Breath of Love
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Ophelia Bell
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Chapter 1
Hallie woke up in the middle of the night, disconcerted. Kolâs voice reached her ears from another room in their house, yet she was certain he was still lying in bed beside her. His large, strong arms still held her close, his breath soft against her skin. When she stirred, the impression faltered, then grew more solid, warmer.
His shadow. She smiled to herself and settled again, comforted by the muted sounds of his voiceâthe one-sided tones of a phone call from the direction of his study. Comforted even more by the half-solid presence heâd left behind with her. She liked this part of him because it reminded her of the night theyâd met, when his shadow was all he could give her at first. His shadow had awakened her need for him.
While Hallie loved the hot, hard solidity of his body in all its physical forms, his shadow form was always a tantalizing presence when he used it. He could make love to her with it in a much more subtle way than with his body, and it had become his favorite method of foreplay once he learned how she loved it.
She shifted slightly back against the warm presence and it responded. An invisible hand slid softly over her naked skin, down her side, grazing delicately back up her stomach as soft as a summer breeze, the touch more deliberate when it cupped her breast. The fingertips grew more solid when it teased, the hand spanning her breasts to caress both nipples into hard peaks.
Hallie strained to hear Kolâs voice, but his words had dipped to a low murmur she couldnât make out beyond the understanding that he was still physically in the other room. She longed to touch him in return, but the shadow hadnât been entirely solid since the ritualâif she tried to grasp it, her fingers would sink through it like it wasnât even there. So she always contented herself to enjoy it instead.
She enjoyed this gift he loved to give her. Lips brushed across her neck, beneath her ear, and along her earlobe to whisper, âYou feel so good in my arms.â
âCome back to me,â she whispered. âI need you.â
âSoon.â
His erection pressed against her from behind, almost as hot and hard as the true version of it. Fingertips teased between her thighs, followed by a low murmur of appreciation when he drifted a feather-light touch along her moist folds. Her core heated and tingled even more, knowing he was standing down the hall enduring this while doing business over the phone. Or perhaps enjoying it. He was a true master at multi-tasking.
The shadowy hand cupped her breast a little harder, squeezed her nipple until she gasped. The fingertips teased deeper between her thighs. She parted her legs and turned onto her back. The dark caress of him moved down her body, hands parting her thighs wider and urging her to bend her knees. The shadow that was Kolâs breath brushed along her sensitive flesh. She sighed when the invisible tongue dipped into the wetness between her swollen lips.
Her mind went blank with the pleasure and she raised her hands above her head to grip the whorled carvings of their headboard. A pair of fingers pressed into her, as thick as if they were real, his other hand slid back up her torso to tease at her nipples again.
She would come like this if he wasnât careful, and her Nirvana would be wasted. He had to be physically with her to soak it up. Oh, God she was close.
âKol! Oh fuck!â She tried to hold it back. The rising well of energy that heâd taught her to feel spread through her, nearly overwhelming her. She would lose it if he didnât join her now.
He was there like heâd materialized out of thin air. His pale, naked heat above her, dark eyes glowing with need. His lips descended on hers, tongue sweeping between her lips as his glorious thickness penetrated her, slamming in deep and hard where his shadowâs tongue had been only a second before.
Hallieâs orgasm ripped through her, her body convulsing with the pleasure of being filled with him, stretched nearly to the point of discomfort. In spite of the nearly overwhelming possession, it was all delicious sensation. Her climax persisted, its ebb and flow rising and falling in time with the undulating thrust of his cock. Heâd opened her floodgate so wide there was no stopping until he let it close again.
He released her lips and cried her name, the word coming out on a gust of his magic breath and lingering in the air like an echo as his hot semen pulsed into her. She let it overtake her, let the energy inundate them both, just hoping that this time his seed would take root.
God, she wanted that to happen so much she ached for it daily. She dreamed nightly of being filled with his essence to the point of bursting, her belly ripe and round with the evidence of her love for him. She felt it now, her mark pulsing hotly on her skin, signaling her readiness to conceive.
She suppressed a whimper, a small sound of frustration over wanting something so much and being unable to attain it. She knew it was still a remote possibility they would conceive, Kol had told her the odds. Slim though they were, it was possible, though unlikely. It took most dragons nearly a decade of trying before they conceived their first, and dragons didnât want for opportunities to try once they found their chosen mates. It was one of the reasons they took several. Only Kol had insisted she was the only woman he ever intended to mate.
âDid I hurt you?â Kol asked, his worry causing his voice to quaver.
Hallie reached a hand to his cheek where he poised above her still. âNo. You could never hurt me. I was just wishing extra hardâI think I pulled a muscle.â
He smiled and shifted to the side, rolling her with him as he liked to do, letting her rest on her belly on top of him. He engulfed her in his embrace, burying his nose in her hair. The sheer size of him surprised her regularly, but when they were together like this, everything seemed to fit.
Hallie sighed contentedly, forcing the fervent, futile wish to the back of her mind. What they had was already beyond her wildest dreams. Though one piece was missing, they would have that in time, too. She was happy to enjoy this part as much as she could in the meantime.
âWho was on the phone?â she asked tentatively. She knew he couldnât always tell her, given his business, but he hated keeping secrets from her.
Kolâs expression darkened and he groaned. âThe Twins. Theyâve found it.â
âFound what?â She read a combination of displeasure and excitement in his features that confused her.
âThe missing fragment of the Verdanith.â
A rush of elation made Hallieâs eyes grow wide and her heartbeat speed up. She shot up, pressing her palms against his chest. âGet out! Youâre fucking kidding me. When?â
Kol chuckled and shook his head, his lips quirked in an ironic smirk. âYesterday. I guess Dimitriâs historian friend tracked down a family name.â
âWell, this is good, right? Why do you look so pissed?â
âTwo reasons, love. First, that the Twins know of its location first doesnât bode well for Rafe. Second, the family name is Rosencrans.â
âRosencrans⊠as in Erika?â
Kolâs single raised eyebrow was all the confirmation she needed.
She sat up abruptly, shifting when Kol grunted at the unexpected pressure of her backside against his spent nethers.
âNo shit,â she said. âAll this time itâs been right under our noses. Thereâs no fucking way she knew about it or sheâd have told us. You know that, right?â
His lips pressed together in a tight line. âI know you two are close. It isnât her I mistrust. Itâs him. Heâs never been a team player. I mean, the crazy Red got himself chained to a bed for five hundred years in a fit of pique over having to hibernate in the first place.â
Hallie rolled her eyes at him. âIâve heard the stories of the orgies Geva was responsible for. Not the best way to earn the respect of your elders, but you have to realize he wants the same thing you do. Why would he jeopardize that?â
âHe may not do it intentionally, but heâs developed a reputation for being a reckless fool who doesnât respect our hierarchy. I already talked to Erika. She says theyâre on their way to her estate in Massachusetts to finally locate the missing fragment. She swears she never knew about it.â
Hallie felt a pang of sympathy for her friend. They had become close during the course of their expedition to find the Dragon Temple. Hallie knew enough about the young archaeologist to imagine how she must feel right now. Confused and betrayed most likely, and by her own father, if heâd been the one to keep this from her for her entire life.
âIâd give them the benefit of the doubt,â Hallie said. âIâm just happy this is almost over.â Her realization of what this meant hit her and her mirth bubbled over. She laughed out loud. âBaby, weâre so close now. When can we leave?â
Kol closed his eyes briefly, as though bracing himself. âI need to leave soon. Tonight or tomorrow to get to Boston in time to meet them.â
âOh no you donât. Weâre going together.â
âBut you would be miserable flying.â The excuse was weak for him. She looked into his eyes for a second, sure there was some other thing he wasnât saying. It couldnât have been the thing she was trying to avoid thinking aboutâBoston was the last place she thought sheâd ever want to visit again after her abrupt departure when sheâd joined the expedition. Even the idea of being in the same city as her ex caused her belly to writhe a little in anxiety, but sheâd never told Kol all the details.
She shoved the anxiety deep and leaned closer, affecting a teasing tone. âNot if we flew like normal people fly. Your company has a jet for Christâs sake! Use it for once!â
Kolâs grimace at the suggestion knocked Hallie back a step. The expression he gave her was definitely not faked. She found it exceedingly endearing. âDo you really hate that idea so much? Humans do it all the time, every day. Donât tell me you are actually afraid of flying. Youâa dragon?â
He gave her a slight shrug. âNot afraid. The thought of being carried in a tube when I could carry myself justâŠâ
âScares you.â Hallie suppressed a giggle that threatened to burst from her throat.
âNo! It just makes me itch. Makes me feel like a weakling to be carried when I can fly.â
âCome on. Iâll be with you. Just the two of us and a pilot and one or two crew. Maybe heâll let you into the cockpit so you donât get so agitated. OrâŠI can let you into my cockpit.â She smirked and shifted her hips back down, brushing her flesh against the sleeping beast between his legs. âWe need to warm up for all the baby making weâll be doing after.â
Kol gripped her hips and sat up. He slid his hands up her back, spanning the entire width of her body easily as he held her against his chest and pressed his lips to hers. The softness of his mouth contrasted with the steel-hard pressure growing between his thighs, nudging up against her tender pussy.
âDo you promise?â he breathed. He slid his hands down to grip her ass and raise her up. The kneading pressure of his fingertips spread her apart enough for the heat of his shaft to rub against her clit.
âAbsolutely,â she murmured with a shudder of pleasure. âIâd let you fuck me all the way to Boston if thatâs what I need to do. Hell, Iâd let you fuck me around the entire world. I wonder how much mileage Iâve got on this beauty already.â She reached between them and gave his cock a long, slow stroke, enjoying the pleased sigh he emitted.
âYes,â he said. The word drifted out in a slow gasp when Hallie pressed his tip at her entrance and sank down.
âYes?â she pressed the question against his ear, raising up along his length and pausing with just his tip poised inside her, throbbing hotly in time with her own slick flesh.
âYes, Iâll fly in the fucking jet with you.â
Hallie cried out in surprise when he pushed her back down hard onto his cock and took control of her movements. All she could do was hang on and enjoy the ride.
