Claws (Shifter Rescue 2) (4 page)

“I like when you come and go.”

He loved that Az called it that. It was like they had their own language for loving. “I do too. I like when you make me come and go.” He began to thrust slowly, pushing into his dragon again, wanting Az to feel it, too.

Az’s smile grew, spread. “Feels good, Keeper, like… swimming.”

“Swimming?” He didn’t stop.

“The best things,” Az explained.

“Ah.” Smiling, Drill rubbed their noses together. His dragon said the most amazing things. “You are the best thing, Az.”

Az nibbled on his bottom lip, the blue skin making Az’s eyes seem to pop. His dragon really was incredible. Of course, if he didn’t feed Az, his dragon’s stomach was going to eat through his backbone. With great determination, Drill tugged himself out.

“Keeper…” Az’s body followed him.

“We’re going to eat,” he said firmly.

“But…”

He growled softly. “I said we’re going to eat.” Finally coming out all the way, he rolled to the side of the bed.

Az trilled, obviously concerned.

“You’re hungry, Az. You need to eat to keep your strength up.” He wasn’t trying to be mean.

“Yes, Keeper.”

“Don’t pout at me, my dragon.”

The human was gone in a puff, the dragon studiously grooming his wings.

Drill let one eyebrow go up as Az pointedly ignored him. “I know how to get your attention again.”

He made a beeline for the kitchen with its fridge full of meat. When he looked back, his dragon was slinking into the playroom beyond their bedroom, closing the door. He grabbed several packs of steak and filled a huge bowl with berries. He would take them to his dragon, who was indeed pouting, based on Az’s behavior.

When he opened the playroom door, Az was exploring, moving around the mostly empty room. His dragon really was stunning, beautiful. So amazing.

“I have food, Az,” he offered.

“Is this a quiet room? An egg room? What kind of room is it?” Az asked.

“An egg room? What’s an egg room? For that matter, what’s a quiet room?” He put the food down on the bench.

“A room for eggs. I mean, I don’t think we need to raise a clutch. I don’t know many girls, anyway. They mostly keep us apart until we have our keepers.”

“Raise a clutch?” Drill shook his head, very firmly. He was not ready for a room full of eggs that would turn into a room full of dragons. “No clutch. And I don’t do girls.”

“Oh. Then what is this room for?”

“It’s for us to explore our bodies and our relationship.” He adored that darling, confused look that his words engendered. “Have you heard of spanking and bondage and sexual toys?”

“Keeper?”

“I’ll take that as a no. You did say that you hadn’t had all your lessons.” And it was going to be his pleasure to introduce Az to the lifestyle and all the things they could do.

“I didn’t. I’m sorry, Keeper.” Az hung his head.

“I’ve already told you I don’t mind, that I’m glad to be the one teaching you. I will show you many things in this room.” He reached out, encouraged Az to come with him, into the dining area. He grabbed his tray of food. “I have steaks, as many as you want. And then there’s berries. But you have to eat your fill of the meat first.” He was learning that it took a lot of protein to feed a dragon.

“First…” Teasing, playful dragon…

“Yes. First.” He let his heat show.

“Just one berry…” Az wheedled.

“Nope.” If he gave in now, there would never be rules. And he had a hunch he was going to have to harden his heart to Az’s pleas. Even in dragon form, his Az was quite hard to resist.

“But…”

“I am your keeper, Az. Steak is good for dragons.” He pointed to it. “And I know you prefer it raw. Eat.”

Az blinked and began to snarf the food down, the meat disappearing. God, his dragon must have been starving. He would be careful now, to make sure his dragon was well taken care of. Whether Az wanted it or not.

Az ate all five huge steaks Drill had brought out. And in a very small amount of time at that. “Do you need more?”

“No. No, Keeper. Berries?”

“Are you sure?” He would even let Az have the berries first. He just needed to make sure he’d had enough steak to fill his belly.

“Sure?”

“That you’re not hungry for more steak first.”

“No.” Az sounded very sure. “No, berries are my favorite.”

“I know they are your favorites, but you have to eat more than just berries. Still, if you really have had enough steak, you can have some berries.” He kept the bowl by his side of the table, though.

This was a treat. A good treat, but a reward. This was his boy, his dragon, and he needed to take care. He offered a single strawberry over. Az tossed it, snapped it out of the air, obviously trying to amuse him. He sent a raspberry up in the air toward Az. Az caught it,
snap
.

He didn’t toss another one, waiting to see if Az would ask.

Az’s head tilted. “Another, please?”

“A blackberry this time.” Drill took one and held it out.

Az grabbed it and then tossed it into the air.

“Show-off,” Drill teased.

“You want to try?” Az asked.

“Is that a challenge?”

“No, Keeper. It’s fun.” Oh, that was very sweet.

Drill handed a berry over. “Go for it.” Then he opened his mouth.

Az tossed the berry, trying hard to get it into Drill’s mouth. When Drill caught it, Az’s wings fluttered. Chuckling, Drill chewed, the berry’s juice really sweet. Then he opened his mouth again.

“Your turn again?” Playful Az was absolutely lovely.

“You’ve already had three and I’ve only had one. So yes, my turn again.” Drill opened his mouth once more.

A fat strawberry was tossed up for him. He managed to catch it, laughing harder now.

“Me now!” Az demanded.

“I’m still one behind,” Drill pointed out.

Az took two berries, tossed them up in the air. “Get them!”

“Cheating!” He almost fell out of his chair trying to get the one, but he did.

Az snapped up the other. “Ta da!”

Drill applauded, and then stole a raspberry, popping it between his lips. Az reached for another, watching him closely. Drill let one eyebrow go up, but didn’t say a word. His dragon began to flutter, trill softly. God, that was sexy. He didn’t let on, though, waiting for his dragon to ask permission.

“Keeper?”

“Yes, my dragon? Are you asking for a berry?”

Az nodded, eyelashes fluttering.

Laughing, he tossed another one in Az’s general direction. Flirting. His dragon was flirting with him for berries. God, that was adorable. Purely adorable.

He pushed a blueberry into his own mouth. Az’s wings spread, eyes watching the bowl. Drill took a big, fat strawberry from it, holding it between his fingers. Az’s focus was sharp, fierce. He licked his lips as he rolled the berry between his fingers. Az rattled his scales, growling softly.

“Oh, the wing- and eyelash-fluttering was so much more persuasive, my dragon.”

“My turn, Keeper?” Az begged.

“I would like a wiggle or a wink or a plea from you, Az.” He was going to make his dragon work for it.

“A wiggle?” Az shimmied for him.

“Yes!” He clapped and handed over the berry.

Az threw it up, caught it.

“Such a clever dragon.”

A loving smile beamed at him, heating him deep down. He gave Az a handful of berries.

“Thank you, Keeper! So good!”

“You love berries more than anything, don’t you?” he asked.

“No.”

“No? What do you love more?” It would be good to know.

“You, Keeper.”

“Oh… Az…” Drill pushed back from the table and opened his arms.

His dragon came to him, wrapping him in leathery wings. He held on as best he could, touching Az’s scales.

“My keeper. My own keeper.”

“I love you too, my dragon.” He did. It had only been a couple weeks, but nonetheless, Az was his own.

“Can we explore our new rooms some more?” Az asked.

“Yes. Let’s start with the playroom.”

“As a dragon or man?” Az frowned suddenly. “Why are you always a man?”

“Because my wolf can’t talk.”

“Oh!” Az grinned, nodded. “Dragons are special.”

“Yeah, you are. I also get a little… primal when I’m in my other form.” Possessive and grumpy was another way to put it.

“Growly. My keeper growls.”

“I do.” He knew he could be a real bear as his… bear-wolf.

“You do not frighten me.” Az informed him.

“No? I upset you earlier. By the pool.” He’d just wanted Az to stay put, but didn’t have a way to say it.

“I thought I’d offended. I try so hard to be the best dragon.”

“You are the best dragon, Az. And you’ll have to get used to my growling.” Otherwise he was likely to keep upsetting Az while he was in his bear-wolf form.

“Yes, Keeper. Yes.”

“Okay. Then I’ll be my bear-wolf more often. But not for the playroom.” He needed to be able to communicate properly there.

“Play… Keeper, we play in the water.”

“It’s a different kind of playing.” He would teach Az the difference.

He encouraged Az to stand, then got up himself and rubbed Az’s spine. Az slowly became human, almost like Drill had called him. It was fascinating, feeling the change under his palm. The smooth, almost hard scales morphing into cool, smooth skin. The one thing that stayed the same were those bright blue eyes.

Leaning in, Drill brought their lips together. His Az tasted like berries.

He started walking backward toward the playroom, refusing to let go of Az’s lips. Az’s giggles were sweet, delicious, bouncing against his lips. God, his dragon made him smile, all the way deep inside.

They went through the lush bedroom and into the playroom, which needed filling, decorating. But of course that was personal, so Pirou had left it simple, clean. A blank slate. Their own place.

“We need to decorate,” he told Az.

Az nodded. “More shiny things.”

“So that’s not a myth, hmm?” He knew so little about what was real with dragons. Everything he did know was all myths, just like he’d thought the dragons themselves were.

“What isn’t a myth?” Az asked.

“That dragons like shiny things. Lots of treasure.”

Az nodded enthusiastically. “We do. We live for a long time and have many pretties.”

“It’s a good thing I live a long time, too.”

“You’re my keeper. We’ll be together.” Az didn’t seem at all concerned.

“We will. Until I am gray all over.” Drill tilted his head. “How long do dragons live?”

“As long as their keepers, and their keepers live as long as them.”

Drill tilted his head, “You mean we’re going to live forever?”

“Or until we die.” So straightforward, his dragon.

He chuckled and hugged Az tight.

“How do we play in here?” Az asked.

“When I say play, I’m talking about sex.”

“Oh. Why?”

“Because sex is more than just making love. It’s exploring all the ways we can have sex, all the things we can do together.”

Az looked at him like he was insane.

“You’ll learn. I’m a good teacher.”

And Az had liked everything he’d taught his dragon so far.

“Yes. I was taken away before my training. Stolen. I was stolen by bad men.” Despite being human, Az managed an impressive growl.

“I know.” Drill held Az in a tight hug. “Is there anyone we should let know that you’re all right?” And if there was, did that mean there was family who might to try to take Az away from him?

“I have my keeper. You know I am all right.”

“I do. And I’m going to make sure you’re always all right. You don’t have family who are missing you, though? Or who you are missing?” He had no clue how dragon family structure worked. Maybe once a dragon left the -- probably nest -- he never went back or kept in touch with family and friends.

“We live in a clutch, and then we say goodbye so that we can be trained and so the big dragons don’t decide to eat us.”

“Okay, so we’re not going back.” Like ever. No one was eating his dragon but him, and then only in the fun way.

“No. No, I have a new home, with windows.”

“You like the windows, do you?” He’d insisted on them because Az had said he liked the warmth of the sun.

“I like to watch. The water is better. Did you know there are windows up to the sky in there?”

“In the room with the pool? Yeah. It’s pretty cool, huh?” Drill was pretty pleased with Pirou’s surprise pool.

Az nodded. “All the rooms are good.”

“I’m glad you like your new home, Az. It would suck if you didn’t.”

“My keeper is here. I belong.” Still, he could tell that Az was happier with sunshine and room and water than he’d been downstairs.

Hell, Drill was, too. The basement was cramped, and his bear-wolf could tell it was underground and didn’t like it. He ran one finger down the center of Az’s chest, petting him.

“Shall we see what’s in the cupboard?” He figured Pirou had stocked them with the basics.

“More food?” Curious dragon.

“No, that will only be in the kitchen.”

Eating was not what the playroom was for.

“Kitchen. I like that word.”

“You like the fact that that’s where the berries are.” He was on to Az.

“Yes!” Az grinned and leapt at him.

Laughing, he caught his dragon. There was no artifice with Az, just simple joy.

“What is in the cabinet if there are no berries, Keeper?” Az asked.

“Fake cocks.” He knew there might be other stuff, too, but there would at the very least be dildos.

“Fake cocks.” The look on Az’s face was hilarious.

“They’re called dildos.”

“Fake dildos,” Az said slowly.

“No, fake cocks are called dildos.”

“Keeper? Will yours fall off?”

Drill gave Az a startled look, then began to laugh.

Az reached for his cock, cupped it. “I will protect it.”

“Thank you, Az. I appreciate that.”

Az’s fingers touched him, the caress gentle, sweet. Dear. He had to let Az know. “Feels good, my dragon.”

“I like yours, Keeper. We don’t need another one.”

“But what about variety? Smaller, fatter, longer.” There were hundreds of options.