The Dragon's Bidder (Tahoe Dragon Mates Book 3) Read online

  Blood rushed south, and it took everything he had to keep his dick in line. He murmured back into her ear, "Then I hope you flirt with each and every one of them."

  Laughing, Ashley shook her head. "My, my, how your tune has changed."

  Before he could tease her back, they reached the first family in the line. Wes managed to pack away his urge to tease, flirt, and fuck his mate so he could perform his official duties.

  Because the faster he did them, the sooner he would finally be able to kiss Ashley on the mouth and claim her with his cock.

  And that couldn't come fast enough.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Ashley lost track of time as she smiled, chatted, and tried being friendly with as many of her new clan members as she could. Not everyone was open and welcoming, but none were outright hostile, either.

  And considering she'd been the representative of an agency that restricted so many aspects of their lives, she couldn't blame them.

  The interactions only strengthened her resolve to make even greater changes in not only ADDA-dragon relations but to lobby for more freedoms, too. After all, from everything she'd read, it seemed to be working in the UK. Maybe it was finally the US's time to shine.

  However, as she said her goodbyes to the final family in the greeting line, Cris's voice boomed over the loudspeaker, ending any further thoughts on reform. "Okay, I think it's more than time for Wes and his new mate to leave and have their own kind of celebration. If you missed your chance to give a welcome greeting, you can do it later, after they've finished with the frenzy."

  Even though the dragon-shifters around her merely smiled and gave knowing looks, Ashley's cheeks burned.

  She wasn't exactly used to everyone knowing she was about to have sex many times over.

  Wes's comforting whisper filled her ear. "One more thing ADDA doesn't teach you about my kind—dragons aren't embarrassed by sex. So get used to it, because once the frenzy is over, everyone will tease you."

  "Great," she muttered.

  He chuckled and hugged her closer to his side. "It's not like we have live video feeds or anything." He lowered his voice for her ears only. "What happens in the bedroom is only between us. And trust me, I have a lot of things to show you there that could make you blush. So get some of your blushing out of the way now."

  She lightly hit his chest and willed her face not to turn any redder. "Can we leave yet?"

  Wes gave one more wave to the room and then scooped Ashley into his arms. He projected his voice. "Cris and Troy are in charge until I emerge again. Try not to wreak havoc while I'm busy enjoying my new mate."

  And even if she couldn't see them, she could feel her cheeks burn hotter. She hoped the dragon-shifters weren't so comfortable that they traded sex stories in clan gatherings, for all to hear. Because if so, Ashley was going to have to get over some of her embarrassment as soon as possible.

  Maybe she could even rope Wes into it, making it a sort of game.

  Wes walked quickly out of the room. They were soon alone as he carried her into the night, the cool air helping to tame her burning cheeks. And as she snuggled into his chest, the remaining irritation and embarrassment faded away. Instead, she was intensely aware of his hard, hot chest at her side, as well as the uniquely masculine scent that was Wes.

  Even though she was only a little cold in the night air, her nipples tightened in anticipation of what was coming.

  After all this time, she was finally going to claim Wes and have him claim her in return. She blurted a question she'd been dying to ask but hadn't found the courage to do so until now. "Will your dragon come out at first?"

  Wes shook his head. "No, I'll be claiming you the first time. But he'll come out after that." He met her eyes in the fading light. "Are you afraid of him? I would've liked more time to let you get to know him, but it didn't really work out that way."

  His concern only made her love him more. "Don't worry, I'm not so much afraid as I am curious. After all, you hear lots of rumors and occasionally gossip from the humans mated to dragon-shifters. And it's almost entirely positive."

  Wes's pupils flashed to slits and back. "He says it should be all positive. But really, my dragon is just a little upset he couldn't show his magnificent dragon form to you before claiming you."

  She smiled up at him. "Then tell him to make this frenzy count and set some kind of record. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can do other things."

  Wes laughed. "I know you like to be efficient, but I don't think that'll work in this case." His voice dropped an octave. "Nor do I want to rush claiming my female."

  His words made her shiver and wetness rush between her thighs. Maybe having a long frenzy wouldn't be a bad thing. Sure, she'd get sore. But her heart raced at the thought of a strong, dominant dragonman claiming her over and over again.

  Wes groaned. "You're killing me, Ash. I can tell you want me, but I'm not about to claim you in the middle of the clan, where anyone could see."

  She tilted her head. "Maybe eventually we can try a remote location sometime. I've always wanted to have sex outside."

  He groaned again, and she laughed. He said, "You are going to be the death of me, human. I can just feel it."

  "If by death you mean your perfect match in every way, then yes, that's me."

  Eyes heated, Wes said firmly, "I already know you're my perfect match, and not just because fate said so." He repositioned her in his arms to hold her tighter against his chest. "Now, hold on because I'm going to run so I can show you."

  As she looped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his chest, she reveled in his breathing, his heartbeat, and even the slight breeze on her skin.

  There was a time for teasing and talking and a time for other things. This was one of the latter.

  So Ashley remained silent to let Wes run as fast as possible to their new home. Because she might just be more eager than him to ditch her clothes and ride him like there was no tomorrow.

  Wes tried to restrain himself as he ran to his house, but the pounding need of both man and dragon to claim their mate ran strong.

  He was starting to understand why most new mates raced from their ceremony minutes after finishing instead of lingering around. It was almost as if making a clan leader wait several hours was a new test of its own. One that was almost as trying as when he'd gone through his leadership competition.

  His dragon spoke up. That part is over, so stop thinking about it. Just make sure not to waste time once we're inside our house. You have the rest of our lives to talk with our mate. The frenzy is more important.

  For once, Wes didn't argue with his beast.

  He finally reached his house, managed to open the door—he'd left it unlocked on purpose—and went inside, shutting the door with his foot in the process.

  Since he wanted to claim his mate in their bedroom, he ran the short distance and then gently laid Ashley on his—no, their—bed.

  As she leaned on her elbows and stared up at him with her dark blue eyes, his already hard cock turned to granite. He growled, "Either take off that dress or I'm ripping it off."

  Not waiting for an answer since he knew Ashley was as aroused as him, Wes concentrated on shucking his own clothes. Once the tattered remains lay on the floor, he moved even closer to the bed.

  Satisfaction coursed through him as Ashley pushed the dress down her legs and tossed it to the floor. She laid back, her arms over her head as she met his gaze again and stated, "I'm waiting."

  No hesitation, no fear, nothing negative. His mate was willing to accept all of him.

  He slowly crawled above her on his hands and knees until his face was right over hers. Then he lay on her, sucking in a breath as her warm skin met his.

  Ignoring his dragon's roars to fuck her already, he cupped her cheek and moved until his lips were an inch away from hers. "This is the only time I'm going to take it slow, Ash. A dragon in a frenzy is demanding, insatiable, and driven by the need to fuck you until you'r
e pregnant. Are you ready?"

  She lifted her hips, pressing against his cock, and he groaned. Her voice was husky as she said, "I've been ready for years. Kiss me, Wes. And show me what you got."

  Maybe he should take his time, lingering and savoring their first kiss. But between his dragon's need, the feel of his mate's skin against his, and the scent of her arousal, he came down hard on her lips, pushing his tongue into her mouth, and claiming her in rough strokes.

  The need to fuck her coursed through his body, his dragon all but throwing a tantrum as he said, Hurry, hurry. You get the first time only because you promised not to hesitate. So start, or I'll claim it.

  Since there was no way in hell he was going to let that happen, Wes continued to kiss her as he raised his lower body a little. Taking his cock in one hand, he ran it through Ashley's folds. He broke the kiss as he groaned. "You're so fucking wet already."

  She managed to spread her legs wider. "Then don't keep me waiting."

  With a shout, he pushed his cock into her pussy slowly. "You're so tight. I just want to thrust, but I don't want to hurt you."

  "You'll never hurt me, Wes. Don't hold back who you are. I want that man in my bed. Man and dragon, actually. I love you."

  Her words unleashed every instinct and need he'd been fighting against. Wes pushed inside her to the hilt, loving how tight and hot she was, as well as the way she gripped him as if she'd never let go.

  Ashley's nails dug into his back, and it triggered his inner beast. Wes crushed his mouth against hers again, stroking against her tongue as he moved his hips.

  The combination of her taste in his mouth and her heat around his dick nearly made him come straight away. But he held back, wanting—no, needing—for her to come before he did. It was one of the things a male should always do for his female.

  So he rolled to his back, never breaking their connection, and finally released her mouth. "Ride me."

  She blinked a second but began rocking her hips forward and back. As much as he wanted to watch her breasts bounce and tease her nipples, he had something more important to do if he wanted his mate to orgasm before him.

  Wes moved his hand to her clit and circled around it, loving how she arched into his touch. Ashley groaned and murmured, "Touch me harder, Wes."

  "Grip me like you mean it first."

  When her insides clenched around his cock, Wes groaned.

  Fuck, he could already tell that he'd never be bored of his mate in bed.

  He'd have to test her willingness to listen to orders later.

  For now, he merely clenched his abdominal muscles to hold back his orgasm as he swirled, flicked, and lightly pinched Ashley's clit. Every sound she made told him what she liked, what she craved.

  His dragon roared. Stop experimenting. Give her what she likes. I want a turn. Hurry.

  Since his dragon's control was close to shattering, he met Ashley's gaze as he pinched her tight bud, released, and repeated the process.

  She never ceased moving her hips as she murmured, "So close, Wes. Kiss me as I come."

  He managed to sit up and hold her close with one arm, never ceasing his attentions to her clit. He crushed his lips against hers, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, claiming it as hard as she was riding him.

  She screamed into his mouth as she spasmed around his dick. Wes roared and let go, loving how she bucked even harder, his semen making her orgasm spiral higher.

  When she finally slumped against him, he released her mouth and stroked her hair. He murmured, "My dragon isn't going to wait much longer, love. Can you handle him?"

  "Of course. Although I may be a little boneless for a few minutes, so don't ask too much of me until my strength returns."

  His beast said, That doesn't matter. She's willing, and I want her.

  Before Wes could reply to Ashley, his dragon pushed to the forefront of his mind, taking control of his body. His beast gently picked Ashley up and tossed her on her stomach. As he lifted her hips and sought her pussy, Wes wished he could be the one claiming her again.

  But his dragon was a part of him, and when it came to mates, they'd always share.

  So he merely watched and waited until he could have her again.

  Ashley had never had another orgasm start while she was still riding the previous one.

  It seemed that tidbit about dragon-shifters and their true mates, and how a dragonman's semen triggered ecstasy, wasn't rumor or fantasy.

  However, before she could think more on it or even tease Wes about it, she was facedown on the mattress, her hips raised in the air.

  Wes's slightly deeper voiced reached her ears. She knew from when he'd let his dragon out the other day that his beast was now in charge. "You're mine. Only mine. Say it."

  Knowing the dragon half needed to hear it, she replied, "I'm yours."

  She felt his cock at her entrance, and in the next beat, he thrust in to the hilt.

  She cried out in a mixture of pleasure with a hint of pain.

  However, before she could think more about it, Wes's dragon moved their hips in time to his thrusts, and she forgot about everything but how deep he reached inside her.

  Wes's beast said, "You're mine. I need to fuck you until you carry my babe. Only then will others leave my mate alone."

  Since she knew he wouldn't be rational right now, she merely arched her back. "Then stop talking and get to it."

  He roared and thrust harder. Something hard brushed her clit, and she moved against what had to be the talon he'd extended from his nail. "Touch me, dragon. Show me how much your mate means to you."

  Since dragons didn't like to back down from a challenge, he lightly tapped the hard talon against her clit, careful to keep the sharp point from stabbing her.

  With each tap and thrust, alternating to drive her mad, she gripped the sheets harder.

  She was going to like being a dragon-shifter's mate.

  He finally roared, and an orgasm rushed through her, pleasure making her all but blind for a second, heightened by the fact Wes's beast still thrust into her and teased her clit.

  When she finally came down, an arm went around her waist, and she felt a light kiss to her shoulder. Wes's normal voice filled her ear. "Are you all right, love?"

  She turned her head so she could see his face and smiled. "More than all right."

  He searched her gaze, concern in his eyes. "You're not afraid or mad at my dragon, are you?"

  She laughed. "Far from it." She raised a hand to his cheek. "I meant it before—I love all of you, Wes Dalton. So if your dragon was holding back, he doesn't have to next time."

  His pupils flashed before replying, "You may regret that later. But at least it placated him a little, meaning you can have a short rest before we go again."

  She turned so she could sit on the mattress and be almost eye-level with Wes. She kissed him gently. "Just a short one. Maybe hold me and kiss me a few times? As much as I like it rough sometimes, slow and easy can be good, too."

  He lay down on his side, and she faced him. Wes traced her jaw, her shoulder, and down her side until he rested a hand on her hip. "I can't guarantee that I'll always be able to control my dragon, but I'll remember it for when I'm in charge." The corner of his mouth ticked up. "Although not every time. The human male part also likes it rough sometimes."

  She gave a devilish smile. "Good."

  He blinked in surprise. Needing to feel his skin against hers, she snuggled closer. "Stop worrying about me. Seriously. I can handle it all. Well, provided you feed me every once in a while. Is there some sort of dragon frenzy delivery service?"

  He chuckled, and she felt his muscles relax. "There is, actually. Because as much as I can give you short rests for food, the bathroom, and sometimes even a shower, there's no way my dragon will let you take time out to cook. He'll see it as a waste of time."

  She kissed his lips briefly. "Hey, if I don't have to cook, I'm a happy person."

  As they smiled at each other, Ashley
could hardly believe it was real. She'd beaten the odds to find her happy ending with a dragon-shifter. And not just any dragon-shifter, but the sexiest, most perfect match for her.

  So when he took her again, repeatedly, over the ensuing days, Ashley didn't notice her exhaustion or any other negative thing. No, all she knew was that she was spending time with the man she loved, and it was perfect.

  Epilogue

  Years later

  Wes stood with his young son, Ben, in his arms, smiling as he watched Ashley splashing in the cold water of Lake Tahoe with some of the other females.

  Even though he'd tried to warn that the water was too cold for her since she was finally pregnant with their second child, she'd merely raised her brows and given her best "watch me" look before diving in.

  Although, in retrospect, it wasn't all bad watching his dripping-wet female splash around in the water.

  His dragon snorted. And you say I'm bad.

  One of the other clan leaders, David Lee from StoneRiver, walked up to him and chuckled. "Our mates aren't going to put up with all of our protective bullshit. If you don't know that after how many years of being mated, then no one can help you."

  He glanced over at the slightly older male. "Says the male who declared he'd never have a mate because they were a weakness."

  David rolled his eyes. "How many times are you going to bring that up?"

  Wes grinned as he readjusted his sleeping son against his shoulder. "As many times as I can. After all, you wouldn't have your mate if not for us."

  The other leader muttered, "Maybe, maybe not."

  He raised his brows. "The only reason Tiffany ever came to live near all of us is because her brother mated one of my clan members. You're always going to owe me for that, David."

  Ashley screeched, and he watched from the corner of his eyes as Tiffany and Gaby both dunked her in the water.

  Of course, Ashley laughed when she surfaced and went after Gaby for revenge.