Burned by Darkness

  It was only the mention of his damned harem that pissed her off.

  “Not even in your dreams,” she forced herself to mutter.

  His low chuckle brushed over her like a warm caress. Delicious. Almost as delicious as his hand sliding beneath her thigh to tug her legs apart.

  Tayla swallowed a moan, her pussy clenching with anticipation. Just the thought of him settling on top of her and filling her with the thick length of his cock was almost enough to make her climax.

  What would happen when he actually did it?

  Would she combust?

  “About those dragon duties,” she babbled, suddenly unnerved by the sheer fury of her desire.

  It threatened to consume her.

  “I’m taking care of the only dragon duty that matters,” he told her, his amber eyes holding her gaze as he reached down to yank off his loose pants.

  Her nails dug into her palms. Don’t look, don’t look, don’t look…

  She looked.

  And she was lost.

  He was just as gorgeous as she anticipated. No. More gorgeous.

  No amount of imagining could compare to the sight of his perfectly sculpted body that rippled with lean muscles and shimmered with his hypnotizing tattoos. He looked as if he’d been created by the hand of a master.

  And then there was his cock…

  Long and hard and thick enough to make her wonder whether or not he would fit.

  “Baine,” she croaked, too lost in sensations to protest when he moved to settle his hips between her spread legs.

  His head lowered, his mouth dropping restless kisses over her heated face before he licked a path down the side of her throat.

  “Mmm.”

  His rumble of pleasure vibrated against her, her hands moving to shove her fingers into the soft thickness of his hair. She’d wondered what it would feel like since she first caught sight of him. Now she knew. Satin. Pure satin.

  “I love the taste of you,” he muttered, nipping the tender flesh at the base of her neck. “Lemons.”

  Lemons? Tayla stiffened. That didn’t sound very sexy.

  “Are you saying I’m sour?” she demanded.

  “Tart,” he corrected, his lips grazing over her breasts to give each tightly clenched tip a lingering lick. “Tantalizing. Addictive.”

  Okay. That sounded better. She gave a soft moan as his lips continued to skim downward, the heat of his body blasting through the air. Almost as if he’d opened the door of a furnace to allow his inner fire to sear through the air.

  Sensing her startled shiver, he lifted his head to study her with concern.

  “Am I too hot?”

  A shaky laugh was wrenched from her lips. “If any other male asked me that question I would assume that he—”

  Her teasing words were cut off as Baine glared at her with an unexpected anger.

  “Don’t,” he rasped.

  Tayla’s heart slammed against her ribs. She had a sudden glimpse of the lethal predator that lurked just beneath the surface.

  “You won’t talk of other males,” he commanded, bristling with pure male possession. “You won’t even think of them.”

  Caught off guard by his fierce reaction, she gave a shake of her head.

  “What do you mean?”

  He leaned down until they were nose to nose. “I’m the only male you will have on your mind.” He claimed her lips in a kiss that radiated heat to the tips of her toes. “And in your bed.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Somewhere in Baine’s addled brain he knew he was overreacting.

  Since when had he considered whether or not a female was thinking about another male? Never. That’s when. As long as she was in his arms he just assumed she was there because she was eager to be his lover.

  Why wouldn’t he? It wasn’t like there weren’t females lined up to be invited to his harem.

  Now, however, he was battling the overwhelming urge to…

  To what?

  He’d already claimed her with the dragon marque that hung around her neck. Still, there was a restless need deep inside him that demanded more.

  Perhaps sensing his avaricious desire to keep her entirely for himself, Tayla eyed him with a wary suspicion.

  “Baine…”

  “Shh. No more talking.” Framing her face in his hands, Baine angled her face upward, kissing with a stark demand.

  Mine, a voice whispered in the back of his mind.

  Parting her mouth with his tongue, Baine tasted deeply of her tart sweetness, a savage need humming through his body. For a second she remained stiff beneath him, as if still wary of his fierce possessiveness. Then, with a sigh, she arched closer to his body, her fingers sliding through his hair.

  “Bossy,” she muttered against his lips.

  The beast inside him growled in satisfaction, sensing her capitulation.

  He brushed his mouth over her eyes, the narrow line of her nose, before returning to her soft lips that seemed to plead for his kiss. At the same time, he was settling deeper between her legs.

  They groaned in unison as the head of his cock slid through her moist cleft. Baine clenched his teeth. It would be so easy to slam his way home and put an end to the brutal ache to possess this female. But there was no way he was going to rush through their first time.

  Not when he wanted her so lost in her need that she would forget she’d ever been bartered to him by her father.

  Nuzzling a tender spot at the base of her throat, he smiled in satisfaction as she tilted back her head to allow him greater access.

  Exploring downward, he released a tiny burst of fire that danced over her tender skin. Not hot enough to burn, but sizzling with an erotic heat that made her jerk with startled pleasure.

  “That is…” Her words trailed away as he headed downward, taking a puckered nipple between his lips. “So good.”

  “Perfect,” he murmured, savoring her tart taste as he explored over the curve of her breast, and then lower.

  Downward, he traveled. Along her narrow ribcage, over the flare of her hips.

  She was tiny, but flawlessly curved, and so exquisitely fragile. Like a rare book that needed to be handled with care, he sternly reminded himself.

  Leashing the beast inside him, he inched himself down the mattress, sliding his arms beneath her thighs. Then, spreading her legs even wider, he sucked in a deep breath of her enticing arousal.

  With a low groan, he tugged her legs over his shoulders, giving him the perfect angle to sweep his tongue through her pussy. His cock twitched as the taste of her filled his mouth.

  Damn. It was richer than most imps. A complex mixture, as if she had hidden depths.

  At any other time he might have paused to work through the mystery. Dragons loved puzzles, after all. But he was in no mood to halt long enough to question her about the multifaceted flavor that teased at his senses. Not when his tongue was dipping into her tight channel before stroking back to her tender clit.

  She quivered, her sharp gasp filling the air. Ah. So his little imp liked that. Repeating the caress over and over, he tightened his hold on her legs as she squirmed in delight.

  “Enough,” she breathed, reaching down to thread her fingers through his hair.

  Oh, hell no. It wasn’t nearly enough, Baine decided.

  If she could still form coherent words, she wasn’t as lost in her passions as she needed to be.

  “Come for me,” he commanded, flicking the tip of his tongue at her precise point of pleasure.

  She gave a strangled groan, her fingers tugging on his hair hard enough to cause pain. Not that Baine noticed. He was lost in the delight of watching as her pale face flushed and her eyes darkened until they looked like shimmering emeralds in the sunlight.

  Her breath came in small pants, her teeth digging into her lower lip as she finally gave in to the beckoning climax with a sharp cry of bliss. Her entire body shuddered with the force of her orgasm.

  Still he continued to stroke
her pussy, easing her through her release and immediately reigniting her desire.

  “Baine,” she groaned, her soft plea luring him back up her body, his lips pausing every inch to plant a teasing kiss against her damp skin.

  His fingers cupped her breasts, his thumbs circling the tight peaks of her nipples while his mouth trailed kisses up the curve of her neck.

  “Touch me,” he demanded, roughly.

  With a tiny groan of relief, she instantly complied, almost as if she’d been eager to explore his rigid muscles. Baine muttered a curse, gripping her hips to press her firmly against his aching cock.

  He’d intended to savor her for hours. Perhaps days. But the sexy little imp wasn’t content with smoothing her hands over his chest. No. She caressed the line of his shoulders and the bulge of his upper arms before slowly following the curve of his spine.

  His breath hissed between his teeth as she briefly cupped his ass and then slid her fingers around his hips so she could wrap them around the length of his erection.

  At the same time, she lifted her head off the mattress, using the tip of her tongue to trace the tattoos that moved over his skin.

  Damn. Bolts of bliss crackled through him, his cock pulsing with an urgent demand for release. There was no way in hell he was going to last another few minutes, let alone the entire day.

  Evidently he was going to have to take the edge off his hunger before he considered such an ambitious plan.

  Reaching down, he closed his fingers over hers, helping her guide his erection to the entrance to her body. Then, as the broad head rested against her opening, he kept ahold of her fingers, moving them to rub against her clit. Tayla gave a soft moan, her head falling back to the mattress as he stirred the embers of her arousal.

  It wasn’t until she instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips, widening herself for his penetration, that he at last surged forward, stretching and filling her until he was fully encased in her tight channel.

  Gazing down at the woman beneath him, a strange sensation spread through his chest at the sight of the vulnerability that shimmered in her wide eyes. Could she look any more innocent? Like an angel he’d stolen from the heavens. It stirred a protective instinct that sent a chill of alarm down his spine.

  No. He violently slammed the door on anything that could distract him from this moment.

  Lowering his head he kissed her with a fierce demand, pulling his hips back before surging into her welcoming heat. She groaned in soft encouragement, her hips lifting to meet his powerful thrusts.

  Baine slid his tongue between her lips, his dragon rumbling with pleasure as it released a burst of dragon-fire. Unaware they were wrapped in his flames, Tayla returned his kiss with a growing desperation that couldn’t be faked.

  In this moment she wasn’t thinking about her father, or duty, or the payment of a debt—

  His thoughts shattered at the raw pleasure that tightened his balls.

  He was close. So blissfully close.

  Pressing Tayla’s fingers tight against her clit, he heard her release a strangled moan, her body clenching around his cock. Unable to hold back any longer, he thrust his hips forward one last time, hissing as his powerful climax exploded through him.

  Incandescent flames danced over the bed, twining around their tightly locked bodies as if binding them together.

  Damn. What had the female done to him?

  CHAPTER NINE

  Levet wasn’t certain how much the male imp was paying for his lodgings at the pub, but whatever it was, it was too much.

  Wrinkling his snout at the stench of stale ale and piss that filled the lower cells, he kept his tail lifted off the sticky floor and pushed open the door that was hidden behind the web of illusion.

  If possible, the cramped space was even worse than the outer cells.

  There were not only the nasty smells, but there were piles of dirty clothing tossed on the floor along with empty bottles and grimy plates that made Levet shudder in horror.

  Clearly Odel was on a downward spiral to hell.

  The perfect place for the spineless fool, Levet acknowledged. Unfortunately, he needed the imp to help him rescue Tayla from the dragon. Once Tayla was safe, the imbecile could drown in his rubbish as far as Levet was concerned.

  Forcing himself over the threshold, he glanced around the seemingly empty room, relieved that gargoyles were immune to most diseases. Who knew what nasty germs were percolating in the swamp of filth?

  Worse, there was no imp lying on the ratty cot or hunkering in a dark corner.

  “Sacrebleu,” Levet muttered, pressing his wings close to his body. “This must be his room, but where is—” His words broke off as he caught the scent of brandy-soaked figs. A minute later a male with long, golden hair and a thin face swayed into the room, wearing a wrinkled white shirt and black slacks. “Odel?” he muttered, watching as the male’s yellowish-green eyes narrowed.

  “Yes. I’m Odel,” the imp said, nearly toppling on his face as he performed an exaggerated bow. “At your service.”

  Levet gave a click of his tongue. The male was drunk as a skunk. A peculiar saying, considering that Levet had never seen a skunk so much as tipsy.

  Then, before he could speak, the imp was giving a frantic shake of his head.

  “No. Wait,” he mumbled. “I’m not Odel. In fact, I don’t even know an Odel. I’m…” His brows furrowed as he ridiculously tried to remember his lies. “What the hell is my name?”

  “Odel?” Levet suggested.

  “Yes, that’s it.” Odel grinned, then belatedly realized his mistake. “No.” The scowl made a return. “Stop confusing me.”

  “I am not to blame for your stupidity.”

  The imp studied him with glazed eyes. “Who are you? Some sort of devil?”

  Levet gave a slow shake of his head. “Genetics truly are a baffling thing.”

  “Gen who?”

  Levet stepped forward, yearning to launch a fireball at the drunken fey. Not to kill…just to singe his eyebrows. Unfortunately the place was so soaked in alcohol it would probably explode.

  “How could you possibly be related to Tayla?” he instead muttered.

  “Tayla?” The male stiffened, grabbing the jamb of the door to keep himself steady. “You know my daughter?”

  “I do.”

  There was a short, painful pause as the blood drained from the male’s face.

  “How is she?” he at last demanded in a hoarse voice.

  Levet snorted. “As if you care.”

  “Of course I care.” Something that might have been regret twisted the male’s thin features. “I’m her father.”

  Levet pointed a clawed finger in his direction. “You have no right to claim that title.”

  Odel hunched his shoulders, as if Levet had struck him. “You know nothing of me.”

  “I know that you are a selfish coward who gambled away your soul and when it came time to pay your debts, you sold your daughter to save your own pig,” Levet snapped.

  “My pig?” The male looked briefly confused. “Oh. You mean bacon?”

  “Oui. To save your own bacon,” Levet said in impatient tones. “It is disgusting.”

  “I didn’t know what else to do,” Odel tried to bluster. “They would have killed me.”

  “And what of Tayla?” Levet demanded.

  The male shrugged, his expression that of a petulant child. “They promised she would become a favored consort to a powerful dragon.”

  Levet shook his head. How could this male possibly be related to generous, sweet, unfailingly kind Tayla?

  “At least my mother only tried to murder me,” he told the male. “She never pimped me out.”

  Odel glared at him for a long minute, then with a choked cry he fell to his knees, burying his face in his hands.

  “It’s true,” he blubbered. “I’m a miserable excuse for a father.”

  “You are,” Levet readily agreed. “Parents are meant to protect their ch
ildren.”

  Odel glanced up, tears running down his face. “It’s too late.”

  Levet pursed his lips. He might be a bit more sympathetic if he thought the bastard was crying for Tayla and not for himself.

  “Non. You can still do the right thing,” Levet insisted.

  “What can I do?”

  “Repay the debt and release her.”

  The imp shook his head, guilt rippling over his face before the petulant expression returned.

  “I can’t,” he muttered. “The money’s gone.”

  Of course it was. Levet rolled his eyes.

  “What of your store?” he demanded.

  “The trolls have destroyed it.”

  “Then you have no choice.” Levet moved forward, poking the male in the center of the chest. “You will have to offer yourself.”

  Odel sucked in a horrified breath. It obviously had never entered his mind that he might sacrifice himself to save Tayla.

  Puke. No wait—putz. Stupid putz.

  “What good would that do?” he blubbered. “They don’t want me.”

  “Don’t be so hasty, imp. For once you might actually have some value,” a voice drawled as a male stepped out of a portal that opened directly behind the kneeling Odel.

  The stranger had a lean face that had the finely chiseled features of a fey with long black hair, although Levet couldn’t detect the usual power that hummed around a demon.

  “Shit,” Odel breathed, trying to scramble away as the portal stretched even wider, and a full-grown troll stepped into the cramped hallway, his thick head busting through the wooden beams above them. Turning back to Levet, the drunken imp scowled with open disgust. “You set me up.”

  “Why would I set you up, you ridiculous creature?” Levet protested, waddling toward the first male. He had to be fey. Or at least possess some sort of magical blood. That was the only way he could create portals. Levet halted directly in front of the male, sniffing his leather pants. Hmm…he smelled like celery. Bleck. “Are you a fairy?” he demanded.

  The creature took a startled step backward, glaring at Levet. “Get away from me.”

  Levet ignored the male’s rudeness. Really, demons should have to take lessons in manners.