Firelord: A Dark Dragon Shifter Romance Page 2

  When Duncan was finally able to get the answers to her name and how many years they’d been asleep, Seth took pity on him and left him to claiming the girl. Virgins, bah! He’d never understood the allure. No, give him a woman who knew what the hell she was doing and wanted to do it.

  “I’m for home then. And you’re a fool if you don’t pluck that cherry this night,” Seth said, inhaling deeply and loudly. “Gods, she smells sweet.”

  Shaking his head and clucking his tongue at Duncan’s foolishness, Seth called forth his dragon, picked up his things, and turned toward the opening in the cavern, galloping toward it and leaping into the air to spread his wings. He wondered if the wind had ever felt as good beneath his wings. He banked left and made a complete circle, roaring and breathing fire as he did so. If they didn’t know already, Duncan’s people should know the dragons were waking.

  He turned south toward home, wondering what might be left of Storm Fire and the people he had once ruled there. Had Duncan’s true heart—he scoffed at that belief—been working alone or had she been sent by someone? Why send a mere girl? If your goal was the death of the dragons, why not send a warrior... or better yet, a whole slew of them?

  Seth flew all day and through the night. As the sun began to creep over the eastern horizon, he spotted it. Storm Fire... home. He’d always loved his castle. It clung to the rock, high over the seas, the uppermost turret of the keep only accessible to dragons. The lower portion, which housed the main keep, had housed his other ranking members, as well as his guards and those who served the castle itself. The bailey swept down the remainder of the cliffside onto the land where the village of Tân Draig still sat. The townsfolk were just waking and getting ready to start their day.

  He could hear his people shouting and saw them pointing. He looked to the fortress itself and did not see any weapons being brought to bear. He roared in triumphant return and spiraled down close to the town square, where cheers and well wishes greeted him, before flying back up to circle the main keep where he was greeted by the cheers of some of his men while others remained silent. Flapping his great wings, he flew up to the top of the tower and landed, grateful no one had seen him. He tumbled ass over teakettle, his roll being stopped as he hit one of the outer walls. Seth had to catch and throw himself backward in order to keep from falling off the ledge and into the sea. As he looked around, he realized that while the lower keep was in good order, the turret seemed to be crumbling. Granted it had been more than a thousand years and it was difficult to get to unless you knew the way in.

  Seth shifted and walked naked through what had once been his home. It had been stripped bare of anything valuable and the inside, if possible, was in a worse state of disrepair than the outside. His once massive and comfortable bed looked as though it had been hacked apart. He wandered through his quarters, tossing what hadn’t been destroyed or carried off into large piles that he would fire and then have the ashes hauled away. The only thing left was his great hall, where he had met with his men or the other Elemental Dragons. The great throne he had confiscated from an enemy stronghold still sat where it always had... too heavy and strong to be destroyed or moved. Moving aside a hidden door within the large fireplace, he stepped within and smiled... at least no one had known about his private store of arms and spirits.

  After locking the only entrance that could be used by mortals, Seth returned to the great hall to sit and wait. Surely the mortal who now resided in the keep knew that his liege lord had returned and would he not come to attend him? Seth meant to inquire as to how they had left his home in such a terrible state. After a sufficient length of time, he decided no one was coming. While upsetting, it was more annoying than anything. It would seem that those who served him needed a reminder of who ruled these lands.

  Seth went back up to the balcony outside his bedchamber, which had also served as one of three main landing areas. He grabbed his breeches and his sword before calling forth his dragon and took once more to the skies. He dove down the cliff face, flying past and ignoring the bailey and flew over the village square where many of his people had gathered.

  Hovering perpendicular to the ground, he roared, “I am Seth, Lord of Fire and your liege lord.”

  They cheered, mollifying him somewhat. “I would speak to your leader.”

  “Commander Arnall rules here.”

  Seth breathed fire in an arc over his head, ensuring that it did not torch the thatch roofs of any of the homes or buildings nearby.

  “Make no mistake,” he growled, “I rule here. Who is the ealdorman?”

  An elderly man, whose age was not reflected in the set of his shoulders or almost regal bearing, stepped forward.

  “I am Gruffydd, milord. And I, for one, am happy to see you have returned. There have been rumors about the dragonlords waking. I am glad to see they are true. Tell me what you need, and I shall see it done.”

  “Women,” said Seth. “I need women. I have been far too long without one.”

  There was some frightened whispering and even quieter grumbling amongst the townsfolk.

  “It has been a long time, milord. We are not prepared to choose a virgin to see to your needs. If you will give us a few days... or even hours...” Gruffydd stopped as Seth’s laughter cut him off.

  “Virgins? What the hell do I want with a couple of girls who don’t know what they’re doing? Please tell me there are still pleasure girls to be had,” chuckled Seth.

  There was a startled silence, followed by a visible relaxation as the town folk realized he wasn’t looking to violate their daughters. He needed, at some point, to address that particular, persistent belief. That, however, could wait. His getting laid couldn’t.

  Two lovely women—a dark-haired beauty with a voluptuous figure and a leaner blonde—stepped forward.

  “We may be what you’re looking for, milord,” said the blonde. “I’m Elin and this is Gwen.” She nodded up toward the main keep. “Them up there may not have been looking forward to the day you would return, but those of us who followed after Alys have carried on in her tradition.”

  Had Seth been in human form, they would have seen a wicked grin. Alys had always served him well—in his bed and outside of it. Not only had she seen to his carnal needs, she had been one of the best sources of information he had and been a true friend. Elin’s cunning look told him that not only would he be able to enjoy her and Gwen’s bodies, but their minds as well.

  “Ready yourselves,” he said. “I’ll be back shortly to take you up to the tower. Gruffydd, see that I have several comfortable pallets for sleeping and other provisions so that I can prepare a place for my women.”

  Gruffydd nodded. “Aye, milord. We’ll begin assembling everything to make you and the ladies comfortable.”

  “Good. Spread the word to those who wish to celebrate my return that I will bring casks of ale and wine from my hidden cellars. Tell our people their dragonlord has returned and we will gather on the beaches and celebrate when I have settled a few things.”

  Another rousing cheer went up. Seth was pleased when the makings of a large, comfortable bed in which he could enjoy Elin and Gwen appeared with enough left over that they would have a comfortable place to sit and kneel in the great hall. Second to enjoying a woman’s sexual favor, Seth had always been fond of having a naked one, or two, kneel or sit at his feet while he talked with his men and made plans. In addition, his people seemed to be giving freely of their food supplies. He had no intention of taking it all and would replace that which he did.

  Picking up the bedding, he flew back to the tower and made ready for the next few days, including laying in provisions. When he returned to the town at midday, Elin and Gwen awaited eager and ready to service him. He delicately plucked each woman up from the large open area in the center of town and took them to the bailey of his tower, instructing them how to get to the great hall. He could have landed alongside them but knew that seeing him naked and with his enormous cock jutting out from his body ready to be used on them might be a bit intimidating. There was that, and the fact that his landings could still use some work. He flew to the balcony outside his bedchamber, pulled on his breeches and boots, and then made his way to the great hall.

  He smiled. It would seem that Alys had schooled her women and left instructions for their descendants as well. Both women were naked and sitting on the floor pillows on either side of his great chair. The throbbing in his breeches increased as his unruly staff recognized it was about to be treated to the attention and skill of two buxom women.

  “Ah, ladies,” he purred in a gravelly voice, “you do your ancestress credit.”

  “We will see to your need, milord,” said Gwen.

  Seth sniffed the air in order to see which of the two was more aroused and would take less time to prepare to be mounted. Alys’ descriptions of how best to please him must have been very detailed and explicit. Both women were ripe.

  “Aye, Gwen, that you will. It would seem my dear friend Alys made sure that those of you who followed were well prepared to deal with your dragonlord. On your knees and present yourself to me.”

  Gwen turned around and flashed a wicked smile to Elin, who almost managed to conceal her look of disappointment.

  “Do not fret, Elin. Gwen may be first, but you will be the longer,” he said seductively as he stroked her hair before kneeling behind Gwen.

  She was prepared, completed denuded of hair and legs spread as she kneeled with her forehead on the ground and arms stretched out before her. The complete picture of supplication and submission to his needs. Her swollen labia did little to conceal the silky essence glistening at the mouth of her sex. He knelt behind her and opened his breeches. His engorged cock stood straight and tall.

  Seth reac
hed out and was about to finger her sex when she moaned as if he had touched her. He swatted her bottom, once on each cheek before swatting her pussy. She yelped but was well enough trained to stay in position.

  “If nothing else, I will have your honest response. My ego is not so fragile that I need false encouragement.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m so used to the town men that I reacted as I would with them. The Lady Alys’ instructions said you had no use for lies or feigned flattery... forgive me.”

  Seth grinned and stroked the lips of her sex, savoring the gloriously wet feel of them... so much better than his hand. He directed his cock to her entrance and surged forward, filling her completely and the dragon’s tongue strafing her interior walls. This time, her response was honest as she cried out in unexpected orgasm.

  “And did the Lady Alys leave notes that I always ensure my partner’s needs are well seen to?”

  Elin giggled. “She did, my lord, as well as the fact that your women were not allowed to touch themselves unless instructed to do so for your entertainment.”

  Seth grasped Gwen’s hips and began to thrust in and out of her, but not quickly. As primed as he was, he did not want it to go too fast. She was wet and surprisingly tight. She squirmed and he stroked her affectionately.

  “Give it a moment, your cunt will adjust to accommodate me.”

  As she relaxed, he began to move, slowly dragging his cock back out until only the pointed tip remained inside her before fucking his way back in as deep as he could go. He took it as slowly and gently as he could until he felt her catch his rhythm as she came a second time. He ground down on her and began to fuck her hard. She came repeatedly, screaming her pleasure as he gave her a final, almost violent thrust and held himself against her as he came with a heavy groan.

  He pulled his still relatively rigid cock out and patted Gwen’s rump before rolling up onto his feet and sitting down on his throne. Elin’s eyes were wide as he crooked his finger at her.

  “Come, girl, and lick your friend’s honey from my cock as you make me ready again.”

  “With pleasure, my lord,” Elin said, crawling on the floor to him before working her way up his calf to his cock. She looked over at Gwen who was spent and incredibly satisfied but had the dragonlord’s cum dripping out of her well-fucked cunt. She looked up to see his eyes, burning with desire, watching her. “And will you fill me as well?”

  “Aye, if you serve me as well as Gwen.”

  She rose up on her knees and prepared to take his great staff in her mouth. He leaned back, ready to enjoy the attention of her mouth. He detected the scent of sea lavender and wood sage, wildflowers indigenous to the coast of Wales, immediately before there was a disturbance in the air. He covered Elin with his body and rolled her away from where he had been seated, quickly maneuvering both her and Gwen behind the protection of the large chair.

  The sounds of retreating footsteps rang out on the stone floor as he rose, saw the arrow lodged in the back of the seat where he had been reclining moments before.

  Chapter Two

  Seth came out from behind the throne and walked around to the front, looking at the arrowhead. Bloody hell. The damn thing had been forged in dragon fire. After ensuring it was safe, Seth took the women back to the bailey, shifted and lifted the women in his powerful claws and removed them to the town, roaring to alert the villagers that he had need of them.

  He set them down gently and looked to Gruffydd. “Look after them. They have served me well.”

  “My lord?” he asked, surprised.

  “Someone just took a shot at me.”

  “Surely you were in no danger.”

  “Even had I not been, I would never risk a woman. But the arrowhead was forged in dragon fire. There is only one way my would-be assassin could have escaped from the tower. I plan to be waiting for him.”

  Seth rose above the rooftops and turned back toward the sea cliff. He flew high above his castle, roaring in rage to let the cutthroat know that he still lived. He soared through the clouds, breathing fire so that all within his territory would know their dragonlord had returned and was in a foul temper. Where were the men who were stationed in the keep? Why had they not come at least to the buttresses to aid him? Did they all cower in their beds?

  He glanced at the opening in the rockface, coming in for a closer look to see if whoever had tried to kill him had exited, or was he trapped knowing he would face Seth’s wrath? He banked away from the cliff, soaring high into the sky, dipping behind the clouds and then flying back toward the land, barely skimming the waves before rising up to clear a rock outcropping.

  The now familiar scent of wood sage and sea lavender reached his nostrils, just as a burning pain pierced his body close to where his wing joined his torso. Caught unaware, he spiraled toward the earth out of control. His last thought was that this would be an even less graceful landing than his first. Well, maybe his second to the last thought. His absolute last thought being it was a shame he’d only gotten to enjoy Gwen once and Elin not at all.

  * * *

  How had she missed? Caitlyn couldn’t remember the last time she’d missed a shot, especially an easy one. He hadn’t been that far away, he wasn’t moving—leaning back with his eyes closed—and he was a big target. She had made no sound. Nothing could have alerted him and yet, seconds before the arrowhead would have pierced his chest and allowed her to move in for the kill, he dove to the ground, protecting the girl who had been about to service him by placing his body between Caitlyn and the two pleasure girls. He’d opted to protect them instead of trying to save his own miserable, scaly hide.

  She ran from her hiding place in the shadows, shuddering at what she had seen. She had watched as the dragonlord mounted and fucked the dark-haired girl. Granted neither girl had been shackled in any way nor had they appeared to be frightened. On the contrary, both had seemed willing enough and in fact the one he had mounted seemed to have enjoyed the experience. She’d even made a sound of regret when the dragonlord had uncoupled from her, his seed still dripping from the head of his cock and stringing ropes of the stuff from her cunt as it leaked out.

  As a child she had discovered the hidden stairway to the great tower above the keep. It was the one place she knew she could keep herself and her sisters safe when their mother’s widower became enraged. She had explored the labyrinth of tunnels and long-forgotten passageways extensively as a child. She had slipped into the passageway, having lowered herself down the face of the sea cliff to its entrance, entering unseen.

  Missing the shot had been unexpected. She had planned to simply kill the dragonlord and then with his heart in her hand, confront the commander who had bred her sister into an early grave and the ealdorman of the village, declaring herself to be lord of the realm per ancient legend and law. The commander was almost universally disliked with only a small contingent of his men still loyal to him. The man who now stood as captain of the guard had been one of those who had honed her skills with both sword and bow. They had remained in touch over the years as he had risen in rank and had sworn fealty to her.

  Caitlyn ran down the stairs determined to get away so she could lie in wait and try again. She needed to avoid both the dragonlord and the commander who now ruled over her people. She would see that her lands were ruled justly and with compassion. She barreled down the winding staircase until at last she exited close enough to the beach that the jump down could be managed. She hit the sand, rolling her body over and over to lessen the impact. She had just regained her feet when Seth flew by her at amazing speed, barely skimming the tops of the waves before gaining just enough height to clear the rock outcropping where she was hidden.

  The arrogant bastard never thought to look directly below him. As he passed overhead, Caitlyn drew her bow and fired her arrow into him. He screeched in pain as the arrow struck home and he spiraled out of the sky, landing with a thud on the sand. She’d done it! She had felled the great firelord, the vaunted warrior of the Elemental Dragons. Now all she had to do was cut out his heart and she would rule at Storm Fire.