Page 19 of Dragons Of Shadow and Sea

"So we move them somewhere more comfortable--but no less secure."

Pursing her lips, she crosses her arms, tapping her fingers against her biceps in thought. "I might know of a place..."

Relief floods me. "Thank you, Mother."

"I'm not making any promises."

"I understand." The fact that she's willing to give me any time at all to come up with a better solution than beheading the foreigners is a miracle. I'm not going to question it.

Exhaling deeply, she drops her arms before extending her hands toward me. I place my palms in hers, and it's just like it was when I was a child. My mother is safety and love. I trust her with every fiber of my being.

"Don't worry, baby boy," she says, eyes shining. "I'll take care of everything."

Chapter

Five

EMBER

Iwake up on fire, my hand in my panties, my breasts straining against the fabric of my shirt. The shattered remnants of a dream swirl in my head, and all I can think about is getting pounded into this mattress. I bite my lip and groan, rubbing my pussy in earnest, trying to catch the swirling wisps of the dream before they disappear.

I was naked, caught between two firm chests, surrounded by strong arms. Kissing and being kissed, hot hands twisting my nipples while one cock drove into my pussy and another in my ass. There was another waiting for my mouth, and I wanted it. So bad.

Mashing at my clit, I imagine it. Being taken by three men at once, and it feels so close--so possible.

"Malik," I whisper, my eyes shut tight. "Jianyu, Rafe--"

But then there's another figure.

My eyes fly open, and I launch to sit up straight in bed. Just like that, the dream is gone.

I dart my gaze around wildly. It takes a second for my vision to resolve, and for a second, I can't remember where I am.

Then it all comes back to me. I'm in Malik's house, somewhere in the Water Kingdom. My other two mates have been imprisoned.

No wonder my body is on fire. I have yet to consummate my bond with Malik, and every cell inside me is crying out for him. I miss my other two mates, too--so much it hurts.

I flop back on the bed.

But when I start to bury my hand in my panties again, I'm assaulted by that image from my dream again. A fourth man.

Yeah. I'm not touching that with a ten-foot pole. I'm having enough trouble dealing with three mates. If I found out there was another one, waiting in the wings, I'd probably lose it for real.

Huffing in frustration, I throw the covers off and get up.

The spare room where Malik let me stay last night is gorgeous, of course. Even in the dim light seeping in from behind the curtains, I can appreciate the soft furnishings and lush carpet and sleek, blonde wood floors. The bed I slept in was bigger than a king, with three-million-thread-count sheets and a duvet so fluffy it felt like sleeping in a cloud. Not that that mattered--I was so exhausted, I probably would have been able to sleep on a slab of rock.

Which leaves me to wonder--how long was I out? I glance around for a clock, but no luck. I try my phone, and it tells me it's midnight in the Fire Kingdom, but it has no clue what time zone I'm actually in. I sigh and blank the screen.

That was a fun fact to figure out before I crashed last night. The Water Dragon Kingdom's isolation is absolute. No cell service, no Wi-Fi, no GPS. There's enough technology around here that they must have some kind of digital communication, but whatever it is, it's not compatible with the devices used in the rest of the world.

Regardless of what time it is, I'm wide awake. As tempting as it is to lie back down and try to finish what I started, that weird vision from my dream keeps me decidedly vertical. I head to the en suite bathroom and treat myself to an icy cold shower. It helps cool the heat in my blood--the demanding need for my mates that is practically vibrating in my veins. But only a little.

When I'm done, I wrap myself in a towel and head back out into the bedroom where I slept. I frown when I spot a note that must have been slipped under the door. I pick it up and read.

Beloved,

I hope you had a restful night's sleep. I have placed clothes just outside the door. Please join me in the kitchen when you're ready. I can't wait to see you.

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