#13 The Dragon King and his Werewolf Princess
Chapter 23 River

I eyed Calix carefully, wondering what else he was going to demand of me. I knew that his easy going compromise was too good to be true.

“What?” I asked in a snippy tone, my guard up.

“You let me tend to your wounds whenever you’re harmed, no questions asked.” He said, lowering his gaze to match mine, his voice low and a small growl came from the back of his throat.

I felt the deep blush return to my face as my body heats up at his attention. It was ridiculous what his gaze and voice did to me. When his usual stoic expression showed remorse and his hard voice broke during his confession of emotions, I nearly crumbled. Lavender, weak as she was, whimpered and pawed at my mind, demanding that we give ourselves to our mate.

“Lavender will heal me.” I mumbled.

“She hasn’t.” He argued.

“No, not yet. She’s too weak from shifting for the first time. She will eventually.” I shrugged, ignoring the twinge of pain it caused me.

Admittedly, my shoulder, arm, and side did hurt, but it could’ve been worse. I purposefully chose a loose fitting, soft feeling shirt to lay gently over my burns and moved carefully so as not to irritate the already sensitive skin even more. When Lavender was strong enough, she’d take care of it.

“You don’t need to be in pain why you wait for her. I can help.” Calix’s eyes pulled together in concern as he studied me closely.

Under his scrutinizing gaze I was ready to give up just about anything to him.

“What? Does this realm have aloe vera?” I joked, but Calix just looked confused, “Nevermind.” I grumbled.

“Mates can heal each other.” He replied simply and I felt my eyes widened in surprise.

“What do you mean?”

“Perhaps it’s not something werewolves can do, but dragons can heal our mates. It’s simple, really. I allow my dragon a bit of control, just enough to let him extend his fangs and deliver the venom that heals our mates. I’d bite you where your wound is and the venom would do the rest. It’s painless.” Calix explained, but I felt myself growing even warmer.

“B…bite?” I stuttered.

“It’s okay, River, it doesn’t hurt.” Calix misread my emotions as fear, but they were anything but.

I leaned away from him and shook my head,

“Werewolves can’t heal our mates, not like that. Marking each other makes us stronger, it means we can share strength when we’re injured. But,” I swallowed hard, “Biting is how we mark our mates, Calix, it’s not something we take lightly.”

Calix’s eyes widened slightly.

“Vix told me. I’m sorry, I didn’t think about it. Rest assured, River, this isn’t something I take lightly, either. Healing my mate is a sacred duty, something I take very seriously.” Calix’s fire and ice eyes swirled together seriously.

“I don’t know….” I whispered.

Calix moved across the bed to sit beside me and I let him. He tucked a fallen strand of hair behind my ear and gently cupped my face, running the palm of his thumb across my cheek bone. Lavender purred in my head at the feeling and I couldn’t resist the urge to lean into his hand. His other hand found its way to my shirt and he carefully folded up the sleeve, inspecting my injury.

The burn crept up my arm, over my shoulder, and tickled my neck. Calix was careful not to touch the burn directly as he looked it over, following the redness down my arm until it disappeared under my shirt.

“May I?” He asked, thumbing the hem of my shirt.

I released a shaky breath and nodded silently.

Calix rolled my shirt gently, making sure that the fabric didn’t brush against the wound. He saw how the bubbling burn licked up my side, over my ribs, running against the soft skin of the side of my breast, and to my shoulder. He strategically moved the shirt to keep my breasts covered, revealing only what he needed to, to see the wound.

“River,” His jaw twitched, like he was in pain, “This looks like it hurts.”

“It could be worse.” I whispered.

“It could be better.” He countered, the hint of a crooked smirk on his lips.

“Okay, fine.” I finally gave in.

“It won’t hurt, I promise.” He said again.

“I’m not afraid of pain, Calix.” I told him.

“I know.” He sighed.

“What do you need then?” I asked.

“Just some of your wound to bite, any piece of it.” He explained, releasing my shirt and letting it fall back down my body.

I held out my arm to him, offering him the burn that came down my arm. Calix gingerly took my arm in his fingers, taking care to only touch the uninjured skin. He looked up at me one more time, asking for my blessing with his gaze. I nodded, not completely sure what I was getting myself into.

Calix kept his eyes on me the entire time as he lowered his face towards my arm. His eyes turned to fire and I knew Beau Feu was at the surface as he slowly opened his mouth. I saw two pointed fangs protruding from his upper jaw and I flinched for a second. The only creatures I knew with fangs were vampires. But, then my eyes focused on Calix’s again and I knew he was no vampire.

Calix sank his teeth into my burn and, for a split second, I felt the cool sting of pain as something came in contact with my blistering skin, then it was replaced with relief. Warm relief washed over my entire body, trickling through my veins like a delivery system, spreading throughout my nervous system. I closed my eyes for a moment, relishing in the feeling, before I focused on the burn. Inch by inch, it was healed, turning first to purple and then returning to my flushed, pink skin.

My eyes slowly found their way back to Calix and his face was on fire, fiercely watching me. I thought that I felt naked under his studious gaze before, but that was nothing compared to now. His fire and ice eyes, his twitching jaw, his furrowed brow, his tongue sweeping across his mouth, his lips parted slightly, his chest rising and falling heavily; desire pooled around us like an endless abyss.

He slowly leaned forward, his fangs now gone and his eyes dancing between blue and orange as they darted from my eyes to my lips. I had one distinct thought before my brain stopped working: he’s going to kiss me.

Lavender howled, she wanted the affection of her mate. Me, on the other hand, well I wasn’t so sure, but I was also defenseless to stopping it. There was no space between us, his one hand still curled around my arm and his other had risen to cup my face again. A few painstakingly long seconds passed before his forehead was pressed against mine and our heavy breathing mixed together between us.

“River.” His voice croaked, breaking and crackling in the back of his throat.

“Hm?” I hummed deliriously.

“I want you. Every part of you. Any part of you.” He said in a gravelly voice.

“I don’t have much to give.” My voice was barely audible.

“You have everything to give and it’s yours to give, mon p’tit bout. I won’t take it.” He cooed.

“I thought dragons would be more commanding than that.” I thoroughly blamed Lavender for my shameless flirting.

Calix growled from deep inside his chest, his fiery eyes closing tightly against his desires.

“You test me, my dear, every last ounce of my ever decreasing control, but I will never take what my mate doesn’t offer me.” He promises with his eyes still securely closed.

I reached a shaky hand towards his face and, ever so softly, touched my fingertips to his skin. He jumped, surprised by the touch, but his eyes remained closed. His face relaxed as my fingers danced across his cheek and jawline. Eventually, my hand found its way into his hair and I tangled my fingers in the charcoal locks, pleased to confirm that they were just as soft and thick as they looked.

Calix made a noise deep in the back of his throat before his eyes came fluttering open, revealing two pools of molten lava.

“Mon p’tit bout.” He said again, this time his voice was barely above a whisper.

“Mon dragonne.” I whispered back and he grinned at me,

“Always, my dear.”

“Embrasse-moi.” I decided to put Calix’s French to the test.

He raised an eyebrow at me, a crooked smile on his face before pulling away only slightly. He brought his second hand to cup my face, holding me sternly in place.

“You doubt my French skills, my dear?” He teased me and I shook my head.

“Not for one second.” I said in a tone of voice that had him reeling.

Seconds later, Calix’s lips were on mine and I couldn’t breathe. Calix consumed me. My body, my breath, my mouth, my lips, everything he could possibly touch. His hands ran from my face and down my body, roaming freely as my arms found their way around his neck. He ran his tongue across my bottom lip and I gasped, giving him access to slip his tongue inside my mouth.

His arms wrapped around my waist and in the next instant I was on his lap, straddling him and pressed against his hard chest. Just as I began to feel lightheaded, Calix released my mouth and moved his sinful lips down my neck. I gasped at the feeling of his lips on my bare skin, goosebumps scattering across my body and desire pooling in the pit of my stomach.

Calix pulled away and pressed his forehead against mine again, breathing deeply.

“You’re going to be the death of me, mon p’tit bout.” His voice vibrated in his chest.