Dragon Heartstring(21)

“They’re quite beautiful,” he said. He had to notice my tremulous state. But he made no note of it.

“Thank you.”

“You’re quite beautiful.”

When he moved his body closer, I could feel the heat of him at my back. He trailed his fingers along the underside of my wings where they were especially soft. He nuzzled his mouth close to my ear. “I want to touch you.”

Needing to hold onto something, I gripped the banister with both hands. I couldn’t breathe. I shouldn’t be behaving this way with him of all men. I felt as if I were stepping into enemy territory, venturing into places I wasn’t meant to go. And yet, he turned me on beyond reason.

“May I?” he asked.

“Yes,” I whispered, unable to resist him.

He swept my hair over one shoulder then proceeded to kiss his way up one side of my neck. One hand spanned my waist. He glided the other hand over the curve of my shoulder and down my arm, then laced his fingers through mine atop the banister. Yearning for his lips on my skin, I dropped my head back so he could have better access. He took full advantage, brushing feather-light kisses down the column of my throat.

“You know, there are many who would object to this kind of behavior.” He pressed an open-mouthed kiss to that tender spot between my neck and shoulder.

“What, what kind of behavior? There are others doing the same in their own corner of the rooftop.”

“No, couples like us.”

“You mean a Morgon and a human?” I asked, trying not to sound as breathless as I was.

“Yes.” He nipped up my neck with teeth. The sensation flushed me with heat.

“Do you care if people object?”

He stopped and turned me around by the waist.

“Does it bother you?” I repeated.

His voice dropped lower with an edge of strain. “I don’t know.” His fingers banded tighter at my waist. “But not enough for me to stop.”

Before I could form another thought, his lips were hard and determined on mine. The world be damned, for there could be no misunderstanding what he wanted now.

I clutched his dark hair with one hand and smoothed the other underneath his jacket. We clung to each other, our bodies flush, our tongues tasting. His arousal was evident, pressing against my pelvis. I wished the world would disappear, and there would be no one but us.

I moaned softly when he pulled apart and pressed his forehead to mine, both of us panting.

“I didn’t expect that to happen,” I said, breathing hard.

“Some of the best things in life are unexpected.”

“True. But I never kiss men I hardly know.”

“That’s good to hear.” He pressed a soft kiss to my mouth. “But you do know me, Shakara.”

“No, I don’t. That’s the problem.”

He cupped my jaw, his thumb brushing my cheek, demanding my full attention. “We are the same, you and I.”

“Are we?”

“Solitary souls. Devoted to our work. Living amongst our own kind, but also apart.” His thumb brushed down to my lips. “Alone.”

I sucked in a breath. How could he possibly know?

All my life, I’d felt as if I were not quite connected to others. I preferred to be independent, to learn the healing arts apart from my own kind. My aunt gave me instruction separately from other novice healers since she knew I preferred my privacy. I rarely had friends. Jessen was one of few. And even her, I kept at a distance. “Alone,” I repeated, as his mouth opened over mine again.

I whimpered when he worked his mouth slowly, tasting me gently. My chest tightened as I clung to him, an unknown sensation winding my mind, body, and spirit into a coil. Fear trembled through me, and I had no idea why. Why should I be afraid of a kiss?

I pulled away and pressed both hands to his chest. “Don’t you think we might be going a little too fast?”

“Maybe. But I don’t care.”

“What would your family think of us, Demetrius? Your father?”

He grew still and watchful with those dark eyes and finally said, “He wouldn’t like it. And what of your family? What would they say?”

“I don’t know. We should be cautious of this—whatever it is.”

He tilted my chin up. “I’ve been careful and cautious all my life, Shakara. But when I think of you, there’s only one word that flips over and over in my mind.”

“And what word is that?”

He leaned forward and pressed his mouth against my ear, his lips grazing the top shell, sending a shiver down my spine. “Yes.”





Chapter 7





“Again.” Crouching in a defensive stance, I waited for Moira to attack.

She circled then punched at my jaw. I dodged, but she thrust out again with a longer reach. I snatched her wrist, twisted my body to the side, and let her fall with her own momentum onto the training mat.

“Damn it, Demetrius!” She slapped the mat. “Okay. Show that one to me slowly.”

I helped her up. “You have to watch the angle of your body. As soon as your attacker lunges, use their own momentum to knock them off balance. It’s all physics, Moira.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“It is.”