I curled my head, bringing my mouth down to Cyn's nipple, and latched on. Flicking my tongue over that hard nub, shivers ran down my spine, and I pressed tighter against him, rubbing my soft, but tingling cock between our bellies. No lover had ever made me feel so handsome, so desirable. And under that adoration, I bloomed, becoming a purely sensual being intent on our pleasure. My body moved in ways it never had before, instinctively knowing what would please my mate. Cyn shuddered, his head tossing, and one of his hands lifted to hold the back of my head.
“Just like that, Mate. Keep sucking and fucking me.”
I groaned against Cyn's nipple, his coarse words sending another thrill down my spine, and then felt his body tense. It was time. I sucked his little bud and clenched tighter around his big cock. Then, when I knew he was on the verge, hanging over that erotic cliff, I lifted my hips and slammed down.
“Ru!” Cyn roared.
I lifted off him just in time for him to climax in the water. Then I crumpled onto my mate, delighting in the after-shivers that rocked him. Once Cyn had been wrung of every ounce of ecstasy, he went limp, his arms slipping loose of the rim to flop into the water. Only his head, hooked over the rim of the tub, kept him from sinking below the surface.
I brushed a kiss over Cyn's lips, and he grinned.
“I love you,” he said again, without opening his eyes.
“I love you too, Mate,” I said and slid down to cuddle him. I'd never been in love before, but I assumed it was always like this in the beginning, the declarations coming often, as if neither of you could believe you had found something so bright and beautiful. Happier than I'd ever been, I murmured, “The water is still warm. Didn't you say we would wait until it was cool to make love?”
Laughing as best he could in his super-relaxed state, Cyn shook his head, then said, “We have never been good at waiting.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
The next day, right at noon, the search for Tareth's Triumph began.
The Talons worked their way inward from the city walls, going street by street. They removed Shanba from their homes and kept them under watch on the street as they conducted searches inside. The officers had been advised to look for green flashes in people's eyes and to never be in a group smaller than four. We hoped the precautions would keep them safe. But that wasn't what worried me or Cyn.
The Dragon King was so concerned about his Shanba subjects that he took to the streets on horseback, going among them to explain personally why they were being treated so poorly and to ask forgiveness from every one of them. They responded well to his presence and his words. Hunched shoulders and wounded eyes transformed into patient acceptance. Chins lifted as the King shook hands and clasped shoulders. Still, it hurt to see families huddled together on the street, watching their homes and belongings rifled through as their neighbors peered through windows. In the middle-class neighborhoods, it was even harder to watch. At least the wealthy Shanba had their pride to cling to. They met the suspicious stares of their neighbors with haughty disdain, making curtains twitch back into place with their glares. As far as the poor, most Shanba who came upon hard times went home to Tuvasi, so there weren't any of them in the poor districts.
“Have the neighbors informed that this is a citywide search for a particular Shanba,” Cyn said to one of the Talons. “I don't want these people scorned for my actions.”
“Yes, Sire.” The man hurried away.
Cyn sighed as he looked over at the Shanba families standing in the streets. “This is why I didn't want to do this.”
“It will be all right,” I said. “You're doing all you can to reassure them, and the Talons are being as respectful as possible.”
A little Shanba boy started to cry, and Cyn's head whipped toward the sound.
“Babu!” the boy wailed.
“Shh.” His mother bounced him on her hip, but the boy kept crying the same word.
“Babu! Babu!”
Cyn turned his horse around and cantered over to the family. Sir Rosren—the only one of Cyn's knights who wasn't circling the city walls in dragon form—and I did the same with our horses and followed Cyn. When he dismounted, I did as well, taking the reins of his horse from him so he could go to the family of six. He'd already spoken to them, so the father only nodded his great antlered head when Cyn approached.
“I'm sorry, Your Majesty,” the wife said as her three other children clung to her skirts. “Our son left his favorite toy inside. But I'm sure the officers will be done soon.”
“Would you like to go in and get your Babu?” Cyn asked gently as he bent his head to the boy.
The boy cringed back.
“Your mama can go with you,” the King added.
The boy nodded.
“Come with me, Ma'am.” Cyn held out his arm.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” She tried to move forward but her other children wouldn't release her skirts.”
“Why don't I fetch Babu?” the father asked the little boy. “Is that all right?”
