16. Tarek

Her beauty, her softness. None of those were my undoing. Her scent perfuming the air? My dragon won the battle even though I was trying to control him.

My dragon wanted to take her. Mark her. But she wasn't ready. Not yet. She wanted us though, and that we could act on. There was no question. I broke the kiss, allowing her to suck in a breath of air as my lips trailed over her jawline, tasting every inch of what was mine. She would be mine, but I needed to take the edge off the desperation clawing at my soul.

"You are mine, Zara. No one else is to be near you when you perfume the air as you do."

Her breasts pressed against my chest.

"Wha—"

I stopped her from speaking with another kiss. Her lips danced with mine. Slowly, I returned to my quest to taste every inch of her, moving over her jaw, down to her neck. The skin there was soft and ready to be marked. She was a blank canvas made only for me.

"When I am near, I can smell the desire on you. No one but me will ever get to share in what your scent is like."

I kicked the door closed behind us, eliciting a small yelp from Zara.

"What are you doing? We need to go."

My finger grasped onto her tightly, and the corner of my mouth curled up at her na?ve little statement.

"We will go when I say we will go. They will meet us there, because I cannot leave my mate wanting."

I grabbed her hips, pulling her into my body. There was no hiding the bulge beneath my trousers. I had tasted her and there would never be enough.

"I will be quick, mate."

Her lips were soft and wanting as I claimed them in a kiss. The layers of her dress bunched in my hands as I yanked and pulled until I was rewarded with the silky skin of her ass. I gripped her delicate flesh and lifted her, turning us in a quick motion, bracing her against the wall.

My fingers found the sheer fabric shielding her pussy from me. Her sensitive nub too easy to find under the annoying undergarment.

I wanted to taste every inch of her but there wasn't time, not yet, so instead I released her lips, allowing her air while I tasted and sucked at her neck. It would take all of my control to leave her unmarked.

"You look delicious when your cheeks flush, leaving the most beautiful pink just for me, and I haven't even made you come yet."

I nipped at her neck, but not enough to break the skin. Not enough to mark her. Not yet. I slid my fingers beneath the edge of her underwear and ran the backs of my fingers over her pussy. It was too easy to slip a digit in between her folds, my fingers spreading her in one simple movement.

"Already so wet for me."

I kissed the hollow of her neck and licked my way up her chin before capturing the little whimper that escaped her lips as I slid a finger inside her. I gripped her ass tighter, holding her up with one hand while my other elicited the most beautiful cries from her as I worked her body.

My thumb teased over her clit as I slid in a second finger and then a third, stretching her for me. Her breathing grew more and more erratic, exactly as I wanted it.

"Come for me, my little starfire. Show me just how hot you can burn."

She gasped as, seconds later, her body shuddered under my touch. Her core clamped down on my fingers.

I kissed her jaw as her mouth drew in air in ragged breaths.

"Good girl," I said against her skin. My dragon craved his mate. His need was so great I had to fight against his desire to do as he would.

I still needed a taste of her. I needed more than just this. I wanted to look at her as I sank into her, but her eyes were closed as her chest heaved.

"Zara, look at me."

Her eyes fluttered open as I removed my fingers from her still quivery core.

"Do you want me, Zara?"

Her tongue darted out over her lower lip. My dragon fought for control, and although I could see something in the way she watched me, there was no fear.

"God yes."

Her hands lowered from my shoulders as she traveled to the ties of my trousers. She barely had to pull them for my cock to spring free.

"I want all of you."

The corner of my mouth raised, knowing she had no idea what all of me meant.

"Perhaps you do, but in time. Right now, we have a ball to get to. I'd hold on."

I hissed out a breath, aching for her as her hand stroked over my hard length. I lifted her high enough to place the head off my cock at her entrance. Her fingers released as the angle changed. I pressed forward, slowly at first. The tightness of her entrance stretched, giving me deeper access with every movement, every patient thrust, while waiting for her to release the breath she held. Waiting for her muscles to let me take her how I wanted.

"Now, remember how you quivered around my fingers? I want you to do that to my cock. I want to feel you come around me."

Finally, she pulled in a shaky little breath along with the sweetest little moan.

I slammed the rest of the way into her, gliding into her easily thanks to her earlier orgasm.

"We need to make this quick," I whispered into her ear.

I covered her mouth with my own once more as I thrust into her over and over, pushing her to her limit, forcing her to come for me again. I'd taken too much time as it was. We needed to get to this ball, but not until she could think of no one but me.

Every time I sank deep inside her, I fought to keep my wits about myself. I could not claim her yet. I had to allow her to come to us and wanted her to beg us for our mark.

My balls tightened as I got closer. I would not let myself go until she took me and used me for her own pleasure. I could hear the change in her breathing, knew that I held her right at the edge. I slipped a hand between us and pressed down against her clit on my next thrust, and the way she clenched around my length made it nearly impossible to control the urge to mark her. I forced back the dragon inside, held him at bay as I fought against her tight, needy muscles to thrust twice more before allowing myself to spill inside her.

We stood there for a few moments with no sound but the symphony of our breathing.

Seeing her lips swollen from me claiming her mouth as I slammed into her sweet little pussy was enough to have me ready for more.

"Shouldn't we go?" she asked.

I rested my forehead on hers.

"Yes, duty calls. At least you will carry my scent out into public. No one will dare touch you."

She still hadn't caught her breath as I slowly pulled her off of my cock and set her down, holding her until her legs seemed to gather enough strength to stand on their own.

The dress fell around her once again, hiding what I knew would soon coat between her legs.

Inside of me, a war raged, and I was afraid I was going to lose. My dragon wanted his mate and waiting was becoming harder and harder.

Her hand raised to cup my cheek.

"I can see him," she said.

I blinked.

"You didn't have to get rid of him. I don't think I'm all that scared. In denial? Probably. But perhaps soon you will show him to me?"

A growl reverberated in my chest.

"We would like that very much. Now, my lady, we must go and play nice. Show the next human lord that the dragons are thriving."