“I can hold on for a few more hours,” Salvatt said, although, he wasn’t sure it was completely true.
He couldn’t get the scent of his mate out of his head. He needed her, longed for her. Every moment he spent away from her side, drove him a little closer to the edge of sanity. He feared that when he finally did go to her, he would lose what little control he had left.
The last thing he wanted to do was hurt or scare her more than the situation already had. For all the bloody battles he’d fought and won in his long life, Salvatt Dorr longed only for the gentle embrace of his sweet, little human mate, and the happiness of family love.
Chapter 6
Just as Celeste was leaving her chamber, she received a ping on her wrist holocom. She tapped her bracelet and listened to the message.
“Princess Celeste, I regret to inform you that I cannot attend our morning meal. I have been called away on urgent business that requires my immediate attention. I anticipate meeting with you later today.”
Celeste flicked on her wrist holocom and crossed her arms. She was tired of waiting around for him. Celeste just wanted to get this whole mating ritual thing over and done with so she could get on with the rest of her life. Salvatt was her mate and there was no going back to Earth now.
If she could just find a way to connect with him, she knew that they could grow to love each other. Celeste had to hold on to that hope for her own sanity. But if he didn't spend time with her, then how could they even begin the mating ritual? Traditionally, it took days of constant contact between mates for the ritual to be complete and for the smaller female’s body to be ready to accept her male. Celeste had already been waiting for a year to do this thing, and didn't know how much longer she could wait.
She walked into the nursery and saw the nanny playing a kind of peekaboo with Shiloh who was sitting up in a semi-reclining chair.
“Salvatt was called away. I would like to explore the gardens below,” she said to the nanny. “Could you bring the baby and show me how to get out there?”
“Absolutely, Princess,” the nanny said.
“Let's go now. I’m tired of waiting.”
The nanny put Shiloh in his hover carriage and pushed it out through the front door of her apartment and down the hall to the elevator. They rode together all the way to the bottom level of the fortress and continued down another hallway until they came to a clear glass sliding door.
The door quickly slid open and they stepped through, walking out into a tropical paradise.
Her lungs filled with the smell of the dense green landscape. She could feel the humidity on her skin and hear the call of the birds in the distance.
They stood on a raised patio above a lush green lawn that expanded out towards the edge of the gardens. A path led through the grass and into the cultivated jungle. The trees reminded her of the palms that grew back home. But they were larger and more prehistoric looking than the modern varieties on modern day Earth. The fronds were also streaked with rich neon colors not found in nature on her planet.
She strolled along the path, her long formal gown stretching out behind her. The nanny pushed Shiloh in his carriage, and they all entered the garden together. Palms grew up around them, some bearing rich red fruits that hung in massive clusters.
They came to the bank of the shimmering silver pond that stretched out between the path and the native jungle on the other side. A bench sat beside the pool, looking out at the still water. She and the nanny sat and she gazed out at the view.
“How do you find Galaton?” he asked.
“I find it fascinating,” Celeste said. “Although, I wish I was here with the prince instead of my nanny.”
“Perfectly understandable, Princess,” he said. “I'm sure the prince will join you soon.”
“I will join you now,” a deep, rough voice spoke from behind her.
Celeste gasped and stood, turning around to find Prince Salvatt striding down the path toward her. His eyes were ablaze behind the coal black irises. He gazed intently at her as he approached. Celeste felt an electric shock spike through her blood when he came to stand in front of her.
“Take the baby and return to the fortress,” Salvatt said to the nanny.
The nanny shot from his seat and jumped to attention. He gripped the handle of the hover carriage and quickly hurried down the trail and back to the castle.
“What is it?” Celeste asked.
“We have no time for niceties,” Prince Salvatt said. “We must begin the ritual now.”
“But we’re in the middle of the jungle,” she said, beginning to shake.
“Take off your clothes,” he said gruffly. “We have no more time to waste.”
Celeste's eyes grew wide, and she bit her lip. She looked down at the corset at her waist and began to pull the bindings loose. Salvatt grew impatient and crossed the distance between them abruptly, grabbing for the ties.
He yanked the ties open, and Celeste couldn't meet his eyes. He pulled her dress roughly down her shoulders, revealing her breasts. He then pushed the dress down over her hips and it pooled at her feet, leaving her completely naked.
“Lie down,” he said, pointing at the damp grass.
Celeste finally looked up at him, fear and desire mingling in her core. She gingerly knelt onto the soft green grass. Slowly, she descended onto her back and lay on the ground before her prince.
He looked down at her, still wearing his armor. He flicked a spot at his neck, making all that hard metallic armor contract in on itself. He was in a tight jumpsuit that hugged his body, showing her exactly why they needed to start the mating ritual.
A sharp thrill went through her as he lowered himself over her naked form. He leaned in to her, barely touching her side with his hand. Their lips met, igniting a passion that blazed like an exploding star between them.
Celeste moaned and reached up to thread her fingers through his hair. She'd longed to bond with her mate for so long. She’d built her whole world around what it would be like for them to be together. When she’d arrived, she’d felt her hopes dashed. But as soon as they kissed, the passion ignited deep in her soul.
She moaned into his mouth as their tongues briefly met. He pulled away and looked into her eyes. His black globes stared into her soul and she gasped at the new awareness of him. He kissed down her body, starting at her earlobes and nibbling at her neck.
“Salvatt, yes,” she whimpered.
When his mouth met her breasts, he flicked his tongue over her stiff nipple, eliciting a purring moan from her throat. He caressed her body, holding himself over her with his powerful arm. His fingers found her wetness, sinking through her folds to tease out her hot desire.
The sounds of the jungle mixed with the sound of Celeste's moaning breaths. Salvatt expertly caressed her need, bringing her to the brink of orgasm with each movement of his fingers.
She reached out to him, wanting to touch him, wanting to bring him to climax. It was what they both needed. The mating ritual required his seed spill on her bare flesh. Even the lotion she'd been using was not as strong as one drop of his fresh semen.
Salvatt pushed her hands away and sank between her thighs. She saw his black eyes look up at her before they disappeared behind his lids. He groaned as he licked her. At first he did it languidly, but then with increasing intensity.
The pleasure barreled through her, crashing toward climax. Her body erupted, contracting against his mouth and fingers. She cried out, gripping his black hair. He rose above her as she panted on the ground.
As she whimpered below him, he flicked away the remaining jumpsuit and was then naked, kneeling above her. His thick erection stood like a proud stallion. Holding his shaft above her, he began to stroke. Celeste's body still hummed with orgasm. Seeing him pleasure himself as he stared into her eyes made her nearly come again.
She reached up to touch him, but he moved her arm and pinned it down on the grass. He continued stroking himself, faster and faster with each b
eat. Celeste bit her lip, waiting for the climax. She felt as if she was right there with him.
The fire prince gritted his teeth and groaned. His orgasm shot in hot jets of molten white liquid over her round breasts. Spurts of semen landed on her skin and she moaned as each drop fell on her flesh.
It was as if his seed filled her with pleasure as it touched her skin. He growled above her, moving his hand from her wrist to rub his hot cum into her ripe breasts. All she could do was watch him, feeling wicked and more turned on than she'd ever been.
“Salvatt...” she whispered, wanting to connect with this man who was her mate.
She reached up to him, but he pulled away and put on his armor. She lay on the blanket, naked and covered in his seed. Salvatt stood and turned away, hardness returning to his posture.
“You will be ready soon, lady,” he muttered, starting toward the path.
“Salvatt, wait,” she said, reaching up to him.
He turned slowly, gazing into her eyes. He didn't speak. He simply stood there, waiting.
“I want to be with you,” she said, her words sounding desperate in her ears. “I’d like us to get to know each other.”
“Princess, spending time with you only accelerates my mating impulse. Holding on to my sanity since your arrival has taken constant vigilance. We will commence, 'getting to know each other' after we have mated.”
“I understand,” she said, looking away, tears beginning to collect in her eyes. She'd been strong so long. Holding on to her own resolve had become more difficult since her arrival as well.
Salvatt swept in beside her, kneeling before her on the ground. He gripped her shoulder and slid a finger under her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. His expression was intent and sincere.
“I understand your need for a heart bond before mating,” he said, placing his hand on her heart. “I desire one as well. I wish it could have been different…for us.”
“I didn't realize,” she whispered.
“You will be prepared for me soon, Princess Celeste, my little human mate.” He kissed her forehead before letting her go and standing to walk away.
She watched him stride down the forest path, her heart aching for him in a whole new way. All along, she'd thought she was alone in her need for love. But her prince felt just as she did. He wanted her love too. He wanted to bond with her before they mated. But he couldn't be with her without losing his mind.
It felt so tragic and miserable, but she knew that soon her body would be ready to accommodate him. Then, he could finally claim her. Everything would be okay after that. Then they could finally be together.
Chapter 7
As Salvatt strode through the fortress and took the elevator up to his rooms, he brooded over his relationship to Celeste.
The prince had never had such an overwhelming desire for intimacy with another person. In his life, intimacy was dangerous and something he only trusted to the most loyal of companions. And then, only sparingly. But with Celeste, he wanted to share the deepest levels of his soul. He wanted to learn everything about her, know her every nuance.
But he could not risk going mad before he'd had a chance to claim her. It would be a disaster for the fire lands, and for the entire planet of Galaton. The four princes had worked for a century to maintain balance and control between the elements and across Galaton. Since the last female died, that work had become a thousand times more challenging.
Salvatt's family had ruled the south, on and off, for the last ten million years. He was part of a legacy he respected more than anything in his life, except perhaps the demands of his inner dragon. And his dragon did make demands. Until Celeste had arrived, his dragon had always been his most trusted adviser. Now it was as if he was dealing with a crazed animal. Having his dragon turn on him made him feel like his being was torn in two.
He stood on the balcony overlooking his domain, feeling his inner dragon gnashing nastily at his brain. Putting his mouth to her sex had torn the dragon from any rational foundation it had once had. All the dragon wanted was to sink inside his mate and bite her until she belonged to him. Even now, Salvatt's cock ached painfully between his legs. The dragon would not take no for an answer any longer.
If he tried to take her now, he would almost certainly harm her. He only had one chance to get the mating right, and hurting her would prevent them from bonding. For the mating ritual to be complete, he had to shoot his seed deep inside her while biting her neck. Only then would the dragon be placated.
Celeste’s little body simply was not prepared. He’d known it when he’d touched her. The semen he'd applied to her skin today would have a cumulative effect since she'd already spent a year rubbing his replicated DNA on her body in the form of skin cream. He could only hope that it would quicken the process.
Thinking of her drove his dragon wild. Its screams filled his mind, leaving no room for any other sound. He retracted his armor and jumpsuit at the flick of his finger. Naked, he jumped onto the railing and he extended his arms out to the sides. With a quick jump, he propelled himself into the air.
He shifted as he swept away from the balcony. His red-scaled body extended outward, and he flapped his wings in mid flight. The powerful fire dragon darted into the air and circled above the jungle. He then lurched toward the fortress, but Salvatt’s human mind pushed the dragon on.
The fire prince flew over the dense jungle, his powerful wings as fast as any speeder. With every flap of his wings, the dragon rebelled. Soon, Salvatt was at the edge of the dried volcanic beds. The ashy red rock stretched out for miles below him before the bubbling lava fields came into view. The heat of the lava radiated over his scales as he approached the neon red magma. The volcano stood in the distance, spurting smoke and thin red lines of lava that flowed down the mountainside.
Salvatt roared, his fire breath shooting out from the depths of his lungs and fire gland in his gut. He shot up and then darted down again. His flame breath spiraled around him as he dove. He shot sparks of flame into the cooled rock that floated above the lava bed. It ignited and a hot fire raged, melting the rocks into the lava below. He dove and burned, delighting in the intensity of the heat and the sparks of molten rock that popped in the air around him.
The madness to mate returned in a sharp insight and the dragon bolted away from his art. The prince pushed back, and the dragon recoiled at the shock of the rebuke. His fury turned inward.
As the crazed beast raged against himself, sharp claws sliced over his belly. They twisted away, a second too slowly. One of the lords of the south swooped up from below him and bit at Salvatt’s neck. Salvatt spun away and over the earl of the fire lands. This lord was strong, and had not yet entered the play for power. He’d been saving it for this chance.
The earl’s eyes flashed in the blazing light of the lava flow as he whirled through the air to gash Salvatt’s belly again. The fire prince had been weakened by his own need. His mind was fragmented. How could he fight like this? Thoughts of his bride filled him with enraged longing. He would not let himself be beaten. He had to protect his mate and their dragonling. He drew on the strength of his ancestors and shot toward the earl’s back. The impact threw the earl off guard and Salvatt was able to sink his claws deep into the other dragon’s wings.
The earl clawed and bit at him, but Salvatt ignored it. His powerful wings beat up and down, driving them both toward the ground. The earl screeched and twisted away. Salvatt still had a grasp of one wing but now they were spinning downward, out of control.
Both dragons splashed into the lava bed. The molten rock consumed them both. Salvatt used the other dragon’s surprise to bite hard at his neck. The earl gasped, breathing in magma. Salvatt felt the earl’s life slip away under his teeth. But the heat of the burning rock was beginning to eat away at his skin.
He pushed himself upward, ignoring the biting pain. With the last of his strength, he pulled himself onto a cooled rock ledge. The dragon flailed and then went still. Smoke puffing
from his nostrils.
Salvatt looked out through the hazy eyes of his beast. His rational mind had control. The dragon gave up his body and he shifted. The lava flowed away from his skin, but the searing heat began to scorch his human flesh. Salvatt flicked his neck, covering his body and head with his jumpsuit.
Protected from the heat now, he moved his finger over his wrist to bring up the holocom built into his suit. Nothing happened. He took a ragged breath and flicked his fingers down his wrist several more times. Not good. He couldn't contact his staff or have his speeder come find him. Pain sliced through him. Salvatt screamed, his body contorting as he flailed on the lava stone.
Chapter 8
Celeste abruptly stood from where she'd been sitting beside the baby. With a gasp, she clasped her heart. It was racing. Her breath heaved and she felt flushed. What was going on? She felt as if she'd just received a terrible fright. Looking around she focused on Shiloh. Leaning over his hover cradle, she inspected him for signs of distress.
“Is everything all right, ma'am?” the nanny asked.
“I feel frightened, like something's wrong,” she said, digging into the giggling baby's blanket.
She tried to smile at her baby's cherubic face, but she was too distressed to return his playfulness. Her heart sank like a cold stone as she stood.
“Are you ill?” the nanny asked.
“I don't know,” she started, putting her hand to her stomach. She did feel ill, but it was more than that. “I feel like something is terribly wrong. Where is Salvatt?”
She ran her finger over her wrist, navigated her holocom to the voice call screen, and pressed Salvatt's icon. The holocom pinged as it contacted his holocom. She waited, watching the light blip on her screen.
“He's not answering. Is he in a meeting?” she asked the nanny.
“I wouldn't know, princess.”
“Locate Prince Salvatt,” Celeste said to the holocom AI.