Free Throne of Oak (Maggie's Grove) by Dana Marie Bell

Mina, but it couldn’t figure out what, or who. And until Yew was returned safely, she refused to commune with her tree—joining with it in the most intimate way a dryad could, becoming one with it. If she did, it would immediately know who, or what, was giving his sotiei such a hard time.
    It was also the best way for a dryad to rest, to recover from wounds both physical and psychic, and to strengthen their bond with their tree. To kill the tree was to kill the dryad, and vice versa.
    Dragos might have to move his office to the Throne just so he could protect them both.
    The great oak laughed in the back of his mind, but Dragos could hear the budding affection. It was amused by his thought, but found it unnecessary. Mina was normally capable of taking care of herself, but recently she’d been agitated, and afraid. It didn’t know how to help her.
    It believed Dragos could.
    “What have you done?”
    Dragos turned his attention to Mina. The sight of her standing there, still fearful, the light of hope slowly dawning in her eyes, nearly brought his beast to the surface. “Started the process of claiming you, my Mina.” He took his hand from her tree and began stalking toward her, slowly so as not to send her running. He wouldn’t take her from her safe place. Not yet.
    She needed to be in the Throne, and he would make sure she stayed until she was ready to leave. That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to start claiming his sotiei , and the first step was drinking her blood.
    Once he did that, she would be his.
    “There’s nothing to be afraid of.” He held out his hand. “Your oak accepted me, and I’m not going to force you from the Throne.”
    “You won’t?” She gazed at him skeptically.
    “No. Not until you’re ready.”
    “You give me your word?” The suspicion in her voice stung.
    He bowed. “On my soul, I will not force you from here unless the emergency is so dire your life, or the life of your tree, is in danger.”
    She studied him for a moment before she relaxed. “I accept that.”
    “Good.” He pounced, faster than she could react, and struck, sinking his fangs deep into her neck, starting the first half of the bonding process. She tasted sweet—a forgotten flavor, like elderberry wine on a cool, distant evening.
    With the first taste of her blood he was addicted. No other would ever satisfy him again.
    * * *
    Dragos pounced on her faster than she could blink, his fangs piercing her neck. White-hot pain shrieked through her, followed quickly by a mind-searing pleasure so intense she never wanted it to end. Long pulls at her neck pulsed through her, like hands intimately caressing every part of her body. She screamed, the orgasm ripping through her going on and on as he continued to feed from her.
    Something snapped into place inside her, the first hint that Dragos was in more than her veins.
    She wanted more.
    She wanted him inside of her.
    Mina began tearing at his clothes, desperate to touch skin, to smell his scent, to taste his cock. She needed him like she needed her tree, with a desperate longing she’d never experienced before.
    Dragos grabbed her, took her mouth like he’d taken her, so quickly she didn’t even protest. He swept inside her mouth with strong thrusts of his tongue. His claws ripped her clothing from her, the simple T-shirt and jeans melting away before the onslaught, her bra and panties quickly following, a shredded pile of cloth on the forest floor.
    Dragos lay her down in the middle of the Throne as he continued to kiss her. When her back hit the soft earth he finally released her mouth, only to latch onto her breast.
    Mina arched her back, forcing more of herself against his lapping tongue. Goddess, the sensation was so intense . Was making love with a vampire always like this? If so, she should have tried it sooner.
    Dragos growled above her, his eyes burning red. “No thinking of other men.” His teeth nipped at her breast, drawing a tiny drop of blood. He