Bloodrunner Dragon (Harper's Mountains Book 1) (11 page)

“Keeping us apart didn’t work, though. I loved you too much by then. My dragon had already picked you.”

In the soft glow of the moonlight streaming through the cracked window, the vacant smile faded from Wyatt’s lips. “And my bear had chosen you.”

“Swear you’ll never leave me again, and I’ll believe you,” she whispered. “Swear it, and I’ll never question it again.”

“How, Harper?” He shook his head and cast his attention to the rafters above them. “How could you not question it all the time, even if I swore?”

“Because you’re a man now, Wyatt. You aren’t that flighty boy you used to be anymore. You’ve changed in good ways. Swear it.”

Wyatt’s chiseled jaw clenched, and he turned his face on the pillow, locked his gaze with hers. “I swear on my life I’ll never leave you again, Harper.”

“Good,” she said on a breath. Her heart pounded in her chest as she lifted off him slightly and kissed his pec. When she sucked hard just over his heart, a soft groan came from deep in Wyatt’s throat. He cupped the back of her head, drew her closer, encouraging her. This was it. This was the moment she’d waited her whole life for. Her breath trembled as she grazed her teeth over his skin. Wyatt’s hips rocked, and he angled himself toward her, pulled her body against his.

Leaning forward, he drew her sensitive earlobe between his teeth, then whispered, “Do it.”

This would change everything. It would complete their bond, and her dragon would no longer be able to be away from him. He would be as vital to her as air. And as terrifying as it was to trust someone so completely with that power, it was Wyatt. Her Wyatt.

She drew her fingernails up his back and sucked again on his chest, teasing until his erection was hard against her belly. Clenching her jaw, she pierced his skin with her teeth, bit down harder and harder as he gripped the back of her head. The taste of iron coated her tongue, and Wyatt rattled off a long snarl as she bit hard enough to scar, then released his torn skin.

The humming sound was back in her chest, but the adrenaline that had dumped into her veins was making her tremble with the gravity of this moment. She’d never in a million years thought she would get a second chance at this, and here he was, pledging himself to the remainder of her life. Wyatt dipped down and sucked the taste of pennies from her lips. This kiss wasn’t soft or gentle, but was the affection of a man on the edge of his control.

He thrust his tongue inside her mouth over and over and angled his face the other way as he rolled on top of her. With a snarl, she yanked her shirt over her head in one smooth motion and broke the front clasp of her bra and oh, my, damn, Wyatt was setting her on fire right now. Her body ached for him, and her breasts tingled with anticipation as he worked his biting kisses down her throat and chest. He drew the bud of her nipple between his teeth, too rough and not rough enough. She hissed and arched her back against the mattress. Wyatt let off a feral sound and threw the covers off their legs and onto the floor, then he unsnapped her jeans and rucked them down her legs to join the pile. His lips were hot against her belly, and then his teeth were on her hipbone, teasing her. God, she wanted him. Gripping his hair, she spread her legs wide and guided him into the cradle she’d created. They’d never done this before, but right now her belly was on fire for him to kiss her there.

And then his mouth was on her, his tongue brushing up her clit, sucking, laving. The moonlight was too bright, but she couldn’t stop watching his head bob between her legs. Clever man, bringing her closer to climax with every lick. But she wanted more.

“Wyatt, please,” she begged shamelessly.

His growl rattled against her sex, and then she felt it. He drove his tongue deep inside of her, and she cried out, tossed her head back against the pillow. His hands gripped the tops of her thighs hard, causing pleasure and pain. She was utterly lost to the waves of sensation that rocked her body. Another thrust of his tongue, and then another. She gasped. “I’m gonna come,” she whispered, warning him, but it only seemed to spur him on. He sucked her clit and then drove back inside her until orgasm exploded through her.

Harper’s body shuddered as he encouraged every aftershock with that sexy mouth of his. And oh, his bear was a snarly monster right now, like he couldn’t get enough of her taste. She felt like a goddess as she twitched and writhed against him.

Wyatt eased back, sucked on her inner thigh, and then chuckled a warm, sexy sound as a tremor took her body. “One,” he murmured.

Holy hell, her man wasn’t through.

Wyatt sat up, legs folded under him, thick erection jutting out between his legs, the epitome of a rutting, mature male. With a wicked grin, he trapped her in his blazing blue gaze and gripped the base of his dick, ran a slow stroke up to the tip, and then pushed into his hand again, his powerful abs flexing with the smooth motion. He blinked languidly and lowered his attention between her legs. Feeling reckless, Harper spread her knees wider and tossed him a challenging look. She clicked her fire-starter once and jerked her chin.
Come here. Please me.

Wyatt’s sensual lips curved up in the corners as he crawled over her. On hands and knees, he lowered his lips to hers as she ran her hands up his bulging triceps. He spread his knees wider, lowering himself down against her thighs, and with a graceful roll of his hips, his cock pushed inside of her by an inch. He let off a deep huff of breath and eased out, then pressed back in. So big.
Relax so you can take all of him.

Harper traced the bite mark that had streamed crimson down his chest—her declaration that she was his always. He clamped his teeth on her hand teasingly, then pushed into her deeper. She gasped with how right he felt filling her up like this. “Deeper,” she demanded on a breath.

Wyatt’s eyes lightened to a snowy color as he slammed into her hard. He eased back slowly, then flexed his hips hard again. He lowered himself onto her until there was no end to her body, no beginning to his. Burying his face against her neck, he bucked into her harder and faster, his snarl matching the humming vibration in her chest. His abs flexed hard against her stomach with every thrust. The pressure was growing too fast, too bright. She cried out with every stroke, and now his hands were gripping desperately hard to her back and waist. His teeth grazed her shoulder, right above her collarbone, and potent desire washed through her.

Please, please, please.

He slammed into her harder, their bodies making a slick sound as they drove each other closer to climax. Teeth, teeth, teeth. So sharp. Right there.
Do it!

Harper screamed out his name as she came hard. He froze inside of her and bit deeply into her skin as his dick swelled and pulsed the first jet of wet heat into her. Mindlessly, she chanted his name over and over as he bit down harder and thrust into her again. She was clutching onto him so tight now, desperate for him to bite her deep enough to count. Desperate for every body-shattering pulse of pleasure he conjured between her legs.

Wyatt grunted and released her skin, then slammed into her again as his dick throbbed on, matching her orgasm. “I love you, Harper,” he murmured in a voice that was gravel and velvet. “I love you so much.”

Her shoulder hurt badly, but she’d never been happier in her life than in this moment. “I love you, too,” she whispered through her tightening vocal cords. She cupped his cheeks and looked up into those beautiful inhuman eyes of his. “I’ve waited so long…”

“I know. Me, too.” Wyatt relaxed on top of her and cupped the back of her head gently as he lowered his lips to hers. He sipped at her until every last pulsing aftershock had faded. And when she was sated and utterly stunned by what had just happened, she kissed the bite mark on his chest. “You’re mine now.”

His smile was so genuinely happy, it rendered her breathless. Wyatt rolled over, taking her with him, and hugged her so tightly against him she could barely draw a breath. His cheek against hers, she could feel his smile there as he told her, “I always was.”

Wyatt hit the lever to lower the bucket and scooped another layer of earth from the mountain. The excavator jumped and twitched under him as he hit a layer of rock, but he adjusted and pulled up, then drew it over the back of the dump truck and emptied the mine dirt on top of the pile.

“Full enough,” Kane called. “Shut her off.”

Wyatt cut the engine and hopped down the side of the giant machine, eager to get this work day done so he could go back to his mate. Wow. Wyatt huffed a soft laugh.
His mate
. How had he gotten so damn lucky?

Kane was glaring at him through narrowed eyes, and that shit always freaked him out. Kane had those green snake eyes that didn’t belong in a man’s face. He usually wore sunglasses to cover them up in public, but when he was about to ream Wyatt, he always left them off. Intimidation tactics, but it wouldn’t work on him. Not today. He was too high up on cloud nine.

Wyatt grinned brightly and sauntered past him, then climbed into the passenger’s seat of the dump truck.

“What’s going on with you?” Kane asked as he limped to the driver’s side and pulled himself up. He had a bum leg, but every time Wyatt asked about it, Kane shut him down and wouldn’t talk to him for a week, so okay. They weren’t crew, and they weren’t friends. They were tentative allies since the vamps posed a threat to both of them.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Wyatt said through a baiting grin.

“You’ve been smiling all fucking morning. And your bear feels different. And furthermore, you’ve become quite the popular man in town right now.”

Wyatt rolled down the window as Kane circled the dump truck toward the old mining road that led down toward the tourist section of this gig. “What do you mean?”

“I mean Aric and a few of his vamps have been hanging around the parking lot of Drat’s at night. Last night he finally came in and asked about you right-out. The only thing keeping them from going after you at your place is the Bloodrunner Dragon.”

“She has a name.”

“Fuck her name, Wyatt. If she leaves, your jugular is wide open for the ripping.”

“She ain’t leavin’.”

“Everyone leaves, man.”

“I did Aric a favor. He’s king now. He should be shaking my hand and buying me a shot.”

“It doesn’t work like that, and you know it. Look, I know we don’t see eye to eye on stuff, but if you go down, I’m next. And I like it here. I’m sick of moving around.”

“Then pick a damned territory, Kane. You’re a Blackwing Dragon, man. You don’t need anyone’s protection.”

He made a pissed-off clicking sound behind his teeth. “You know it’s not like that for me. I don’t need a treasure like the Bloodrunner.”

“
Harper
. Her name is
Harper
.” Wyatt pulled the hem of his T-shirt up until he exposed the puckered, angry-looking claiming mark on his pec. “She’s with me now. Fighting another dragon in your territory won’t work. She isn’t your enemy. She’s good.”

Kane looked over at his mark with those blazing green eyes, back to the steep road, and then back to him before he murmured, “That’s a really big deal.”

“Yeah.” Wyatt straightened the thin fabric of his shirt back in place and took off his hard hat, tossed it to the dusty floorboard between his work boots. “It feels like I’ve been waiting my whole life for this. If Aric wants trouble, he’s barking up the wrong tree. Now that Harper knows alcohol inhibits her dragon, she won’t make the same mistake twice.”

“Would you die to keep her safe?” Kane asked so quietly Wyatt almost didn’t hear him over the roar of the engine.

“Yeah.” It was the easiest answer in the world.

Kane sighed, and his breath tapered into a growl. “Look, Aric isn’t the only one asking about you.”

Wyatt frowned at Kane’s profile. “Who else?”

“The alpha of the Valdoro Pack came in last night, too. Axton something-or-other. He and his wolves are in town to put pressure on Martin to sell faster, and he isn’t a fan of yours. He told me to tell you he wants you out of the territory the second the deal closes.”

Wyatt groaned and pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes to ease the tension headache building there. “Fuckin’ wolves, man. I miss when the vamps and wolves were still in hiding. At least they policed themselves better then. Now the leaders have too much power and zero moral compass.”

“You’re preaching to the choir. Wolves will ruin this entire town. It won’t be safe for families anymore, and tourism will grind to a stop. They’ll bring bloodshed to the Smokies.” Kane cast him a quick, thoughtful glance. “Look, I only picked up the shifts at Drat’s for extra income. I have some money saved.”

“For what?”

Kane turned onto the backroad that led down to the tourist center of the mine. “I have ten grand I can put up for the territory, no strings attached.”

“What? Why? You barely tolerate me.”

“It’s not for you, dumbass. I have my own interest in mind. I can’t defend a territory on my own, but between you, your Bloodrunner, and any crew you recruit, you could. If you don’t set up territory here, I’m out. I have to go on the run again, and I’m so fucking tired of running.”

Wyatt scratched the back of his head in irritation. “It’s still not enough. Not by a lot. We’d still be about ninety thousand short, and really, I should be matching the Valdoro Pack’s offer because they’ll kill Martin if he shows favoritism.”

“How short are we if we match their offer?”

“One-forty.”

Kane shook his head for a long time and smelled pissed off, but there was nothing to be done about that. Wyatt had quit beating himself up over the things he couldn’t control. Chronic guilt was a slow poison his bear had buckled under, and Wyatt liked to think he’d learned his lesson.

Emotionally crippling his bear with remorse wasn’t a viable option anymore.

Harper was enduring The Unrest, and would need him to be whole and strong for her.