Chapter 42

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

T iara smiled widely as Jaxxon surprised her with a handful of exotic flowers. She could feel her eyes radiating light as bright as its petals. Jaxx picked flowers? Oh my gosh! For me! Her heartbeat was everywhere, and she couldn’t stop smiling at him.

“These are beautiful! What are they?”

“Starflowers. They only grow on Crelentia near waterfalls. Come, I’ll show you.” Grinning, Jaxxon took her hand and led her to a stone path behind the compound. The path was worn, and she had no doubt his ancestors had often used it, given the stories she had heard the men telling earlier.

They emerged into a clearing where a tranquil lake flowed gently. Over a dozen benches for gatherings surrounded several gazebos with latticed designs and Crelentian symbols. Her mouth gaped open as she looked around.

“This is incredible! It’s like the mist in the mountains!” she said as she ran to the lake, where a mist sparkled like a veil of silk as far as the eye could see. At the top of the lake was a waterfall—mysterious and welcoming, soothing in a way that eased the tension from her shoulders. All her worries about her magic left her as she giggled .

The water flowed from natural springs, crisp, clean, and refreshing. Small, furry animals jumped along the branches of the trees while others ran along the ground, collecting berries from the nearby bushes.

He pointed to the starflowers growing in masses at the waterfall’s base. The soft petals of the starflowers twinkled like they held constellations. The waterfall cascaded down smooth stone as the tumbling water created a swirling, majestic scene.

Jaxx’s smile is so fucking intoxicating! Tiara felt giddy from his intense gaze as he looked into her eyes. And then she felt it—a spark flickered over her body. I can feel him in my mind! He arched a brow, and a look of surprise fleeted over his expression. He felt it too!

A sexy smile spread across Jaxxon’s face as he stepped closer. “Take off your clothes, Star Diva. Let’s go for a swim.”

For once, her usual defiance melted away. She nodded with excited obedience, casting a shy grin his way. She removed her shirt and jeans. He stepped closer, dominating and dangerous, as his shadows darkened around him.

Standing in her undergarments, she hesitated, suddenly not knowing what to do with her hands. She turned her head toward the lake and then back at him. Oh my god! The way he’s looking at me! She was coming undone.

He stared at her, letting his dark eyes roam over her bra and panties—a silent command.

Her tattoos flared, fiery hot as her fingers reached for her bra, removing it and letting it fall to the ground. Holding his eyes, she removed her panties and all sense of hesitation.

In one swift movement, he grabbed her into his muscular arms. Palming her ass, he held her firmly against him. Leaning down, he kissed her deeply, barely giving her time to breathe.

“Mmm,” she murmured as she savored his lips and tongue. Lifting her from her feet, he moved them to the water’s edge. Her breasts bounced against his chest with each step. His tattoos rippled over his chest, his shadows lifting and spreading out across her breasts like whispers of a kiss. His touch was magnetic, pulling her into him.

Placing her back on her feet on the ground, he stepped back, letting his gorgeous eyes drink her in. “You’re ravishing.”

Long, curly tendrils of dark brown hair hung around her full breasts. He stepped forward, tracing a finger along her neck before moving her hair over her shoulders.

He smirked. “These beauties are screaming for my attention.” His shadows flowed from his fingertips, swirling around her nipples, pinching them slightly. She yelped, unable to control herself. She whimpered and panted, craving more. He chuckled as his inky black shadows squeezed her nipples harder before he let them disappear.

He licked his lips as his hands roamed over her tight stomach and lingered on her pierced belly button before lowering to her hips as she swayed beneath his warm touch.

Jaxxon growled, baring his teeth as he stepped back. He pulled his shirt over his head, letting it fall to the ground. The sight of him rendered her speechless. His dragon scale tattoos across his broad chest and abdominals formed celestial symbols she didn’t know but knew she wanted to trace with her tongue.

Flecks of violet and liquid silver swallowed the brown of his eyes as he stared at her, leaving her awestruck in his presence. The things this man can do to me! That I want him to do to me!

She knew she was in over her head, but he was a mountain she wanted to climb. A big, rocky mountain! Her eyes memorized every inch of his huge muscles honed from years of fighting as a warlord.

Undoing his belt buckle, he unzipped his pants and let them slide to the ground. She watched him intently. Her eyes dipped and widened as he stood there naked. Gods! And then she gave him a smile that was only meant for him.

He moved with the fluidity of a dragon rider as he closed the space between them, lifting her as if she weighed nothing.

He threw her into the lake.

“Jaxx!” she screamed, splashing water everywhere as he dove beside her. They swam together toward the waterfall. The water crested over them, sending sparkles of mist into her hair. She looked down as her soft skin glowed in warm bronze shades, and the mists rippled around her. She disappeared into the waterfall.

Her dragon scale tattoos lit up as her magic flared around her. She sent tendrils of gold light toward Jaxxon. Each touch of her magic against his body set her on fire. She would dive under the water, and he would follow her light. She giggled as he chased her. It was exciting and the type of game she enjoyed playing. The daredevil in her couldn’t wait to see what he’d do when he finally caught her. It was the ultimate thrill. And Tiara was a thrill-seeker.

Jaxxon grabbed her around the waist, tickling her until she couldn’t stop laughing. She wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling ruefully.

“Your gold-rimmed, hazel eyes are filled with magical light! I’ve been living so long in darkness that I forgot how it feels to be touched by light.” He smiled.

His grasp tightened as if he feared she’d disappear. “My men and dragons haven’t asked the gods for much. We’ve only wanted enough to survive.”

She let her hands brush over his arms. “Maybe that’s why you need someone like me. To remind you it’s okay to want more.”

He glanced at her hands, then into her eyes. “You think you can handle living in a warlord’s lair?”

She lifted her chin with a smirk. “I think I can handle you.”

With a half smile, he stared into her eyes. “We’ll see!”

She would follow him anywhere.

He pulled her further along into where the water was at its shallowest. Sleek rocks rose along the sides of the waterfall. She laughed as he swam around her. With each circle, he kissed her body. At first, it was an ear—then, her fingertips. He found so many creative places to kiss that she was on fire.

Eventually, he stopped and lifted her high in the air, wrapping her legs around his shoulders. He gently leaned her against the smooth rocks covered in soft moss. And then he kissed her velvety folds.

She arched her back, moaning in passion as he swirled his tongue over her clit, sucking her softly before plunging deep within her moisture. “Mmm, you taste like honey and melon!” he growled against her soft folds. “I can’t get enough of you, Star Diva!”

What he said and did to her next couldn’t be described in mere words. Hell, she forgot her name as he explored her body with his tongue and fingers. He growled as she purred. The sight of him between her legs sent sensations rushing through her body. Each growl sent a rush of warmth to her core, setting her on edge.

His dragon scale tattoos blazed as silver and black shadows flowed around him, blending into the water, which darkened under his shadows as if swallowing them whole into its depths. “Oh, Jaxx!” she moaned. As his shadows rose, he engulfed her in his magic. Her legs wrapped more tightly around him as he nipped her delicate folds, teasing her relentlessly, only to plunge deeper just when she thought she could take no more.

He sucked rhythmically, savoring each taste as he held her ass tightly. Tiara rocked against him, letting his shadows dance along her body. She could feel each cool tendril of his shadow magic move along her body, sending vibrations over her.

Holding her with one hand, the other reached around and found her wet heat. Jaxxon flicked his tongue over her, then pushed one of his fingers into her slowly. “Yes!” she moaned, arching her back at the feeling. After a few moments he teased another finger inside her and she felt herself beginning to relax and loosen up.

She rode his fingers as he chuckled against her. “I know what you need.” He swirled his tongue over her clit with tantalizing pressure while continuing to thrust into her with his fingers in tandem. “You taste so goddamn good!”

Mesmerizing sensations filled her as he continued to thrust into her while his shadows squeezed her breasts, sending vibrations to her core .

“Please!” she panted, her body shaking as she grabbed fistfuls of his hair. “Jaxx!” And then she screamed out, crying his name over and over as ecstasy flooded through her.

Her dragon scale tattoos rippled and her light magic shot into the shadows surrounding them. As her light and his shadows blended, sparks of darkness and pure light battled within until there was nothing left but shadows—Jaxxon’s shadows.

“I got you, Star Diva!” He held her close, letting her breathing even out. She clung to him as if he were the only thing in the universe. And when she finally lifted her head from his shoulders, she smiled. He smiled back, a broad grin that told Tiara he knew what she didn’t say aloud. She was his.

They stood in the water, kissing and exploring each other’s bodies. She pulled her hands through his wet, curly black hair as he nuzzled her neck. Jaxxon palmed her breasts, leaning down and kissing each nipple before pinching them between his fingers. Nipping her again and again, she whispered ‘mmm’ over and over as her body writhed against him.

Her fingers traced the tattoos from his chest to the deep vee, which plunged below his waist. Her eyes widened when she saw that his tattoos continued. Whoa! Holy ? —

She reached out, trailing her fingers along his entire length before wrapping her hand around him as much as she could. He was hard as she stroked. “Your dragon scale tattoos are... more than tattoos! ” She stroked again. The feel of his tough, ridged cock against her soft hands created a fantastic sensation.

“It’s as if you’re a dragon !” Her voice rose as she looked at him excitedly, finally understanding the bond between riders and their dragons. Their bodies were as strong as their dragons. They were covered in dragon scale tattoos—even over their most intimate body parts. The same tough texture that protected dragons also protected their riders. Yet, the scales were also smooth, making it easy to glide her hands along his length, creating a unique, almost vibrating feel.

“It’s how Crelentians engage in melding. ”

“Melding?”

“We meld our shadows to your light—it’s an intense, pleasurable form of knotting.” He chuckled, seeing her eyes sparkle with curiosity. “It’s why we can only mate with Crelentians.”

His dark and smoky sandalwood scent flared as his eyes swirled with need. He swore when her fingers traced the tip of his cock, rubbing back and forth.

She licked her lips and smiled daringly, maintaining eye contact as she slid down his body toward her ultimate goal. When she wrapped her fingers around his base and slid her mouth over his cock, he growled. Her mouth followed each stroke of her hands as she took him a little more each time. He was long and hard, and she wanted to drown him with her mouth.

He moved against her, careful not to knock her over as he swiveled his hips back and forth. “Mm-hmm!” he groaned. He grabbed at her long curls as they flowed along the water’s surface, beckoning her to take all of him. Holding the back of her head, he moved into her at a steady angle, plunging deeper each time.

She grabbed his ass, her fingernails biting into him as she flicked her tongue over his thick head before pulling him back into her mouth and sucking him deeper. His shadows crashed against the water, making it splash with fury around each stroke.

He growled, his body shaking intensely as she released and took him in her mouth again and again. She sucked deep and hard. “More,” he snarled. Her body reacted to every command the warlord grunted. Each time she released him to take a breath, he growled in anticipation of more. And more was just what she gave him. He growled her name as his body shuddered from release, his shadows exploding around them.

His breathing became ragged and he wanted more. Lifting her into his arms, he kissed her throat. “I want all of you, Star Diva!” he whispered into her ear as he pulled her toward the shore.

Her heartbeat thudded against her chest. I’m at his mercy! Naked and out here all alone with a shadow raider who wants to—What did he say? Melding—! Her core clenched at the very idea of what he’d unleash on her when she was finally under him. And she planned to surrender to the warlord.

The twin moons crested the sky as they swam, playing along the way. She laughed joyfully, making his desire grow wild as his inky black shadows wrapped around her. The moonlight shimmered over the water as crystal glowflies of various colors lit the night with their glowing wings. They hovered over the starflowers like ballerinas performing an elegant dance of magic.

Splash!

Swish! Swish!

Splash!

Suddenly, a wave of water crashed over them as they finally reached the shore. Grabbing Tiara and pulling her behind him, Jaxxon spun around.

“Lakoda!” he growled, cursing as the baby dragon splashed his way over to them.

Tiara laughed, cupping her hands and throwing water at Jaxxon to get him to stop. Seeing a naked warlord cursing to the gods was a picture she’d never get out of her head.

“Drak! I’m almost tempted to shoo the little dragon away so we can finish what we’ve started! But I can’t leave Lakoda alone so far from the compound.”

Grabbing Tiara in for another kiss, he pressed his hard length against her. “You owe me!” he said before telling her to get dressed. He quickly put on his clothes and boots.

As they walked back, Lakoda played with the crystal glowflies and chased after other animals that came out at night. More than once, Jaxxon had to sprint to catch the dragon before he ran beyond the safety of the dragon mist.

“He just wants to have fun exploring,” said Tiara, grabbing Jaxxon by the hand. “He won’t go too far. ”

But every time he lost sight of Lakoda, Jaxxon’s instinct to protect him overwhelmed him. And so, he sprinted after the dragon to lure him back to their side, threatening to roast him over a fire if he ran off again.

As Lakoda whined, Tiara giggled. She turned to Jaxxon, looking into his eyes. “Life is meant to be fun. What’s the point if we’re afraid all the time?”

“I’m a shadow raider. I take what I want and what I need.” He stopped, pulling her close and looking deeply into her eyes. “I’ve never felt fear until now. Now, I have something I don’t want to lose.”

“When you’re not in battle, and the world is quiet, who are you? I want to see the man the world never does,” she whispered, holding his eyes.

He sighed, looking up at the twin moons, and then back at her. “The battles are only beginning, and my world is anything but quiet.” He pulled her in close. “The man you seek doesn’t exist.”

She swallowed as he tightened his grip around her. Against his chest, she could feel his steady heartbeat even though hers was rapid in contrast.

“I’ll conquer galaxies to protect you. And one day—when the battles have been won, and the world is quiet—I’ll show you love like never before.”

Her heart melted as he kissed her deeply. Walking hand in hand, they returned to the compound, sharing their hopes and dreams for the future.

His men were gathered, shouting to get his attention as he and Tiara walked past them. Standing at the side door where the women slept upstairs, Jaxxon kissed Tiara one last time.

“Warlord—” She looked toward the stairs and then back at Jaxxon as a hesitant smile bloomed.

“Get some sleep.” He smiled, knowing she wanted to go with him into the night. But he also knew his men were anxiously awaiting him.

He has a warrior’s heart. He’ll sacrifice for us all! It made him brutal and unforgiving. It was the only way he knew how to show love. His men depended on him, and whether she wanted to admit it, so did she. But with the amulet, she would bring her people out of the darkness and into the light.

Outside, Lakoda yawned as he sat by the side door where Tiara stood. “Keep a watch on her for me,” said Jaxxon.

Lakoda blew a ring of smoke at him. Jaxxon reached up and tickled Lakoda just like Tiara had done. Lakoda roared with excitement, swinging his barbed tail in the air. And then the little fella sank on his haunches, ready to sleep outside Tiara’s door for the night. It seemed the baby dragon enjoyed being given something important to do.

“That will keep him from chasing crystal glowflies!” Jaxxon chuckled as Tiara laughed. He walked off to his men as Tiara closed the door, replaying the night in her mind.