Claws and Kisses

Avel smiled down at me, obviously satisfied with my response. The word seemed to pulse around us. Mate. I snapped my mouth shut, not able to comprehend what I had just uttered. Avel. And me. The idea seemed ridiculous and outlandish and completely impossible . . .

Yet.

His body fit perfectly to mine. He was so large that I couldn’t see anything past him because his shoulders took up the whole of my vision. The warmth permeating from him was too much. It soaked into my very pores, setting my entire being aflame. There was an uncomfortable feeling pounding between my legs. I tried to subtly squeeze me legs together so that he wouldn’t be able to sense my sudden discomfort.

His leg came down to rest between mine, stopping me from easing the tension. I gaped, my tongue a forgotten, twisted lump in my mouth. His smirk was a devilish thing. “What do you think your doing, little tiger?”

The rough drawl of his voice had my heart near detonating in my chest. I couldn’t help stuttering as I said, “H-How long? How long have you known?”

Avel shifted so that he was no longer on top of me, but resting against my side, his head propped up unto his elbow. He didn’t hesitate in wrapping one strong arm around me and dragging me across the bed until we were once again fitted to one another. A half-smile adorned his lips as he tugged on a piece of my hair. “A while.”

I frowned a little bit, hesitantly looping my arms around his neck once more. Everything felt new and strange, yet somehow perfectly normal. “It’s not how I expected it to feel. The few bits and pieces I’ve heard about dragons and mates and Soul Bonds, it all went along the lines of it being like, an almost . . . tangible thing. In here.”

I gestured, placing my fingers on top of my chest, where I should have felt the bond. Or, where others have told me the bond was. Avel smiled at that, splaying his fingers on top of my hand. “You won’t feel it. Not until we finish the mating ritual.”

For some reason, I blushed and glanced away at the word mating. There were only so many things that word could mean. I propped myself onto my elbows so that we were more level, and kept my eyes downcast as I asked, “The mating ritual . . .” I shook my head, peering up through dark lashes. “Like what Rhett and Jericho are doing?”

Avel nodded, watching me with a careful eye.

“You have to explain the rules to me,” I eventually said, fidgeting with my hands. I felt too close to him at that moment. Like all my walls were down and he would be able to destroy me with only a glance. I knew that that was all it would take to have me in a puddle on top of the bed, as malleable as clay. “I don’t know a thing about dragons and . . . everything that goes on with—um, you know.”

Avel slipped a finger under my chin, tilting my head until I was forced to meet his piercing gaze. They were an intense shade of purple. Practically the shade of lilacs. “Are you trying to say mating, mate?”

Oh gods. I scrambled to sit up, to get away from his monopolizing gaze. I pushed at his hands until he reluctantly released me. He watched as I swung my legs over the bed, perching myself on the edge, my back to him. I breathed hard for a minute, not exactly sure why I was freaking out. “Please . . . don’t call me that.”

“It is what you are to me, Wendy.” The mattress dipped as he moved closer. Instead of pulling me back to him, he placed a reassuring hand on my arm, gripping it lightly. His warmth was welcomed as he said, “You are scared of me.”

I shook my head. “No. Never.”

In the blink of an eye, he had climbed off the bed and kneeled before me, both of his hands on either side of my thighs. There was an understanding shining in his purple orbs as he pressed into my legs. “Then the idea of me. A mate.” His eyes never left mine as he spoke softly. “I saw the same fear in your eyes today. When Jericho claimed Rhett. You don’t see this as a miracle, but chains to be wrapped in.”

There was a pang in my chest, and I knew that Avel was right. For the last eight years, Rhett and I had been more or less free to do and go where we pleased. We had learned to live without a set destination. A steady home. And now that that future was a possibility, it felt unreal. Terrifying. Something neither of us were ready to do.

“I . . .” I stumbled, feeling vulnerable as he continued to stare up at me, the galaxy reflected his his powerful gaze. Sniffling, I said, “We had plans, Avel. Dreams, and . . .”

He reached for my hand then and placed it on his chest, right where his heart was steadily beating. His eyes captured mine. “Do you know what this is?”

My brows furrowed. “Are you trying to make a move on me right now? Because if this is how dragons flirt, I might have to pass—”

“Little tiger,” he gritted through his teeth, looking on the verge of laughing again, but he forced himself to keep his neutral face in check. He kept my hand there, letting me feel each booming heartbeat. “That is a promise, Wendy. I told you that if you still wanted to leave when the Blood Moon arrives, I would let you go. I keep my promises. Do you understand?”

I nodded, but he continued on anyway. “You are not caged. You are not a prisoner. You are my mate and you are as free as you ever were.”

Drawing my hand away, I swallowed. “Until the Blood Moon.” I shifted farther back, evading his eyes and his touch. “If I decide to stay, things will be different.”

The Dragon Lord stood in one smooth motion. The armor plated to his chest and thighs glimmered in the light, and I found myself somewhat envious of the hard metal suit that adorned him. He cupped my face, the act both controlling and gentle. “Yes,” he said softly. “Things will be different.”

An ugly ache bloomed inside my chest as I thought of all the possibilities of how our relationship could shift. First friends, now mates . . . what came after? “Tell me,” I demanded in a firm tone, finally looking up at him. I wanted to stand too but knew the difference in height would only upset me. “Tell me about . . . the ritual.”

Avel shook his head, his features more or less strained. “It would only upset you.”

“Tell me,” I repeated, this time harsher. His eyes narrowed slightly as I rose from my seat, poking him directly in the chest. “I have a right to know, Avel.”

My whole world seemed to spiral as I was pushed backwards onto the lush blankets of the bed. I landed with a pathetic “Oof!” and threw my hands out to balance my fall. I did not have time to adjust as something ridiculously large and warm landed on me, encompassing my body in an unnatural heat. It did not take a genius to recognize the mop of midnight blue hair and pale, muscled skin that made up the Dragon Lord. There was a playful, mocking way in which he let his eyes linger on me.

“What were you saying, little tiger?”

“I was saying,” I spat, trying to act unimpressed with his theatrics, even though I was in complete turmoil on the inside. I had never been this close to a man before. On a bed, no less. “That if you don’t start putting your money where your mouth is—”

He placed a hand over my lips, shaking his head at me in a condescending way. He looked at me the way one would look at a misbehaving child. “Oh Wendy.”

He kissed my cheek, grinning when I flushed crimson red. “You are absolutely adorable. However . . .” He placed another kiss on my opposite cheek, but this time, he nipped at the skin there, procuring a surprised yelp out of me. His grin widened. “That is not how we talk to our mates. You want to know the rules? Here’s the first.”

I jerked as his lips trailed down my jaw, moving to the pulsing flesh of my throat. My heart was beating wildly in my chest, embarrassingly so. He pressed his mouth there, his teeth sliding out to run along my neck.

“Always.” Kiss. “Play.” Kiss. “Nice.”

Quivering all over, I grabbed at his chest. His shoulders. Anything to keep me grounded. I gritted out, “Sounds pretty fucking easy.”

Clucking his tongue, he lifted his head so that our eyes locked. “Mhm, I can already tell that we’re going to have issues with that one.” His hands stroked up and down my hips, causing my nerves to do a frenzied dance. With a wink, he murmured, “Cussing is off the books too. You’re a lady of the horde now.” He smiled in a savage way. “My lady.”

“No cursing, huh?” I laughed loudly, only stopping when I saw the very real confusion in his gaze. I sputtered and sat up a little from underneath him. “You’re not being serious, are you?”

He cocked his head dangerously. “Do I look like I’m joking?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief. “What’s next? No drinking after midnight? Curfew at sundown?”

“Close,” he pressed his body firmly down on top of mine so that there was no way to wiggle out from beneath him. I glared as he continued. “Second and third rule: no drinking at all and curfew at midnight.” At my enraged look, he chuckled—amused, as with most things. “It is common in all hordes. It’s too keep the female dragons from doing something stupid while drunk.”

I scoffed, doing my best to push away from him. “Oh, I get it. You males are sensitive assholes who are afraid your mates will go off with another dragon while you’re not looking, is that it?” Under my breath, I muttered, “How fragile can you be?”

There was a moment in which all was quiet. The world seemed to freeze as Avel’s eyes narrowed into slits. There weren’t words for the way he was glowering at me. The part of me that wasn’t seething with anger filled with fear instead. Avel, for all of his loving looks and touches, was terrifying when he wanted to be. He was hunched in a way that had me convinced one wrong move would have him tearing my throat out. Even though I knew he would never intentionally hurt me, there was still something to be said of his wrath when it was provoked.

Slowly—oh so slowly—he leaned down so that his lips were level with my ear. The heat from his breath raining down upon my neck was enough to have shivers of pleasure running down my spine. He spoke in a deadly, melodic voice.

“You better be thanking the gods that the mating ritual keeps me from taking you right here, right now.” His words had my eyes widening to saucers and my whole body trembling with the subtle promise in his voice. “Once I’ve brought you to heel, you won’t ever defy me again. Blood Moon or not . . . you’ll be practically begging to stay. To let me pleasure you over and over again.”

He got off me then, exiting the bed and straightening his armor like he hadn’t just been on top of me, pouring kisses onto my skin and threatening me with a good time. He continued as he fixed his clothes. “I know you, Wendy. Eight years hasn’t changed your soul. You’re good. Better than most. You have a strong will—something that has gotten you far and will take you farther still.”

I could only watch as he laid cool eyes on me, those violet orbs mesmerizing in their appearance. “But don’t think for a second that I will tolerate anything less than the best from you. You are my mate and I will be the best partner you could ask for. All I ask for in return is an open-mind.”

I gulped audibly. “You mean obedience.”

He shrugged. “That will come in time.” The Dragon Lord walked to the door, his broad shoulders shifting with each step. He paused as he reached the door, turning halfway around to glance back at me. “And Wendy?”

Tilting my head, I waited.

“Fourth rule: Refrain from calling me a fragile asshole.” He smiled wickedly. “You’ll just piss me off.”

Refraining from calling anyone a fragile asshole is probably just a good rule in general, tbh.

Hello again, my loves. I thought that you all might enjoy an early update. It seems that I have been updating (more or less) on Saturdays and Tuesdays, and that has worked pretty well for me thus far and I hope to continue updating twice a week for the foreseeable future.

In other news, you all are unbearably sweet! I know, I know - you guys are probably sick of hearing me gush over you but every word is true. Everything I read from you guys is perfect, and I hope you keep giving me feedback because I love reading all of it.

As always, I hope you all got a kick out of the Avel/Wendy action this chapter. I was thinking of what 'rules' dragon would have, specifically female related, and I couldn't get the idea of no drinking and no cussing out of my head. To my ladies, could you imagine someone telling you that you couldn't swear or get wasted anymore? EW.

Well, that's all for today folks. Hope you enjoyed!

~Elaine