Choosing the Dragon Read online

“I’m afraid not,” Calrian said apologetically. He only wished he had something to offer her, something that might make up for all the troubles he’d caused. But he was on his own. He was dependent on her, not the other way around.

  But all that could change if he found his clan. Which he was going to do.

  Now he had even more reason to find them. He needed to, not only for himself, but so that he could help Rylee.

  He took both her hands in his and stared at her solemnly. “If I do manage to find my clan, you and Rowan will always be welcome there. I respect you, and the choices you have made, and I know my clan would too.”

  He had no doubts about that.

  Chapter 3

  Rylee stared at Calrian, surprised and touched by his offer. Being welcome in his clan had never occurred to her as an option.

  Even if they did find them though, she wasn’t sure it was really possible. His clan was obviously hidden, and hidden well, since even he couldn’t find them, and no humans had any knowledge of their existence. Taking Rowan there was fraught with many problems, not the least being it would be hard to send him to school, and she wasn’t sure how he would find friends.

  Not to mention the fact that her presence there could put the dragons under threat of being discovered.

  But none of that mattered right now. Calrian needed to find his clan before that was even an option. And to do that, he needed to have his magic back.

  If Eric did as he’d threatened and told her father about Calrian’s presence, he would be here any minute, angry and demanding. They didn’t have much time.

  Hopefully they would have long enough.

  She didn’t want to have to rush this, but she wasn’t sure what other choice they had.

  “If we’re going to find your clan, we need to…” she cleared her throat, embarrassment creeping in. “Uh… mate…”

  Calrian’s eyes darkened, the sea blue whirling, and he stared at her, his gaze intense. “Perhaps now is not the best time…” he started.

  Rylee refused to listen to his protests. They didn’t have time.

  Instead she stepped forwards, closing the distance between them, and put her finger on his lips. “Arguing is just wasting time. My father could be back at any moment. I want to do this for you, Calrian. I want to share this with you.”

  If only her father hadn’t interrupted them, they would have been done by now.

  Calrian would have his strength back.

  And be on his way to find his clan. Without her.

  Or maybe not if his earlier offer had been genuine. Did it indicate that he cared for her?

  What would it mean if he did?

  Rylee shook her head. She didn’t have time to think about the consequences or agonise over every possible outcome of this decision. She needed to act. Now.

  So while Calrian was still staring at her doubtfully, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

  As her lips touched his, she could feel his objections melting away under the sizzling desire that claimed both of them. His arms went around her, pulling her hard up against his body, and he gave a groan of surrender.

  This time, there was no time for words. As the passion consumed her, Rylee’s surroundings, the threat of her father’s arrival, Eric’s words, all those faded away into the background.

  All she was aware of was Calrian’s hands sweeping down to her waist, leaving scorching trails of need across her body, his mouth and tongue licking and sucking her lips, the feel of his body, hard and hot under her hands.

  And Rylee felt more alive than she ever had in her life. This was what it was about, this intense, blinding craving, this feeling of being part of something bigger than herself, feeling like she knew and trusted someone enough to let down all her barriers, knowing that they’d never hurt her.

  This was what she had been longing for her whole life and never found.

  And now that she’d found it, it wasn’t hers to keep. That fact added a bittersweet taste of scarcity to the passion. A need to grasp every bit she could before it was gone.

  It made her all the more desperate.

  Rylee’s breath was ragged as Calrian ran his hands up under her blouse, caressing her bare back. She risked parting her lips from his just long enough to pull it off over her head, then sought out his touch again, finding him by instinct, kissing him urgently.

  Her hands slid down to his buttocks, running over their firm curves, massaging their roundness. Mostly though, pulling him against her as though she could somehow merge them into one.

  With Eric, sex had always been a long, slow attempt to work herself up enough to perform. Never had it been like this, hot and heady, all there waiting for her without any effort. Never had she felt anything like this urgency, this delicious, undeniable surge of anticipation.

  Calrian’s hands ran across the silky fabric of her bra, snagging her nipples, stopping to rub and tease them, sending rivers of feeling down to her core. She couldn’t help the moan that escaped her lips, pressing her body even harder up against his. He tugged at her bra, as though trying to figure out how to remove it, and Rylee twisted around to undo the clasp.

  That was better. Now her naked chest was pressed up against his bare torso, and his hands had free reign to caress her all over, which only made her need grow. “Calrian,” she gasped against his lips, not pausing to try to make the word clearer. Not even sure what she was trying to say.

  His hand tangled in her hair, his lips writhing against hers. His other hand slid down into her jeans, caressing her butt, driving her wild.

  Rylee pulled back, taking the opportunity to gasp a few breaths of fresh air as she unbuttoned her jeans and pulled her remaining clothes off.

  Calrian watched her, his eyes whirling, his gaze intense. “You’re beautiful, Rylee.”

  That made her blush. An automatic denial rose on her lips, and for some reason, she smothered it. Just this once she was going to let herself believe him without questioning. Without doubting.

  She wasn’t going to let reality intrude on this beautiful, wonderful daydream. So she smiled shyly at him and moved closer.

  Calrian paused to remove his own pants, and Rylee felt her eyes widening as she stared at him. He was stunning. Gorgeous.

  He pulled her close, and the feel of his whole body, warm and hard against her, felt right. More right than anything had ever felt before. Rylee could get used to this.

  But that would be dangerous. Better to remember it as an amazing, exotic detour.

  Tomorrow she was going to have to worry about what she was going to do with her life, how she was going to deal with all the problems on the horizon, but right now, none of that mattered. All that she cared about was Calrian and the desire surging through her.

  Now that she was naked, his hands were free to roam her whole body unhindered, and Rylee was surprised at the places he touched that had never struck her as erotic before. But his hands caressing her hip or her shoulder were somehow just as intense as when he cupped her breasts or slid down her thighs.

  The more he touched her, the more it left her wanting. It wasn’t enough. It didn’t satisfy the craving that surged through her.

  Now Rylee wondered if they should have taken this to the bedroom sooner. They’d have to pause to move that distance now, and she didn’t want any chance for this passion to cool. But she had no idea how to get any closer to him standing here in the middle of the kitchen.

  And she wanted to be closer. Now.

  As if reading her mind, Calrian’s hands gripped her butt, and he lifted her body against him. Rylee gave a gasp of surprise and wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, revelling in the closeness.

  Yes, this was what she wanted, what she needed.

  For a moment she wondered if Calrian could hold them both, but before she could part her lips from his to ask, she felt the coolness of the laminate kitchen counter against her skin as he settled her on the edge.

  Feeling more secure, Rylee
abandoned herself to the moment. She tightened her legs around his waist, trying to pull him closer, to bring him into her. That was what she wanted, what she craved.

  Calrian hesitated for a moment, pulling back just a little to search her eyes, but what he saw there must have satisfied him because he smiled and bent to kiss her again, his lips hot and fevered.

  His body between her thighs teased at her, his hardness pressed up against her core, sending need pulsing through her in waves. Rylee wriggled against him, trying to indicate that she wanted all of him, trying to show her impatience.

  Calrian took the hint. He moved slowly, nudging between her thighs, teasing at her opening.

  Rylee threw back her head, not even trying to stifle the moan of desire and anticipation. Her fingers clutched at his shoulders, trying to pull him closer into herself. It was impossible to believe that feelings like this existed, and that she’d never known about it.

  But they were nothing compared to the heat flooding through her as Calrian slid into her, filling her and completing her in a way she’d never even imagined. It felt right. Exquisite. Perfect.

  Rylee savoured the feeling, storing it up, committing every bit of it to memory, drawing everything she could into her.

  Then Calrian began to thrust, slowly at first, but with quickly building intensity.

  Rylee found herself pulling him closer, one hand gripping his broad shoulders, the other tangling in his hair. She gasped and moaned with every thrust, her body meeting his with reckless abandon. The past and the future all faded away, and there was only the right here and now, and the feelings Calrian was creating in her body.

  Desire rose in her far more quickly than she’d expected, spilling over with spasms that wracked her body. Rylee gasped out Calrian’s name over and over as she clung to him, her rock in the passionate storm washing over her.

  His own voice cried out her name as well, and his arms pulled her tightly against him as he thrust wildly several more times, gasping in release.

  It was beautiful. Perfect. Far more amazing than she could have even imagined it would be. Rylee was glad she’d seized the moment and pushed aside the fears that had kept her from this. No matter what else happened, she couldn’t ever regret this.

  She leaned her head against Calrian’s shoulder, feeling glad it was him. They may not be in love, may not be promising this would be forever, but she couldn’t deny she felt a closeness to him. He’d given her far more than just this wonderful experience. He’d helped her believe in herself again, something she’d been struggling to do for a long time.

  She’d wanted to do something for him, to repay him for his kindness, but yet again, he was the one who had given to her. He’d given her an experience she’d never even guessed was possible, and one she would never forget.

  Calrian leaned in and kissed her again, his lips gentle and undemanding. Rylee felt tears starting up in the back of her eyes. Her emotions were still on a bit of a rollercoaster from the morning’s ups and downs. That was probably why.

  She wasn’t attached to Calrian. She’d only known him for a few days. The link they’d shared must have intensified the feelings. But they would fade soon enough.

  Wouldn’t they?

  As he pulled back a little, she could already feel the change. He still stood in front of her, still touching her naked body in several places, but somehow, he felt distant. The connection, the bond between them, was gone now. The constant awareness of him she’d felt for the last few days had disappeared as though it had never existed.

  And she missed it already.

  Chapter 4

  Calrian could see it in her eyes, feel it in the power surging through his veins. The Mesmer ritual was complete. He was at full strength again.

  And his tie to Rylee was gone.

  That reality hit him like a blow. He’d forgotten about it in his need to regain his strength.

  It was strange. He’d almost become used to it in the last few days. Unlike previous Mesmer bonds he’d experienced, this one’s strength had fluctuated, varying between intense and impossible to ignore to a comforting presence. At times its magic had felt more like a precious connection, a tie to the one person in this strange and confusing world he felt like he could rely on rather than something he needed to fix.

  Now that it was complete, he felt suddenly alone again. The weight of responsibility for all his brothers and sisters, for his entire clan, rested heavily on his shoulders.

  Calrian knew he was strong enough to support the burden. He would never accept that he wasn’t.

  But the thought of leaving Rylee held him back from immediately acting upon his responsibilities.

  Because now he had a responsibility to her as well.

  He’d put her in a difficult situation. Her former mate had seen him here, and he’d stood up to him for her. Eric had threatened to tell her father, and that would cause even more problems for her. He could hardly leave her right here and now.

  He’d said, before they’d mated, that she could come back to his clan. And that thought warmed his heart more than he’d expected. But it was a useless promise if he couldn’t find them.

  All he knew was until he did, until he could offer her something more than she had here, he couldn’t leave her.

  The fact he had no wish to only added to his certainty. The intensity of the Mesmer bond might have faded, but his feelings for her hadn’t. He still wanted to care for her, to protect her. He still longed to see her smile and to hear her voice.

  Calrian reached out a hand and cupped her cheek, staring into her eyes. No matter what else, he would stay until he was sure she was safe, that his presence hadn’t caused any problems for her. She’d given up everything for him, and he’d see he paid her back. Somehow.

  “Thank you, Rylee,” he said softly, wishing he had more words. The simple thanks seemed completely inadequate.

  She frowned. “For what?”

  “For all you have done to help me. For giving me back my strength so I can find my clan.”

  Her expression changed then. Her eyebrows drew down and her frown deepened. “I didn’t just sleep with you to give you strength. This meant so much more to me than that.”

  And he knew it had. He could see it in her eyes, a reflection of the conflicted feelings he was experiencing. Even though the Mesmer was gone, this had not ended.

  Calrian knew exactly how she felt. “It meant more to me too,” he said quietly. He didn’t elaborate. He wasn’t even sure what it meant himself. All he knew is that he wasn’t ready to walk away from her. “Will you come with me to find my clan?”

  She searched his face as though trying to figure out what he meant by his question. What she found there must have satisfied her, for she nodded. “Any excuse to leave right now is probably a good one. But we’d better hurry. If Eric did tell Dad about you, I suspect we’ll see him before long.”

  He nodded, his expression grim. “I’m sorry I have caused so much trouble for you.”

  Rylee shook her head immediately. “You’re not the one who’s caused a problem. Eric is. And my father.” The smile she gave him then warmed his heart. “You have brought nothing but pleasure into my life.”

  The way her voice lingered on the word pleasure and her skin flushed told him exactly what she meant by that.

  Calrian wished he could offer her more. He’d happily shower her with much more pleasure if he was able to. But it was risky. He’d only need to sleep with her twice more for their bond to become permanent.

  As soon as he thought of that, he couldn’t help wondering what it would feel like. Would it be like the longer Mesmer bond they’d shared? No, it would be even better. He was sure of that. They’d share a dragon voice. He’d be able to talk to her in his head, to feel her presence for the rest of his life, to know he’d never be alone gain.

  Calrian gave himself a mental shake. He shouldn’t be thinking of that. He couldn’t offer her that right now.

  No matter how mu
ch he wanted to.

  Instead he allowed himself to caress her cheek, to feel her soft, warm skin, one more time as he said, “I’m glad, Rylee. Very glad that I was able to share this with you.” Then he made himself pull back. Not too far, he didn’t want her to feel rejected, but she was right. They should hurry.

  Rylee apparently felt the same way. She hopped off the kitchen bench, and went to pick up her clothes, pulling them on hastily. “Let’s go.”

  They peered through the curtains before opening the door, but all seemed quiet. They made it out to the car and drove off without encountering any resistance. But Calrian knew it was coming, knew he would have to be here to help Rylee face it.

  And he knew it would be much easier if he could find his clan first.

  If he could, then he would be able to offer her an alternative. He wasn’t sure if it would work, if his clan would accept her. They certainly hadn’t had a very high opinion of humans before he’d entered the Mesmer. He wasn’t even sure if it would be safe there, if the war with Trima still raged. But it was better than the nothing he had right now.

  Right now he was the one who was dependent on her. And that was never more obvious than as he followed her out to her car and slipped in beside her, watching her as she started the vehicle as though it were a simple task.

  Yes, now that he had his strength back, he could fly at night, searching for his clan. But he had no idea how long it would take to find them. And if it weren’t for Rylee, he would have to find somewhere to hide during the day and hunt for food to eat.

  She had no idea how much she was helping him. This was all normal to her.

  But it was all so completely different to his normal.

  They pulled out on the main road, and Rylee breathed a sigh of relief. When Calrian looked over at her, she gave a small smile. “We managed to escape without having to face my dad.”

  She clearly wasn’t looking forward to that.

  “I’m sorry,” Calrian said again. He knew she’d said it wasn’t his fault, but he couldn’t help feeling like it was. If he hadn’t been there, yes she still would have had to stand up to her ex, but Eric wouldn’t be able to tell her father she had someone staying with her if he wasn’t there.