Fleur glanced up at him and raised her hands. The world around him went white with light.
“Steele, look out,” Jakob and Fleur both shouted into his head.
The black dragon and his enormous claws were centimeters from Steele’s head.
“You’re dead and your mate will be next.”
He ducked, but there was no way he would be able to avoid the attack. He braced for the impact, praying to the first dragon to let him keep his head.
The world shifted into slow-mo and Steele watched the razor-sharp claws inch their way closer to his neck. Shit. He’d let himself get distracted and he was about to pay the price.
“Noooooo.” A screech of tortured pain came from the black dragon and it recoiled, snapping the world back into real-time. The ends of its claws were gone and white tendrils, like fine vines crawled up his scales.
The black dragon writhed and squirmed, trying to shake off the invader. Now it was the one distracted.
“Now, brothers. Take it down.” Steele called to all the warrior dragons to join him. They attacked claws, wind, fire, ice, and earth joining forces, assaulting the beast, pushing it to the ground.
It landed hard, creating a crater with its impact. There were no more demon dragons to help defend the bastard. Now it would die.
Steele dove, calling upon the earth and trees, and most importantly, his mate to join him in crushing this foe once and for all. “Let’s end this, together.”
The black dragon spread its wings, even crippled by the power of Fleur’s white vines. It tried to take to the air again, jumping up and over the wolves surrounding it.
The great dragon tree Fleur had created grew even bigger, reaching out for the black dragon, making sure it’s only path was down. Match, Ky, and Cage joined together grabbing at it with their claws, forcing it to drop to the ground, where Steele, Jakob, Dax and the wolf pack waited to capture and destroy it once and for all.
The wolves howled and Fleur’s white magic rose around them all. It filled Steele’s soul, giving him strength and courage.
He spread his wings wide, his talons ready to slice the beast throat just as it had tried to do to him. He had every confidence that Fleur would protect him from any attempts at a last-minute attack.
Jakob lunged, a white light, yet not Fleur’s, surrounded him too. He used his great spiked tail to push the black dragon to the ground. It thrashed, but it’s actions, it’s snout, even its thoughts and dragon’s voice were muffled by the white tendrils now encasing its head. They all heard nothing from it now, but agony.
“The kill is yours, Steele. Finish him.”
“Gladly.”
He drew back, putting all his might behind his move. This aberration would never plague Blue Creek or Fleur’s friends again. Nothing like it would ever touch Fleur again.
He moved to strike, but stopped when a woman, older than dirt, appeared between him and the black dragon. Black acrid smoke pooled around her feet and she held up her arm to block Steele’s death blow.
“Never again,” she cried. She waved her arms through the air, engulfing the black dragon and herself into her smoke, and disappeared, leaving only burned ground behind.
“Who the fuck was that?” Dax asked the question they all wanted the answer to.
“Some sort of a witch, one that uses the blackest of magic.” Match growled and pawed at the earth where the two fugitives had been only moments before.
“Steele. Where are you? Steele?” Fleur ran through the clouds of smoke and when she saw him, she threw her arms around his great scaled neck.
“I couldn’t find you through that smoke.”
Steele pushed the dragon back inside, even though that part of him was still amped up and craving the kill.
“I’m right here. I’ll always be here for you.”
She covered his face in kisses not even stopping when someone behind her cleared their throat. When two more someone’s about coughed their heads off, she relented. Not that Steele minded at all.
“Sorry to break up your love fest, but can anyone explain what that was and do we need to be worried about protecting our pack from it again?” Aric stood, buck naked in human form with his arms crossed and his mate, Jordan on his arm. At least she had the sense to put some clothes on.
Jakob shifted into his human form first and addressed the worried alpha to be. “It was some form of advanced demon dragon. You all took out more of its minions than I’ve ever seen gathered together, so I think you won’t have to worry about them anytime soon.”
Match shifted next and began pacing immediately. “I don’t think it was a mere demon dragon. It had powers too similar to my own. But, there is nothing in the lore about a black dragon.”
Cage and Ky shifted to joined the conversation. Cage leaned against the tree, using it to support him in his exhaustion. “When I have recharged in the sun, I will fly back to start searching the archives for information.”
“I suggest we call an AllWyr to discuss this new threat, the information Steele extracted from the demon dragon, and our new ally.” Ky glanced over at Fleur.
“Me?” Fleur’s head snapped to stare at Ky.
Match stopped dead in front of Fleur. “Yes, little dragon daughter.”
Match’s tone was dark and had a tinge of threat to it. Steele itched to step between the alpha of alpha’s and his mate. He didn’t only because he knew Fleur could hold her own against anyone, dragon or man.
She took his hand and squeezed it, asking for his support. He squeezed back and pulled her closer. She glanced at him, a question in her eyes. He knew this was a sensitive subject for her. But, maybe his kind could put some of her questions to rest. He nodded to her.
“I never knew my father. How do you know he was a dragon?”
“Your powers, these.” Ky indicated to Fleur’s arm and neck. “I watched as you wielded your magic. Your body shimmers with white scales.”
“But the woman in white gave me those. She’s the one who transformed me into the white dragon and helped me understand how to use the love inside of me.”
“The woman in white?” Match questioned.
“Yeah. Long black hair, white flowing robes. Didn’t you guys see her? Come to think of it. She called me a dragon’s daughter too.”
Match grumbled and growled. “Holy First Dragon. The White Witch. You say she transformed you? I don’t believe it. There is no such thing as female dragons. Let us see your dragon form now.”
Fleur shrugged and closed her eyes. The shard at her neck glowed, and white scales did in fact shimmer across her body, but that was the extent of her transformation.
Steele waited in as much anticipation as the rest of the group. He knew his mate was special. But, a female dragon was completely unprecedented.
“That’s all I’ve got.”
“Do your mates not take on your shifter forms when you mark and claim them?” Aric waved his arm toward the other wolf shifter couples. “All of our women were human until we mated with them.”
Ky stepped in to answer. “No dragon has had a true mate in the last six-hundred years. Until now.”
He pointed to Jakob. “The green dragon Wyvern was the first when he found his own white witch. We assumed it was a blessing from the First Dragon for recoving the sacred relic. But, it seems to have happened again with Steele.”
Steele hadn’t known any of that. He hadn’t done anything like that to deserve a gift from the First Dragon. He wouldn’t question why Fleur had been brought to him, but be grateful she had.
He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. He knew how special she was, and he wanted to take her home and love on her. She completed him, and he her. They were indeed better together.
Match wasn’t quite ready to let them go. “Steele, did you see your mate in this transformation?”
“No.” Except in their shared dream. “But, I talked to her too. The White Witch.”
“When?” That had surprised Jakob.
“The first battle against the demon dragons. I died and talked to both the First Dragon and the White Witch, in a sort of afterlife.”
Jakob grasped him on the shoulder, and they exchanged a glance that said they had more in common than just being gifted with true mates.
Match’s alpha command zinged through the air. “Steele Zeleny. You and your...mate, will present yourselves to the AllWyr council to be questioned about these supposed encounters.”
Fleur extracted her arm from Steele’s tight grip, and pointed a finger at the red Wyvern. “Hey, buster. We just saved her big ole dragon butts. Have a little respect.”
Man, how Steele loved her sassy little mouth. It might get them both in trouble. But, he’d take it.
Jakob snorted to cover a chuckle. “Forgive him, my lady. Please accept my invitation to join me in my home. We’d like you to attend us at the AllWyr to recount your miracles.”
“Miracles?”
He nodded. “Yes. I count my own true mate to be a miracle in my life. You must be too.”
Fleur grinned and Steele saw a touch of a blush cross her cheeks. “Oh. Okay. Thanks. We’d love to.”
“Steele, you’ll bring her to Prague?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ooh. Prague.”
“Yes, that is my home. Ciara would, what does she say, ah yes, flip her shit, if I didn’t invite you. She loves to throw a party, so pack accordingly.”
“My home is here in Blue Creek. The Wolfe’s are,” she swallowed and glanced around at the men and women who’d fought by their side. “They’re my family.”
The five women in the circle bounded forward, pushed Steele aside and surrounded Fleur in a group hug. They all started talking at once in a high-pitched squeal that defied human ears. “Fleur, dear. We’ve been waiting for you to realize how much we all care for you.”
“Girl, you and your dragon have to come to Las Vegas and visit.”
“Yes, come up to meet the Central pack too. I miss hanging out with you.”
“Aw, you guys mean the world to me. Even if we have to move to Europe, you’ll always be my home.”
Steele leaned over and spoke under his breath to Jakob. “Dude. You gotta help me out. I think the she-wolves will kill me if I try to take Fleur away from them.”
Jakob nodded, looking very serious. He announced his decision to the group. “I think it best if we reassign Steele and Daxton to Blue Creek.”
If possible the squeals of the women increased in both pitch and decibels. They might have created a new weapon of mass destruction against all eardrums.
Barbara Wolfe clapped her hands and got everyone’s attention. “Ladies, gentlemen, I propose we all meet back at the Wolfe’s den tomorrow afternoon. It’s been a long night and I think we could all use some time in bed.”
She winked at Steele, and continued. “Then we can begin our plans, ladies.”
“Uh-oh. I’m not sure I like the sound of that,” Tristan said. “Plans for what?”
“Fleur’s bachelorette party, of course.”
The squeals returned and were joined by groans from all the wolf-shifter men.
“I guess that means we’ll need to plan a bachelor party for you, dragon,” Aric said.
Holy dragons balls.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Love’s Destiny
Fleur couldn’t get Steele home fast enough. She wanted to feel every part of his body on every part of hers. Several of the Wolfe’s offered them a ride. Steele declined.
He shifted into his dragon, plucked her up in his talons, holding her gently by the shoulders and flew up and over the treetops.
“I’m going to need a new place with a balcony so you have a place to land.”
“As soon as I can liquidate some of my treasure, you’re getting a home with a secluded backyard where I can make love to you surrounded by the earth and forest.”
His treasure? Dragons.
“All I want is you, and maybe a garden.”
“Yes. I won’t be able to keep my hands off of you in a garden.”
That wasn’t exactly what she meant, but it sounded fun anyway.
He landed on the roof of her building, just as the sun was starting to rise. She’d lugged a half dozen planters up here and created a tiny rooftop vegetable garden in the five by five-foot area the landlord had allowed her.
She’d been able to coax anything into growing before she’d met Steele and the White Witch, but now, she could turn her little plants into paradise for them both.
Fleur waved her hands over the pots and within seconds their own little secret garden sprouted up around them.
Steele shifted to his hot-arific human form and tackled her to the grass, rolling so that she landed softly on his chest. His hands were everywhere at once, stripping off her clothes and touching each new inch of bare skin.
“I need you, Fleur. God, I need to see and touch and taste you from top to toes. I can’t go another moment without making you mine again.”
“I am yours, but take me anyway.” Fleur’s hands moved as frantically as his, removing his shirt and unbuckling his pants.
He shredded hers then ripped his own off. His fingers dug into her thighs and he spread them, making her straddle him beneath her.
He slid two fingers between her legs, testing to see if she was ready. “Fuck, yes, you’re wet for me already. Thank god. Slide onto my cock, baby. Ride me.”
Fleur reached between them and circled his hard length with her hand. She pumped his shaft twice, before pushing him into her pussy.
Foreplay could wait. She needed him now.
“Fuck yes, Fleur. God, you feel so good.” He rocked his hips, thrusting up into her, holding her hips tight so all she could do was take him.
He was rough and needy and she loved it, because she needed him the same way.
She splayed her hands across his chest, using the position to move her body, meeting him thrust for thrust. He filled her so completely, so deeply, she didn’t know where he ended and she began.
Making love to him in this frantic demanding way pushed her body into a greedy carnal place. Her inner muscles squeezed and contracted around his cock. She was already close to coming.
“Ah, fuck, Fleur. I’m not going to last if you keep that up.”
Her heartrate skyrocketed as the pleasure pooled deep in her core. “I don’t want you to. Come, Steele, and take me with you.”
He threw his head back and arched his back, pushing incredibly deeper into her. He cried out her name, and his hot seed surged into her.
Dozens of daisies sprung up in a circle around them, petals falling through the air as her body tensed, holding Steele tight inside of her. She sucked in one last deep breath and screamed out her orgasm.
The light from the shard around her neck joined in with the dancing colors behind her eyelids. She collapsed onto Steele’s chest, his cock still hard and buried deep inside of her.
He stroked her hair and held her against his chest. His breathing was just as fast as hers. “You’re so fucking sexy and hot when you come like that, riding me. I could watch you do that all day.”
She giggled, so happy and content in their love. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
He chuckled too and turned, putting her under him. “My turn, baby. Let’s see if I can’t get you to turn this rooftop into a whole field of daisies.”
His cock twitched inside of her, growing harder, filling her again.
His lips went from hers down her neck and made their way to her breast. He sucked one nipple in and sucked on it rhythmically. His hips moved to match that same beat.
Fleur lifted her legs and wrapped her heels around the backs of his thighs. Every push hit her in all the best places and a new orgasm built inside.
Not once did he stop sucking on her nipple and soon his fingers joined in, pinching and pulling in time on her other one. She moaned, the pleasure-pain pushing her higher until she was so close to coming again she c
ould hardly breath.
“More, more, I’m so close. More.”
Instead of giving her what she wanted he slowed, taking incredibly longer strokes, biting at her nipple. He took her so much higher than before, pushing her body, but never letting her come.
“Please, Steele. I...can’t. Oh, god, please.”
When she was sure she couldn’t take another second without exploding, Steele swiveled his hips, making her see stars. He thrust into her fast and hard while still taking long slow pulls on her breast. The counterpoint blitzed her mind and body and her orgasm crashed over her, squeezing every last bit of pleasure from her.
Her body convulsed, every muscle contracting and releasing, over and over. She flew to the highest plane of blissful nirvana and floated there still warm in Steele’s arms.
When she finally drifted back into her body, she opened her eyes and found Steele grinning down at her. He knew he’d blown her mind.
She smiled back and stretched under him, releasing the tight grip of her legs around him. When she set her feet on the ground, his cock pressed against the inside of her thigh.
He hadn’t come.
She knew how to fix that.
“Hey, dragon.”
“Huh?”
“I don’t know where your mind is at. But, I know where mine is.”
She had so much love for this man, warrior, protector that she’d come to know and love. Thanks to the First Dragon and his White Witch.
“Oh, yeah, babe. Where’s that?”
“In the gutter.” She waggled an eyebrow at him. But, suddenly Steele looked so damn serious.
Uh-oh. What was wrong?
Steele kissed her gently. “That’s my favorite place for it to be, babe.”
She skimmed her fingers over his back. “Join me there?”
He sat up and positioned her in his lap so they were face to face. “I will. But, there’s something I want to ask you first.”
“Okay. But, don’t worry. I’m not going to make you sleep in the bathtub again.” She was trying to lighten the mood. It wasn’t working.
“Fleur.” Steele cleared his throat. “I love you with every fiber of my being. I feel like I’ve known you my whole life. But, I don’t know if it’s the same for you.”