Taja's Dragon Read online

  Taja decided not to press him about why. Still, there was the question of what he was if not a human. She had heard people talk about wizards and witches as if they weren’t human. Maybe they didn’t consider themselves to be after being ostracized. “But, then, you don’t consider yourself human? Wizards are still human.”

  He threw his head back with a loud laugh. Her eyes took in the way his eyes creased, and she couldn’t help but smile a little at the way his laugh echoed around the room. It was like a haunting melody.

  Turning to look at her, he responded, “Technically, they aren’t fully human either. That is part of the trade for their power. Even several generations down for the first wizard or witch in a family isn’t fully human. But I am not a wizard.” His half smile made it hard for her to breathe. “Here, I’ll show you.”

  He moved off of the bed and toward a window. Taja followed. She tried to figure out what he could be if not a wizard. “You seem to be very good at fire magic, the way you were able to make fire and warm things up without any effort.”

  Phelan opened the window and turned to look at her. “Yes, the majority of my kind are rather good with fire. Watch, and do not worry. My mind does not change when I do.”

  Taja’s eyebrows knit together for a moment, then she lunged forward as the man threw himself out of the window. For a second, she saw Phelan falling with a smile on his face, then in the place where he had been was a dragon. Its wings spread and the creature began to soar out over the courtyard. Her eyes were mesmerized by the way his brown wings worked, flapping and spreading as he coasted. He did not go high, and she knew if he did that the entire city would panic. Dragons were the most dangerous creatures, and wherever they went destruction followed.

  But she did not feel afraid. Her eyes watched as the dragon headed toward the window. Taja took a few steps back, her face one of interest instead of fear. As the dragon neared the window, it slowed, but there was too much momentum for it to stop in time. Suddenly Phelan was crawling through the window.

  “See?” He gave her a small smile. “Not a human.”

  Judging by his look, Taja thought he probably expected her to run away. Instead she threw her arms around him. “That was amazing!” Her voice was excited as she hugged him. She could hear his heart beating a little unevenly. She pulled back, her hands resting on his arms. “So are you a dragon?”

  He grinned, “I’m a shifter.”

  “Does that mean you can become other creatures too?”

  His face momentarily looked shocked. “Is dragon not good enough?”

  She laughed, “It’s almost too much.” Taja grabbed one of his sleeves and tugged him back to the bed. She sat down and he followed. One of her legs tucked under her knee. “So there are more like you that can shift between dragons and human?”

  He nodded, his eyes watching her face. It looked like he wanted to say something, but he let her continue.

  “Do they know at the palace?” Her expression was mischievous, so Phelan knew she already knew the answer.

  “What do you think?”

  She giggled, “Of course not. Are you here to make peace?”

  He cocked his head to the side. “What kind of peace could a shifter broker? No, I’m here for myself.”

  She gave him a smile. “Maybe originally, but you seem to have picked up a stray.”

  His eyes widened as Taja clamped a hand over her mouth. The smile that spread across his face at her words was beautiful. “Are you saying you want to go with me?”

  Taja’s hands still covered her mouth and she began to shake her head, fearing she had said something inappropriate.

  “That is a shame. I would welcome your company. If you have nothing else to keep you here.” Taja saw the hope in his eyes; it was the same hope his presence had given her.

  “I… um… I don’t have anything to stay for. I’m a fugitive,” she gave him a shy smile, “so staying here probably won’t be a good idea.”

  “Then come with me.” He took her hand. “It would make me feel better knowing that you are protected, and,” he paused and looked away for a moment, “it would be nice to have someone to talk to.”

  “Where are you going?”

  He looked back at her. “I am trying to reclaim items taken from my people from the various kingdoms.”

  “Are the items important?”

  “They are to me.”

  “What about the people who sent you to collect them?”

  He shook his head, “No one sent me to retrieve what was taken.”

  “But surely they are happy to get them back?” Her eyes looked at his face. He suddenly looked very sad.

  He pursed his lips, sighed, and said, “I am keeping them safe and will someday send word to my clan about them. But I can never go back.”

  Taja frowned. “You can’t go back? You mean you can’t go back home?”

  He looked into her eyes and said nothing.

  Taja pulled her hand out of his and threw her arms around his neck. “Then we are in the same position. Neither of us can go back home.”

  She felt him relax, and his arms went around her little waist, pulling her to him. Phelan put his head on her shoulder, his face resting against her neck. It was not a new physical occurrence for her, but Taja felt her heart skip. Never had she felt anything when men touched her; she let them do things to her, but she never wanted any of it. For the first time, she felt warm and she wanted more.

  She began to stroke Phelan’s hair and back. “Thank you, Phelan,” she murmured and kissed the top of his head. His body tensed a little as she spoke, but Taja continued to stroke him.

  His voice reverberated through her body as he answered, “You don’t have to do this. I am not looking for a slave or a toy.”

  Taja sighed and kissed his head again. “I know. I’m not doing it because I have to. It’s the first time I’ve…” She found it very hard to say what she felt, not because she didn’t know, but because she had never expressed her own desires.

  Phelan pulled back a little to look at her, his large gentle eyes warming her. Taja placed a hand on his face. Immediately, his hand reached up and took it. Phelan’s hand wrapped around hers and he began to kiss her hand. His lips moved up her arm, and he gently placed a hand behind her back. Effortlessly, he lifted her from the side of the bed and moved her to the middle.

  As he began to kiss her neck, Taja’s fingers began to undo the buttons on his shirt. He let out a little sigh and pulled back. Phelan’s eyes looked down on her as his hand softly ran through her hair. Slowly he lowered his face and Taja closed her eyes. When his lips brushed hers, she leaned up and pressed firmly against his. He pressed harder, pushing her head into the pillow, and his tongue slid between her lips. Taja put a hand on the back of his head and pulled at him as her other hand slid down his back and began to pull at his shirt. Phelan moved away from her for a moment, and pulled the shirt off of his arms. Taja’s eyes fell on an elegant depiction of a dragon on the man’s upper arm. For a moment she was hypnotized by the way its wings moved with his arm as he threw the shirt on the floor, then slipped his hands under her shirt. The sensation made her forget about the tattoo as Taja arched her back in response to the feel of his hands on her stomach. She placed her hands by her head as Phelan moved the shirt up her body. He kissed her bare skin as his hands worked, causing Taja to moan and press against him more insistently. His hands gently glided over her arms as his bare chest pressed into hers. As soon as the shirt was off, his hands intertwined with hers on the pillow.

  Taja’s legs wrapped around his, and she pressed up. Phelan moaned and began to kiss her more desperately. His kiss was deep and passionate, but like him, it was gentle. Taja squeezed his hands and stretched her hands up, forcing him to lie flat against her. Her hips pressed into his repeatedly.

  “Taja,” he whispered into her neck.

  She responded by kissing his face, his eyes, and his forehead. His body pressed against hers, then he let go of h
er hands and slid his hands down the sides of her body. As he removed her cotton pants, Taja lay on the bed, her eyes trained on him. Her hips moved up and down, slightly distracting him. Phelan threw the pants off of the bed and quickly covered her body with his own, kissing her lips and gently pulling back on her hair. Taja leaned her head back a little and felt him nip at her neck. It was a new sensation, and she moaned as he did it again.

  “Phelan,” her voice was husky as her hands pulled at his hair. Her hips pressed against his with more urgency. “Phelan.” Unable to wait, her hands moved down his back and under his pants. She worked off the belt and unfastened them. Phelan stopped kissing her long enough to remove them.

  The pants fell off of the bed, and Phelan placed a hand on her calf. Taja rested her hands beside her head as she looked at him. He traced her body with his hand. As soon as he reached her hips, the young man placed both hands on her and he put his head against her stomach. His teeth pulled a little of her skin up, and Taja gasped. Her hips pressed up and his chest pushed back. Slowly Phelan worked his way up her body, and with each thrust of her hips, he pressed back.

  His hands cupped her breasts and Phelan gently leaned down, placing his mouth on her nipple.

  Taja arched into him. “Gods! Phelan!” He smiled up at her and repeated the movement with her other breast. “Phelan!” Her hands went into his hair.

  Suddenly he grabbed her hands and stretched them over her head. He was kissing her mouth and pressing his body against hers.

  Taja’s body pleaded with him as his kiss kept her from saying a word. In response, he slowly pushed his body against hers. She felt him begin to move into position, and she moaned. His hands squeezed hers, not so much that it hurt, but enough that she knew he was really holding back. She pressed her breasts against him, her hips moving rhythmically.

  For a moment, he stopped and looked down at her. Her breath was light and shallow, but she kept eye contact with him. Phelan’s hand went to her face as he slowly pressed into her. Taja closed her eyes and moaned, her body pulsing against his. He slid out, then pressed a little further in. Taja moaned louder, biting her lip as he slid back out. His eyes never left her face as he slowly worked further and further into her. With each new thrust from his hips, Taja got louder. Finally, unable to wait, she threw her legs around him and forced him fully into her. His head dropped to her neck as he let out a loud groan. “Oh gods, Taja!” With that he began kissing her, his body establishing a rhythm that sent Taja into fits of pleasure. The first time she came, he immediately shifted his position, causing her to climax again. Her breath was shallow and she found it difficult to breathe. During the second climax, she screamed out his name. Phelan changed his position again, but this time it was clear that he wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer.

  “Don’t.” She murmured into his ear. When he paused, she kept her body in motion so that his body began to work against hers. “Don’t hold back.” With a sense of urgency, she pulled him to her, and immediately she felt him get harder. Her chest pushed into his, her head leaning back. He began nibbling on her neck, this time harder, causing her to gasp and moan. She began to work her muscles, and he stiffened. Her hands moved down his back and cupped him, pressing him further into her. He began to kiss her until she knew he was about to peak. Phelan’s head dropped to her chest, and she arched up into him. To her surprise, she felt her body clenching again. When he tried to pull out, her legs kept him inside of her so that they came pressed against each other.

  His eyes were large and filled with worry as he looked down at her. “I didn’t- I don’t-”

  Taja pulled him down on to her, her lips covering his. He was still inside of her, and she could feel that he could keep going. Rolling over on top of him, she began working her muscles, working his partial hardness into a full erection within. Whatever it was he wanted to say, she made him forget as they started again at her pace.

  Chapter 6

  The Future’s Wide Open

  The light of day was just beginning to filter through the windows when they finished. Taja pulled his head down to her collar bone and she stroked his damp hair.

  “So dragons can sweat?” She kissed the top of his head.

  He chuckled as he tried to catch his breath. “Of course. There aren’t many animals that don’t sweat.” He kissed her neck and Taja felt herself aroused again. However, she knew that there were other things to do.

  Her hands caressed his hair as she spoke, “You plan to leave today.”

  Phelan nodded as he continued to kiss her.

  She smiled down at him. “I will need to collect a few things.”

  He stopped and looked up at her. “Do you need help?”

  Taja shook her head. “No, but I will need to leave soon while my mother is asleep. The fewer people in the house the better.”

  He nodded at her. “But I am going with you.”

  “I can’t ask you-”

  “You aren’t.” He pushed off of her and got off the bed. “I’m going because I want to. Because I don’t trust you to stay out of trouble.” He walked around the bed and picked her up. Carrying her to the bathroom, he explained the timeline for the day. Taja nodded and smiled as he put her down in the bathroom. He heated up the water in an instant and turned to leave. Taja grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stairs. To her surprise, the water was fresh. He smiled at her and picked her up. Taja laughed as he stepped into the water with her. With a few tender kisses (and a few deeper ones), the pair cleaned each other and climbed out.

  They were quiet as they dressed and slipped out of the house. Holding hands, they worked their way to her house. Taja let go of his hand when they arrived. She moved to the door and turned to wave. The look on Phelan’s face as he took in where she lived touched her heart. He was clearly upset that she lived in such a terrible place, and his eyes looked at her. She smiled softly and went inside.

  Her mother was passed out, which meant that the task would be that much easier. Remembering Phelan’s words from earlier, Taja thought about the things that she had that her mother had said were from her father. Those were kept safe so that her mother couldn’t sell them during their worst days. Taja moved to their hiding place and took them out. Moving over to her bed, the young woman took what money she had been able to save. She almost felt guilty as she returned to the door. With a look back at her mother, Taja remembered the letter, the last words her mother had to convey. There was so much her mother had never told her. Her mother rarely said anything kind, and always showed a disgust when Taja had tried to hug her. Perhaps it was because Taja had pixie blood. From her father.

  Taja turned and opened the door, her mind going over everything she had experienced for years. If she did have pixie blood, that explained a lot about her life and her difficult relationship with her mother. She wished she could ask about what happened to her father, why they had separated, but Taja knew that her mother would call the guard at the sight of her daughter.

  Taja’s heart was heavy as she closed the door. But as soon as she saw Phelan standing across the nearly deserted street, the young woman smiled.

  “Are you ready?” he asked as she reached him. Her smile widened as she nodded. “Okay. Let’s get out of here.”

  She pulled on his hand as he turned. “What about your stuff?”

  He looked down at her and pulled her closer. “I can get it any time. It’s just a short flight from anywhere else.” He gave her a smile as he took her things and tucked them into a bag on his other side.

  Taja leaned her head against his warm chest and together they walked without urgency toward the gate.

  By late morning, the pair had made their way into the farms of the realm. The palace looked considerably smaller from where they stood eating a small breakfast Phelan had acquired on the way out of the city.

  Taja looked at the city where she had spent her entire life. It seemed unreal. Illyrian had always been her home, and it had never occurred to her that
it would ever be anything else. “21 years.”

  Phelan turned to look at her, a bite of food in his mouth. His eyes asked the question his mouth couldn’t.

  “I’ve lived there 21 years.” She laughed a little. “21 years today.”

  He swallowed, “Did you move here 21 years ago?”

  She looked at him. “I was born here 21 years ago.”

  “Oh.” His eyes looked her up and down. “I thought you were older.”

  It was something no one had ever said to her. Taja shook her head. “Are you saying I look old?”

  He pulled her head toward him and kissed the top of it. “Not at all. Pixies are notorious cheaters when it comes to guessing age. It makes it difficult for the rest of us to know what looks old for a pixie and what is youthful. I guess you have more human, though.” His smile was cute.

  Taja brushed a crumb from the corner of his mouth, then rested her head against him. “I wonder if they have noticed I’m gone yet.”

  “Not yet.” He took another bite, finishing off his breakfast. “You should finish yours.” Phelan pointed at her sandwich. “We’ll need to get moving soon.”

  “Are you in a hurry?”

  “I would like to get you as far from here as possible because – ah.” He turned to look at the city. “There. They definitely know now.”

  Taja looked at the city. Nothing appeared to have changed. “How do you know?”

  He closed his mouth and pointed to his ear, then he winked at her.

  She stood up and brushed off her clothing, a light skirt and comfortable cotton shirt. “You can hear?”

  He winked at her again. “Come on. We’ve got places to be.”

  “Where are we going?” she asked before taking a bite of her sandwich.

  Phelan took her empty hand and looked at the sky. “I have some business in Accident.”

  “Accident? Isn’t that a little town near the Scythian border?” She sounded surprised.