Epilogue 1

Ansel

Ten years later…

Feora's hand tightened on my arm as the gathered crowd glanced our way. A low rumble of displeasure built in her chest, and I instinctively pulled her closer and used my body to shield her from view.

She could protect herself, and she wasn't really in any danger here, but old habits died hard.

Feora sighed and melted into my arms. "As much as I'd love to stay here all night, they're going to want to meet you."

"I don't care what they want," I assured her.

She pressed a kiss to my jaw, and I tightened my arms around her. She'd been complaining about this summit for months, and now that we were here, her protective—and possessive—instincts were in turmoil. She'd warned me, of course, so I knew the best thing I could do for her was to stick close and stay in constant contact with her.

As if that were a hardship. A decade in and I still wanted her with a fierceness that stole my breath.

Dragons held a summit every twenty-five years, and this was our first time attending. Feora would've skipped it entirely, except attendance was mandatory, and any dragon who didn't appear would find themselves facing down four angry elders a short while later.

"Let's get this over with," she grumbled.

I brushed my lips over hers. "I might not be an official knight anymore, but I can still rescue a beautiful woman. Give me the word, and I'll whisk you away to our room."

She groaned and her hands tightened. "Don't tempt me."

I grinned at her. "I brought books."

Her eyes were dark enough that they appeared black in all but the brightest light, but as the heat in them grew, the truth was revealed—they were deep purple, the same color as her scales in her dragon form.

She looked dainty, my lady dragon, with delicate features and long dark hair, but she could lift a wagon full of gold like it weighed nothing at all.

And she would trade the entire wagon for a single book.

"What did you bring?" she demanded.

I grinned at her and whispered, "Come with me and I'll show you."

Her mouth opened, but a throat clearing behind us interrupted whatever she'd been about to say. She heaved another sigh, then reluctantly stepped out of my embrace while keeping a hand on my arm.

A petite redhead was giving us a knowing grin, but her own hand was clamped tightly around the arm of the tall blond woman next to her.

"Feora, introduce us to your new mate."

Feora's grip tightened, and I could feel the beginnings of a growl vibrating her chest. The other woman, who must be a dragon herself, just laughed. "I've been bonded for two centuries. Your mate is safe with me, so stop snarling and introduce us." She slanted an amused glance at the woman beside her. "They're newly mated, so tread lightly unless you want to get growled at."

Every person here was either a dragon or a dragon's bonded mate, and based on appearance alone, it was difficult to tell who was who. But there were a few couples scattered across the full room, and even between those pairs who were ancient enough to sport the first subtle signs of aging, one partner was keeping a keen eye—or hand—on the other.

Bonded mates were sacred to dragons, so I wasn't in any danger, but dragons were also possessive to a fault about anything they considered theirs.

Mates especially.

Feora huffed out a breath. "Melini, if I recall correctly, you nearly burned down our host's ballroom when he first tried to talk to your pretty new mate."

The red-haired woman's eyes narrowed. "Served him right for sneaking up on me like that." She turned her gaze to me, and her expression softened. "Don't worry, this ballroom is stone, so Feora can't burn it down. I'm Melini, and this is my mate Shalla."

I bowed slightly. "It's a pleasure. I'm Ansel."

Before Feora could fuss at me, I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer. She leaned into my touch with a happy little hitch in her breath that never failed to set my blood on fire. I shifted slightly and wondered just how long we needed to stay at this event that made her so nervous. Maybe I could sneak her up to our room before dinner.

The summit was supposed to last a week, but only a few of the events were truly mandatory—and tonight's dinner was not one of them.

Feora and Melini fell into conversation, and Shalla caught my gaze. She edged closer, though her mate didn't release her arm. "How long have you been mated?" she asked.

"Just over a decade."

The blonde smiled. "No wonder she's so keen to keep you away from everyone. I'd tell you it gets better, but…" She trailed off and dropped an amused glance to the delicate hand wrapped possessively around her arm. "So many dragons in one place makes them all a little nervous, but you have no reason to worry. Every dragon in here would protect you with their life. If you ever do get separated, it's safe to ask anyone for help. Even the surliest dragon will help a bonded mate."

She turned enough to scan the room, then tipped her head at a man leaning against the far corner. He had a circle of emptiness around him and he was clad in all black, including a hooded cloak that cast his face into shadow. "Malaki is perhaps the most dangerous dragon here, and even he helped me without complaint a few summits ago when Melini was late returning from a meeting."

Dragons had exceptional hearing, but it should've been impossible for Malaki to hear Shalla over the muted roar of conversation in the room. Still, his hooded head dipped in our direction.

I might logically understand that the dragon wasn't a threat, but that didn't stop me from pulling Feora closer and putting a protective hand on her waist. Malaki's hood dipped again, then he pointedly turned away.

After a few more minutes, Melini and Shalla drifted away, and Feora led me deeper into the room with a resigned grumble. She introduced me to a whirlwind of people while I kept a sharp eye out for a chance to escape.

At her hum of interest, I returned my attention to her. She was staring at a tall blond man who was icily scowling at everyone who dared to look at the pretty, dark-haired woman with him. The woman gently elbowed him with a teasing smile, but the man's scowl only deepened.

"I didn't realize Baldric had mated," Feora murmured.

My eyes narrowed at the odd note in her voice. I'd hadn't spent a decade with a dragon without learning something of possessiveness, but I kept my voice mild as I asked, "You know him?"

"He's my cousin. We were born around the same time, so we grew up together." She huffed out a soft laugh. "Or at least as together as dragons ever get. We drifted apart as the years lengthened."

My jealousy died, and I nudged her forward. "Let's go say hello."

The icy dragon's eyes raked over me before landing on Feora and warming slightly. A wry smile touched his mouth, but it didn't stop him from tugging his mate closer as we approached.

The woman at his side huffed at him. "Dragon, quit being ridiculous. I'm not going anywhere."

Baldric brushed his lips over her temple with a barely audible rumble. "I warned you, witch."

"You might've left out a few pertinent details. Like how you followed me to the bathroom. You're lucky I love you."

"I am lucky," he murmured, completely unrepentant.

We stopped just shy of what would've been the normal distance for a human conversation, and the icy dragon dipped his head at Feora. "It's good to see you, cousin."

"You, too. Congratulations on your mating."

Before Baldric could respond, his mate asked me, "Does she follow you to the bathroom?"

I glanced down at the possessive woman currently plastered to my side and grinned. "It hasn't come up yet, but I'm going to assume so."

"Damn right," Feora muttered at the same time Baldric said, "See?"

The woman's gaze flashed between us, then she smiled in relief. "Is this your first summit, too?"

"It is," I assured her. "I'm trying to figure out how to escape back to our room as soon as possible."

Her eyes widened and she glanced around as her voice lowered. "Can we do that?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to vanish first and ask forgiveness later. Perhaps you should do the same."

She held out her hand even as Baldric growled. "I'm Zenira, and this is Baldric, my grumpy dragon."

I had to lean forward to take her hand, but one look at Baldric's face and I decided it was better than attempting a step closer. "I'm Ansel, and this is Feora."

"A pleasure," Zenira said. Her eyes roved around the space. "So, do you think escaping at the same time would make us less inconspicuous or more?"

"You do realize half the room can hear you?" Baldric asked mildly. "And even if they couldn't, escaping a ballroom full of testy dragons unnoticed would require a miracle."

"So what you're saying," Zenira said slowly, mischief in her growing smile, "is that I don't need to be sneaky." She winked at me. "I hope I get to see you again later in the week." Then she stood on her tiptoes and whispered something in Baldric's ear. The dragon's eyes widened, then he snatched her up and began to shoulder his way through the room.

I glanced down at Feora, and she shook her head. "Don't even think—"

I scooped her up and strode toward Malaki's corner and the door I hoped led straight to the servant's staircase.

"Put me down right this instant," Feora demanded, but her arm was curled possessively around my neck and her body was relaxed. "No one abducts a dragon. It's not done!"

"It is now, Lady Dragon. But if it makes you feel better, I'll let you have your wicked way with me once you've been successfully abducted."

Her breath hitched and her eyes glowed with desire. "I'm going to devour you," she promised, her voice husky. My head emptied of all thoughts except getting her into our room and out of her clothes.

Malaki tipped his head back just enough for me to catch the tiny smirk on his lips as we passed. "Take the stairs on the left," he advised.

I bounded up the stairs two at a time. As soon as the sounds of the ballroom faded, Feora ran her hands over my chest, unlacing my tunic. Tiny claws pricked at me, proving just how much her instincts were riding her, and I groaned as my blood fled south.

By the time I found our room, Feora's hand was in my trousers, and she was slowly killing me with tiny, delicious strokes.

I had just enough sense to kick the door closed behind me, then Feora moved, letting go of me and vaulting from my arms with an ease that proved just how laughable the thought of abducting a dragon truly was.

Before I could do more than groan at the loss, she was there, backing me into the door and sinking down before me, her eyes blazing. My trousers fell to her claws, and her smile was pure sin.

"Mine," she growled.

"Yours," I agreed with a gasp as her hands slid up my thighs. Then there was no thinking at all because the heat of her mouth wrapped around the head of my cock. Her tongue stroked me and I was lost. My head fell back against the door with a moan, and I held onto control by the thinnest threads as she slowly unraveled me.

A pleased growl rumbled through her and my eyes crossed in bliss. "Feora," I gasped, reaching blindly for her, "let me—"

The growl deepened as she took me to the hilt, and the combination was too much. White-hot lightning bolted through me, and I came with a shout that they likely heard back in the ballroom.

When I could see again, I found Feora smiling up at me, looking both pleased and smug. I gently touched her cheek, awed yet again that she had chosen me. "I love you," I whispered. I would never get tired of the way the words made her eyes glow with pleasure, no matter how many times a day I told her.

"I love you, too," she replied. Then she licked her lips. "But I believe I promised to devour you. This was a nice appetizer, but I think we can do better."

"Any better and you might kill me," I admitted.

Her grin was not reassuring, so I bent and lifted her before she could follow through. I tossed her onto the bed and she landed with a laugh. "My turn," I growled playfully.

She sent me a challenging look through her lashes. "If you think you're up for it."

I laughed darkly. The dragon magic coursing through my veins meant my refractory period was unbelievably short, something she very well knew. "You're going to regret taunting me, Lady Dragon."

Her lips curved into a wicked smile. "Promise?"

Rather than answering, I slowly pulled my tunic over my head, flexing the muscles I'd spent years honing. Feora's breath hitched and I smiled.

I crawled onto the bed, stalking my dragon in the way that made her shiver and moan without a single touch. I sat back on my knees and gave my thickening cock a lazy stroke while Feora's eyes remained glued to me.

"You're wearing too many clothes. Let me help." I skimmed my hands over her legs, barely touching, as I unfastened her trousers and removed them and the layer underneath, leaving her bare from the waist down.

When I stared at her and licked my lips, her breath stilled and her hands curled into fists. But rather than burying my face between her delicious thighs, I started on the buttons of her blouse. Slowly. By the time she was naked, we were both breathing hard.

"Ansel." My name was a prayer and a plea.

I dipped my head and kissed her, unable to resist tasting her. She hooked her legs over my hips and arched her back, trying to hurry me along. I nipped her jaw, and she growled at me.

Her instincts were too close to the surface for too much teasing, but I'd promised her retribution. I slid down, pausing only to suck a taut, pretty nipple into my mouth for a moment before continuing. She spread her legs around my shoulders with a moan.

She was slick and molten, and I groaned as my cock throbbed, desperate to feel that heat. At the first touch of my tongue, she arched and hissed out, "Yessss."

I feasted like a man starving as she buried her claw-tipped fingers in my hair. I could stay here for hours, but today she needed hard and fast. I drove her ruthlessly toward her peak until she shattered on my tongue, then I surged up and buried my cock in her throbbing heat.

"Mine," I growled, meeting her eyes.

She clenched around me and pleasure burned up my spine. But her stubborn little mouth remained shut, her expression challenging.

I sat back and dragged her hips with me, so I could thumb her clit with every thrust. "You're mine, Lady Dragon," I murmured, giving her pleasure and reassurance in equal measure. "Mine to care for."

Her body clenched again, and her eyes glowed brighter.

"Mine to fuck."

She moaned and her hips lifted.

"Mine to love."

The fiery burn of pleasure was nearly impossible to ignore, but she was wound tight, her muscles fluttering around my cock.

"Mine," I demanded again, my thumb stroking her exactly how she preferred.

"Yours!" she finally wailed as she came.

The pleasure compressed into a single, infinite point before exploding outward, tipping me over the edge. I buried myself deep and let go, joining her in bliss. I collapsed forward, putting us skin to skin. For all that Feora looked delicate, I knew I wouldn't crush her.

She cuddled into me, wrapping her arms around my back and caressing the slick skin over my shoulder blades. "I love you," she whispered.

I smiled against her throat. "I'm aware."

She swatted at me with a laugh. "And I'm sorry I'm a little out of control." She shivered. "There are too many threats here, even though I logically know they're not threats."

I heaved myself up onto my elbow so I could meet her eyes. "I don't mind. Whatever you need, I'm here."

Mischief flitted across her face before she flipped us. "In that case…"

We missed dinner.

Neither of us minded.