Free Defiant Dragon by Kassanna Page B

hurdling along her nerve endings, making her toes curl in the sand. Warmth filled her core as he came and another orgasm piggybacked on the first. She bent back across his arm, opened her mouth, and screamed.
    In the background, dogs started barking. Jax’s eyes widened, he took her face between his palms and covered her mouth with his. A sulfuric taste coated her tongue and slipped down her throat. Her gag effectively cut off her yell.
    He lifted his head and grinned. “ Polýtimos , we are going to have to work on how you use your gift. I think there are animals in Alaska that heard your pitch.”
    “Goddess, that was nasty! What did you do?” She worked her tongue in her mouth to build up saliva and wash the taste away. She tapped down the urge to spit.
    “It’s the gasses created when I breathe fire.” He wiped his palm over his lips.
    She rubbed the scales that formed a chain around her collarbone. “We’re mated.”
    “We are. Your mark is amazing. ” He brushed the hair from her face before fingering the scales that circled her throat.
    “Now what?” Embarrassed, she didn’t know what would happen next and turned away from him.
    “We live, we love.” He chuckled. “We fuck like the world might end tomorrow.” Jax curled a hand around her shoulder and urged her to face him. “You have no reason to hide, this is a night to celebrate. Our souls are whole.” He dipped his head and pecked her nose with his lips.
    A slow smile formed. She eased from beneath him to sit up. “What about our differences?”
    He sat up next to her and leaned back on his palms. “No two creatures are the same, polýtimos . Which is why finding your mate is something to be rejoiced. Some people never find the other half of their being, and are miserable individuals because of it. First we will complete the tasks we set out to take care off. Then we will take time, alone, and you and I will fully get to know each other.” He leaned to the side, grinning. “What’s your favorite food?”
    “Huh?”
    “That’s what I mean, we need to discover the little things about each other.”
    “What about our families?” she murmured.
    “What about them? Like it or not, we’re mated and there isn’t a damn thing they can do about it. We have no one to answer to, except each other. If they aren’t happy, fuck ’em.” He snaked an around her waist and hugged her close to his side.
    “Merpeople have protocols regarding a claiming.” River wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knee.
    “I never was very good at following rules.” He snorted. “Baby, what’s done is done and I have no problem correcting any motherfucker that thinks they will come between us, and that includes family.”
    “You don’t know my clan.” Harper was going to have a manatee when he found out she was claimed by a dragon. He’d always planned on mating her with Assan. Shit was going to hit the tidal wave, and it would be nasty.
    “It wouldn’t matter if I did.” Jax fell back and dragged River with him. “Get some rest, polýtimos . It will be sunrise soon. We still have to meet with the head of the Mako’s. The quicker we handle Kirill’s business, the sooner we can get back to locating your father.”
    “Perhaps we should go to Sumatra now.”
    Jax grazed his chin on her hair. “Why? I thought you were excited to see the old woman.”
    “I was, but Hyori said something off, and now I’m wondering if we should by pass the meet altogether.” She moved to her side and laid her cheek on his chest.
    “What did she say?”
    “Gave me the name of the Dragonlord, Batak, and told me to leave tonight. She said he liked money, and if you presented enough, there wasn’t anything you couldn’t buy, but all deals went through him.” She shrugged.
    “Did Hyori tell you where we could find him?” He caressed her hip.
     “No, she only gave me his name.” She snuggled into his side His warmth no longer felt like a threat,