Tahr For the next two weeks, I keep Pepper so busy she falls into bed each night and sleeps soundly. I know this because her ankle is now tied to mine and I feel every move she makes. Betty has found a young man to help her serve me. Mikael, the young man who delivered the rope, irritates me to no end. Pepper acts shy around him and I don't like the way he looks at her. He is far too friendly. And even though I know in my heart that I should allow their feelings to blossom, I cannot. Pepper is mine. It's entirely unreasonable. She deserves a human to grow old with and one who makes her happy. I don't care! Pepper shakes her head causing the headpiece she's never without to tilt to one side. My frustration rises. I've grown to dislike the thing and want to see her beauty uncovered. I want to slide my hand over the smoothness of her scalp and her large expressive eyes to close in delicious anticipation of where I will touch her next. As I stare at her, a bewildered expression replace

TahrYes, I'm being punished. The Goddess must be dancing with glee at my predicament. I want Pepper so badly it hurts. All the hand jobs in the world won't take care of my erection. I recite the reasons why I cannot have Pepper and "I want her" replaces each one. My want is not important. Pepper is.She's not Sarn's wolf shifter. They suffered for love and their pain was unavoidable. I'm not Sarn. I would never give up my dragon and I'm not in love. I'm infatuated and turned on. I'm dragon and these are things I can control.There is a solution to this dilemma. It pains me greatly and I grind my teeth, but my decision is made. We've been back from the lake for an hour and Pepper is in the library reading. I send a telepathic message, "Mikael, Betty, come to my rooms immediately."I pace while waiting for their arrival. The longer I wait the more my irritation grows. I kick the chair and watch dispassionately as it topples over. I glance up and Pepper is standing in the doorway."I'm

PepperThe laughter of the two young dragons doesn't help in the least."See, Cantor, I told you she can't hurt us. She doesn't even know how to land without skinning her nose," the larger red dragon says to the blue one. "Who are you?" the red dragon asks with an air of superiority."I'm Pepper," I finally say after another fire-breathing cough."You are Uncle Tahr's mate?" he asks in disbelief."No, not his mate. I'm just a dragon. A very special dragon," I say because I remember what he said the first time I met him."Hmm." A thin trail of smoke leaves his nostrils. "I am Ashrac and this is Cantor. Our fathers have gone to Tahr's because they felt the presence of a new dragon and they think Tahr has mated. That is the only way for a female to transcend, so I think you have your facts wrong."Oh really. "I am not mated to Tahr and I don't even like him. I'm sorry that he is your uncle, but he's a jerk and don't wish to ever see him again."The younger dragon peeks around Ashrac. "Wh

PepperClaws scraping against the outer perch wake me from dreams of kissing Tahr. I can feel his magic and know he has come for me. Tahr's magic is slightly different from Ashrac's and Ashrac's is different from Cantor. There's no time to process my feelings right now because a large silver head pokes through the window.I have a voice now, though I'm not yet ready to communicate with croaky words while I learn to use it properly. Telepathic words are much easier. "What are you doing here, Tahr?" I manage to keep my tone level without strong emotion coming through.His head disappears and I feel a more intense burst of magic as he shifts. He enters naked. I can't talk to him this way. I crave touching him. I want to throw myself into his arms. I do exactly the opposite and jump from the bed and march into Sarn's garment room. I storm out and toss a dusty pair of pants at the wide-eyed dunderhead."You've seen me unclothed," he says in consternation while his eyes travel over every in

PepperHe stays away for a week this time. He hasn't given me what I need. He's such a stubborn dragon. If it weren't for Acasia and Roxy, I would be as crazy as he accuses me of being. With each visit, his taunts become more hurtful. I alleviate his pain by offering my body. And he is in pain. I see it in his dull and listless eyes. He holds me tighter than he should and I don't complain. He needs me and deep in my heart I know that eventually he will accept that he loves me and allow his fear to drift away forever.He steps into the room and I lift my arms beckoning. He slides into the bed and I wait for his kiss. Tonight, he keeps from my lips and travels my body with his gentle nips from his teeth and the languid slide of his tongue. I cry out when he breathes against my special place-the place that sheaths his cock. His tongue flicks out and I gasp his name."I can't stay away from you," he breathes against me before kissing me there. He presses two fingers inside of me. I buck m