Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

OGDEN

" I feel like a lazy toad watching you work," Simon muttered from his perch on the edge of the sofa as I hauled another painting through the apartment. He looked ready to spring into action if I looked like I was struggling.

" Sit back and relax," I said. " That sofa was specifically chosen for comfort, but you're sitting on it like it's filled with rocks."

" Do you have anything that isn't priceless? I could move those things."

" There are only a few things left. It'll just take a jiffy to finish and then we can both relax."

" Huh ," he said as he looked around the apartment. " I thought there were more things in here."

My living space was actually sparsely furnished. The large pieces of art had made it seem full because they took up so much visual space. As I removed the pieces, one by one, the apartment lost its personality, until it was just a large, empty, echoing room.

I'd expected to be hit with bittersweet nostalgia, but it hadn't come. I was too invested in what was going to come next for me. For Simon . For us.

Once I finished with the last of the artwork, I decided the movers could pack up everything else, except maybe the bed. I didn't want it anymore, which was a shame because it was the most comfortable bed I'd ever owned.

No . I refused to think about Wesley tonight. It was time to celebrate, and I knew just the thing to make the night special. I returned to Simon , carrying the bottle of red wine. " Would you like some wine?"

Simon squished up his forehead. " I'm not much of a wine drinker. My parents serve wine from a box for special occasions, but even then, I usually skip it."

Although the one in my hand was a thousand-dollar bottle, I wasn't a wine snob. I liked what I liked. Price didn't matter. I'd imbibed wine from a box and enjoyed it well enough. Sure , some of it was horrid, but I didn't enjoy every aged and corked vintage either.

Although not the priciest bottle in my collection, it held sentimental value, as it came from my favorite Italian vineyard. I'd been drinking their wine for over five hundred years. I'd tucked a case of this wine into my hoard several years ago, knowing there would come a time when I'd finally have something worthy to celebrate. Although I was excited to open the first bottle tonight, I'd never force my kitty cat to have something he didn't enjoy.

With deft movements, I uncorked the bottle before pouring a generous glass for myself and grabbing another beer for Simon . Normally , I might suggest retiring to the bedroom, but the thought of sleeping in my bed made my skin itch. Even after stripping the bedding, the mattress still reeked of strangers and traitors. Then inspiration struck.

" It's a warm night," I said. " Let's go to the roof. Making love under the stars is the perfect way to spend my last night here."

His breath caught. " Outside ? Won't someone hear us?"

" Shifters will hear us whether we are outside or in," I pointed out.

Simon's eyes widened, as if he hadn't considered that before. But the people tasked with guarding us were supernatural; the only way they wouldn't hear us was if we were in my hoard room, but tonight I yearned for something else. I hadn't seen my kitty cat in his shifted form yet, and the only time he'd seen me was when I'd been threatening him after he'd blown that whistle. Although Simon would fit comfortably in my hoard room, my dragon was too big for the space. It was one of the few mistakes I'd made when designing it.

" Before we go up, do you have a charger I can use for my cell? I forgot to grab one. Mama will call in the morning. If I don't answer because the phone is dead, she'll probably call the local cops to do a wellness check."

" Of course." I bought a new phone every year, so I had almost every type of charger on the market.

Simon dug through my drawer of miscellaneous cords and chargers to find one that'd fit his older model. I kept my phone with me because I had plans for it later. Then Simon followed me to the roof .

Designing the rooftop garden had been delightful. This area would be one of the few things I would miss about this place. The finished space extended across the full expanse of the building, making it the same size as my apartment. Being open to the air and the sky, it seemed much larger. The same mage who'd protected my tapestry had created an illusion to hide the area from human eyes. It'd been worth the expense because it meant I could shift in comfort. I spent more time up here than anywhere else, even in the winter. But tonight, the weather didn't disappoint. Heat from the day had soaked into the materials and furnishings, so everything radiated enough residual warmth to keep even a vampire toasty.

I guided Simon to the end of the building so we could overlook the water. The view was stunning. Darkness hadn't fully claimed the day yet, so pastel pinks, moody purples, vivid oranges, and crisp yellows streaked across the sky, bouncing in a kaleidoscope of colors over the surface of the lake. The fragrant perfume of the flowers I'd grown in pots across the wide expanse of the roof filled the air, but when Simon wrapped his arms around me, pulling my back to his chest, all I smelled was him.

We stood at the railing in silence, sipping our drinks as we watched night conquer the day. As the darkness grew heavier around us, everything felt more intimate. I took his beer from his hands and set our drinks down.

Simon's mouth opened in anticipation of my kiss.

Our gazes met as the last rays of sunlight faded from the horizon. The ambient light from the streetlights below us provided enough of a glow to show me his handsome face. He was so young; I almost felt wicked even suggesting he might be my mate. His eyes shifted until they seemed to glow in the low light, and I knew he'd changed them to his cat's eyes so he could see me better.

I swayed against him, listening to the sweet melody of our hearts in the warm night. I fished out my phone and pulled up a playlist I didn't access very often. The songs were romantic and sensuous and just for the two of us. I wanted to share everything with Simon , even my love of music. The first song to play was " Coming Home " by Leon Bridges . The song was a lot newer than my usual preferences, but it was perfect for tonight.

Simon stumbled once, but by the end of the first verse, his muscles were relaxing under my hands. By the time the list played Ed Sheeran , Simon was leading me around like a dance instructor. His hands moved me wherever he wanted. I wasn't usually a follower, but I followed Simon . I was beginning to suspect I always would.

Anticipation for what would follow whirled through me with each gliding step, each brush of his body against mine, each ripple of his muscles beneath my hands. Foreplay with clothes, that's what this was. His smile was almost predatory as he spun me around before lowering me into a masterful dip. I was completely under his command, which was an unusual place for me, but I was surprisingly comfortable with it.

" Where did you learn to dance?"

" My parents taught all of us," Simon said as he pulled me snug against his body until we were touching from our chests to our hips. His arm cinched tight around my waist as he guided us around in another graceful turn. His thigh wedged between mine. " We grew up watching Pops spin Mama around the kitchen or the living room or the back yard. Anywhere , really. It always looked so magical. Mama insisted we all learn, saying girls liked to dance with guys who knew what they were doing. I haven't danced with anyone in a long time. I'm surprised I remember how."

" No girls to dance with?" I teased.

" Never ." His lips brushed my ear. A shiver of anticipation cascaded over me at the soft, warm touch. " No one, really, until you."

" I'll have to thank your mother," I whispered, because it was magical. I'd always suspected dancing under the stars would be nice, although few things lived up to the hype, but with Simon it did, and so much more. The stars sparkled above us. Below us, night had settled over the empty downtown streets. And all around us, the heat from the day still hung in the air.

Combine all that with the way he was dancing? I was thoroughly seduced.

" I want to be with you," he whispered against my neck.

" Anything you wish," I said and turned my head, needing to feel his lips against mine. Our lips met in a fleeting, teasing kiss. " That's what a good sugar daddy does, isn't it?"

He groaned. " Can we please forget I said that?"

" Never ." I laughed as I tugged his face down so I could drop a kiss on his nose.

Then I took his hand in mine and led him across the roof to the space I used as a sun bed. The custom-made cushion, which was the size of four king-sized beds, was large enough to accommodate my dragon. One of my favorite ways to spend a sunny afternoon was to nap here in my dragon form, but tonight I had more active plans.

I pulled a few blankets and pillows from the waterproof chest beside the cushion. Then I dug a little deeper for the bottle of lube I knew was in there. As soon as everything was in place, I turned to Simon .

His eyes were riveted to me as he licked his lips. I always enjoyed it when people watched me, which was part of the reason I became an entertainer, but being the focus of Simon's attention excited me in a way I hadn't experienced before. I would never have guessed that it would be so different to be admired by my mate. It was exhilarating. The only feeling that seemed comparable was when I'd taken my first flight.

Under the weight of his gaze, I began to hum and dance as I slipped my fingers under the hem of my shirt. I rocked my hips slowly, rolling them in sensuous circles as I lifted my shirt to reveal my stomach. He swallowed hard. His breath quickened. I tugged my shirt higher before finally pulling it off and casting it aside. I let my hands drift down over my chest, tweaking my nipples until they hardened.

Simon moaned.

I spun slowly until I was facing away from him. I glanced over my shoulder to see him prowling closer. His fingers twitched as if he wanted to touch me. Then I loosened my pants and shimmied and pushed until my pants and underwear were down by my ankles.

" Damn it," I muttered.

I'd forgotten about my shoes .

I bent over to pull them off, stumbling forward to the soft surface of the cushions.

Simon's hot, firm hands grabbed my hips and stopped me from falling. It also meant that my bare ass was up against his clothed crotch.

" I've got you," he said in a voice deep, gravelly with emotion.

I loved hearing the effect I was having on him. I wiggled my ass against him as I pulled free of my shoes and clothing. Then his arms encircled me, and he tugged me upright again. His one arm banded around my waist, tugging me close, while the other snaked up to wrap loosely around my throat. I tipped my head under the pressure of his fingers and then his mouth was on the side of my neck. I wanted him to bite me. His sharp teeth scraped over me until I shivered and arched into him. Then he nipped at my skin until I trembled. I loved it. I loved how he was becoming so comfortable and confident with me.

" Yes , kitten." I purred. " Show me what you want."

He bit harder and my body jerked as unexpected pleasure jolted through me. I pulled his hand down to my cock. At the first touch of his hand, I rolled my head back to his shoulder and panted. He slid his palm roughly over the tip, coating it in my pre-cum.

" Feel what you do to me," I moaned. " I'm so close."

" Get on your hands and knees," Simon demanded, pushing me forward.

Without his arms to hold me up, I collapsed onto the cushions. I looked back to see him ripping off his clothing. Then he stalked toward me with his hard, thick cock swinging in front of him .

" You look so good like this," he said. " I want you so bad." Then he dropped to his knees behind me. His meaty hands gripped my ass cheeks and squeezed before pulling them apart to reveal my hole. " Can I do this?" His voice had dropped even deeper now. " Can I take you like this? Do you want this?"

During all the sex we'd had that week, I'd always been in control, and I'd always topped. Every time. It was the same with all my lovers. I enjoyed being in charge—more than one former lover complained about my need to take control in the bedroom, but I didn't want control right now. I didn't know what had come over me, but I wanted whatever Simon wanted to do to me.

Because I trust him. I want to please him. I would do anything for him.

" Yes ," I whispered, whether in response to his questions or the voice in my head, I didn't know. I shuddered as he licked me. Then I couldn't speak. I couldn't do anything but feel as he set out to drive me crazy with his tongue.

When I didn't think I could take any more, Simon nipped my ass cheek as he pressed against my entrance. I didn't even know when he'd grabbed the lube, but his finger was slippery. It felt so damn good. I pushed back against his touch.

" You like that?" he asked as he thrust his fingers into me with the perfect amount of roughness to make me weak with want. " The things I want to do…"

" What ? Tell me." I needed to know what he was thinking.

He pressed his forehead to my lower back like he was trying to get control. His panting breaths fell across my skin in tantalizing bursts.

" Please , Simon … Tell me."

He groaned, and I felt the moment he decided to give in to me. " All I could think about all day was the first time we were here in your apartment, how you'd come on my finger in your hoard room. Every time we've been together, you always make sure I lose control before you. I want to watch you break this time. You did that to me. Made me dream about all the ways I wanted to have you. Do you think I can make you come again on my finger? Make you scream my name? Make you come without touching your cock?"

Yes , please. Fuck . Where had my kitten learned to talk like that? If he trusted me enough to share these deliciously dirty thoughts with me after this short amount of time together, I couldn't wait to hear what he'd say in another year or fifty.

" Now , Simon ," I said, digging my claws into the cushions. " Need you now. Make me feel you."

Simon groaned, then he grabbed my hips, pulling me up. There was the squelch of the lube again, then he was there. Against me. Every inch of my body tingled with anticipation as the wet, blunt tip of his cock pressed into me. We groaned as he breached my hole and pushed inside with one hard stroke.

Once he was deep within me, our bodies joined as intimately as they could be, he draped his large body over mine. Covering me. Like he wanted to be between me and everything else in the world. One of his arms encircled my waist as he braced himself with his other. My entire body felt enveloped by his, consumed by it. Then he rocked his hips back, before plunging forward again. He shifted the angle of his hips with each stroke until he found the one that made me cry out in pleasure.

He grunted. Then he cursed.

" Need to see you." He pulled away from me, only long enough to flip me to my back. Then he was pushing inside me again. He stared into my eyes in a way that made me feel vulnerable and powerful all at once. I wanted to be vulnerable with him. But only him. He could have all of me. I didn't want to hold anything back from him.

" My mate," I whispered.

" Yes ," he said. " I'm yours, and you're mine."

My magic stirred and swelled inside me with each thrust. When his magic reached for mine, mine flew out of me to join it. Every time we'd made love, our magics had done this, and every time was more potent than the last. The blues and yellows of my magic pushed and pulled at his green magic in time with the rhythm of our bodies.

" Bite me," I demanded.

But I hadn't needed to ask. His mouth was already there on the sweet spot where my shoulder met my neck. His teeth sank into my flesh and our magic exploded in a shimmer of light and love. When they came back together, they'd been remade into a new single color. A new united magic.

My breath caught.

That'd never happened before.

Then a primal urge welled inside me to claim this man as my mate. This was the stuff of fairy tales. This was magic. True , pure magic .

He really was my fated mate.

Satisfaction and joy and excitement flitted across Simon's face, and I knew he felt this too. The Eternal Magic was blessing us, joining us from this day forward in a way that only she could. Ancient words—even older than me—flowed from our mouths. The words were full of magic and promise and hope. I lost myself to the beauty of the vows I didn't know but still instinctually understood.

As soon as the words faded, Simon's mouth met mine in a hard, rough kiss. Our bodies rocked as we sought our release. The colors, a pure blend of our individual magics, pulsed in tempo with each thrust.

I shuddered in relief and joy as I came. Then Simon trembled and jerked his hips harder and faster until he found his own release deep inside me. Our magic wrapped around us, as if tying us together physically.

We collapsed onto the cushion in a heap of sweaty, tangled limbs.

" I made you come without touching your cock," he said smugly. He wrapped his arms around me as he rolled onto his back and carried me with him. Our bodies were still joined, and I wished we could stay this way forever.

" Yes , you did." I chuckled at his bragging as I tugged blankets over us. Then I snuggled against his chest. We were sticky and hot and sweaty, and I loved it.

" Did that really happen? Are we…?"

I lifted my head. That's when I noticed something about him had changed. His hand came up to brush through my hair, and I suspected I'd changed too. It was real .

" You have a green lock of hair at your temple," he whispered.

" You have one too."

His eyebrows squished together as he played with the strands of my hair. " Why is it green? Your magic is…"

" Blues and yellows, which merge to create green. And your magic is entirely green."

" Only fated mates have these," he said, looking away from my hair to meet my gaze. It didn't sound like a question, but I wasn't sure why he said that.

" Yes . Only fated mates," I agreed.

He blinked his eyes rapidly and a tear escaped out of the corner of his eye. " You're really my fated mate. I wanted to believe it, but when the Eternal Magic didn't mark us before…"

" Believe it, kitty cat. It is true," I whispered. " We're bonded now. Our lives are entwined.

" For the rest of our lives."

" Our very long lives," I amended.

" How old are you?"

" Older than anyone else in Willow Lake ."

" Even Gage ?" Simon sounded shocked, like he couldn't imagine anyone as old as that.

" Yes . Is that a problem?"

" No … I just… Wow ."

" Just don't call me your Sugar Grandaddy ," I teased.

I opened my mouth to tease him some more, but he cut off what I was going to say with a kiss. One kiss became two, and then more. We lost ourselves in one another until we were sated again .

" I'll be right back," Simon said when our bodies cooled and our breathing calmed.

He crawled out of the little nest of blankets and pillows. The beautiful sight of him walking naked through my rooftop garden mesmerized me. He disappeared down the steps to my apartment. I thought about following, but my body was still shattered from my last orgasm.

Then Simon was back, carrying a couple of bottles of water and a cloth. His smile was shy as he kneeled beside me.

" Here ," he said as he set the water down, "let me clean you."

I blinked at him, but he didn't move until I nodded my okay. As he brushed the warm, wet cloth over my belly, I swallowed hard. I couldn't remember the last time anyone had taken the time to care for me like this. My past lovers had come—pun intended—and gone. Simon took his time, wiping away the cum from my stomach and then down over my cock and along my hole. Even with Simon , until tonight, I'd always been the one to tend to him. I loved caring for him like this, so I was surprised how much I enjoyed the reverse too.

As he worked, a soft purr rumbled from his chest, telling me he was enjoying doing this for me. His touch was gentle and sure, not meant to arouse me, but the intimacy of what he was doing made my eyes sting with emotion. When he was done, he tossed the cloth aside before grabbing a bottle of water and opening it.

" Here , this is for you," he said, passing one to me, while keeping one for himself.

" I thought I was the one who was supposed to spoil you," I teased as I took the bottle, but my voice betrayed my emotions. I couldn't hide how much these little actions of his were unraveling me. Filled with a need to show him I appreciated his thoughtfulness, I drank down the water.

When we set the empty bottles aside, he stretched out beside me and wrapped his arm around me again. His fingers drew feather-light loops over my stomach.

" What if…" he said softly. " What if we spoil one another?"

" I love that idea."

" Good ."

We lay beside one another, listening to the muted noises of a small town settling down for the night. A dog barked in the distance. A car drove past on the street below. A chorus of crickets sang their songs. I wanted to stay forever in this moment, wrapped in the warm embrace of my lover, my mate, listening to peaceful and familiar sounds. There was only one thing we had not done yet: shifted with one another.

" I would like to see your shifted form," I whispered. I wasn't worried about anyone else hearing me, but the intimacy of the moment begged for softly spoken words.

Simon lifted on his elbow so he could look into my eyes. " You want to see my cat?"

" Yes ," I said. " But only if you want to show me."

" I am a boring house cat in my shifted form. I am not majestic like you."

I reached up to cradle his face in my hands. " Don't belittle yourself, kitty cat. I am interested in you, all of you. You could be the smallest mouse and I would still marvel at the privilege of seeing your animal half. I am a dragon by a twist of fate; there was nothing I did to achieve that. It is not an accomplishment; it is simply a fact. I am no more majestic than any other creature or shifter. But I would like to know everything about you. You are who I want to see because you are everything to me. I would be honored to see your cat form."

I could tell he wasn't sure if he believed me, but he would with time. I would show him every day that he was the most captivating person I'd ever known. Everything about him fascinated me, and I suspected it always would.

" If you want to see my cat form, I'll show you," he said. " But can I see your dragon again too? I was too preoccupied last time to truly appreciate your beauty."

" Of course. But you first."

The change slipped over him, transforming him from one form to another from one moment to the next.

" You are gorgeous," I murmured. I had to touch him. I sank my fingers into his long, glossy, midnight black fur, now interrupted by a splash of green, our mating mark. He purred as I stroked him from head to tail. Was it weird to find his six-toed paws ridiculously cute? " You're so soft."

His pale-yellow eyes blinked at me, then he nudged my chin with his head.

" Okay ," I said with a laugh. " I'll change too."

I rolled away from him until I was far enough away that I wouldn't crush him with my larger dragon body. Then I let my transition flow over me. Unlike his understated transformation, my dragon washed over me in a flash of light. I didn't know why my kind's shift was so flashy, but dragons were a little different from most shifters, anyway. Dragon lore said we were the first shifters on earth, that all other shifters descended from us, so our shift was more closely connected to the Eternal Magic . I didn't know if that was true, but the look of awe in Simon's eyes when I achieved my dragon form made me preen.

Simon padded over to me. I'd known the size difference would be significant, but it was even more striking to see it. Scared of hurting him, I held myself still as he inspected me.

" Your scales, there is green in them now too. Not everywhere, just…" He hopped up on my back and rubbed his head against me, as if the visible mark wasn't enough and he needed his scent on my dragon too.

" Your fur shows our mating mark too," I said. I didn't move, scared of jostling him.

" Relax ," he said as he kneaded my shoulders with his little paws. His purr grew louder.

" I don't want to hurt you," I said.

" You couldn't. We are mates. The Eternal Magic wouldn't have matched us if we weren't meant to be together like this."

" I know… It's just…"

Simon batted at the back of my head with his paw. Given our size difference, it felt like little more than a tap, but I got the message. I was being an idiot. I put my head down on the cushions and willed myself to relax.

" That's better," he said. Then he jumped down to lie beside me. He walked around my body, sniffing and licking, until he came to a stop by my front legs. He turned in a tight circle twice before settling down against me. I didn't miss how he curled up close to my heart. When he closed his eyes and let out a little huff of happiness, I relaxed a little more.

" I would like to go flying with you," I murmured.

Now it was his turn to be tense.

" I … Um … Maybe another time." Or never , was what I heard. But that was okay. We had a long life ahead of us. We'd both learn eventually that we wouldn't hurt one another. He would be safe with me, even miles above the earth.

I settled down beside him, not even looking up at the stars like I usually did. Instead , I curled my larger body around him, determined to keep him warm and safe all night long. After seeing the beauty of our combined magics coming together, I knew every other beauty the world could offer would be pale in comparison.