24. Drake

TWENTY-FOUR

DRAKE

D rake's hands tangled in Thalia's hair as he leaned down to kiss her. Her moan of desire echoed through the silent night, bouncing off the cold stone walls of the castle.

A fierce wind blew outside, but within these ancient walls, their passion ignited a heat that could rival any storm. Thalia's hands traced a path up Drake's muscular back, pulling him ever closer.

Drake broke away from their passionate kiss, a trail of fire seeming to linger on his lips as he gazed down at Thalia, her brown eyes aflame with desire and love. He brushed a strand of hair from her face, tucking it delicately behind her ear. His fingers traced along the soft curve of her cheek, an intimate gesture that left Thalia breathless.

"I love you, Thalia," Drake whispered.

Her answering smile was enough for him, but she leaned forward and pressed her lips gently against his. "I love you too."

Her fingers moved down to the hem of his shirt. She pulled it over his head and tossed it on the floor revealing a canvas of taut muscles rippling beneath tanned skin.

Drake's chest was a topography of strength and determination, each scar narrating a story of battles fought, both with the world and within himself. His heart raced beneath her touch, a cadence that matched her own.

Drake's hands roamed over her, every touch lighting up her senses, searing their memory into her very being. His fingers danced over her back, tracing patterns that sparked electricity up and down her spine. He undressed her quickly, eager to see every inch of her.

Thalia pulled away to catch her breath, a dizzying smile playing at her lips as she drank in the sight before her. Drake's eyes were dark with desire, his chest heaving as he mirrored her panting breaths. He reached out to grasp her hand, threading their fingers together as they stared at each other.

Without a word, Drake freed her from the confines of her clothing, exposing her completely. Everything about her was breathtaking, from the swell of soft curves to the dip of her waist.

Her skin glowed ethereally in the dim light, cast golden by flickering candlelight. Drake traced a reverent finger over her collarbone, down to the valley between her breasts, and lower still until his hand rested on the curve of her hip. His touch was gentle but confident, a testament to their shared intimacy.

"I need you," Thalia whispered into his ear, her voice sending shivers down Drake's spine.

His touch explored the contours of her figure appreciatively as she shivered under his gaze. Thalia's skin was like satin beneath his hands, and Drake could not help but marvel at the woman who had chosen to give herself to him.

His lips found hers once more, their actions speaking louder than any words ever could. The intensity of their love sparked a flame that seemed to engulf them wholly, the world beyond their touch fading into oblivion.

He leaned down to capture a nipple in his mouth, and she cried out as a wave of glorious sensations swept over her. He continued his ministrations, tracing the curve of her breast with his tongue while his hand roamed lower, discovering the heat that lay between her thighs. Thalia whimpered, her fingers curling into Drake's hair as she surrendered herself to the pleasure he was igniting within her.

His free hand cradled her head, holding her gaze captive as he found the rhythm that made her squirm with delight. Drake moved up to claim her lips again, his kiss swallowing her gasps and cries.

Her body writhed in a symphony of desire. Their movements were perfectly synchronized in the dance of seduction they had perfected over time.

"Drake," she moaned, a desperate plea for him to push her over the edge. His lips moved down to whisper against the sensitive skin of her neck as he increased the pace of his strokes, driving Thalia toward the climax that had been slowly building inside her.

When it hit, it was like a tidal wave crashing through every nerve ending in Thalia's body. Her back arched and she screamed out Drake's name as she convulsed beneath him. He kept stroking her until he wrung every wave of pleasure from her sweat-soaked body.

Drake was lost in the rapture of her climax, the sight of Thalia lost in pleasure was a sight he wouldn't forget. He knew what this moment meant to Thalia and him. Drake shifted his weight, nestling between her trembling legs as he kissed her fiercely. His dragon flared beneath his skin, begging for everything she had and he was determined to wring it from her.

His lips trailed a burning path from her mouth down to her neck, his hands cradling her face as he drank in the sight of her, spent and glorious beneath him. Desire flamed brightly in his eyes as he aligned himself with her, every fiber of his being thrumming with the need to claim her as his own.

Thalia's fingers dug into his shoulders, an encouraging nod given before she pulled him closer, their bodies fitting together like two pieces of an intricate puzzle. Her breath hitched as he pushed inside her. Drake stilled, allowing her time to adjust to him.

Their eyes locked, a silent conversation passing between them. They moved in unison, Drake thrusting into Thalia with a steady rhythm that had them both gasping in pleasure. Every stroke, every touch was a sweet torment that soon had Thalia clawing at Drake's back, urging him on.

The room was filled with their labored breaths and quiet moans, a testament to the passion they shared. The world outside ceased to exist. There was only them and the fervent love they were expressing under the shimmering candlelight. Thalia murmured Drake's name against his lips as he moved within her, consumed by the rapture coursing through her veins.

Her fingers curled into his hair, tugging him closer while her legs wrapped around his waist. Drake groaned into her mouth, the sensation of her body tightening around him driving him wild with desire.

"Thalia," he whispered raggedly as he pressed further inside her.

His powerful thrusts caused her to gasp, every plunge making her pant in delight. The friction between them was electric, a buzzing heat that could set them both afire.

They moved together in an intimate dance, their bodies tangled in passion. Thalia's breath hitched as Drake managed to hit a spot within her that had her seeing stars.

His fingers found hers, their palms pressing together on the sheets next to her head. Their shared sweat was a testament to their fervor, a symbol of their union that bore witness to their love.

Their bodies moved as one, each thrust sending waves of ecstasy coursing through them. Drake groaned into her ear, his breath hot on her skin. The sounds of their gasps and moans filled the room, accompanied by the rhythmic beating of their hearts. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, gnawing lightly at the tender skin there marking her as his own.

The intensity increased with every stroke, his movements becoming more frantic against her. Thalia clung tighter to him, her nails etching lines into his back as she encouraged him further, mewling with words of love and encouragement in his ear.

Drake quickened his thrusts, his moans growing louder against Thalia's neck where he buried his face. Drake's rhythm picked up pace and intensity as he felt himself nearing the precipice of pleasure. His fingers dug into the soft flesh of Thalia's hips for purchase as he held onto control by a tenuous thread.

"Drake, I'm close…" she gasped, knowing that their orgasm would announce him marking her.

She was eager to finally be his and his alone. Forever and always. And his dragon wanted that too.

"Me too," he growled back, his voice rough with the strain of holding back. His pace picked up further, each thrust hitting deeper, each a promise of what was to come. Thalia's body was a writhing mass beneath him, every sensation amplified by the depth of her love for this man.

Thalia moaned as she felt the familiar sensation building within her, the peak of pleasure just out of reach. She rocked her hips up to meet Drake's thrusts, pushing herself closer to the edge. Her fingers dug into his back, pulling him closer as she felt both their climaxes drawing nearer.

Their eyes locked, the world outside forgotten as they surrendered entirely to the passion that blazed between them. He thrust into her harder, fueled by the desperate sounds she made beneath him, crying out his name. Her body was wound as tight as a bowstring, ready to snap at any second.

And then it happened.

With one final thrust and an earth-shattering cry from Thalia, they shattered together. Waves of pleasure rolled through them in a never-ending tide, their bodies convulsing in harmony. His hand balled up as a nail scraped deeply along her hip.

The pain was immediate and intense, but it was nothing compared to the intense pleasure coursing through her. The mark was made, Thalia was his. The raw primal feeling of marking her overwhelmed him, and Drake roared, his chest vibrating against hers, the sound echoing around the room.

Thalia could feel her body responding to the pain and pleasure in equal measure. Her cries of ecstasy echoed in the chamber as she felt the finality of the act. Drake had claimed her completely, their bodies and souls intertwined in the throes of passion.

As their shared climax ebbed, they lay tangled together. Thalia's fingers traced the outline of his marking on her hip, a physical signature that etched them together forever. Her heart pounded against her chest as she tried to catch her breath beneath him.

Drake rolled off of Thalia, pulling her into his arms as they both tried to steady their breathing. His hand found hers, their fingers intertwining instinctively.

He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, whispering soft words of endearment into her ear as they basked in the afterglow of their shared passion.

"Mine," he murmured against her skin, pressing a slow kiss to the mark he had just etched onto her.

Thalia's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Yours," she echoed back softly. She snuggled deeper into his embrace, a sense of contentment washing over her.

Their bodies cooled but their hearts still raced from the intense connection they had just experienced. It was more than physical. It was emotional and spiritual. Their souls were entwined in a bond that was stronger than any force.