Page 75 of Dragon King’s Bullied Mate

“My dragon recognized you before I did, even while under the influence of the toxins.” His thumb brushed gently across her knuckles. “I fought it at first because dragons are possessive creatures by nature, and I didn’t want you trapped by something you didn’t choose.” His jaw tightened slightly. “But it changed nothing.”

Emotion thickened painfully in Lyra’s throat.

“When I’m with you,” he admitted softly, “I don’t feel like a king or a weapon. For the first time in my life, I feel…” He paused, almost struggling with the word. “Human.”

Tears blurred Lyra’s vision instantly. Mikael lifted one hand carefully to her face as though she were something infinitely fragile.

“You are not an obligation,” he said firmly. “You are the only thing in this world I cannot bear losing.”

Something inside her finally broke open then. Years of loneliness and feeling unwanted except in temporary ways that always came with conditions attached vanished. All the years of believing love was something fragile people eventually withdrew once disappointment arrived just disappeared.

Because Mikael looked at her like home. When he kissed her, it felt nothing like hunger and everything like surrender.

Lyra curled against him while his arms wrapped around her with fierce tenderness, and for the first time in longer than she could remember, she allowed herself to believe she might truly be loved without limit or expiration.

Mikael made no movement to remove their clothes. Instead, his fingers slid down her neck and across her belly. His kisses were deep and drugging, and her body screamed for him. She tried to reach for him, but he just kissed her harder to keep her still.

His fingers trailed between her legs and slid under her panties. She was already wet with desire, and his fingers found the sensitive little nub hidden in her folds. Her legs automatically shifted to give him better access, and he slowly - so very slowly - started twirling his fingers in such a way that her body responded immediately.

She moaned and tried to buck her hips to get more pressure, but his hand flattened against her belly and held her still.

He pulled his head back and kissed her neck. “Keep moving and I won’t touch you again.”

His sexy threat made her freeze. His fingers started their passionate, albeit light, assault on her button.

“Just relax, my love. This is all for you.”

My love.

The words echoed in her head even as passion took over and orgasm approached to the point that thought was impossible. He teased and swirled until she squirmed uncontrollably. His kisses kept her dizzy and several times he had to muffle her moans of pleasure.

Just when she didn’t think she could take another moment, he increased the pressure and his fingers worked magic.

“Come for me, baby.”

The words were barely out of his mouth before his mouth crashed down on hers and their tongues danced while her body exploded. She cried out in pleasure, but he captured her sound and slowed his assault.

Afterwards, he held her close. Even though she felt guilty that the pleasure hadn’t been reciprocated, she snuggled close.

Sleep came quickly, and somewhere just this side of a dream, she thought she heard those three little words that meant everything.

Screaming shattered the quiet just before dawn. Lyra jolted awake instantly as castle bells began ringing violently somewhere below.

Mikael was already moving.

By the time Lyra reached the corridor wrapped hastily in a robe, guards were flooding through the castle halls with drawn weapons while panic spread rapidly among servants.

“What happened?” she demanded breathlessly. Beckett ran to her carrying a wooden sword.

One guard looked pale beneath his helmet. “A body was found near the eastern tower.”

Cold dread slithered instantly down her spine. Mikael appeared moments later, fully dressed despite the early hour, his expression carved from ice.

“You and Beckett stay here,” he ordered.

Lyra ignored him immediately and picked up Beckett. They followed anyway. When they arrived in the eastern corridor, the sharp coppery smell of blood rose all around them.

She managed to turn Beckett’s face into her neck before he saw the dead guard who lay crumpled beside the wall. His throat had been slashed so brutally crimson still stained the surrounding stone. Several shaken soldiers stood nearby.