When I don’t sign anything, he continues. ‘There’s been… a bit of a disconnect between my dragon and me since we were reunited upon my release. He doesn’t react to much; mostly just you, and flying of course. The fact that I’m not certain would ordinarily mean I’d discount the possibility, but under the circumstances…’
Wow. It took Ethan and Ayo a while to realise they were mates, but I naively assumed that since I’ve been actively searching for my own it would be far faster for me. Was I too quick to discount the possibility with Bryn?
My tiger chuffs, pleased that the dragon could be ours forever.
‘You think we could be fated mates?’ I ask, needing to see the words on his hands.
He nods decisively. ‘I do. I’ve been obsessed with you since we met, treasure. I want to spend every moment of every day with you in either of our forms. I want to know everything about you; your thoughts, your hopes and dreams, the story behind every scar. This feral need I have for you is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.’
I inhale shakily, my pulse racing, my palms sweating. The idea that I might have already found my fated mate, that he could bemine to keep, is overwhelming. Yes, I’ve been falling hard for him, but I’ve always struggled to trust that love can last long term. I suppose that’s why the idea of being with my fated mate is so appealing—one person who will love me forever, who’ll never leave or look at me as anything less than the most important person in all the realms.
Could it really be Bryn? It’s clear that our protective instincts for one another are extremely strong—the way fated mates always behave. My tiger adores this dragon in a way he’s never expressed with anyone else. Perhaps most tellingly of all, the soul-deep panic when I heard he’d been attacked a thousand miles away, and the overwhelming relief at finding him alive, were beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.
‘Wow,’ I sign eventually. ‘I think you could be right.’
His answering smile is beautiful. ‘The thing is, treasure, dragons don’t bond in the same way other shifters do. If we take things further sexually, and we’re mates, my magic will take over and start the bonding process. It’s not instant, and the bond won’t complete without your bite, but it’ll be partially there and it would be painful for both of us to break if things end between us in the future.’
That’s… intense and unexpected. Not that it would be bad of course, but am I ready for that?
My tiger nudges me to hurry up and get on with it, because that side of me doesn’t care about silly things like how little time we’ve known each other or how blindsided I feel. The rest of me needs a minute.
‘When you say take things further sexually…?’
‘I mean you fucking me or me fucking you.’
Well, that’s clear enough. Gosh, is it getting hot in here?
‘Let me see if I’ve got this right,’ I sign carefully. ‘If we’re fated mates, the bonding process will begin if we have anal sex, because your dragon or your magic will get excited and take over. But if we’re not mates, nothing will happen except fantastic orgasms?’
He nods, studying my reaction carefully. ‘Dragon bonding requires intimacy rather than penetrative sex specifically, but for me that’s when I feel closest to a person so if anything’s going to trigger the beginnings of a mate bond, it’ll be that.’
‘Is that why we’ve not done anal? I thought maybe it was something you don’t enjoy.’
I haven’t brought it up with him before now because we’re still new enough that I didn’t want him to mistake me asking as pressure or a complaint. Sure, I’d love for him to fuck me or vice versa, but I don’t need it.
‘Fated mates or not, anal is a very intimate act for me. I need a certain level of commitment with someone to go that far.’ His hand movements are confident, and I appreciate that he didn’t compromise his boundaries, no matter how obsessed with me he is.
Not that I’ve been much better. I haven’t been able to get him off my mind, even before anything happened between us. Yes, we probably have things to work on to strengthen our relationship, but maybe a fated mate doesn’t come in a gift-wrapped package with an instruction manual. Perhaps it’s as messy and real as any other relationship.
I lean over and kiss him softly. I want to take that next step with him. Whether he’s my fated mate or not, he’s my boyfriend, and I’m committed to making our relationship work.
‘Let’s move this to your bedroom.’
His gorgeous face lights up. ‘For…?’
‘I’d love for you to fuck me, if that’s something you’d enjoy.’
He leaps to his feet, then before I can process what’s happening, he picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. I yelp pointlessly and smack him to be let down, but it’s no use. He carries me through to his room, careful not to bump me on the doorframe, then sets me down just inside and closes the door behind us.
His bedroom is a relatively small space, with barely enough room for a double bed pressed up against the wall, and is paintedin the same dark colours as the open plan kitchen-living room. There’s a small chest of drawers with a sketchbook and pencil on top, and a single narrow door standing open to show his bass guitar mounted in pride of place on the wall inside what would, to anyone else, be a built-in wardrobe. Even the amp, cable, and various other music paraphernalia I’m not familiar with are sitting at the foot of the bed, out of the way.
‘Really?’ I ask, my expression undoubtedly giving away my exasperation at him carrying me like that. ‘I’m not exactly light.’
‘Dragon strength, treasure.’ He grins and flexes his bicep, looking far too pleased with himself.
I sigh and decide not to press the point. It doesn’t really matter, and I’d rather get my hands on those muscles.
Heat builds in his eyes when I strip off his T-shirt and run my hands over the warm, smooth skin underneath. He was extremely thin when we first met, something Felicia mentioned is normal when Wargate inmates first get released, but since then he’s already gained a solidity that seems more natural for him. His powerful shoulders and strong arms are certainly catnip for me.
