Page 21 of Dragon Fire

She hadn’t done this with anyone but them. Would never contemplate doing it with anyone else. This was strictly for the three of them. A perfect physical union made tragic by the fact that it could never be permanent. But while she had it, she was going to enjoy it. This was one of the few times she could really let go and be herself—and allow her boundaries to be pushed in a way that helped her grow into the person she was becoming.

Without these two perfect men, she knew she would never have dared this much. She cherished every moment with them, and yet, she knew their time together was finite.

Seth seated himself fully, and then, Gowan dictated a pace that made Livia mindless once more. There was no today. No tomorrow. No beginning. No end. There was just the three of them, joined as one. Scandalously enjoying the carnal delights she would only ever share with these two men.

She reveled in their strength as they held her between them. She marveled at their skill, and finally, she gave herself up to the ecstasy, chanting their names as they pushed her to levels of pleasure she had only ever felt with them.

She was theirs. Body, soul, pleasure and heartache. It mixed in a wave of indescribable emotion that made the world spin.

When it began to slow, she found herself lying on her side, between Seth and Gowan, on the pallet the men had made out of their clothes. They were in a tangle of arms and legs, and she had no clear recollection of how she’d gone from them holding her up to them holding her on the ground, but she didn’t much care.

Her body was almost boneless in the aftermath of the brightest climax she’d felt in a long time. Not since their last trio session had she felt even close to what she’d just experienced.

She knew they couldn’t linger too much longer, but for the moment, she was going to enjoy snuggling with her lovers.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Gowan was basking in the afterglow of pleasure when Genlitha’s thoughts came to him. She was still down on the beach with the youngsters, but she’d kept lines of communication open with the Lair and the goings on in the Council session. The news wasn’t good.

He got to his feet and began to move, unable to contain his anger.

“What is it?” Livia asked sleepily, still held in Seth’s arms.

Gowan hated to ruin the moment, but the so-called men up at the Lair were responsible, and Seth and Livia deserved to know what had happened. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, turning to look at her in the slanting afternoon light.

“After due consideration, the noble leadership of our Lair has decided to do nothing to help our allies on Gryphon Isle.” Gowan was in a fine temper, his voice reverberating off the walls of the cave as he began pacing again.

Seth and Livia sat up. Their idyll was coming to an end, and they all knew it. Livia got up and walked toward the cave opening. She slid her hand across Gowan’s shoulders on her way to the water.

Seth followed her in, both of them rinsing off quickly while Gowan tried to settle his temper. The others were taking the news much better than he was. While none were happy with the decision of the Lair’s leadership, neither Livia nor Seth were letting their anger get the better of them.

Gowan realized he’d still held out some hope for the leaders. He’d hoped maybe their dragon partners could talk sense into them, but he shouldn’t have been so naïve. The dragons were as stuck in the mud as their knights. They didn’t want to force their knights’ hands into a battle that could very well end them. The dragons were only protecting the knights who had shared so very many years with them.

They were old men. Men who had lived longer than most humans due to the magic of their dragons extending their lifespans. Gowan hadn’t been with Genlitha long, but he thought he understood the bond. The dragons didn’t want to lose their knights any more than the knights wanted to die, leaving their dragons behind. Gowan really couldn’t blame the dragons, when he looked at it that way. They were protecting the ones they loved. They were trying to keep their families together just a little longer.

But the gryphons were in dire straits, and there was an alliance to uphold. Gowan knew that by the time word reached the capital and the order came back to aid Gryffid and his people, Gryphon Isle could be lost.

Livia came back and began to dress, as did Seth. Gowan went out and rinsed off quickly, then rejoined them. He’d made a decision, and he wasn’t sure if he should tell the others or not.

“What are we going to do?” Livia asked quietly as they all got back into their clothing.

“We? Nothing,” Gowan said, trying to be firm but kind. “Me? I’m going to go help them. Gen and I talked about this. If the Council made the wrong choice, we both feel we have no option but to go rogue and help the gryphons ourselves. We’re going to fly out at first light.”

“I’d like to go too,” Seth said quietly. “I can help the wounded and the fighters on land.”

“That you can, my friend,” Gowan agreed, neither encouraging nor denying Seth’s words for the moment.

If it came down to it, Genlitha could probably carry two riders the great distance to the island, but Gowan hesitated to get anyone else in trouble with the Lair’s leadership. Seth’s family lived here, and Gowan didn’t want to make trouble for them.

“Has anybody spoken to Hrardorr yet?” Livia asked, putting the finishing touches on her outfit.

She looked as fresh and beautiful as she had when she’d walked over the dunes to meet them, and Gowan was taken in again by her charm. She really was lovely. And kind. And generous.

If he wasn’t much mistaken, he was falling madly in love with her, which was a new experience for him. He’d never felt like this before for any other woman. He didn’t know how it could work long term, but he vowed to enjoy every moment he had with her and work to keep her in his life for as long as he possibly could. Hopefully—somehow—forever. Though he didn’t really see how.

“He was the decisive factor in the battle for Dragonscove,” Seth agreed. “He would be very helpful, if he was still inclined to lend a hand.”

“Still?” Gowan asked, curious.

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