Ström sinks in, all the way in, thick and deep. He stretches me so gloriously that I gasp, arching beneath him as I take the fullness of him in once more.
Loving it to the ends of the earth and back.
“Again?” he whispers at my lips, kissing me softly beneath the moon.
“Yeah,” I breathe, reaching up to cup his cheek. “Do me slow this time. Make it last… just for us tonight.”
“Always.” The most haunting, beautiful smile curls his lips as his green eyes blaze.
He moves inside me, atop me, and all around me in the night then. His dark green and crimson magic flows like a sea around us now as I take him in and flex, trapping him inside me.
Ström gasps, shuddering as I hold him. I bite his neck, claiming him as mine—before he presses me to the grass, breaking himself free so he can bite my neck in return.
And fuck me nice and slow, claiming me right back.
7
TRUST
Iwake the next morning, snug in bed. I’m cuddled naked between Bjorn and Ström in the cobalt silk sheets of our big canopied bed at Chambord; everything feels right with the world, as I snuggle between them, warm and safe.
As I lay there, just soaking it in after Ström’s and my crazy night of lovemaking, I realize neither Bjorn nor Ström have woken. I look at them now, letting my magic spiral deep into them through our bonds, and feel how tired they both are. I decide to let them sleep, sliding out of their arms and out of bed without disturbing them.
Though I give each a tender kiss before I go.
Dragons have mean appetites after late nights of partying and sex. My belly grumbles for food now as I sling on a light blue silk robe and head for a breakfast spread that always seems to appear at dawn in our rooms.
It’s good; full of lox and eggs, croissants and flaky pastries, there are a few nods to our Blood Dragon cuisine in here that the Chambord chefs haven’t neglected. I’m all about the coffee and pastries, however, as I indulge in a chocolate croissant, a ham and gruyere one, an almond one, and a plain buttery one, just because they’re the best.
It makes me miss the Red Letter Hotel Paris, as I sip coffee and stare out at the bright summer morning. Reginald would want me to be here, though, sorting my shit out some place safe.
And I do feel safe here, despite everything we’re up against. It gives me a peaceful feeling this morning, though I can already feel my memories fading again, despite all the ridiculously hot sex Ström and I had last night, and how it helped me.
I know I should take advantage of a moment of calm before shit gets crazy again, however; I decide to wander through the palace to see if I might find my cousin this morning and have a chat before he has his all-day matters of state to attend to.
I dress simply in jeans and tall russet boots, plus a moderately sexy, black silk-and-lace T-shirt with accents of my signature color, dark plum. Adding the silver hoops and chunky bracelet I wore last night, I think about Ström and smile.
I glance at the bed as I affix my earrings and do one side of my long Swedish-blonde hair up in a quick braid, so it’s out of my face. Bjorn and Ström are still out, Ström breathing gently as Bjorn snores.
Ström has cuddled up to Bjorn now with an arm slung over the other man’s waist; it’s cute and makes me smile as I blow them both a kiss. I head out the door, making sure I have my cell phone with me in case they wake and wonder where I am.
I don’t know where I’m going, as I nod to the guards on our doors and move out into the quadrangle of the palace proper. I think about checking in on Mikkel and Lærke, then decide against it as I move past their doors, wanting to just take some time for myself this morning.
Though I wander to Rhennic’s rooms and inquire about him with the guards on his doors, I find he’s gone out already to the Storm Dragon state meeting I wouldn’t be allowed to attend. It gives me nothing but time now, as I wander through the halls, the beautiful gardens of the inner bailey, and stop in to get another snack of cheese and grapes at one of the opulent kitchens.
At last, I find myself near the doors of a large gaming room in the palace. It’s in the royal suite area of the inner palace and is a good spot for me to wait until Rhennic is done with his meeting; I head on in, feeling like a solo game of pool would be just the thing this morning.
I enter, but stop cold, because I’ve just walked into a simmering megawatt-blast of dragon energy occupying the gaming room.
Blood Dragon energy—as I see Mikkel straighten from a game of pool.
Mikkel’s alone in the large gaming hall. Our eyes lock the moment I push in through the doors; I let them close behind me, not caring that they bump my ass because I’m standing that close as I stop dead at the entrance.
Mikkel says nothing, merely straightens at the table as he sets the butt end of his cue on the floor. Our eyes are locked, my lavender ones to his intense black. Heat floods me as my inner dragons careen in my veins now; I know my gaze has just flooded brimstone red as I see an answering chartreuse fire in Mikkel’s.
He does nothing, only watches me as we both stand there, like a mongoose facing off with a snake. At last, he steps back, opening a hand to the table.
“Care for a game?”
