No less than I’d do for her, but I’ve spent so much of my life among selfish, backstabbing creatures that I can’t comprehend this commitment.
“I don’t deserve you.” I stare at Esme and wonder if I’m dreaming. If I fell asleep on the icy tundra and my internal forge finally ran out and I’m now drifting toward a death dimension. One that gives me every joy I never had in life.
“That’s a ridiculous thing to say.” The harpy circles the research-covered table to face me, staring me down with her golden gaze. “Do you want me? Because I want you.”
Blue light flickers across her skin in response. “Yes.”
“Do you love me like you used to?”
Like I used to? We were both barely more than children then. What I feel now eclipses those fledgling feelings.
“More.”
She grins as tears spill down her cheeks. “And you’re not mad I was this close”—she holds up her fingers in a pinching motion—“to cheating on you with you?”
“Do it,” I growl, lunging forward to scoop her into my arms.
Esme laughs against my mouth as I kiss her, tasting the salt of tears and scenting hot flowers. I sink to the ground with her atop me.
“Do you …” I groan when she reaches between us to palm my erection, fully stiff again.
“Do I what?” Her quick fingers undo my fly and pull out my cock, stroking until I almost forget my question.
But the answer is too important.
“Love me?”
Esme pauses with her fingers around my heated flesh, meeting my eyes with a look that says,Seriously, you dense dragon?
Then, she smirks, all sass and teasing.
“Oh, I see. An entire room devoted to you isn’t clear enough. My dragon needs to hear me say it. Do I have that right?”
Her dragon.
Fuck yes, I’m hers.
I nod, a quick jerk of my chin.
“Fine, you want to hear it? I”—she stands my cock up straight, positioning me at her entrance—“love”—she sinks down an inch—“you.” She slips the rest of the way.
Fully seated inside her, I’ve lost the few words I had.
Then, with each rock of her hips, the teasing harpy gives me a different variation.
“I love you, Sulien.”
“I love you, Lee.”
“I love you, my infuriating bearded dragon.”
“I love you, my … mate.”
“Wait,” I croak, my balls tight, on the verge of spilling. “I am?”
Mating is different for every kind of mythic. I knew the fates had chosen her for me when I first filled her with my cock and felt as though wings had sprouted from my back and my chest caught on fire and my heart reformed to the shape of her small palm.
“That first time”—she moans as I thrust into her again, then licks my neck—“you asked to see my other form. You wanted all of me. Every last feather.” As she talks, I nod. “Your soul lifts my wings. Of course you’re my mate. Now, stroke my clit.”
