Sold To The Dragons (A BBW Paranormal Romance Book 1) (12 page)

But only moments later, just as Steven began almost literally ripping my jeans off, I heard a noise far worse than any I'd ever heard before. It was far worse than the sound of a Destroyer dragon roaring, like I'd heard one do the night Tom had bought me at auction.

It was a sound worse than a person raking their fingernails down a chalkboard. It was the sound of someone knocking on my apartment door. And not just knocking, but knocking loudly, insistently. It was the kind of knocking that made me certain that Steven's and my intimacy was surely going to be interrupted.

Glancing in the direction of the apartment door, he swore so fiercely it startled me. After a brief pause, the knocking resumed.

He swore again, looking in the direction of the door. "Go! Away!"

Even though the apartment door was thick oak, and even from a distance of however many feet away I was on the couch, I immediately heard what sounded like Blake's voice. For just a moment, my heart leaped in my chest. Maybe Steven and I could continue with what we'd been doing. Just maybe, after I'd ushered Blake inside and invited him to join in on the activities in whatever way he wanted to.

But my excitement was incredibly short-lived. Because no sooner than Blake had stopped speaking, I heard another voice. And even though I'd only met him once, briefly, I could tell the voice belonged to Alec. I could have screamed in frustration.

Steven came pretty close. While the knocking on the door continued, the knocking that was now approaching outright pounding, he scowled in the direction of the door, raising his voice to a shout. "Leave now! Leave us in peace, or else I'll kill every last one of you outside that door! I'll murder you all, in cold blood, and not even think twice about it!"

More pounding. More muffled yelling from Blake. More murderous threats from Steven, followed by even louder pounding from Blake. I closed my eyes, feeling as if I were just a hair away from either a good laugh or a good cry. Maybe even both simultaneously.

Finally, Steven lifted himself off of me, stood, and began glancing from the door down to the very obvious pole straining against his jeans. "Just a goddamned minute!"

I sat up, feeling pretty murderous myself. I knew we were going to have to answer the door, and very soon. Whatever Blake and Alec wanted, they weren't just going to go away. Blake was sounding like he'd kick the door down first. And with his increased strength as a shifter, I knew he could probably do it.

During a lull in the pounding, Steven snatched up a decorative pillow, muttering, and then began heading over to the door, holding the pillow to his front. I might have found his predicament amusing if I hadn't been in such a foul, frustrated mood myself.

I followed him out to the foyer, and the moment he opened the door, Blake stepped inside, jaw clenched.

"What did I say just before you left the council meeting, Steven?

I said, 'No time for either one of us to spend any time with Kira before this trip. Not even a minute. Too much to still plan and do.' I believe I also said to keep your phone on and on you at all times so I could summon you to the next meeting with Father's advisors.

“Which I told you would be in mere minutes. And yet, clearly, you didn't bother to keep your phone near. Clearly, you thought you'd just completely disregard my instructions. Despite the fact that as a son of Lord Ashcrest, you have duties and responsibilities."

Steven snorted, still holding the pale lavender pillow to his front. "Oh, yes, I'm well aware of my duties and responsibilities. One of which is to ensure that my father's line endures, which is why Kira was brought here in the first place."

Blake snorted in return, narrowing his coal-gray eyes. "Obviously, I haven't forgotten about that, either. And there may be time to work on that goal when we stop for the night after the first leg of the trip tomorrow, though don't forget, tomorrow is
my
night. But as for right now, we have the final details of an advance, an attack, and a rescue to plan, and your presence is very much required. So, come along like a good little brother, Steven. You can even bring your little pillow along if you'd like."

With a faint growl, Steven curled one of his hands into a fist. He was standing only a few feet away from Blake, and I thought he might try to hit him. But before he could make any attempts, Alec, who'd been standing behind Blake, kind of elbowed his way past and came to stand between them.

"Probably it would be best that we all take a deep breath and then get on down to the next planning meeting. Still lots to plan and prepare for."

The three of them soon left, leaving me in a frustrated-yet-resigned huff.

I remained in such a frustrated state all evening. I barely ate any dinner. The food that I did manage to choke down, I barely even tasted. Afterward, not even a glass of wine and a bubble bath did much to improve my mood.

During my bath, I considered taking matters into my own hands, but eventually decided against it. After Steven had gotten me worked up to such a state, there was no touch of my own hand that could possibly satisfy me, and I knew it. It would probably just frustrate me further.

I went to bed early, though I just tossed and turned for hours. When I did eventually drift off, my sleep was filled with dreams of Blake and Steven. They were both naked and fully erect, and lying on either side of me in bed. But no matter how many times I tried to reach for them in the dream, my hands would just slip right through them, as if they were made of mist.

I awoke an hour or so before dawn, slick and aching. My lower belly felt tight and slightly crampy, though not the kind of crampy a person might feel from stomach upset or a monthly cycle. I felt crampy in a way I'd never felt before in my life, and I knew the direct cause was prolonged sexual frustration. Frustration that I knew would have no chance of being satisfied until that evening, at the earliest. After showering, I yanked on my clothes and jammed some things into a small travel bag, muttering different things about Blake, Steven, temptation, and cruelty without hardly even being aware of it.

It was still dark out when our rescue mission group of several hundred of the city's strongest shifters, along with Marielle and myself, left Ashcrest. All the shifters had shifted into dragon form, and their bodies were massive inky shapes in the predawn sky. Marielle rode perched atop Alec's back, of course, and I rode atop Blake.

Steven had wanted to carry me, though Blake had insisted he should be the one to do it since it was
his
day to "spend time with me." I was honestly getting quite sick of their snapping and bickering.

And I was beyond sick of the trading off days system. I couldn't even pretend to deny what I wanted any longer; I couldn't even make a feeble attempt. Until I became pregnant and married whichever of them was the father of the baby, I wanted to be physically loved by both of them at the same time, and often. I wanted to live out my fantasy. I wanted to at least try it. And with my level of sexual frustration at the level that it was, I couldn't see myself being fine with being told no.

However, I knew I was going to have to try to push what I wanted out of my mind for the rest of the day, at least as much as I could. Or else it was going to be one very long, uncomfortable day. Though straddling Blake's dark gray scaly dragon back was certainly not going to help keep my mind off certain things. But I knew I had to at least
try
to turn my focus away.

For a while, I did. Once the sun broke over the horizon, it was a sunny, gorgeous, late September day. The air was pleasantly warm, though not too warm. It was just perfect. With an aerial view from my perch atop Blake's broad back, there was much for me to see and marvel at. I almost felt somewhat like a little kid, and I knew Marielle did, too. Whenever I happened to catch sight of her on Alec's back across the way, she was looking all around her, grinning. She was finally getting the bit of adventure she'd been craving.

Our group of several hundred shifters advanced slowly, enormous wings sedately beating the air, all morning. The spy-sweepers were some ten miles or so up ahead, doing their jobs. Around noon, everyone landed and shifted back into human form for a quick lunch before setting off again. The afternoon passed similarly.

But eventually, as the sun sank low in the sky, I couldn't help but think about what might happen that evening, or not. After everyone had descended and shifted into human form again to eat dinner, Blake declared to the group at large that we were done flying for the day, and done flying until the final advance on Dimwood the next day.

"We're going to eat and then enjoy a long rest overnight to give the spy-sweepers enough time to clear a sure path directly to Dimwood for our assault tomorrow."

Some of the shifters had been in charge of carrying heavy packs of supplies and gear on their backs, and now these same shifters began preparations to set up tents.

One of the shifters, a slender young man, approached Blake and asked where he'd like the royal tent set up. "At the front of the group, Lord Blake, as usual, or...or maybe a bit off to the side?"

Blake dipped his head in a nod, scanning a broad expanse of grass and a few trees nearby. "Maybe more than a bit off to the side, to the west. And not too far away from the group, but...a decent distance. All the other tents can go just outside that copse of trees to the east."

The young man in charge of the royal tent bowed before dashing away. "Yes, Lord Blake."

I had to work hard to keep my breathing at a normal pace. It was finally happening. The royal tent was about to be set up. And Blake, Steven, and I were finally going to have our night together.

CHAPTER SEVEN

     While the tents were being set up, most everyone ate dinner sitting around various campfires. Steven and Blake ate dinner with their father's advisors and Alec, all of them around their own campfire. Marielle and I had our own little campfire for our dinner.

Marielle was positively glowing, and after finishing a bowl of chicken-and-vegetable stew, she set her bowl on the ground and looked at me, grinning. "This was just what I needed. Just a day of adventure, watching the world fly by far beneath me. Wasn't it beautiful?"

I could hardly comprehend the question. My thoughts were elsewhere.   

However, I managed a little nod. "Yeah. Yeah, beautiful."

With her green eyes twinkling in the firelight, she studied me for a long moment. "I think I understand why you're a little preoccupied. But
do
try to eat something." With the edges of her mouth twitching, she actually gave me a little wink. "You're probably going to need your strength later."

Face a little warm, I went back to my stew. Hoping she was right.

A while later, all the dozens and dozens of tents were set up, but Blake and Steven were still deep in conversation with their father's advisors; so after checking it out quickly herself, Marielle showed me around the royal tent instead of them. Though the
royal tent
could hardly be called a
tent
. It was much more like a luxury portable apartment.

It was at least the size of my apartment suite at the castle. Soft woven rugs in rich jewel tones covered nearly every inch of the floor, and woven tapestries depicting shifters in dragon form decorated the walls. Several electric lamps sat on various polished wooden folding tables around the tent, their electricity supplied by a generator that very quietly hummed along somewhere outside, nearly silent. A crackling fire glowed in a gilded fireplace with a metal chimney that vented out through the top of the tent. The whole scene radiated opulence and luxury.

However, like Marielle had told me, there weren't any properly divided rooms, other than a bathroom with a wooden ceiling and tightly interlocked wooden screens serving as privacy walls. Inside the bathroom, there was actually a sink and shower with running water, and a flush-toilet as well. Where it flushed the waste
to
, I couldn't imagine. Hopefully into a drain or something far away from the tent.

After pointing out a few other creature comforts to me, Marielle smiled. "So, what do you think? It has pretty much all the comforts of home, doesn't it? Though except it doesn't have your own private bedroom, of course. However, the beds
are
very comfortable."

"Beds?"

I didn't even see any.

Marielle gestured to some tall fabric screens not too far away from the fireplace. "Well, there's one behind that partition, and that's the biggest one, the most royal one, I guess you could say. Though I think there's also a smaller one set up behind a partition at the other end of the tent. The set-up men probably weren't quite sure exactly how many beds would be needed." She paused, eyes twinkling. "And maybe
you're
not even exactly sure how many beds will be needed."

I was sure about how many beds I
wanted
to be used. But, not quite comfortable telling Marielle this, I kind of just ignored her comment and stepped around behind the fabric screens to look at the bed behind them. It was a four-poster bed and topped with a thick, wide mattress. It was massive. It definitely looked big enough for three people.

I surveyed it, unable to stop myself from thinking about different things Blake, Steven, and I could do on a bed this size. "This one looks okay. It looks very...very comfortable. I'm sure I'll get a good night's sleep on this one."

Marielle came behind the partition with me and nodded. "Okay. I'll probably be going soon then so you get can settled in and get comfortable. But before I do, do you need me to do anything for you? Like, if you want to be able to see the fireplace from your bed better, I could even move the screens away for you. I could just fold them up and put them right against the wall. Maybe just to make the space a little more open before Blake and Steven arrive, if you wanted."

I definitely did want that.

But, still trying to act casual and keep my building excitement hidden, I just nodded. "That might be good. Might be nice to see the fire from my bed. Might help me to relax and unwind a little. Thank you."

After folding up the screens while I unpacked a few things from my small travel bag, Marielle said good night with a little wink and then left. I freshened up in the bathroom a little and then got undressed to change into pajamas, but once naked, or nearly naked, except for just my underwear, I decided against pajamas.

I figured I might be more comfortable just getting into bed how I was. Blake and Steven would be able to make love to me without even having to take the time to undress me, too. Which, I had to admit, would be for my benefit just as much as it might be for theirs, I was sure.

After turning off the electric lamps so that the warm, bright glow from the fire was the only light in the room, I got into bed, though I didn't get under the blanket. The evening had turned a bit chilly, making me a little cold during dinner, and the warmth of the nearby fire felt too good on my bare skin to cover it with a blanket.

Resting my head on a stack of pillows, I closed my eyes, wondering how long it would be until Blake and Steven joined me in the tent. Several minutes went by, and I became fairly tranquil and relaxed, though not sleepy at all. The ache low in my belly that had been making me so uncomfortable since my encounter with Steven the previous day hadn't faded completely, and I knew that no matter how relaxed I became, it wasn't going to let me relax enough for sleep.

While the fire crackled and popped, I heard very distant sounds of conversation and clattering of dishes maybe being put away or washed. It occurred to me that while the royal tent
had
been set up a good distance away from the others, it hadn't been set up quite far away enough to be completely out of hearing range.

Meaning, of course, that the several hundred men on the trip might be able to hear sounds coming from the tent. Particularly loud noises, like moans and cries of passion. Additionally, I knew there would also be guards patrolling around nearby during the night.

Somewhat to my surprise, the fact that people might possibly be able to hear some things going on inside the tent didn't bother me as much as I thought it might. Or as much as I
felt
like it should. I supposed everyone on the trip was an adult who'd surely heard cries of passion before. And also, there was something about the possibility of being overheard that only added to the excitement for me.

However, despite that, I was glad for the distance between the royal tent and the others, because I wasn't sure if I wanted people to hear any cries of passion or other noises with
too
much clarity. I guessed I still had a bit of modesty, and maybe even more than a bit. And, if my fantasy came true, and Blake and Steven made love to me at the same time, I wasn't quite sure that I'd want people to specifically know that, either.

When Blake and Steven still didn't show up after a while, instead of growing anxious, the warmth of the fire allowed me to just sink deeper into a state of relaxation, with my thoughts really beginning to wander. And naturally, they wandered to images of Blake and Steven, both naked, both hard, both intent on pleasuring me at the same time.

I didn't even realize right away that I'd slid my hand down the front of my underwear. I only became aware when a loud sigh of pleasure coming from my own mouth jolted me out of my reverie a bit. I kept my eyes closed, though. I also didn't remove my fingers from my most sensitive spot. I was suddenly so aroused that I kind of couldn't. Doing so would have been torture.

And so, I continued on, leaving my hand in place while moving my other hand to circle one of my stiffened nipples with a fingertip. My thoughts about Blake and Steven soon became even more explicit and my breathing accelerated to a near-pant. Which might have been why I didn't even hear anyone come into the tent until I heard a deep male voice coming from somewhere very nearby.

"Good God. Absolute perfection."

I opened my eyes to see Steven standing not more than five feet away from the bed, mouth open, raking his gaze over my body. Fully realizing what an intimate activity I was engaging in and more than a little embarrassed about it, I began slowly withdrawing my hand from my underwear, but Steven was over in a flash and took my hand to stop me.

"No. Please don't stop. Please. For the love of God, just continue how you were. Just let me...just let me enjoy it for a second. Just let me soak in this picture...the most stunningly gorgeous erotic picture I've ever seen in my life. Just keep on giving yourself pleasure. I'm begging you."

Encouraged by his words, I slid my hand down the front of my underwear again and resumed my intimate stroking, my embarrassment quickly fading. Quickly fading and becoming replaced by a desperate need to have Steven make love to me until I was completely satisfied, how he'd been planning on doing it the day before.

While studying his handsome, strong-jawed face, I moved my head in a little nod. "Okay. I'll keep on pleasuring myself for a little while if you'll get undressed and get into bed with me."

I'd never seen a man get undressed so fast before in my life. And all the while only taking his gaze from my body for the briefest of moments.

Not at all to my surprise, Steven was already fully erect, his manhood appearing maybe even a little longer and thicker than usual. And when he got into bed beside me and took me in his arms, brushing his shaft against the side of my hip, I could feel that he was definitely harder than usual. And that was saying a lot. A
lot
.

With his gaze on the front of my underwear, he held me, his breathing fast and ragged, while I continued to stroke myself. And after a very short while, he took my underwear and pulled them down with a low growl rumbling in the back of his throat, seeming completely unable to help himself. Now, with my intimate activity fully revealed, I became just a little self-conscious, but Steven didn't let me feel that way for long.

He just held me even tighter, his blue eyes glassy in the firelight. "You're nearly unspeakably gorgeous. Simply stunning. So, don't stop. Please, please don't stop."

I didn't, and soon my pleasure built to the point that I couldn't hold back a moan. Another growl rumbled low in Steven's chest, and he began rhythmically pressing his hardness into the side of my hip while keeping his gaze locked on my femininity and stroking fingers. We didn't even notice Blake standing at the foot of the bed until he cleared his throat. And even then, it took both Steven and me a long moment to look up.

Blake spoke with a husky voice, an erection of what appeared to be considerable size and hardness clearly straining against the confines of his jeans. "It's
my
night."

I suddenly sat up a little, forcing myself to stop the movement of my fingers. "No. No, we're done doing this. I'm just going to come right out and say it. I want you both to make love to me. I want you both to pleasure me. Both of you at once. I've been fantasizing about it...to the point that I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. To the point that I've felt half-insane with frustration. So.

“If the two of you really want to get me pregnant, and if, according to your own doctors, my own pleasure might greatly help that endeavor along, you'll give me what I want. What I need. You'll both agree to end all this stupid sniping and snapping at each other, and you'll both agree to pleasure me at the same time. Which...I guess I feel like you both even owe me, considering the way you've both almost been teasing me with the possibility of it the past week or two."

My words hung in the air. Blake and Steven exchanged looks, their expressions unreadable. I realized I was holding my breath.

And then, after a two or three seconds that felt like years, Blake finally spoke, his gaze on me. "Whatever gives you pleasure, and whatever might help to get you pregnant, I'm willing to do, and gladly.”

Steven, who'd risen to one elbow, releasing me, now took me in his arms again, looking at Blake. "Then, what are you waiting for? Lose your clothes and get in. And don't mind us while we keep on going how we were."