Fireblood Dragon: Fire In His Blood Part 11

"Clau-dah," booms an all-too-familiar voice behind me. Someone's turned human form again and probably wants to flirt.

But I'm still shaking with shock. I don't turn around. I don't want to flirt right now. I want to know that I'm safe. I want to curl up in a ball and hide in a small, cement-cased room where nothing can s.n.a.t.c.h me again.

"Clau-dah?" This time, Kael's tone is questioning. I feel his steps as he marches up behind me and touches my shoulder, but the hand that brushes my bare skin is gentle. Just as quickly as he touches me, he pulls away again. "Clau-dah...Kael."

I bite my lip, contemplating my options. How's he going to act if I ignore him? Not well, I suspect. So I turn back to him, arms crossed, my body locked with tension. "What do you want?" The moment I see him, though, I gasp in shock. Blood flows from a corner of his mouth, and there's a long gouge down one of his arms that's dripping blood. All over, his chest is splattered with dried blood, and he looks like he just emerged from a slaughterhouse. "Oh my G.o.d! You're hurt?"

"Clau-dah...Kael." This time, when he says it, there's no mistaking the possessiveness in his voice. He gestures at his arm, then makes a clawing motion, mimicking the other dragon pulling me from his grasp. "Clau-dah." He bares his teeth, showing his long fangs. "Kael."

Even though we only have two words in our shared vocabulary, I know exactly what he's saying. The other dragon wounded him when he s.n.a.t.c.hed me from his grip. And Kael had gone after me, because in his eyes, I'm his.

I don't know how I feel about that. Part of me is irritated that I'm thought of like a possession. And another part of me is thankful as h.e.l.l that he'd decided that I'm his and thus saved me from the other dragon. I'm a little horrified that I'm happy about that. I'm also a little flattered. Just a teeny, tiny bit, but I squash that feeling right away, aware of the guilt it causes. "Serves you right for kidnapping me," I tell him, but the words feel rude the moment they come out of my mouth. He didn't have to save me.

Maybe it's my tone of voice, but his eyes narrow. He glances at his arm, then back at me. His eyes are still swirling with black, but the gold flashes more often, letting me know he's close to returning to himself. As my eyes lock with his, he straightens and makes a low purring sound in his throat. I drop my gaze and...yup. Kael's turned on again. His c.o.c.k stirs and lengthens, hardening as I watch.

"Does that have to happen every time we talk?" I ask him, strangely breathless.

As I watch, he lifts his arm and licks the wound, but his gaze is still firmly focused on me.

That's almost...s.e.xy. G.o.d, I should not be fascinated by that. "No, Kael," I tell him, using my firmest voice. Anything to distract me. Er, him. "I realize you're just as much dragon as you are human, but that's not how you clean a wound."

"Kah-leeen," he mimics, reaching out and brus.h.i.+ng his fingertips down my arm. HIs eyes swirl darker, and he moves forward, and his skin brushes up against mine. "Wwwwound."

As he moves closer, I realize just how big he is. Dappled skin and muscular chest fill my vision, and I put my hand on his wounded arm. I can't help but notice that both of my hands can't circle one bicep. s.h.i.+ver. "Maybe more dragon than human," I mutter to myself. "Come on. Let's clean you off, at least. I realize you're all turned on, but you're also covered in blood, and I'm hoping not all of it is yours."

"Bah-luhhd." He c.o.c.ks his head, watching my mouth, then tries to brush his thumb-his b.l.o.o.d.y thumb-over my lips.

I jerk away. "No!"

"No?" His brows draw together, and he gazes at the red smears on his skin.

"Yes, blood," I repeat, exasperated. My fingers brush over his, and I touch the sticky blood drying on his clawed fingertips. It smears the dark red between the pads of my fingers, and I show him. "Blood. And it's all over you. So come on." I take his hand in mine, ignoring how big and familiar, yet alien, he is to me. His hand is large but masculine, the skin warm, but just a little too warm. The fingers strong, and five in number like a man's hand, but tipped with claws instead of fingernails. He's human, but not quite.

I'll just ignore that 'not quite' for now. He certainly doesn't seem to find me lacking, after all. He wants me just as I am-dirty, naked, and unable to speak a lick to each other.

Leading my dragon-man by the hand, I head back to the bathroom I've claimed as part of our new digs and peel off another stack of weathered paper towels. I run the water, then pry open one of the soap dispensers to dig out a chunk of dried soap. It's the only thing I've got, so it'll have to do. I rub it on a wet paper towel and glance over at Kael as I make a lather. "I realize you're all frisky at the moment, but I'm not going to sit here and try to talk to you while you're wounded and covered in blood."

He watches me, curious, as I head toward him with the wet paper towels. His nostrils flare, and he grabs my hand as I reach for him, and he sniffs the soap on the towel, wrinkling his nose.

"It's for was.h.i.+ng." When he continues to scowl at it, I change the tone of my voice, making it soft and soothing. "I'm going to clean you up. Get rid of the blood." I wipe my fingers on the towel to demonstrate and then gesture at his face and arm, smiling. "Wouldn't you like to get clean? Clean off all that blood?"

"Clean off...blood," he repeats, gaze on my lips. It's the best sentence he's made yet, but I can't shake the suspicion that it's not because he's learning. More like he's trying to impress me.

I'll take it. "Yup. I prefer clean skin." Plus I can tell the wounds from the splatter. I decide to start with his arm first, since going for his face might make him wary. I take his hand in mine and use my other to carefully mop at the wound, glancing up occasionally to watch his reaction.

He has none.

I dab at the wound again. Still no reaction. If it hurts, it doesn't hurt much. That's good, at least. The gash is long but shallow, and already crusting over with blood. He bleeds like a human-I suppose I should be glad for that. And he's not reacting negatively to my attentions. Instead, his eyes are flicking between gold and black, and he's making low, pleased rumbles in his throat.

And for some reason, those sounds make me blush.

"Cool it, Romeo," I murmur, giving his arm a final swipe before moving to his chest. "I want to get this done." I'm relieved to see that all the blood washes right off his chest and he doesn't have more than a few sc.r.a.pes. It's occurred to me that I'm completely dependent on him at the moment, and if I plan on getting back to Amy-or heck, just staying alive-he needs to stay whole and in one piece.

I should be thinking about Amy more, I realize guiltily. How I'm going to get back to Fort Dallas and my sister. Instead, I've been focused on Kael and today's scary kidnapping. If I think about what might have happened...

But no, I'm not going to fall down that rabbit hole. I can't get to Amy right now. The problem of the other dragon has been fixed, and so now I just need to focus on what I can handle. And right now, I can handle Kael. So I press wet napkins at the corner of his mouth, noticing how full his lips are despite the sharp teeth that threaten just behind them. If he kept his mouth closed to hide the fangs and shut his eyes, he'd look human enough, I think. His features are strong, but not too inhuman or unappealing. He's pretty handsome, actually. At first I thought he was startling-looking, but now I find that I can't stop looking at him. He also has the longest lashes of any human man I've ever seen. Long and thick, just like the thick waves of amber hair on his head, I imagine.

He's big and scary and over the top, but I'm kind of used to it. And he's not scary to me. If anything, he's utterly focused on me. I think about his reaction when the other dragon s.n.a.t.c.hed me. Kael had been incensed, but he'd stayed back in case the other dropped me. It was like he truly was more concerned with my safety than the fact that his favorite toy was taken from him.

I gently clean his cheek, glancing up at him as I work. "I don't know what I'd have done if that other dragon carried me off and you didn't come after me." I don't like to think about that, but it's a very real thing. I almost died today. Or...almost ended up as someone else's pet human. Kael wants me-he's made that very clear-but he's also patient, attentive, and kind in his dragon way. It's like my happiness really matters to him.

Would another dragon have been like that? Somehow, I doubt it. I can picture the scarred golden male chomping my head off. But...maybe not. He'd s.n.a.t.c.hed me away and tried to keep me instead of just taking a big bite out of me. That must mean he'd wanted something similar to what Kael wanted-as in, me, physically.

And that would not have been good.

For all our differences, I feel like I have a connection with Kael. We communicate-sort of-and there's affection between us. Again, sort of. A weird attraction for sure. The other dragon was not nearly as patient as Kael. And then it's strange to think of 'dragons' and 'patient' in the same sentence, which makes me ponder. I finish cleaning the blood off his face and then smile up at him. "Like it or not, if I had to be stuck with a dragon, I'm lucky to have you, Kael."

His eyes darken at the sound of his name, and he pulls me against him. "Clau-dah."

I blush to feel the stab of his erection pressing against my stomach, and it makes me acutely aware of just how naked I am with him. I seem to lose more clothes around this man. Dragon. Whatever. "You're not good at taking no for an answer, are you?"

His head tilts, and black flares in his eyes. "No?"

Of course he'd pick that d.a.m.n word out. I'm a little nervous at how black his eyes flared, though. He's probably still feeling possessive from his recent battle, and telling him no right now probably isn't such a hot idea. "Not what I meant." I give him a little pat and move to turn the faucets on for more water.

He holds my arm, not letting me turn away from him. Instead, he growls low in his throat and tries to pull me back into his arms.

I turn to him with a frown, but he's got black swirling in his eyes. Okay, apparently even walking a few steps away is triggering him. "I'm just getting more water to clean you." When he doesn't let go even after that, I give him an exasperated look. "Claudia is all Kael's, okay? I don't want anyone else."

He releases me at that.

I move to the sinks and turn the tap on, letting the water rush out in a gush. Even after days of having running water, it still feels like a treat, and I'm terrified it's going to dry up, so I never leave it running. But the moment I turn the water on, his arm snakes around my waist, and it causes my backside to plump up against the hard, erect length of him.

He nuzzles my hair from behind and I can feel his breath on my shoulder. "Clau-dah...Kael?"

Oh boy. Heat rushes through me at the same time that a tingle of alarm does. I watch him in the cracked mirror. His eyes are black slits of pleasure, and the large arm that wraps around my waist is tender. He brushes his mouth over my shoulder, and then I feel his hips s.h.i.+ft, rubbing his c.o.c.k against my backside in a blatant gesture.

I...might have communicated the wrong thing to him. My goal was to tell him that I was his and no one else's so he'd calm down. He seems to think I've given him a.s.sent to, well, take me as his.

In all ways imaginable.

I make a small noise of protest in my throat as he presses against my backside again, stroking the length of him along the cleft of my a.s.s. Okay, that is all kinds of wrong- -And it feels amazing. G.o.d, I am a sick, sick woman because I want him to do it again.

15.

CLAUDIA.

"Clau-dah," he murmurs in that impossibly deep voice, and he sounds so incredibly pleased to touch me that it sends s.h.i.+vers through my body. My nipples harden in response, and I can feel my pulse beat between my thighs. Who has ever said my name with that much sheer pleasure?

"Kael," I begin, trying to get his attention, "I'm not sure-"

My words break off in a gasp when his gaze captures mine in the mirror. There's a look of stark, sultry pleasure on his face. It's the look of an extremely aroused male, covetous and s.e.xual all at once. And he's watching me in the mirror, like he's noting my reactions to his touch. As I realize this, his big hand flexes on my stomach, and I suck in a breath when it slides up to cup one of my b.r.e.a.s.t.s. One thumb-claw grazes over my nipple in a gentle exploration.

And always, his gaze is locked on mine.

I can't help the whimper that escapes my throat. It shouldn't feel this good, should it?

He goes still against me. As I watch, his nostrils flare. "Clau-dah," he growls, voice ragged. His other hand moves to cup my other breast, and as I watch in the mirror, he begins to play with both, stroking and teasing my nipples into hard points.

Of course I respond. The feel of the big, protective male pressing against my back and his hands caressing my b.r.e.a.s.t.s? The knowledge that this is wrong and slightly dirty because he's the enemy and dangerous? It all makes me incredibly aroused. A little moan escapes my throat, and I close my eyes, leaning into his caress as he continues to tease my nipples ever so gently with those big, scary claws. I can feel myself growing slick between my thighs.

Kael inhales deeply again and then says my name once more. "Clau-dah." He's practically purring.

"Yeah, I know," I murmur, both turned on and embarra.s.sed at the fact that he's smelling the wetness of my p.u.s.s.y on the air. It's not like I can stop it, though. Not with how intensely he's watching me in the mirror. Like my pleasure is the only thing that matters.

And that is an incredible turn-on.

Because I'm turned on, maybe my natural instincts to be wary around Kael are falling away. Because I want to touch him, too. I slide a hand backward, reaching for that thick, unusual mane of hair. He buries his face against my neck, inhales deeply, and his fingers drag over my nipples again. G.o.d, I am getting so wet from this.

"Clau-dah," he murmurs again, and in the mirror I watch as his hand leaves my left breast and slips between my thighs. One big, thick finger parts my p.u.s.s.y lips and slides along my flesh, then dips into my core. I know I'm wet and ready-I can practically feel my juices sliding down my thighs. And I wonder what he's going to think of that.

His eyes are black slits, but instead of being scary, it's fiercely, incredibly s.e.xy. The possessive look is stamped onto his face, and I watch as his big hand cups my p.u.s.s.y, and I can feel his claws playing against my folds. He's incredibly careful, though, and when one thick fingertip presses against my core, I give my hips a little flex.

His snarl of pleasure makes me even hotter, and he presses his face against my hair. He purrs my name again and then pulls his hand away...and I could just cry at how empty I feel at the loss. But he only raises his hand in the air, turning it and admiring the glisten of my arousal on his skin.

Then he lifts his hand to his mouth and licks his claws, tasting me. I'm fascinated as his lip curls in a feral snarl. He pushes me forward against the sinks, his hips pressing against my own. One leg wedges between my own, and he pushes my thighs apart, his weight pinning me against the counter.

He's going to take me, right here, right now.

Even though I'm turned on, I panic. "Wait! No!"

Kael stops, but he snarls again, looking furious. His fingers go to my p.u.s.s.y and he dips them in again, dragging them along my wetness as if to prove that I'm aroused. "Clau-dah. Kael."

I moan at the touch, but I still find the strength to somehow shake my head. Very carefully, I push his hand away even as he tries to touch me. "You're moving too fast. Slow down a second."

He c.o.c.ks his head, watching me, and the black swirls furiously in his eyes. Every muscle in his big body vibrates with barely restrained tension. I need to fix this, or he's going to throw me down on the counter and f.u.c.k me whether I want it or not.

So it's best if I really, really want it. And I do. G.o.d, I do. I just need a bit more preparation. I have to show him that. "Kael," I murmur, my voice low and soothing. "I'm not rejecting you. I just need to show you how to make Claudia ready for you. Understand?"

But he doesn't speak English, so of course he doesn't understand.

I push his hand away and turn slowly. When he reaches for me again, I take his hand and place it on my cheek, leaning in against his palm. "Kael, I do want you. Claudia wants Kael. But let me show you what I like first, okay?"

Those not-quite-human eyes are mesmerized by my coaxing tone of voice, and I feel him s.h.i.+ver as I press a kiss to the palm of his hand.

Just like that, I'm in control of him again.

I lock my eyes to his and then hop backward onto the bathroom counter, evening out our heights just a bit. I pull Kael forward until he's between my legs, and I put my hands on his chest, noting rock-hard muscles under that dappled amber skin. He's strong and lethal, his power barely leashed. As I touch him, I can feel him jump with awareness, but he doesn't move away.

All right, I'll try kissing him, then. My hand goes behind his neck, and I pull him in, gently.

He stiffens, retreating. His eyes narrow. "Clau-dah," he growls, grabbing at my hips and pulling me forward on the counter, his c.o.c.k resting against my s.e.x. He thrusts slightly, pressing the head of it against my p.u.s.s.y.

"I know," I tell him, and drag my fingertips along the lines of his neck and collarbone as if he's not trying to be all bossy. "That might be how dragons do things, but I'm a human, and we like to take a bit more time. So let me do things at my pace, hmm?" I brush my fingers over the seam of my mouth and then place them against his lips, indicating that I want to put mine there.

Kael's eyes narrow, and he snaps his teeth at me.

I jerk back, startled. "No biting. I just want to kiss." Though looking at his sharp teeth again, I'm starting to have my doubts. I purse my lips, thinking, and then take his big hand in mine. He lets me, his eyes going to gold with pleasure again. All right, progress. With my gaze locked to his, I take his thumb into my mouth and gently suck on it.

That gets his attention. He makes that low, s.e.xy growl in his throat again, but he doesn't pull away.

Now we're getting somewhere. I gently lick at his thumb pad, stroking it over and over with my tongue, careful to avoid the claw tipping his finger. I lick and suck suggestively and then slowly drag his thumb back out of my mouth. Then I reach out and brush my thumb over his lips.

He parts them for me, taking my thumb into his mouth and caressing me the way I'd done to him. He makes that low, pleased growl in his throat again, too.

"That's good," I breathe, my arousal returning at the sheer look of intensity on his face. I pull away from his mouth and then gesture that I want to place my lips on his, and I try to pull him down toward me again. My body's humming with want and excitement, and the thought of being able to kiss him is driving me wild.

This time, he lets me. His big body hunches over, and he braces his hands on the marble countertop of the sink, one on each side of me. His face is inches away from mine. All I need to do is close the gap.

I carefully place my hands on his cheeks, tilt my mouth, and move in against him.

Kael is stiff and unyielding as I put my mouth against his, so I focus on the seam of his mouth, brus.h.i.+ng my tongue against it, determined to make him open up for me. After a moment's hesitation, he parts his lips and I slide my tongue into the warmth of his mouth, trying not to think about those impossibly sharp teeth. He wouldn't hurt me.

To my surprise, his tongue immediately tangles with my own and begins to rub in an erotic motion that makes my toes curl. I moan with pleasure, surprised at how good his mouth feels on mine. He seems to be enjoying the kiss as well, the low, purring growl returning to his throat. His hands grasp my hips and he pins me against him, his mouth plundering mine.

It's clear that any initial reluctance Kael had is gone-he's an enthusiastic kisser, and it's clear that he's going to dominate the play between our mouths. I'm left gasping for breath, startled at the intensity of the kiss.

He eventually pulls away from me just long enough for his lips to brush over mine in the gentlest of kisses. "Clau-dah," he murmurs, and the syllables of my name s.h.i.+ver over my skin.

"Boy, you're a fast learner," I tell him, breathless. A moment later, he proves that even more by kissing my mouth again, and then beginning to kiss along my jaw and neck, nuzzling me with every motion. I eat it up, my hands moving over his warm, golden skin. He's so big and strong. Big and strong everywhere, really, and my attention goes to the iron bar of his c.o.c.k pressed against the vee of my legs once again.

"Clau-dah," he murmurs, and his mouth moves lower, to the base of my throat.

"Mmm, keep going," I tell him. I can't get enough of his caresses. I'll worry tomorrow about how wrong it is. For now, I'm just going to enjoy.

But then he drops to his knees in front of me, and to my shock, he buries his face between my thighs. He inhales sharply, and the low, pleased growl rumbles through his body. Big hands cup my hips, and he tilts me forward, then begins to tongue my p.u.s.s.y the way I'd kissed him.