STORY EXCERPT

“Your plan was efficient.” Dare Surkov, king of the gargoyles, was seated beside Axel Olssen in the back of the gargoyle’s Audi SUV. “The timing was excellent and it was unexpected, especially that you were aiding your kind to escape.”

“You’re praising my escape plan?” Axel turned fully in the seat to face his mate, confused. Why would the king praise Axel for causing trouble at the Alliance building? He thought Dare would be furious.

Dare nodded, moving closer to Axel, who turned sideways so they were facing and placed a bent knee on the bench seat. Dare smiled slightly and dropped a hand onto Axel’s knee. He wondered if Dare knew the effect he was having. Every time his mate touched him, Axel experienced a rush of powerful need, regardless if Dare was just taking hold of Axel to move him along, or like now when he was touching because they were mates.

It was the damn mate connection. He was fine when he hadn’t been in actual proximity to his soul mate but as he was able to scent Dare and with every touch, every conversation, he was finding it harder to resist. Axel knew exactly what this meant, yet was stunned with how incredibly quickly the mate connection began taking hold of him and weaving into his entire being. He’d hesitated because he was already beginning to accept Dareios as his mate.

His long, strong fingers stroked Axel’s knee. “Taking away the rights of individuals has not been an easy decision to make. Each group, whether human or paranormal, have their own ways. I respect this and I do not always agree with others choices. I do not agree with dragon kind way, but I have respected it.” His large hand moved an inch up Axel’s leg. “Until Renegades concentrated their strategies on capturing your kind. Dragon shifters until recently did not work together. There was no coordination and a lack of empathy for whoever was unfortunate enough to be caught by Renegades and Hunters and subjected to the horrors these groups inflict. The High Council and Alliance have strategists who performed risk assessments and other tests to establish the loss of lives and the growth of Renegade and Hunter power. It was too substantial to ignore.”

A shiver went through Axel. Dare was right, it was horrific and he’d been closed off from the truth, not wishing to face what was truly happening. He had been closed minded, naive and reluctant to change traditional ways that were embedded deep into his very being.

“Holding captive an entire paranormal species does not feel right,” he argued.

Axel spent a lot of time the last year studying everything he could find on Dareios Surkov and he was surprised by how reasonable, and ready to discuss and not just issue orders, the man was. He also liked to fight, argue and enjoyed challenges, Axel had seen first-hand. While not having been willing to easily capitulate, his knowledge had expanded, the connection had systematically sunk through his defenses, and Axel saw and acknowledged what he must face, what all his kind must face.

“Ano, ano, it is…a means to an end. When dragon kind is out of reach, there will be less attacks and loss of lives. Your plan was very good.” Dare’s hand was now high on Axel’s thigh. “I did not suspect your skills. I was suspicious and expected resistance and possibly trying to get away from me. You kept everything you planned quiet and waited for the right opportunity. A good strategy.”

“I failed,” Axel murmured, his eyes glued to Dare’s hand so very close to his groin now.

“No and yes. There were successes to your plan, and failures. You achieved what you set out to, mostly, and did it very well.” Dare’s thumb caressed very close to Axel’s groin. “This is not encouragement for you to try again. Your kind will be protected and the hope is to provide them with a future—”

“By locking us up.” Axel scowled. The hand on his thigh was causing a multitude of feelings. His entire body tingled with awareness and desire.

“By protecting.” Dare’s blue and black gaze held Axel’s. “It will be up to each dragon shifter how they use this protection. It is encouraged they integrate. If they do not wish to, so be it, all the leaders and Councils understand the different ways of paranormals and humans. The High Council is putting forward a plan which we hope your kind accept. But dragons need to learn that their actions have placed many people in danger, and continue to do so. They need to make the necessary changes to ensure their ways do not take the rights of others. My mate...” Dare squeezed Axel’s leg. “I accept you. I won’t give you up and will use every mateship law to secure our bond.”

What Dare was saying gave Axel a lot to think about. He knew the man was his mate and there were expectations. Not for a minute did Dare doubt they would claim and bond. Axel’s mind was processing through everything he had learned, his experiences with the Surkovs and Alliance, and the truth of the dragon shifters. There was also the important bond between him and his soul mate that was unable to be dismissed now. For Axel, the possibility of him leaving was an unrealistic one.

Turning away, he went back to staring out the window with a lot on his mind. Dragons were like djinn, and similar to seers and humans. They could ignore a mate, they had no obvious reaction to one, but once they accepted their soul mate this was their claiming and bonding. Axel was aware of Dare physically and the man’s scent was playing havoc with his body. It was more than his body experiencing physical awareness and desire that would grow out of control, Dare had engaged Axel’s mind. Now he was hooked.

ADULT EXCERPT

Neither said a word as they removed their clothes. Dare did a lot of looking. His mate was gorgeous. From his slim athletic physique, the way he moved, and how he sassily flicked his pale blond hair made Dare hard and needy, but when Axel’s blue-grey eyes hungrily moved over him, he found it difficult not to toss his mate on the bed.

Axel’s smile was knowing as he slipped onto the bed. Dare instantly followed, not allowing his mate to prop up against the navy-colored silk headboard. He covered Axel’s body with his own and took his mate’s lips, his fierce need to claim and bond, to know his Axel intimately, no longer held in check.

One of his dragon’s legs wrapped across Dare’s back, locking them together as he kissed Dare with the same intense passion. He loved the feel of Axel beneath him, naked and wanting. There was no pretense with his dragon, nothing faked. What the man felt he expressed openly, slyly, with sass or attitude.

Now Axel stroked Dare’s tongue with his own as the fingers on one hand trailed across his shoulders, causing his balls to tighten. With a growl, he broke the kiss and rolled to the side.

“Don’t move,” Dare ordered, snatching the lube from his right bedside drawer.

Axel of course moved. Dare hissed in annoyance and would have wrestled the dragon to where he wanted him, which was on his back beneath Dare, but his mate had a mind of his own and did whatever the hell he wanted. And what he did put an end to any further objection from Dare.

His mate pressed kisses along his neck as Axel’s hands explored, caressing the contours of Dare’s back to the top of his ass then stroking up, his lips moving from Dare’s neck to his shoulders.

Turning his head to the side, he was rewarded with sensual kisses. Axel moved his hands to Dare’s front, roving and exploring his stomach, the grooves of his seven pack, the man’s touch adding to Dare’s already fierce passion. But he didn’t want his mate to stop. He was unaccustomed to having his partner being in charge of their pleasure. As a powerful leader who took charge and dominated, it was pure enjoyment how his mate caressed, explored, and gave to Dare.

Each stroke of Axel’s hands caused his stomach muscles to clench, his cock to twitch and sensations flooded his body. By the time his nipples were played with, his entire body throbbed and cock was jerking and leaking.

Their lips separated, both drawing in a lungful of air. A warm, strong hand wrapped around his cock. Axel’s smile was sly and his cheeks were flushed. He knew the effect he had on Dare and revelled in it.

And why would he not. Dare leant back into his mate and turned his head, enjoying what his mate did to him and trailed his lips along Axel’s jaw, loving his man’s scent and being this close and intimate. And free, giving himself and control.

Axel’s rhythm was slow and thorough as he moved his hand from root to tip. Dare moved in sync with each stroke and wrapped one arm around his mate’s shoulders, urging his dragon to meet his kiss. Axel complied, but it was brief, Dare grunting a protest as his dragon pulled away.

His mate had found the discarded lubricant on the bed. He flicked the lid and drizzled a generous amount onto Dare’s cock, tossing the bottle aside after. Dare lifted his hips with each stroke, Axel’s hand no longer moving slowly. Their lips met once more. His body was on fire with needs. Axel’s touch, the way he worked Dare’s cock, his mouth on his and his other hand roaming and caressing, were sending him wild.

Soon, though, Dare stilled Axel’s hand. He was close to coming and as glorious as it was to have Axel’s hands on him, Dare wanted his turn. He slipped from his mate’s arms and turned on the bed so they were facing. It was time for his hands to be all over his gorgeous mate.

There wasn’t a murmur of protest from Axel. Dare needed to fill his mate soon and claim him. The urges rode him hard, but he pushed them aside for the pleasure of touching and his mate’s enjoyment. Directing his shifter backward on the bed and to lie down, Dare positioned himself between Axel’s legs as he leant over and nipped a spot high on the man’s neck.

The dragon’s groan was satisfying. He could barely wait to sink his fangs into Axel’s sensitive throat and claim. But he did wait, running his hands over smooth skin, noting the occasional glimmer of light, a tiny flash.

Kissing his mate’s throat, finding all the spots that elicited moans and caused Axel to wiggle, Dare swirled his tongue over the exact spot he planned to leave his mark. It would not be easily hidden away, except by a scarf or a high turtleneck. Axel was his, they were mates. A claiming mark ensured people were aware. It would keep away the flirts, and protect Axel.

Dare’s mouth followed where his hands touched, kissing over his mate’s chest, lingering to suck and nip his mate’s pale nipples, Axel squirming beneath him. His mate’s hands slipped into Dare’s hair and released it from the braid and tie, the long black and blue strands freed.

Dare kissed his way down his mate’s body, loving the moans and how Axel lightly tugged Dare’s hair, his fingers weaving through the thick strands. He stroked his dragon’s hips and thighs, cupping and caressing hairless balls, rolling them in his palms and kissing over his mate’s flat stomach. Finally, he brushed his lips over the tip of his mate’s engorged cock. Axel groaned and pushed his groin up, demanding more as he tugged Dare’s hair.