Leaning down, she licked the spot where his shoulder and neck met. Mmm. Salty and delicious. A fire was building inside her in the form of a tight coil, winding and winding. Just as she was about to come, she bit down on his skin. Her inner walls clamped down like a vise. She didn’t know where the aggressive need was coming from, but it seemed to set something off in Viper.
“Mine!” he growled out as his seed shot inside of her. He came and came.
Then he leaned down and bit her shoulder, which caused the pleasure, and pain combined caused her to orgasm a second time. By the time they came both came a third time, Callie was near unconsciousness. Her head dropped against his chest and he wrapped her in his arms protectively, kissing the top of her head and whispered something that sounded like, my mate.
Chapter 19
Viper carried his female to the shelter he had built while she was sleeping. He wanted to take them back to Arizona, but it was too soon. He had to wait long enough to make sure they were not followed. That meant they would need somewhere to stay for a day or two. After making love multiple times, Callie had fallen asleep. It seemed to be the perfect time to build.
As a Drakonian shifter race, his people could elongate their nails into claws even in human form. It allowed him to cut the trees needed to construct the frame. He then used branches and leaves to provide the cover for the top and the sides of the shelter. Vines were used to help tie everything together. A small opening was created on the front side as the entrance. It wasn’t perfect, but it would keep them dry and hidden from prying eyes.
As he laid her on the bed of leaves he set up, she stirred.
“What? Where are we?”
“I built a shelter for us to rest in.”
She blinked, looking around. It was dark except for the opening where the light from the rising sun shined through. “You’re like my personal Robinson Crusoe.”
He frowned. “I do not understand.”
“You have never read Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe?”
“I do not read. What is it about?”
“Oh, it’s about a guy who gets stranded on an island and has to survive, like building a shelter.”
Nodding, he lay down next to her and pulled her against him. “Are you cold?”
Callie snuggled closer, sighing. “Not now. You give off a lot of body heat.”
“It’s my Drakonian nature. We all run hot.”
“I can’t imagine the things you’ve seen, the adventures you must have had through all these years.”
“Some were good, some not so good.”
She turned to face him. “I’m sorry about your home world. Did your family survive?”
He hesitated. Rarely did he talk to anyone about his family. She seemed to really care, so he took a chance and confided in her.
“My mother died when I was still young. My father did not handle the loss well. He didn’t have time or use for me, so he took me to the king’s castle to have me start my warrior training early. That’s when I met King Reichardt, well, Prince Reichardt. He didn’t become king until later.”
Callie shifted to sit up and stare in shock at me. “Reichardt, the owner of the King R Ranch is a king?”
“Yes.”
She smacked her forehead with her palm. “King R… stands for King Reichardt.”
“Yes.”
“Wait, does that mean that Gema is queen?”
“It does, but we no longer use those titles officially.”
“What title do you have?”
“I am a Warrior Class III Enforcer.”
“Enforcer is like a police officer or security, right?”
“Yes. As level three, I am head of security. I make sure the ranch and all the occupants are secure. I oversee security for when the royals meet and I also lead in tracking and bringing to justice rogue Drakonians.”
“Rogues, you’ve said that before. You called Spider and his buddy rogues. What does that mean?”
“Rogues are Drakonians who leave their tribes to live on their own. They do not abide by the laws of Drakonians or humans. They kill without mercy, steal, and abuse others. Their actions expose us to humans and that is the number one law, not to expose our existence.”
“So your king sends you after rogues and you bring them back for judgment.”
“If I can. Most rogues refuse to be captured and will fight to the death, their death.”
Callie shivered. Would she look at him as less now? Was she afraid of him?
She climbed on him and kissed him. “You are so brave. Thank you for coming after me.”
He would have said that no thanks were needed, but he got caught up in the feel of her on top of him, sliding against him, arousing him. She was all that mattered. His dragon purred with contentment, and he let himself get caught up in the web of desire.
Chapter 20
Later that day
Callie stood at the lake’s edge, watching Viper wade in the waist-deep water. He moved quietly and smoothly for someone so big. Then, like a flash, he struck. Plunging his hand into the water and pulling it out with a fish in it. She couldn’t help but laugh.
“I think I’ve seen that in a movie or something.”
“I’m just catching fish the easiest way I know how.”
“You’re not trying to impress me or anything?”
“Maybe a little. Is it working?”
“Oh yeah. You might even get lucky later,” she teased, placing her hand on her hips. She was wearing her bra and panties after rinsing her clothes in the lake and hanging them by the fire to dry.
That made him drop the
