Divine Dragons 2: A Bride for the Mountain God

A blood-curdling scream echoed through the night. I was running, my legs a blur beneath me, my feet pounding into the earth with each frantic stride. It took me a moment, longer than I’d like to admit, to realize that the scream was coming from me.

The realization only came when I sucked in a breath, cutting off the scream and replacing it with ragged gasps as I continued to flee.

The voice of my governess echoed in my mind, her words as old and croaky as she was. “Princesses don’t run,” she would chide. “Princesses don’t belong in the woods,” she would grumble.

“And princesses certainly don’t get chased by dragons.” If she could see me now, she’d probably faint.

The dense canopy overhead blocked out most of the starlight and moonlight. Vines whipped against my face and tangled in my hair as I blindly sprinted through the forest. Branches and underbrush scraped against my arms and legs, tearing at the delicate fabric of my dress.

Sharp rocks and gravel bit into the soles of my shoes. But I didn’t feel the pain. All I felt was fear, the burning in my lungs, the strain in my muscles, and the pounding of my heart.

All of it was drowned out by the sheer panic coursing through me. A deafening roar echoed through the forest, reverberating off the mountains. A massive figure loomed over the trees, blocking out the little light that managed to filter through the thick foliage.

Huge wings beat against the air, sending gusts of wind that felt like a storm barreling through the forest. The force of those wings cleared the fog from the mountain, fought back the storm in the sky, and sent me tumbling head over heels down a hill.

I fell as gracefully as a princess should, I’m sure. Never mind the dirt smearing my skin or the twigs tangling in my hair as I spiraled downward. I landed in a heap, my dress a stained mess of gold fabric.

In the eerie silence that followed, I sucked in a lungful of air and tried to gather my scattered wits. My heart stopped. The dragon’s roar had ceased, as had the beating of its wings.

The fog began to creep back in, and a low wind rustled in the distance. The near silence was more terrifying than the shadow of the dragon overhead, but I couldn’t figure out why.

I’d lived a life of luxury, thanks to my greedy father who wanted nothing but the finest things. I wasn’t built for running from beasts. My curves were a testament to my love of cakes, not physical exertion.

My shoes were probably lost somewhere on the side of the hill. I was used to creature comforts, not the harsh realities of the wild. I had no survival instincts when it came to nature.

Survival, yes. Nature, no. Suddenly, an overwhelming urge hit me like a brick wall. A ghostly voice whispered in my ears, growing louder with each echo.

A branch snapped somewhere behind me. The sharp sound cut through my exhaustion.

Run. Run! RUN! Go now. Go now! NOW!

Summoning the last of my strength, I took off again. I stumbled, a sob tearing from my lips. My heart stuttered in my chest as another branch snapped, then another, until it sounded like heavy footsteps were chasing me.

But they weren’t as loud as a dragon should be. If it wasn’t the dragon, then what was it? A forest spirit, maybe. Either way, it was terrifying.

Either way, it probably meant my death. I splashed through a stream, my feet slipping on the smooth pebbles. The cold water soaked the hem of my dress, sticking it to my legs and slowing me down.

The sound of rustling leaves replaced the stomping footsteps, making my breath hitch. I stood in the middle of the shallow stream, clutching the wet fabric of my dress. I held my breath, my eyes darting in every direction.

All I saw was darkness and silence, but I knew I wasn’t safe. Not yet. Something large flickered in the corner of my eye. It swooped beneath the forest canopy before diving directly above me.

I barely had time to register the massive, winged shape before a scream tore from my throat. A hard, solid body with textured skin slammed into me. For a moment, we were suspended in the air, the breath knocked out of me.

I landed several feet from the stream, every muscle in my body tensing as I realized a massive hand was cradling my head, preventing it from hitting the rough ground.

“Who are you?” The voice was more of a growl than anything else. It sounded like the mountain itself had come to life and was speaking in a deep, gruff tone. The vibrations from it sent a shiver through me.

I tried to respond, but all that came out was a pitiful noise. It was so undignified, so un-princess-like, that it made me angry. Or maybe it just made me more scared, because the next thing I knew, my hands were balled into fists and I was blindly swinging at the dark shape pinning me to the ground.

“Get off me! Get away from me!” I added some weak kicks to my escape attempt.

“What are you doing in my forest?” he snapped. His teeth audibly ground near my face. His hands, the biggest and roughest I’d ever felt, grabbed my wrists and yanked them above my head.

He bound my wrists with one hand so easily that my brain stalled.

“Fuck you!” I spat without thinking, then continued to squirm. My legs thrashed uselessly as my captor straddled me and held my hands above my head.

A rough chuckle rumbled through him. The sound startled me so much that I froze, finally looking up.

“Feisty thing, aren’t you?” He leaned back slightly. There was a hint of amusement in his voice that clashed with my fear. With a growing sense of dread, I took in every visible detail of the beast in the dim moonlight.

Long, wavy black hair framed a strong, square face. His sharp jaw was clenched, the muscles twitching as he gritted his teeth. My eyes lingered on the full bow of his lips before moving up to his eyes.

They were a glowing emerald green, the pupils slit like a snake’s. He was staring down at me, his expression a mix of curiosity and annoyance. I choked on air when the moonlight brightened, revealing the forest green scales covering his body.

Every inch of him was a testament to the various shades of green found in nature. It was strangely beautiful. The sound of fluttering wings drew my attention to the figure before me, confirming my growing suspicion that he was neither man nor simple forest spirit.

My gaze shot up to his head as he tilted it, revealing curved horns with a texture reminiscent of tree bark, identical to the dragon’s horns.

“You…you’re the…the—” I stuttered, unable to finish my sentence. A fresh wave of anxiety washed over me, freezing me in place. My body shook, a small whimper escaping my lips.

“The Mountain God, yes.” He lowered his head, nostrils flaring as if…was he sniffing me? “But who are you?”

His deep voice resonated within me as he leaned in closer, taking a deeper breath. “Better yet, what are you?”

“What am I?” I echoed, confusion clouding my mind.

“You shouldn’t have survived the forest spirits.” His massive form towered over me as he leaned in, wings spread wide, blocking the moonlight. His shoulders were broad, so enticingly broad—don’t go there, I warned myself.

The Mountain God pressed his face into my neck. A squeak slipped out as his warm breath tickled my skin and his nose traced the length of my throat.

A heat stirred within me—an impossible, intense heat that I shouldn’t be feeling under the weight and warmth of the Mountain God. But it was there, a pulsating burn between my legs that seemed to stretch on forever.

He was so large, so warm. His hand, though large, was gentle, almost tender. Each breath he took brushed against my neck and shoulders, causing my nipples to harden.

“The forest,” I managed to say, fighting through the fog clouding my mind. “It did something.”

My eyes fluttered shut as a hot tongue traced up my neck to the sensitive spot beneath my ear. My whimpers turned into moans as he tasted me again, as if he was searching for something—something he could only find within me. “Vines set me free, then there was a song—”

“A song?” He froze, becoming as rigid as stone above me.

“Yes, I heard a song in the forest…like it was calling to me.” I didn’t know why I answered, but it felt important.

“Hmm,” he hummed, his tongue tracing another slow path across my skin. He followed it with another, from behind my ear to the upper curves of my breasts peeking from my bodice.

His nose pressed into my cleavage, and I squeaked. He inhaled deeply, as if he could draw my essence into himself and find the answers to all his questions.

A heat spread through me, pooling in my lower abdomen. Even with my past lovers, none had stirred such a powerful need within me. The intensity of my desire was almost violent, aching…irritating.

Was I really becoming so aroused by a giant dragon-man licking my neck?

In short, yes. And it infuriated me to the point of madness. I may have been a sacrifice to the Mountain God, but that didn’t mean I should be so turned on by something so simple.

I opened my mouth to snap at him, perhaps to scold him for licking me or to berate him for terrifying me by chasing me through the woods. But his deep, godly voice silenced my thoughts.

“I understand now.” He pulled back, and the cool air against my heated, damp skin made me shiver. His grip on my wrists loosened. My arms stayed in place, as if his words had cast a spell on me.

“The forest called you to me because you’re mine. You’ve come to me at last.” The Mountain God traced a claw-tipped finger along my cheek, stealing my breath. “My bride. My mate. Mine.”