Border Lair

Border Lair

Dragon Knights Book 2

Bianca D’Arc

To all the wonderful, supportive people on my discussion list, and especially Megan, Serena, Tam, Diana and Jess. Thanks for believing in dragons and believing in me.

The feminine moan of pleasure was music to Lord Darian’s ears as he brought Varla to yet another peak with his tongue. She was greedy, but then, being the king of Skithdron’s current favorite had to leave her cold. The lecherous bastard had become king after killing his own father—or so Lord Darian suspected—and didn’t give a rat’s ass about anyone’s pleasure but his own.

“Are you ready for me now, Varla?” Darian looked down on the woman with little feeling as he rammed his cock into her.

“More than ready, my lord!”

The bitch was panting and practically tearing his skin off with those long red painted claws of hers. He moved her hands, grasping them tightly and holding them forcibly above her head, away from his skin. He’d be damned if he would wear her bloody marks after this bout. He was here for one reason alone.

Well, maybe two reasons, he admitted with a mental shrug. Getting his rocks off was part of the deal and a good reason to bed a willing wench, but the more important reason was this particular wench could grant him access to places in the palace he otherwise would not have. If he were seen coming from her chambers, so close to the king’s own apartments, it would be more natural if he was her fuck for the night. If not for her, the guards would question his presence in the palace. If not for her, Lord Venerai would have him run out of the palace completely, denying him his right as a noble of Skithdron to serve at court.

Venerai was a viper. Climbing to the top of the pile of Lucan’s sycophants by any means necessary, Venerai wanted all possible competition for the King’s favor out of his way. That included Darian, though he had been more in favor with Lucan’s father, King Goran, than with the current king.

But Darian was of royal blood, a distant fifth in line for the throne, and Venerai saw him as a threat. He went so far as to have Darian followed by an inept spy or two—spies he liked to send on wild goose chases, much to Venerai’s disgust.

Darian would tire Varla out then go on his real mission of the night. He suspected some awful things were about to transpire but he had to have proof before he gave up his birthright. If he were going to forsake his country, his lands, his title, and risk his very life, he had to be damned sure of his information.

He rammed the wench harder as determination fed his strength. This final round ought to do her in, and then he could go on his little reconnaissance mission. First he had to fuck her into oblivion though and that was proving harder than he’d thought. Not only was she insatiable, but he just wasn’t interested enough in her to make it really worth his while. Oh, she was a sweet release to his aching balls, but she failed to meet the strange yearning that had been building inside him for years now.

He really didn’t know what he was looking for, but all the women in his life to this point were definitely not it. There was not one he would regret leaving behind if it did become necessary to leave his homeland. Not one he would consider asking to go with him. Not one he could love.

That was just a shame. How did a man pass thirty-seven winters without finding one single woman he could care for at least enough to make some small commitment? He didn’t even have a steady mistress.

Was there something wrong with him? He was past the age where most men settled down with one woman and started reproducing, but he’d never found the woman he wanted to birth his heirs. Never found a woman he wanted so much he would pray to the gods his seed took root in her womb.

He couldn’t imagine ever finding such a woman among the many he’d tried on for size, but oh, how he had enjoyed the search.

Varla was a hot fuck and she writhed on his cock in a way that had him fighting to control his release, but she was just a means to an end. She had already been claimed by the ruthless bastard who now sat on the stolen throne of Skithdron. Darian might enjoy the pleasure of her body, but he felt nothing for the cold woman inside.

And he knew she felt nothing for him. Even as she came for the seventh time that night under his pounding, he knew she cared more for the sexual release than for the man who gave it to her. After all, she had already sold her soul to the devil.

z z z

After finally exhausting the voracious creature, Darian made his way to the king’s study. Using all his stealth, he found the grim proof he had been searching for—and dreading—and his old adversary Lord Venerai was right in the thick of it. Darian’s course now was clear.

In that moment, Lord Darian of Skithdron became a traitor. At least that’s how King Lucan and his followers would see his actions. Still, Darian knew sitting by and doing nothing while a mad king herded deadly, venomous skiths toward innocent villagers would be a crime he could not live with on his soul. What the king had planned next was even worse, and his ultimate goal was completely insane.

But King Lucan was so far gone in his madness his plan just might work.

Someone had to warn Draconia. The peaceful land had been a good neighbor to Skithdron for many generations, but it was all coming to ruin now with one crazy tyrant. Darian now knew beyond the shadow of a doubt, Lucan sought power through demented magics that drove him closer and closer to the edge.

Lucan had to be stopped and Darian was the only one to do it. For one thing, Darian had no immediate family against whom Lucan could retaliate.

For another, as the former ambassador to Draconia, he had contacts in high places. If he could just get across the border and then across the lines to the Draconian side, he might have a shot at getting his message through to the people—and dragons—who needed most to know.

Adora opened her eyes slowly, her head tilted to the side as she lay on her stomach. She could just make out the huge form of Sir Jared, hovering over her, as he had for the past few days. His ruggedly handsome face carried a stark, broad scar down one cheek and onto his neck. The ragged mark of his warrior profession disappeared below the neckline of his shirt, making her curious to see just how far down it went on his broad, muscular chest.

“How are you feeling?” His voice was husky with disuse and she guessed it was late in the night.

“Jared, you should really seek your own bed. Sitting up with me does neither of us any good.”

The knight favored her with a small smile as he poured a cup of water from the pitcher on the bedside table. Hearing the splash of water suddenly made her thirsty as her tongue moved around in a cottony mouth.

“Humor me, Adora. Besides, Kelzy wouldn’t let me leave, even if I wanted to try.” His gaze shifted to the wide archway, neatly blocked by the blue-green dragon’s great head. Kelzy blinked at him sleepily—even the huge dragon showed weariness in the vigil she’d kept at Adora's side for the past few days.

Jared sat on the side of the bed with a gentleness she found astounding in such a powerful warrior knight. He was so big and muscular, so able to fight and destroy, but she had learned over the past days his magnificent warrior’s body housed a gentle soul.

Because of the deep, slashing wounds that reached around from her back to one side, she had to lie on her stomach or the uninjured side and found it difficult to use one of her arms. Levering herself off the bed even to drink a glass of water was almost impossible to accomplish alone. Jared lent her his great strength every time she needed to rise and use the bathroom or as now, take a drink of water.

He slipped one hand under her torso from the uninjured side, his forearm settling intimately between her breasts as he spread his hand against the opposite shoulder. This odd position allowed her to use her one good arm to push herself upward while he held her securely, in case her strength gave out.

As it was, her arm trembled as he held the cup of water to her parched lips.

She wasn’t entirely sure whether her weakness was from the injury or the mere proximity of the dashing knight.

It had been years since she’d been touched so closely by a man, and never by a man such as this. Jared took her breath away. A warm gust of air settled over her from the direction of the dragon in the doorway. Adora swiveled her head to look at Kelzy, but the motion caused her healing wounds to pull and she gasped. Jared reacted instantly, sliding both hands up her torso, supporting her, guiding her gently back to lie on her stomach.

“Easy now.” Jared’s voice was so warm and soft. It made Adora feel safe and protected. She tried not to think about the hand resting between her breasts as he lowered her slowly to the bed, nor the way he slid his rough hand out from between the sheets and her body, his strong fingers grazing the swollen sides of her breasts.

“Can you help me turn to lie on my side? My neck hurts a bit from sleeping in this position.”

“So you admit you do need me here after all?” He chuckled and it warmed her heart.

Jared was always so serious that it was good to hear him laugh as he put his big hands on her once more. He handled her as if she were a priceless treasure but with a strength that would not be denied. Never had such a masterful man been so intimate with her body. Her long-dead husband’s touch had been quite different. Jared was strong and sure, yet showed obvious care in the way he used his strength.

Adora liked the way he touched her. She liked him, if she was being honest with herself. Jared was a man among men, otherwise the dragon who had been like her surrogate mother would never have chosen him as her partner. Not only the dragoness, Kelzy, but King Roland himself entrusted a great deal to this man, for Adora had learned Jared was a general in the king’s fighting forces. Jared and Kelzy were the leaders of this new Lair filled with dozens of knights and fighting dragons.

“I admit nothing.” She enjoyed challenging him and smiled as Jared paused, his hands around her, his face very near.

“Adora…”

She felt his grip tighten on her and saw his face lower. She hadn’t been kissed in far too many years, but still remembered the signs. She knew she could turn away—his approach was slow enough to give her time to call a halt if she wished—but she wanted his kiss. Suddenly, she wanted nothing more desperately in the world.

The moment his lips touched hers she knew why. His kiss was everything. Soft and gentle at first, firming to hard, demanding, male. Oh, so male, and so missed. She had missed this in her many years of widowhood.

She had missed a man’s strong hands molding her body while his lips and tongue plundered her mouth.

After the first few blissful moments, Jared’s kiss turned molten and hungry. Powered by a lust that fired through his veins, he seemed to ignite as their lips came together for the very first time.

“Adora.” He broke off the kiss but buried his hungry lips in her throat, nibbling at her soft skin.

“Jared,” she whispered. His nipping teeth were just powerful enough that she knew he would leave a mark on her tender skin. The thought excited her.

Never had a man been so hot for her, or she for him.

Interesting as this development is, Kelzy’s dryly amused voice sounded through both of their minds, bringing them back to earth with a thud, Adora’s still hurt, Jared. Leave off before one of her wounds reopens.

“Sweet Mother of All.” Jared released her slowly. His blue eyes smoldered with something like shock laced with a bit of anger and frustration as he looked down at her. “Did I hurt you, Adora?”

She shook her head slightly, but his hand traced down her throat to the tender spot he had bitten, and their eyes locked and held. She suspected he had bruised her on purpose and she would wear his mark for a few days.

“Nothing significant.” She tried to put his mind at ease about the love bite, but his expression went cold, and she realized her words might have sounded different than she meant them. She tried to find words to fix her error, but Jared was already on his way out the door. He was gone before she could speak and she found herself lying on her side, staring at the dragon in her doorway with mixed feelings. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”