The world became very small—the carpet under my toes, the warm steel of his body, the thunder of his breath, the deliciousthrill of his touch. And under it all, both the heightened emotion of the dragons, and the urgency of need.
I got lost in him. The day before had been a trial. I’d slept like the dead, then woken without him. And even though I’d been strong enough to do that, I’d missed him. Now, all those emotions—the ugly and beautiful ones—rushed back to me to mingle with the dragon’s song of grief, and his bonfire of need.
I trembled. My breath caught. My body hummed.
Donavyn was silent—rare for him. But when he held my face again to kiss me and then pulled away, I opened my eyes to find him staring. Before I could ask, he dove for my throat, curling his large body over mine, his lips open on my neck, teeth scraping, hands gripping me, body quivering.
Then, still holding me to him as we stood at the end of the bed, he reached between my legs and began to stroke—not the focused, playful teasing designed to heat my body. But cupping me, holding me,possessing me.And though he didn’t speak, even in the bond, I heard the words of his heart as he touched and stroked and pawed every sacred inch of my body.
Mine.
This, and this. All of this.
Precious.
Treasured.
Protected.
Mine.
I’d arched into his touch, let my head fall back and my spine curl to match my toes in the carpet, because he kept returning to the softest, most sensitive flesh. I shook when he stroked and panted when he kissed, and grew languid with need—heat pulsing in my veins and leaving me helpless to do anything but hold onto him and urge him to keep going.
There was no thought of walls, or baths, or anything except,you.
No words, exceptmine,andforever.
Nothing else existed. Just me and him, two bodies, two souls made one—and a fire that would burn us both to the ground if it wasn’t sated.
I gasped when he leaned down and lifted me, threw my arms around his neck, and would have wound my legs around his waist, but he’d only lifted me to lay me down, crawling onto the bed, dragging me with him, his kiss growing frantic, his breath thundering in my ear.
When he lay my head on the pillow, I tipped my head up to take the kiss deeper, but he’d settled himself between my thighs and our bodies finally came together and he gasped, throwing his head back and presenting me with his stubbled throat.
Clinging, fingers laced behind his neck, I pulled myself up to taste that precious skin, to lay my mouth over the pulse of his lifeblood, to arch into his marble strength as he drew himself against me, body thrumming and heart pounding so hard I could feel it against my chest.
“Donavyn—oh!”
With a ragged cry, he took me in a single plunge that sent a rush of pleasure coursing through my body, pebbling my skin and curling my toes.
But then he dropped his head again and kissed me, open mouthed, then hovered, lips brushing mine, our twin breaths rushing as he withdrew slowly, then pulled me to him again.
Slowly.Deeply.Shivering and gasping, Donavyn made love to me without words, letting his body speak every truth. He covered me, hiding me from the world, curling an arm over my head, cupping my skull to hold me into his kiss, sliding a hand down the back of my thigh to pull my knee higher and curl our bodies together more tightly.
No room. No space. Not even to breathe.
Heownedme—and I would gladly have died there, cocooned in his arms, thrilled by his touch, rising to his ardor.
I understood his silence, because it became mine.There were not words.
We were one in truth, and whatever had driven him to me, I thanked God for it. Because every touch felt sacred. Every kiss, a benediction.
In those long, sweet minutes, my mate vowed himself to me. He offered his body and worshiped mine. And as our urgency grew, as we climbed towards that peak, he only loved me more.
Frantic. Desperate. Needy.Devoted.Donavyn gave me his fragile heart, and when I offered mine in return, he cradled it within him.
My body began to pulse, thrilling, tingling pleasure coursing through my veins and driving me to him. More.More.
I clung, nails digging into his back, mouth open, tongues dancing, bodies in thrall.
