Every breath is for you, my darling.
My heart beats only with yours.
You are my heart, my soul…my love, forever.
She paused to breathe, and Rian could wait no longer. He would be the air she breathed. He was helpless to be anything but. Trying to be gentle but needing her more than life itself, the Dragon Leader slammed his lips to hers. His heart and dragon soared as she opened to him, giving all that she could. He moaned deep in his throat when her nails scratched his scalp. His dragon howled as her elegant fingers grabbed at his hair, his back, his arms, holding tight as he made love to her mouth so that she would never doubt to whom she belonged.
Their kiss was never-ending, all encompassing, and life changing. Her hand moved over his back and across his hips until just the tips of her fingers ran the length of the underside of his erection.
Tearing his mouth from hers, Rian grabbed her hand. “Audrey…” he moaned with what little breath he could find, wanting nothing more than to find sweet release with his mate but knowing it simply could not be.
Snatching her hand from his, she wrapped her fingers around the base of his shaft and looked him in the eye. Fire burned deep in her hypnotic violet eyes. “The Priestess said we couldn’t consummate our love. She did not say I couldn’t give you the same pleasure you have so freely and so beautifully given me for all these years. I am tired of being denied. I am tired of feeling helpless. I am tired of waiting. I dream of nothing else but watching you come apart in my arms as I know you have watched me. I will wait no longer, my wonderful dragon mate. Do you hear me? No longer. I need this as much as you do.”
He could see the impish grin on her beautiful lips. Went to argue but was cut short as the words were stolen from his mouth just as the breath was taken from his lungs.
Audrey stroked up his throbbing erection slowly and with great purpose while holding his eyes hostage with the intensity of her gaze. Just as the side of her finger touched the underneath of his swollen head, his little minx rubbed her thumb through the warm, wet proof of his excitement.
“Do you know how much I love you, Rian O’Reilly?” she asked while sliding her hand back to his pelvis and up again so quickly, the Dragon Leader was unable to do anything but shake his head.
“Let me show you, mo leannán Dragon.”
Without waiting for an answer, her lips claimed his. He could feel her pouring all that she was, all that she felt…into him. Her hand worked his erection with a perfection born out of love and the need to share who she really was with her mate.
He could hear her thoughts. Knew that this was her way of consummating their love, of showing him that no matter what happened, she would always be his. There never was nor would ever be another. Not even hell could keep them apart. She believed in him, believed he would save her.
Pushing him beyond all limits, Audrey tore her mouth from his and commanded, “Come for me, mo ghra’. Let me feel the power of our love as you have felt mine so many times.”
Helpless but to do what his mate commanded, Rian screamed his lover’s name over and over until his throat was raw, his body was empty, and his heart so incredibly full of love he was sure it would burst. His wits slowly returned to the feel of Audrey’s lips tenderly kissing first his cheek, then his neck, and finally whispering in his ear, “I love you, mo chroi, so very, very much.”
Rian smiled at her use of the old language and even more so at how much he felt when she said she loved him. Sitting up and pulling her into his lap in one fluid motion, the Dragon Leader held her body to his. The feel of her hardened nipples rubbing against his chest as her breath quickened threatened his focus, but Rian would not be deterred. He could feel the impending sunrise and knew their time was limited.
“And I love you, mo maite’. I love you more with each passing moment. There is not a force in all of the Universe that will stop me from bringing you home and making you mine…forever.”
Kissing her hard and fast, Rian opened all his senses to Audrey. He prayed with every ounce of faith he possessed that she would retain at least some small part of their bond upon her return to hell. All too soon, his dragon chuffed, alerting Rian to the nearness of the sun.
Hesitantly setting Audrey away from him and standing, Rian picked up her dress and petticoats from the chair where he’d thrown them in his hurry to bare her satiny skin and turned to his mate. Chuckling he asked, “When are you going to stop wearing these crazy underskirts. I can get you modern clothing if you’d prefer.”
Letting the sheet fall as she rose, Audrey stood before him in all her splendid naked glory. “Well, my love, I can’t very well show up in hell wearing the latest fashions, now can I?”
The rise and fall of her beautiful breasts was hypnotic as Audrey spoke with her hands, something he found absolutely adorable, and walked towards him. She stopped just out of arm’s reach and furrowed her brow. He saw her lips move, but the roar of the blood rushing to his lower extremity left him deaf and mute.
Only when she tried to rip her clothing from his hands, rolled her eyes and snapped, “Rian, stop gawking at me and give me my dress,” did his sanity finally return. Only now, Audrey was laughing at him and shaking her head. “Silly man, you think you’re not distracting standing there looking good enough to eat.” The smile fell from her lips as she stepped into her petticoats.
Her next words broke his heart. He could feel her sadness even though she kept her gaze on the floor as she whispered, “If only we had more time.”
Closing the distance between them with his jeans still open and riding low on his hips, Rian put the tip of his fingers under her chin and gently lifted her head until he could see her exquisite face. Tears filled her eyes as he pulled her into his arms and held her tight.
As the first rays of the morning sun hit the earth, Rian kissed the top of her head and pledged, “I will save you, Audrey my love, on that you can be sure.”
Rian jumped off the couch, still half-asleep and madder than a wet hen. Shaking the last of the fog from his nap out of his brain, he cursed, “Fucking memories. Love them. Hate them. Either way, they’re gonna be the death of me.”
The chime of the clock told him he’d overslept and had less than an hour and a half to set up and begin the Summoning Ritual. Gathering his duffle from the closet, Rian set the circle and drew the pentagram in the center with purified salt then placed the white taper candles at the points and the large purple pillar candle in the center. Using the copper pot Eleanor had made and blessed for him, the Dragon Leader ground the herbs as he had so many times before. His mind wandered as the pestle hit the dried leaves and the scent of Lemon Verbena, Arabic Gum, and Belladonna filled the room. He ground them to a fine powder, added three drops of Lavender oil, and set the mixture on the iron grate covering the small flame from a can of Sterno.
As the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, Rian spoke the Summoning Spell. As he recited the words that would bring his mate to him, the Dragon Leader sliced across the palm of his right hand and let seven drops of his extremely powerful, very magical dragon’s blood drip into the boiling mixture. Plumes of deep purple smoke rose from the copper pot. A sweet burning scent filled the room, quickly followed by brimstone.
“Teacht! A bheith le feiceáil!” Rian bellowed just seconds before Audrey shimmered into view.
Using his enhanced speed, the Dragon Leader raced into the circle, catching Audrey just before she crumbled to the ground. Carefully making his way to the couch he kept within the Devil’s Trap, Rian couldn’t help but smile as he held the one most dear to his heart in his arms.
