Page 45 of The Exiled Dragon

“It’s all right.” Odessa petted my arm. “We have this really cool tree house we get to stay in. If we traveled back now, it would be dark.” I almost forgot she didn’t like the dark, even with me by her side. My forehead went to hers, agreeing that we would stay.

“Aaaand! We will show them what an awesome, friendly Dragon you are, right?” Odessa whispered, and her eyes brightened. She stroked the side of my face tenderly like she would scratch my toughened skin.

It was then I knew I would do anything she would ask of me, even if it meant staying in unknown territory.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Creed

“Dinnerwillbebroughtup,” Lura spoke as she waved us towards the edge of the meadow-like area. The vined trees that wove intricately around themselves to create large bases and even more intricate homes up above were more impressive than I imagined. I’ve flown over these trees for many years but never dared to come close fearing the Elves wanting to wage war with my tribe because they see me as a threat. Adam wouldn’t let me live that one down.

We walked closer. Even with the translucent leaves above us, you could see the patter of rain. How they kept the grass green with no direct sunlight and had the heat of the fire escape around them was beyond my understanding. It was as if they were bees inside of a hive the way they were protected from the outside elements with the help of their trees.

Odessa grabbed my hand, pulling me to go faster. Her smile expanded, showing off her pearly white teeth as she tugged me along. “I’m glad you are all right; you need to tell me what happened.” Her smile faltered, now taking notice of dried blood still on my shoulder. My forehead went to hers. I didn’t want to bother her with such trivial things. I wanted her to be happy. The touch of our foreheads erased her unease.

Now the skip in her step had me lifting one side of my face. “Mr. Dragon!” A child's voice came from behind me, running into the base of my leg. He had a full head of red hair that needed grooming. He rubbed his rear and held up my satchel. “You forgot dis!” His smile, missing a few teeth, glanced up at me. Not once have I had a child look up at me with a smile. My face softened, making sure my appearance didn’t scare him. My knees cracked, kneeling to greet him. With wide eyes, he stared back at me.

“What’s your name, little man?” Odessa bent over, her hands on her thighs.

“Leaf,” he replied, to which Odessa giggled.

“It fits you because you are an elf and all.” She waved her hand around his face playfully.

“Yeah, the tribe named me. It isn’t a cool name like Lore. Lore is the coolest!” he squealed. Odessa squinted her eyes at Leaf, playfully pouting her mouth.

“He’s the one that shot me with a dart and threw me over his shoulder, and Creed picked him up off the ground with his Dragon,” she joked.

“Yeah, that’s why he’s so cool. He got to hold a pretty girl, got picked up by a Dragon and didn’t get eaten!” I growled playfully as Odessa blushed. Leaf squeaked, ran to a nearby vine, and climbed to the small treehouse for the children. Elves watched the scene unfold and laughed at the poor boy’s expense, not at the worry that I would hurt an Elven child.

This Lore fellow better stay away. I did not like the idea of them using a dart either on my future mate. I would get answers from Odessa about what happened to her. I’ll have to grab my writing utensils.

Lura led us to one of the intertwined cabins at the top of the trees connected to a swinging bridge we would cross. Odessa held onto my waist. Her heart scrambled in her chest while trying to walk across the bridge. “Nope, can’t do it.” Her face was buried in my chest. “Pick me up. I can’t do it. Please!” She rode my Dragon just fine. Why is she so fearful?

“She couldn’t do it earlier, either. Daine had to carry her across as well.” A deep growl went through my chest, hearing someone else touching what was mine, carrying her, and trying to console her. Rubbing my scent, temporarily marking her, would be wise. It would ward off any males that dare touch my fawn.

“He has a mate, trust me,” Lura tried to calm me. “He’s into males, so I think you would have to worry about yourself rather than Odessa. Daine’s mate used to be a bit of a player, so he makes them wait to mark each other to show he is serious about being mates.” My eyes widened in realization. Lura laughed as we continued across the bridge. Even in Odessa’s dress, she did not become shy as she wrapped her legs around my torso. I took this time to rub her back, feel the softness of her skin, even under where her dress barely hid her thighs. My Dragon vibrated in happiness. She found me such a comfort.

The heat of her arousal filled my nostrils. My heartbeat sped up, holding her impossibly closer. I rubbed my hand down her back, feeling the shiver of her skin. “Creed?” Her voice was small, but I knew that voice. It was the same one the night she let me touch her teats. Once we get to the house in the trees…

Lura cleared her throat. “You both can stay here.” She opened the decorated door adorned with flowers. It was a modest tree home. A large room with a king bed, furs spread across them. Chairs and a table that already had food spread out for the evening. “We thought with all the extra attention today, you both would like some time away from the prying eyes. Even Odessa doesn’t act like she gets out much.” Lura tried to peek at Odessa as her eyes looked up from my shoulder. Odessa shook her head.

“That’s very observant of you.” Odessa’s smile radiated to the motherly Elf, who only playfully shoved her arm. “Thank you, Lura, for everything.” Odessa’s voice was soft, more like the voice I was so used to in our cave. Odessa had not only gained a voice for herself in front of others, but also a voice for me. She defended and spoke loudly of my innocence, even if she wasn’t sure they were false. My fawn automatically assumed them to be rumors.

“No worries, and have fun. Don’t worry about your pet, either. He’s sleeping off the muscle relaxants in a cage nearby.” She winked, causing Odessa to cocked her head in confusion.

“What fun? Aren’t we going to eat?”

If she means by devouring her lips, then yes, I was going to eat. The door closed, clicking silently as I heard Lura’s footsteps retreat down the swinging bridge. Odessa’s still clung to me. The core of her body leaned right up against mine. My cloth was painfully tight, having to wrap myself securely to hide my desire for her.

My Dragon let out a purr of sexual tension. Her legs became tighter around my torso, feeling the vibrations shuddering through my body. “Creed.” Her whispered moan pulled into my ears. Pushing her against the entangled wall of hardy vines, I rubbed my member on her core. Her dress had fallen away, exposing her flower. The arousal only stirred me more, the reverberations pushing into her core. “Oh gosh.” Her fingers went to my shoulders, digging her nails into my skin, not even breaking the surface. My mouth went straight for her neck as she lulled her head to the side, my Dragon’s tongue licking the area, wanting nothing more to bite her pretty little neck.

I must wait. We must wait. I let my Dragon know. My lips descended, sucking at the base of her neck, licking and nipping at her future marking spot. One fang accidentally grazed her shoulder, tasting a drop of blood on my tongue. My head fell away, checking if she was all right. “You can do that more.” Her body squirmed, rubbing my cock across her private area. “Uh,” her voice was breathless and whiny as I sucked as I continued sucking and kissing her shoulder. This will let the Elves and any other creature know she was pre-marked by the Black Dragon himself. I would not let her go, not in my lifetime.

Odessa’s hand trailed down my chest, her fingers playing with the hem of my cloth. What was this little human going to do to me? Her finger tickled my inner hip bone, causing my member to twitch, becoming impossibly harder. I growled, feeling her warm fingers. “C-can I?” Her words stumbled, my lips retreating from her neck. It was completely covered in red and purple markings. No one would be mistaken that she was taken.

My eyes buried into her soul as her curious ones glanced below my waist. My Dragon hopes that it would be to her liking, that my body could satisfy her in ways she didn’t understand. Hell, I didn’t even understand, but I would try.

My cloth fell to the floor, her eyes no longer looking, just feeling everywhere but the place where I wanted her. One of my hands gently took hers. Her heart slowed, beating so loudly even the crickets from the trees could hear. My hand traveled lower, having her palm up, grazing a part of my body that had never been touched by any woman. Sucking in a breath, her hand gripped the middle, her thumb grazing the head. I held in my shaky breath as her thumb grazed the slick tip. My body wouldn’t hold on long. I knew that and I didn’t want to show her I was going to be a shortcoming to her. “You can,” her lips grazed my chest, kissing the skulled Dragon tattoo, “touch me too.” Her eyes looked through her thick lashes, desire pooling in her amethyst eyes.

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