace for any of us. I will never forgive you either. He saved us. He took the abuse because he knew we were not strong enough to. Faery chose him to hold his beast for a reason. He is just but can be harsh when it is warranted. He cares about the people, all of us, where other kings and queens wouldn’t bother to. They brought all of Faery together to kneel at the tree, to share their magic to heal his children and others. He’s done things for this world that no one else can or cared to. Remember that when you think about calling in your death wish, because they will come for me. You remind me of him. You’re both proud men thrown into a cruel, unforgiving world that didn’t care about you. You didn’t deserve what happened, but he didn’t want to do it either. He carries dragon brands, Blane. He carries the guilt to this day by choice, as a reminder of what can never happen again.”

  “Ciara, I’m not going to lie. I want him dead, I want them all dead. But I want my people to be safe, and being a king means I have to do right by them first. They have to be the priority in my world. I want my family’s lands back. I want to see it flourish with life instead of death. I want to watch my children run through the halls and hear their laughter echo in them.”

  “That’s fair, dragon whelp,” she said as he started moving her around the dirt floor beneath them. “Now dance because I’m starving, and sorry about your feet.”

  “My feet will survive. You’re not wearing any shoes.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Ciara allowed Blane to carry her over the tents threshold, which was covered in delicate red petals this time. The tent was bathed in soft candlelight, and covered in an assortment of petals from flowers that smelled heavenly. They’d remained outside longer than she’d wanted to, but dancing with him had felt right. Eventually, others had joined them in the small clearing of tents to dance to the lively music the musicians had played.

  She felt nervous in his presence now. She was now alone with him in a tent set up for seduction. Her gaze dropped to the table that had been set up beside the bed. Two goblets sat near a bottle of red liquor which seemed to glow from within. She turned around to face Blane, her lip caught between her teeth as she searched her mind for something to say.

  “Drink with me, Ciara,” he murmured huskily as his hand lifted to trail his finger down her cheek, sending an array of emotions swimming through her. “Drink with me because tonight I’m going to push your body to its limits. I’m going to leave no part of your soul untouched by mine. I’m going to claim you in ways that you won’t understand and hell, you may never fully want to. Tonight you become mine in every way a man claims his bride.”

  “I’m terrified of you,” she whispered as tears filled her eyes. “You scare me, Blane. I feel too much with you, and I’m not sure that is a good thing.”

  “You scare the shit out of me too, my queen,” he rasped as he stepped closer, forcing her back further into the tent as he prowled forward. “I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you right now. I want to rip that pretty dress off your flesh and shove my cock so deep into your wet pussy that you won’t ever want me to leave it. I want to devour you until you can never remember a time before you knew me. I knew I was fucked the moment I wondered what those cherry colored lips tasted like inside that nursery,” he murmured as he continued forward
, watching her like she was prey he intended to consume.

  “I think that drinks a good idea, maybe a few,” she uttered as she turned away from him, unsure how to react to his words. His husky tone sent her heart into overdrive, battering against her ribs as she tried to process what she felt with him. She’d never wanted anyone like she wanted him right now.

  Ciara had never expected to find anyone she could be close with, ever. Not with what she’d endured, or the fact that anyone touching her had brought back years of pain from her father’s deeds. Yet he touched her, and everything fell away, her pain, her memories, everything just vanished. When he touched her, she couldn’t get enough of him, and it terrified her.

  She watched as he picked up the goblets and held one out for her to take. Her fingers trembled as she wrapped them around it, locking eyes with him as they brought them to their lips together, tipping them up, and swallowing the glowing liquid. Once she’d finished, he took it, slowly refilling it before setting it down.

  He slowly removed his armor, placing it at the end of the bed as he revealed his bronzed chest. Her fingers itched to trace every contour of the muscles that her eyes feasted on. Her hands balled into tight fists at her sides as she struggled against the need to do as her mind demanded. Ciara’s body heated with the mere sight of his being slowly stripped to her greedy gaze. He didn’t rush it, as if he was baring his flesh to her for the first time ever. When all that was left was his pants, he stopped, hesitating as he lifted his oceanic blue eyes to her violet ones in silent question.

  Her trembling hands lifted to her dress’s delicate top, intending to remove it. He shook his head, stopping her.

  “I want to undress my queen before I ravish her,” he whispered hoarsely. “Drink, you’re going to need it,” he croaked as his voice hitched as he pushed his pants down, freeing his thick cock which stood proudly against his belly. She swallowed hard, audible in the silence that filled the tent.

  She turned away from him, filling their goblets to the rim before she lifted it to her lips, tasting the divine liquid as it burned its way down her throat, exploding against her taste buds.

  “What is this stuff?” she asked, seeking anything to fill the silence of the tent as his lips touched the base of her neck, kissing his way slowly down her spine. She moaned huskily, the sound louder than it should have been. Her body heated, her mind grew hazed as if the red liquid was more than just wine.

  “It’s a type of wine created to free our souls,” he murmured against her flesh as he nuzzled her ear. “Tonight our souls meet and join as one. We will know each other in ways no one else can. The messy part, the past that created us into who we are; there will be no part of you that I will not touch or know.”

  “Messy,” she laughed nervously. “Blane, those parts of me aren’t pretty. You don’t want to see me, not all of me. If you see what has been done, you’ll never look at me the same way.”

  “You’re my wife,” he whispered as he turned her around to face him. “I don’t care how messy you are, or what he did to you. I want to know all of you, inside and out. What that monster did to you didn’t touch your soul, Ciara. You shine from within unlike anyone else I have ever known. I want to know why, why after everything you’ve lived through that light wasn’t extinguished by what that bastard did to you. I don’t care if it’s ugly or brutal. I don’t care if you’re being held together by fucking cracks. I want to see your soul, and he wants to too.”

  “He wants to see me?”

  His eyes began to glow with an azure blue as if he could already see through her ugliness. She’d refused to let anyone see all of her, ever. She was a broken, ugly thing that her father had created by disassembling her. There was no part of her that he’d left whole. No part of her that he hadn’t touched with his vile hands. She shook her head as tears filled her eyes.

  “You don’t want to see me,” she cried as her head shook, and she slowly stepped away from him. “I’m dirty, and unclean. He…he left no part of me whole, Blane. You don’t want me,” she said weakly.

  He didn’t let her back away from him as she was trying to do. He pulled her close and kissed away the tears that fell from her eyes. His body buzzed with raw current, filling the tent with his power. His mouth found hers in a kiss that took her breath away as her lips trembled against his.

  “He’s gone now,” he said as he pulled away from her mouth as he held her face between his palms, letting his mouth hover before hers. “You’re still here, my queen. You’re still here, and even if you’re not whole, you’re beautiful. You have chaos in your eyes, and sin in your lips. Your soul, it shines with a light that he couldn’t touch. I see you, Ciara. All of you and I want to write my name on it, to mark it so deep that you always feel me with you no matter where you are. I vowed to protect you, to keep you safe and make you whole again and so I shall. I knew what I was doing when I started this, when I agreed to be yours. I knew you weren’t whole, but let me help you. Let me see you, all of you.”

  “You must be drunk,” she sniffled as she stared into his soul. Her eyes drifted to the goblets and then to the man before her. “I feel weird,” she whispered thickly as if her tongue was heavy, laden with led.

  “You’re fine, it’s just the wine beginning to flood through your veins,” he said, silk coating each word. “Give me your hand, come with me.”

  She hesitated and then held her hand out for his. He pulled her closer, taking her to the edge of the bed where he pushed her down gently, following her until his body covered hers with his wide frame.

  “Just souls from this point on, my sweet girl,” he murmured hoarsely as he dropped his forehead against hers and closed his eyes.

  After a moment, he pulled her up with him and looked down at the bed where their bodies lay asleep, crumpled on the bed. She screamed as she shook violently against his hold. He touched her, and she stifled the cries leaving her lips as she felt him.

  “You killed me?” she whispered airily as she waved her hand at her body.

  “I see you, and you’re beautiful,” his tone was ardent, filled with seduction. “I see all of you.”

  Ciara watched as his body changed, showing blue lines that covered his flesh, as he became both man and dragon before her. His soul was created from both, but he also had the blood of Gods running in his veins. It glowed with gold, unlike hers, which was the same color as her eyes.

  “I see you,” she uttered as she touched his chest, following the glow of the dragons and glowing golden letters that formed over his ribcage. Her eyes moved to her own, finding three ribs covered in matching gold writing.

  “Gods,” he murmured as he brought his fingers down to trace them. “I’ve never seen anything like you before,” he admitted. “It’s like you were created to be mine.”

  Ciara lifted her eyes and blinked, understanding every word he uttered even though he no longer spoke her language. He was no longer Blane, either. Inhuman eyes held hers as a mischievous grin spread across his lips.

  “Hello, woman,” he growled before he brought his fingers up to cut the dress from her shoulders. Talons sliced through the fabric of the dress, and it slowly fell from her body to pool on the floor. She stared down at it, blinking as she took in the marble floors they now stood on.

  “I’m dreaming,” she mumbled softly before lifting her gaze to his. “This isn’t real.”

  “I assure you, mate, this is as real as it gets. I am his beast, his soul. I am what drives his mind and body. I am what claimed you as ours.”

  “Why?” she asked hesitantly, unsure she wanted to know why he’d done it.

  “You’re strong, stronger than any female I’ve ever come across. You’ve known pain without love, and you were unclaimed before we took your innocence. You’re not unclean; you’re pure of heart, soul, and mind. You’re the perfect mate for us. You already carry
my son.”

  “What?” she squeaked the question out.

  “You carry my child in your womb; he already grows strong with our lines, creating one that this world has yet to have known. Together, we’ve created a new breed.”

  “I’m not pregnant,” she said forcefully.

  “But you are,” he laughed as he touched her belly, and a heartbeat thundered in her ears. “I gave him to you the first time we lay together. You were fertile and perfect. In a matter of weeks, you will birth our child into this world, and you will know love unlike anything before this. You’re blessed by the Goddess for me and me alone. You were no more than a child when our souls first met, and I knew you were my mate.”

  “You’re saying we’ve met before?” she asked through trembling lips.

  “When I roamed the walls of your home, Ciara,” he admitted. “Yes, we met. I was there when your father killed Fury, and when he died, I was released from my vessel. You were small, and yet your soul saw mine. You said I see you, and for the first time, someone truly had seen into my ancient soul. I knew you would be my mate from that moment; Destiny bound us that day. She was there with us, watching. I asked her to give you to me, for I could see the woman you would become in the depths of your innocent eyes. I knew the pain you would endure, the trauma you would experience and in it, the woman you would become. I saw you as you saw me. Souls do not lie, nor do they ever forget.”

  “Does Blane know that I carry his child?” she probed.

  “No, he will know when you are ready for him to know, my soul.”

  “Will our child be immune to the problems of the land? Faery is broken, and Danu is weakened by it; she can’t help our child be blessed by the tree.”

  “Our child is not of this world,” he said as he lowered to his knees and touched her stomach tenderly. His intense eyes gazed up at her. “Our child is not Fae, but of the first creatures to inhabit this land. You carry something unlike anything this world has ever known in your womb. A child blessed by the Gods, and those who Danu and her friends first created, but unlike them, he will be absolute power.” His smile turned dark.