I smiled at them, running my hand through their hair. “Yeah. Our dragons…”
They smiled and leaned up to kiss me, and I felt a burst of dragon magic flow out of me. A moment later, Oakley’s magic burst from them and met my own.
We both laughed, joy and affection and love flowing through us. No, we hadn’t said it yet, and I didn’t think Oak was ready for those words yet, but it was there, plain as day to see… or rather to feel.
After a few seconds, Oakley pecked my lips and moved back down the bed, giving my side a little nip—and making me gasp out a laugh—before they sucked me into their mouth again. I saw them jerking themself, and I wanted to tell them to stop, that I’d take care of them soon, but everything felt so good, and I could feel how much they were enjoying themself too.
With both our emotions open wide through our bond, our dragons practically purring together, and our magics swimming around us, I was nearly ready to burst.
Oakley picked up their speed and sucked harder.
And that was it.
“Oakley!” I shouted and tried to pull away, but they held onto my hip with their free hand and kept me there. My orgasm burst from me, pleasure and love and electricity shooting through me. It went on and on and on. I felt Oakley’s own pleasure pass between us, and I blacked out for a moment, my body too overloaded on bliss.
I blinked as I tried to catch my breath, and when I looked down at Oak, they had their chin resting on my hip, staring up at me with a pleased grin on their face.
“Holy shitballs, babydoll.”
That made them laugh. “I can’t believe you just said shitballs of all things.”
I chuckled, running my hand over their hair again. “It seemed fitting.”
They snorted.
I motioned them up, and they climbed into my arms, half on top of me, snuggling in. I kissed the top of their head and ran myhand up and down their back. When I brushed my fingers over their hip, I froze.
Their skin felt different there, rougher and sunken in or something. I couldn’t help but pause and lean up to get a look. Right there on their hip, right where their scales were a shade off in dragon form, was a large… scar. It covered their entire hip, almost looking like a burn.
My brow furrowed.
Dragons didn’t scar. We healed quickly, just like any other shifter.
How in the world… why in the world did they have a scar there?
Before I could ask the question out loud, they said, “They took a lot of my scales from that spot. Over and over again. My hind legs were prime areas, apparently. They took from other places too, but they hit that spot more than the others. I have a smaller scar on the other side, but it’s hardly noticeable in either form. But this side… it was the first place they ever carved my scales out of. I was eight. I think… I think that’s why it scarred. They took too much, dug too deep, when I was still growing.” They shrugged against me. “It’s a mystery, but yeah. It’s been there for most of my life.”
I sucked in a breath, horrified. I’d known they’d hurt them, I’d known the cult had taken scales from them at a young age, but eight? That was incomprehensible. It was horrific. It was disgusting.
And so, so, so very wrong.
I hugged Oakley to me tightly, kissing the top of their head. “I’m so sorry, babydoll. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be.” They kissed my chest. “I don’t want to think about that right now. I want to just think about you and me and how I definitely want to go for another round or two.”
That made me laugh, and I hugged them, still horrified but trying my best to push it away. They were right. This moment, this amazing, wonderful moment was meant for celebration and laughter and love.
They poked my lips teasingly. “You think you can keep up with me, old man?”
“Oh, baby, you have no idea what you’re in for.”
They laughed when I tackled them back on the bed.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Roman
Last night had been perfect. Oakley and I stayed up most of the night, touching, kissing, licking, caressing, playing around, and just having fun together. We ended up going four rounds—thank Scales for a dragon’s recovery time—before wefinally fell into an exhausted but restful sleep. Neither of us had gotten enough sleep last night, but it was totally worth it.
