Throne of Oak (Maggie's Grove) (12 page)

“
You are not just the Queen
,
Mina.
You are my lover
,
my
sotiei
who writhes so beautifully beneath me and makes me want more than anyone in my long
,
lonely life.
”

His tongue dipped into her belly button before her shirt was pulled over her head, leaving her in nothing but her bra and panties, which he quickly removed.

She pushed his hair back from his face, smiling when he turned and kissed her hand. “Am I the only one who’s going to be nude?”

She’d never seen anyone remove clothing so fast in her life. She barely felt him move, but within seconds he was naked, his erection pressing into her stomach.

It was time to allow her vampire to bite her a second time.

“
No.
I
will not allow it.
You cannot mate an abomination.
”

The thick, bubbly voice had been replaced by a masculine one that vaguely resembled Dragos’s. The only other Ibanescu she’d met had been Vasile, but that wasn’t right...

“Mina.”

Dragos was staring down at her, his eyes red-rimmed. The pupils looked odd.

Slitted.

Shit. The last thing she needed was his dragon popping out in the middle of her bedroom. She had no idea how large he was in that form, but she was pretty sure her bed wouldn’t survive the transformation.

“
I
will stop this.
Dragos will not be yours.
He will be mine.
”

Mina had had enough. More than enough. The intruder wasn’t getting his hands on Dragos. She spoke directly to the invader, letting it feel her determination to keep Dragos safe. “
Bullshit.
Dragomir Ibanescu is
mine.”

She tilted her head to the side, fighting the voice inside her that was screaming a warning, and invited her lover to take her.

* * *

He was going to find it, the owner of that voice, and he was going to kill it. How dare it try to warn his Mina away?

But first, he was going to put his mark deep beneath her skin so that no one—not the invader, not his father, not the Goddess herself—could break their bond.

Dragos took the invitation she offered, biting into her almost savagely, his beast close to the surface as the invader attempted to take his
sotiei
from him.

Mina shivered beneath him. If she felt any pain from his bite she gave no sign, instead grabbing hold of his hips in a grip that would have left bruises had he been anything but what he was. Her hips gyrated against him, thrusting up, brushing the silky hair of her pussy against his erection.

Dragos drank of his
sotiei
, tasting her tart sweetness, until his first hunger was sated.

She was marked for the second time. Now all he needed to do was fuck her—mark her with his scent and seed.

He licked the wounds closed, surprised to feel her shuddering against him. She was close to coming, and he hadn’t noticed.

Dragos used his speed to slip down her body, ignoring her whine of need. If Mina was close to coming he was going to taste it, feel her shudder on his tongue. He would drink her pleasure as he’d done her blood.

Mina gasped at the first touch of his tongue to her clit, her hands grabbing the sheets until her knuckles turned white. “Goddess.”

“Mmm.” Dragos lapped at her pussy, dipped inside her with his tongue only to drag it against her clit. Mina began to ride his tongue, moving her body to the rhythm he set, seeking the climax only he could give her.

Dragos held her down, held her still, and took her clit into his mouth. He sucked it in, strumming it with his tongue until she groaned, her whole body curling toward him as the climax rocked through her.

She would be sensitive now, but he kept the suction up, easing only a little. He planned on taking her here, but eventually they would christen every room in her home, leave their mark so that when Dragos entered a room it would smell like them.

“Dragos.” She was moving toward him again rather than away. “Swing this way.”

He didn’t quite know what she meant, lost in her taste as he was, until she grabbed hold of his cock. He knew what she wanted, and it was his turn to shudder.

Goddess, yes. Let her taste him too. He turned them so that they both lay on their sides before taking her into his mouth once more.

Wet heat enveloped his cock. Her teeth, ever a turn-on for him, scraped against his skin. She tongued the tip of his cock, lapping up the pre-come that began to flow, humming her approval before swallowing him down again.

She was going to kill him before he ever got inside her.

Dragos turned his attention once more to her pleasure, praying with all his might that concentrating on her would stave off his own orgasm. If he spilled in her mouth without fully joining their bodies there was a chance the second mark would fade, forcing him to repeat it.

Like that would be a hardship.

Dragos sucked up a mark on the inside of her thigh and tried not to smile. Making love to Mina was never a burden. Already he was addicted to her scent, her taste and the way she moved as she sought her pleasure.

Mina gasped, twisting against him as he took her clit into his mouth once more, her pleasure his only goal. Mina would come, again and again, until he’d sated his need for her.

Mina moaned around his cock, the sensation vibrating through him as she came. His cock popped out of her mouth as she rode the wave, her entire body tensing as it seemed to go on and on.

Dragos rolled them until he was on top of her—her beautiful pussy below him, the tip of his cock brushing against her lips. In this position he could enjoy her thoroughly.

Unfortunately, his
sotiei
had other plans. She slapped his hip. “Let me up.”

“Mina.” He bent down, gave her a taste of what he had in mind.

“Wha—Oh... Oh, Goddess.” When he slipped a finger inside her, began thrusting into her, she whimpered. “Not fair.”

He used their mind link to ask, not wanting to break his connection with her body. “
What’s not fair?
”

“I wanted to fuck you.”

His cock twitched. The thought of her coming around him was beyond tempting. But he wanted to wring one more orgasm from her before they joined completely.

Once he dove inside her he might never leave.

“You’d never leave, huh? You know, I’m a little too big to have shoved down your pants during council meetings.”

He laughed, resting his forehead against her thigh, his finger still buried inside her. “A man can dream, can’t he?”

“Dragos—”

He cut her off by inserting a second, then a third finger. “I want you.”

Her tongue lapped the end of his cock. “You have me.” She did it again, the evil little minx, testing his resolve. “Fuck me, Dragos.”

He licked her pussy, sucked her clit into his mouth. He would obey, but not the way she meant.

Dragos fucked her with his fingers, matching her body thrust for thrust as she moved her hips, eager to feel her come one last time before he took her.

His evil mate took the head of his cock in her mouth and began to suck.

Hard.

“
Fuck me
,
Dragos.
I
need you.
”

Dragos was going to pour down her throat in two seconds if he didn’t figure out a way to stop her.

“
We have all night to make love.
” She was dragging his orgasm out of him, trying to force him to come. “
Let me taste you.
”

He would. He would let himself go—let himself come between her lips—but not yet. Dear Goddess, give him strength. Not. Yet.

This time when she came, she was sucking so hard he was afraid he’d have a red ring around his cock, and not from lipstick. He barely managed to stop himself from joining her.

“More.”

Dragos snarled, beyond desire, beyond hunger. He had to be inside her, his beast clamoring for that joining, to place their scent so far inside her it touched her soul. He rolled swiftly, ignoring her gasp of surprise, until he was behind her, his cock nudging her entrance.

“Yes.” She was moaning through gritted teeth as he slammed into her, rattling the headboard against the stone wall. “Make me come.”

He reached between her thighs and stroked her clit as he fucked her, adjusting his strokes as he entered her mind. Using the link he was able to match her need, moving his fingers or his cock before her thought that he should do so was even fully formed. He rode not only her body but her thoughts, reveling in her pleasure, the sense of filling and being filled at the same time nearly overwhelming.

Dragos began biting her shoulder, her neck, any part of her he could reach without leaving the haven of her body, sealing the wounds before they’d bled more than a drop or two. This was for pleasure, not to mark, and the last thing he wanted was to—

She clenched around him, coming so hard he felt like his dick would be snapped in half. Her head collided with his shoulder as she rocked back against him, crying out.

He gripped her wrists and held her down, his beast ready to give its own mark, ready to come inside her.

Mina fought him, tried to buck him off, tried to force him to prove he was strong enough for her. She was Queen, he was subordinate, and what she desired should be predominant. All of that barely flashed through her mind before Dragos’s beast overrode thought.

His mate had forgotten one thing. Although she was Queen of the Forest, Dragos was a ruler in his own right. Prince of Dragons, Lord of Maggie’s Grove. She was
not
above him.

She was his equal, and it was time they both were made aware of it.

Time the voice in her head knew
exactly
who it dealt with, and learned the taste of fear.

Dragos bit into her neck, pinning her down, using his strength and their bond to hold her tight as he plundered her body.

This time, it was Mina who reached into his mind, who found his pleasure and took it for her own. She began to dance beneath him as he neared his peak, taking it and making it hers. Entwined, body, mind and soul, they fell together, Dragos roaring out his pleasure as the plants in Mina’s home rustled, their Queen’s climax setting them off.

Mina tightened around him even further as Dragos continued to hold her down, continued to pound into her through her pleasure, prolonging it until they were both done. He loosened his hold on her wrists, kissed away the blood on her neck, before rolling away from the edge of the bed. He draped his arm across her back and nuzzled her arm. “You all right, Mina?”

She grunted.

“You want more?”

She grunted again.

“Now?” It would take some doing, but with the right incentive Dragos was certain he could give his
sotiei
anything she desired.

She whimpered.

He moved over her, kissing the small of her back. “I’m certain I could arrange to continue where we left off.”

She raised her hand. “Gimme a minute.”

He licked a line up her spine, grinning when she shivered. Oh, yes. This wouldn’t take long at all. Perhaps he’d test out the strength of her kitchen counter, see if it could hold up to Dragos’s idea of a midnight snack. Or find out if that sofa was as comfortable as it looked. Maybe her chairs? They looked to be of a lovely height for a decadent feast.

She shivered as the images in his head danced through her own.

Stroking her sides, Dragos allowed the fantasies to fill both their minds until her legs began to move with unconscious hunger, his cock throbbing with the need to make them all come true. “Take your time.”

Chapter Nine

“I need to speak with you, brother.” Trajan strolled into his office a little after sunset. “It’s about my mate.”

Dragos sighed. He’d been forced from Mina’s side for this? Eddy’s call—that Trajan was on his way and wouldn’t be denied—had caused him to stuff his still-hard cock back in his pants and leave his sexy
sotiei
behind. “Trajan, I can’t force Eddy to accept you. You know that.”

Trajan nodded. “I will not force him, I swear it. No, it’s about this whole Renfield thing.”

“Eddy is the child of my heart, Trajan. I won’t have you forcing him to do
anything
, even give up being my Renfield.”

Trajan snarled. “It is your claim to him that brings out my beast.” Trajan began to pace. “I
need
him, Dragos.”

“I know.” He felt for his brother, he really did, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to continue to claim Eddy as his. “But you’re still going to have to deal with my relationship with him.”

Trajan ran his fingers through his hair. “It kills something in me when he runs from me in fear.”

“Give him time, Trajan. He’s always believed he was straight. To find you, to know that the goddess has given him a male mate? It’s going to take him some time.”

“He’s beautiful, Dragos.” Trajan stopped, his expression soft, full of yearning. “He’s strong, and kind, and full of life. How can I not want him?”

Eddy was all of that and more. It was good that his brother saw that. “He’s also full of cookies. Don’t forget the cookies.”

Trajan chuckled. “He is sweet enough without them.”

“You’re not taking my cookies, dragon-man, so get over it.” Eddy slipped into the room, careful to give Trajan a wide berth.

Trajan’s expression immediately turned heated. “Eddy.”

“Trajan.” Eddy tilted his head. “You’re upset.”

Trajan was watching Eddy with rapt fascination. “Yes, I am.”

“Why?” Eddy took a step closer to Trajan, and Dragos held his breath. Was the boy finally reacting to the mating pull? Dragos was certain it was the strength of it that had sent the boy running, even more so than the fact Trajan was male.

“Because—”

“Dragos, I need to speak with you. Trajan is—” Vasile stopped in the doorway and glared at Trajan. “Here, apparently.”

Trajan nodded, immediately placing himself between Eddy and the door. “Brother.”

“Brother.” Vasile sauntered into the room, all arrogance and disdain. “Here to do the bidding of your master, dog?”

“Afraid.” Eddy was staring, mesmerized, at Vasile.

Trajan reacted immediately, his eyes changing to his dragon’s. The pupils went from round to slitted, the silver becoming a mix of purples—darker at the edges and lightening to almost white near the pupil. The whites of his eyes were swallowed by Trajan’s beast. “Stay away from him, Vasile.”

Dragos moved, faster than either man could, and put Eddy behind him. The Renfield was far too human to survive a dominance fight between dragons. “Get out of here, Eddy.”

“No.” Eddy clutched the back of Dragos’s shirt. “I... I need to think. No.” Eddy shivered hard. “I need to
feel
.”

“Then stay behind me.” It was the only way he stood even a chance of keeping his Renfield in one piece.

He felt more than saw Eddy’s nod of consent. He turned his attention back to his brothers, praying he wouldn’t have to shift and put them both in the ground. If he even could. He could sense the strength in both of them. They had grown while he ruled Maggie’s Grove—their dragons strong and proud.

It was like watching two bulldogs face off against one another. Vasile was tall and stern, his expression almost evil as he stared at Trajan. Vasile’s eyes had also changed, the irises becoming icy blue, dark at the edges and nearly white at the pupil, the pupils slitted like his brother’s. He was ready to pounce if Trajan so much as twitched wrong. Vasile could easily kill Trajan. Dragos could sense how much stronger his brother had become. Indeed, Vasile could now easily defeat Dragos, something that had not always been so.

Trajan was snarling, claws extended as he stared back, ready to kill to keep Vasile away from Eddy.

Eddy, tucked behind him, sighed, relaxing almost completely. “It’s weird.”

“What is?”

The fingers clenching his shirt withdrew. “I don’t know why I was so scared.” Dragos turned and stared at Eddy, but the Renfield wasn’t paying him any attention. His gaze was locked on Trajan. “He loves me.”

“I believe he does.” If Eddy was finally giving in to the pull of the mating he would do nothing to stop it, but that didn’t mean Trajan got to take Eddy away. That would be Eddy’s choice, one he was positive the Renfield would not make.

He hoped Trajan was enjoying his time in America, because his brother was here to stay, whether he knew it yet or not.

“He doesn’t even know me.”

“He knows enough. Besides, you’re adorable.”

Eddy grinned. “True.”

The grin faded. His Renfield had that look in his eye—the one that he always got just before he did something to turn Dragos’s world upside down. “He’d die for me, wouldn’t he?”

Dragos nodded. “Yes, he would.”

Eddy took a deep breath and nodded sharply. “Right. No dying, not on my watch. Time to stop this, then.” And he strolled out from behind Dragos with all the ease of a man who knew that nothing and no one would harm him. He stopped when he was directly between the two brothers, placing his hands on his hips and glaring at them both equally. “You two need to knock this shit off.”

“Come here, Eddy.” Trajan held out his hand. Dragos didn’t need to be psychic to sense his brother’s terror. If anything happened to Eddy, Trajan too would be lost to them.

Vasile scowled. “I would not harm your mate, Trajan, but—”

Eddy pointed at Vasile. “You. Shush.” He then pointed at Trajan. “Ditto.”

Trajan’s jaw clenched, but he held his tongue, obedient to his mate’s will.

“Did you just shush me?” Vasile stared at Trajan. “Your puny mate did not just
shush
me.”

Eddy smirked at Vasile. “Should I tell both your brothers how terrified you are that you’ll lose them? That the only reason you drove Dragos away was to
save
him? That it’s killing you inside to think Trajan has betrayed you? News flash! He hasn’t.”

Vasile snarled, prompting Trajan to dash forward, scooping Eddy against him.

“Don’t.” Vasile closed his eyes. Dragos couldn’t tell if Vasile was struggling with anger or grief—both so strong in his scent he was surprised his brother didn’t drop to his knees from the weight of it.

“Down, boy. Dragon. Whatever.” Eddy rolled his eyes. “The point is, you two are both trying to protect Dragos when you really need to be protecting each other.”

“How do you know this?” Trajan refused to loosen his hold on Eddy when the Renfield made a move to get free.

“Because you both feel good.”

Trajan growled.

“Stop it.” Eddy kicked back, his heel connecting with Trajan’s shin, but Dragos could see he hadn’t put any power behind it at all. “You know what I mean.”

“Your—” Vasile grinned, “—puny mate is right. We both know Laurentiu is our enemy.”

“Agreed.” But Trajan did not loosen his hold on Eddy, nor did he take his eyes off of Vasile. He was still prepared for an attack.

“It’s okay.” Eddy patted Trajan’s arm. “Neither of you is the baddie here.”

“Are you sure?” Trajan was stroking Eddy, his hair, his sides, every bit of him. Part of it was scent marking, but part of it was just the pure urge to touch his mate. Dragos knew how that felt. Just the thought that Mina bore his scent made him hard.

Eddy patted Trajan’s arm. “I am, big guy.” He tilted his head and stared up at Trajan. “Besides, you won’t let anything happen to me.”

Trajan’s expression was so full of need Dragos almost blushed for him. “Then you accept me?”

Even Vasile drew in a startled breath at the hope in Trajan’s voice.

Eddy slowly nodded. “On one condition.”

“Anything, my Eddy.”

“You stop being jealous of Dragos.” When Trajan growled, Eddy flicked the tip of Trajan’s nose. “I mean it. He’s like my dad and my big brother all rolled into one.”

“Done.” Trajan glared at Dragos. “So long as you stop calling him master.”

Eddy grunted in total disgust. “We’ll work on it, boss man.” He glared up at Trajan. “Now play nice with your brothers.”

Vasile smirked at Trajan, earning a snarl. “Yes, play nice, little brother.”

“Careful, or I’ll unleash my puny mate on you.”

Eddy whimpered. “Man, these two are annoying. Dragos, do something before I break out the cookies.”

Trajan kissed the top of Eddy’s head. “You don’t need your cookies. I’ll play nice, I swear.”

Dragos shook his head. “The two of you never did know how to talk to one another.” He sat behind his desk, at ease now that he was certain neither of his brothers were there to hurt anyone. “You each came to warn me about both Laurentiu and the other, didn’t you?”

The two of them glared at each other for a moment longer before Trajan broke, cursing softly in Romanian. His hold on Eddy loosened, becoming possessive instead of protective, his eyes returning to human.

Vasile shook his head, his posture relaxing. His expression eased, a quirky half smile gracing his face. His eyes also returned to normal. “He plays us against each other.”

“And we always fall for it.” Trajan couldn’t possibly sound any more disgusted with himself.

Dragos tapped his fingers together. “Is he coming here?”

“I believe so.” Vasile was the first to move, placing himself in front of Dragos’s desk, his arms crossed over his chest. “Our people still speak of you, but it has changed over the years. They see what you’ve done here, the way you’ve brought all of the species together into a whole community, and know you’d be a better ruler than Laurentiu ever could.”

Trajan nodded. “He won’t stop until you’re dead.”

“I have no desire to rule the dragons, Trajan.” Dragos winced. “I’m mated to the Queen of the Forest, bound to Maggie’s Grove in ways you can’t possibly imagine.” He shook his head. “No. One of you will have to take Laurentiu’s place in Romania.”

“Then you mean to kill him.”

Dragos hadn’t realized he’d made that decision until Vasile voiced it. “Yes. If he comes here and tries to confront me or threatens my people, I will defend myself.”

“And your mate. I understand.” Trajan nodded, his hands moving to Eddy’s hair. “We will protect her.”

Dragos thought of his
sotiei
, her amazing strength, and smiled. “She can take care of herself.”

“Then we face Laurentiu together, the brothers Ibanescu, as it was always meant to be.” Vasile nodded. “Good.” He grinned, his expression almost carefree, reminding Dragos of a time when the three of them had been inseparable. “It will be good to have you by our side again.”

“Indeed.” Trajan grinned, and it was full of sharp, pointy dragon teeth. “It will be just like old times.”

“You are way too happy about this.” Eddy laughed. “It’s like a bouncy, excited puppy is dancing in my head.”

Trajan chuckled. “There is nothing puppy-like about me,
dragostea mea
.”

Eddy shivered.

No one had to tell Dragos just what Trajan was feeling in that moment. It was written all over his Renfield’s face.

Vasile sighed, sounding thoroughly disgusted. “Get a room, you two.”

Trajan shot Dragos a questioning look.

Dragos nodded. Permission asked and granted.

Trajan’s expression as he stared down at the top of Eddy’s head was feral with need. “We will see you tomorrow, then.”

Eddy’s eyes went wide. “Oh, boy.”

Trajan chuckled darkly as he whisked Eddy away in the blink of an eye.

“I wish him joy. He’s had far too little of it of late.” Vasile’s expression as they watched the pair leave was melancholy, his tone equally so.

“You sound jealous, brother.”

Vasile nodded. “I am. Of both of you. I’m the eldest, and I had thought that I would be the first mated.”

“You’ll find your mate, Vasile.” It had been centuries, but she was out there. Dragos was certain of it.

“From your lips to the ears of the goddess, brother.” He turned away from the doorway. “Our father will use both Mina and Eddy to achieve his goals. He’ll see them both as your weakness.”

This time it was Dragos who showed his fangs. “He is welcome to try.”

* * *

“Dragos!”

Dragos winced. Vasile had left, and from the sounds of it Trajan and Eddy were somewhere upstairs doing unspeakable things to one another. He’d planned to return to Mina and finish what they’d started before any new crisis could rear its ugly head, but if Kate’s strident tone was anything to go by it was not to be.

“Dragos, where are you?”

Damn it. If Eddy had been downstairs doing his job instead of getting his brains screwed out Dragos wouldn’t have to deal with Kate. The boy would have warned him that she was coming and he would have had time to dive out of a window.

The door to his office slammed open. “Dragos!”

Damn. Too late to make a run for it now. She stood there, her foot tapping impatiently on his carpet, her crystal-blue eyes narrowed with irritation. Her skintight dress came off as desperate rather than sexy.

He much preferred Mina’s warmth and quiet strength to Kate’s cold elegance.

He made no effort to hide his annoyance at the way she’d simply barged into his home. She hadn’t even knocked.
Please tell me I wasn’t stupid enough to give her a key to my home.
He couldn’t remember a time when she let herself in. She’d always knocked before. “What do you want?”

She sauntered forward. Her annoyed expression disappeared, to be replaced by...hunger? Her hands slid across her hips enticingly. “You, Dragos. Always you.”

Ugh.
He’d rather kiss Greer.

Something of his disgust must have shone on his face because, just for a second, fury flashed across hers before the sexual heat returned. “We were so good together. You know we can be again.”

He fought the urge to roll his eyes and took a step back. He didn’t want her touching him, even accidentally. “I have a
sotiei
, Kate. I’m sorry, but I thought I’d made it clear. The moment I met Mina, you and I were over.” He tried to keep his tone soft. It wasn’t Kate’s fault he’d found and loved Mina, but her persistence was becoming irritating.