“Hi, Sabrina. How are you doing?”

  The last thing she wanted to do was engage in a bunch of idle chitchat with someone who never gave her the time of day before Caity had become one of the village’s more interesting residents. But she’d have to handle the villagers for the next few hours to finally see an end to her heartache.

  She’d do anything to win her lover back.

  Somehow, she managed her end of the conversation while scanning the room for the one person who’d brought her here. The reason she’d taken a sabbatical from her PhD studies to come home. The creature haunting her dreams and ruining any chance she had at a normal life.

  “Oh! You might want to know that Lynn passed away a few years ago.”

  Caity snapped her attention back to Sabrina. “What?” She hadn’t anticipated that. Lynn had warned her about the necessity back in the early days, but Caity hadn’t considered the implications. Did that mean Lynn had moved on?

  The brunette must have sensed the shift in Caity, a smirk appearing on her lips as she leaned forward. “Yeah. The rumor is she killed herself. Some niece has taken over ownership of the bar. So there’s no one left to pick on you and make you blush.”

  Caity’s sexuality had never been much of a secret growing up. And while it made her life a living hell, the novelty of being a lesbian in the village quickly wore off as she got older. No one had been surprised when she’d packed her things and headed south to Toronto. If anything, she knew they’d most likely wondered what had kept her in the small northern Ontario village for as long as she’d stayed.

  But she sure as hell knew the entire population would have been shocked if they’d known the real reason for her running away. And why she’d come back.

  Licking her lips, Caity relaxed the tension in her back. “What’s the niece’s name?”

  “Quinn. She’s nice enough. Mostly keeps to herself. At least she hasn’t changed the bar from what Lynn did.”

  God forbid Lynn—Quinn—make any changes to her precious bar. “I’ll have to say hello.”

  Further conversation was cut short when Sabrina’s companion got up to pay and someone turned the jukebox on. It was easy to turn around and sink into the darkness and noise of people laughing, living their lives. Her whole return had been surprisingly easy, given how things had ended.

  “You’re new around here.” A paper coaster landed on the table in front of her. “What can I get you?”

  Caity looked up into a familiar pair of golden eyes, and her world stopped.

  The face was different, younger than Caity remembered, but still older than her. It would be easy for people to accept Quinn as Lynn’s niece, given the resemblance and obvious age difference. Humans were able to brush away anything unexplainable with the thinnest stroke of logic.

  But she knew better.

  Even if Quinn’s face was completely different—if she’d changed her hair from the glorious coal black to blond, Caity still would have recognized her. The pull remained, the invisible strings wrapped unknowingly around her body, snaring her to this woman. To this magnificent, terrifying, stunning creature.

  Quinn was giving her a way out—though Caity wasn’t sure why. She could pretend she didn’t know who it really was standing in front of her—with her black T-shirt stretched tightly over her breasts, low-riding jeans hugging her hips, fire in her eyes—and get on with her life. Caity had done it once before. Walked away.

  She wasn’t making the same mistake twice.

  Caity straightened her back, folded her hands in her lap, and lowered her gaze submissively to the coaster before her.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Quinn.”

  The hitch in the other woman’s breathing was the only indication that her emphasis hadn’t been missed. “I’ll get you the usual.”

  No question, no choice. Coming from any other person, Caity would have been furious at the presumption. But Quinn was the reason for her return, the void she’d tried to fill for the past ten years of living in the big city. Caity accepted the statement with a single nod of her head.

  A few minutes later, a glass of red wine was placed on top of the coaster. A hand covered hers, squeezing enough to dig Quinn’s long, red nails into her skin. “You’re not moving from this booth. You can get up to pee if you need to. The bar closes in two hours.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Caity settled her mind, drank her wine, and waited, excitement and hope warm in her chest.

  Quinn sent three refills to Caity over the next two and a half hours as the bar patrons slowly filtered out into the warm summer night back to their homes and their beds. The alcoholic buzz did little to dull Caity’s anticipation of upcoming events, nor was it enough to completely relax the tension from her body.

  She listened to Quinn joke and tease the staff as they cleaned up the bar. It should have been odd that no one approached her, encouraging her to leave. Then again, she wasn’t looking at them, her gaze fixed on the table, and couldn’t have seen anything Quinn was doing to deter them.

  It took her a few minutes to realize the last of the staff had gone, and she was finally alone with the woman she’d been unable to escape. Quinn—the woman she couldn’t be without.

  The soft thuds of footsteps caught her attention. Caity shifted her gaze enough to see Quinn standing by the back door.

  “I know it’s been a while for you.” Quinn’s voice sounded rough, deeper than it had when the others were present. “But I have rules. You’ve broken far more than I could possibly count.”

  There was no point in apologizing. Quinn wouldn’t believe it, and for the most part, Caity wasn’t sorry for leaving. She’d had to get out, away from the village and everything that it represented. She’d needed time to get her head around what her life was becoming. Then she’d needed time to accept her role.

  Words were meaningless. Actions, however…

  Her legs only shook a little as she got to her feet and walked meekly over to Quinn. Not once did she look up, scared to see the expression on the other woman’s face. Caity paused only long enough to open the door to the back before making her way through the storeroom and out into the backyard.

  The moon was out, illuminating the trees and casting long shadows across the yard. Caity was relieved to see things hadn’t changed with the passage of time, and easily found the path that led to the clearing.

  She didn’t need to see Quinn to know the other woman was following at a distance. Caity pulled her shirt off, letting it drop on the path as she continued on. The air was cool, and her nipples hardened instantly on exposure. Her bra fell next and the breeze rolled across her skin, eliciting a shiver.

  The path emptied into a clearing. The rock circle stood much as it had when she’d turned eighteen and had been here the first time. The wooden stake in the middle still held the long chains, silver cuffs dangling from the tips. Yanking on the button to her jeans, Caity kicked off her sneakers and carefully walked barefoot to the circle.

  She had to be naked. She had to be submissive. Most importantly, she had to be willing.

  The metal was cold on her skin as she clicked the shackles into place. If things went her way, they wouldn’t stay there long, and Quinn would free her. Giving the restraints a testing tug, Caity finally let herself relax. She’d come back home to offer herself up on a plate to the woman she’d walked away from.

  She would finally make the sacrifice she couldn’t ten years ago.

  Letting out a huff, Caity turned and pressed her back to the wood and focused her gaze on the path. There was no movement for several minutes, which wasn’t surprising given who she was dealing with. Quinn would make her wait. Unlike the first time she’d found herself in this position, Caity wasn’t afraid.

  The villagers didn’t actually believe there was a dragon who lived in the mountains dwarfing their homes. It was a legend, like Ogopogo or Loch Ness, to pull in the tourists in the summer. The dragon festivals were an excuse for hikers to congregate and youths to drink themselves stupid.

  And every few years, some unlucky person would be brought to the stake in the woods, shackled tight, and offered up as a sacrifice. A prank by high school kids looking to haze the class nerd, the quiet girl, anyone different.

  Just like they’d done to Caity.

  Only that time the dragon came.

  The rumble echoing in the quiet night air could have been mistaken for thunder, if not for the cloudless sky. Vibrations ran up Caity’s leg, shaking her skin and ramping up her anticipation. Her pussy dampened at the thought of what would come. She needed to be strong, give Quinn what she demanded if she was to get what she wanted in the end. Another rumble was followed by a third, until the thuds lost their distinction from each other and crashed through the calm.

  Caity’s breath caught at the first sight of the dragon’s head emerging from the forest and into the clearing. Even at this distance, she saw the glow from her eyes and the glimmer of her scales in the moonlight. The dragon didn’t stop her approach until the tip of her snout reached the edge of the rock circle. A super-heated blast of air blew across Caity, chasing away the chill.

  Why have you come back? Quinn’s voice sounded in Caity’s head.

  “I told you I would.” Knowing this wasn’t the time for submission, that the dragon had to understand her reasons, Caity held the ancient creature’s gaze. “I’d never intended to hurt you.”

  The dragon’s eyes reflected the creature’s age and loneliness. Her scales, once bright, had lost their sheen. Quinn was beautiful, though. Her muscles were full, projecting strength. Her black wings tucked neatly to her sides, fanning out a few inches in annoyance.

  You broke our pact.

  “I asked for a little time.”

  Ten years is not a little time.

  “You’re a dragon. I didn’t think it would be that long for you.”

  We’d bonded. You left me without my heart.

  “I know.” She was sorry for that, though she couldn’t vocalize it. “But I have come home. I’m here now for you. If you’ll have me.”

  The roar shook the trees surrounding them. Caity cringed, turning her face away from the creature’s rage. You left me alone! I chose you above the others to be mine, and you walked away. Why should I take you back?

  “Sorry.” What little strength she had remaining evaporated beneath the dragon’s anger. Caity slid to the ground, sitting on her legs, and sobbed. “Sorry.”

  You will be punished.

  Words that should have been a threat felt like a blessing. Punishment implied redemption, something she wanted more than anything. Caity looked up at the dragon and wished she could wipe the tears away. “Please.”

  On your feet.

  It was difficult to force her muscles to cooperate. She tried to do as she was told, but her knees buckled and the best she could manage was to get to her knees and press her bare chest to the wood. Her back now exposed, Caity hugged the wood as she emptied her mind, praying Quinn gave her what she needed.

  A high-pitched whine cut through the air, preceding the snap of the tip of Quinn’s tail against Caity’s skin. The smooth-scaled tip was thicker than a normal whip, but the dragon controlled every inch of its length. Instead of falling away, Quinn kept her tail in place where it landed.

  You’re soft.

  Caity swallowed hard. “I haven’t been with anyone else.” The dragon’s silence spurred her on. “Even the thought of it was…it felt like betrayal.”

  The next crack of her tail landed across the fleshy part of Caity’s ass, pulling a surprised cry from her. Why did you leave me?

  Another snap, along the curve of her waist. “I was losing myself in you. It was like I no longer existed, and that scared the hell out of me.”

  Three more snaps. Caity barely had time to breathe in between, forcing her to gasp for air. The tears flowed unchecked down her cheeks to drip onto her chest. Her ass and back burned from where the dragon’s scales had bit into the skin. The sting helped center her mind, focusing her on what was important—Quinn.

  Why did you come back?

  “I missed you.” Her whisper carried on the still evening air. “I needed to come home.”

  The sound of Quinn’s body shifting, the snap of bones and muffled moans forced her to look at the dragon. When Quinn passed through the rock circle, she brushed the tips of her fingers along the stone. Coal-black hair danced in the air as the breeze kicked up, haloing the dragon’s human form.

  Caity held still, scared to breathe for fear of ruining the spell they both seemed to be under. She lowered her gaze and waited. The touch of Quinn’s fingers along the path of one of the whip marks sent a burst of want spidering through every inch of her body.

  “And why should I take you back?” It was odd hearing Quinn speak and not the rumble of her dragon voice in her head. “Why shouldn’t I cut all ties and go in search of another mate? Someone who actually wants this?”

  With a lick of her lips, Caity closed her eyes and knew this was the moment she’d both longed for and dreaded. “I have no reason. You are within your right to throw me away.”

  Strong fingers wound in Caity’s hair, and the yank, when it came, stretched her neck back at an awkward angle. Forced to meet Quinn’s golden gaze, Caity knew she’d been a fool to run in the first place. How could she leave the woman who’d captured her heart as she’d opened her eyes to the wonders of the universe?

  “You will do what I say.” Quinn reached down with her free hand and cupped Caity’s cheek. “If you please me…” She shook her head. “Turn around.”

  It was a struggle to do as the dragon commanded—Quinn hadn’t released her hair, and the cold made her legs numb and unresponsive. She stumbled, but the chains held her body up, stretching her out and giving her momentum to spin herself. Not once did the dragon break eye contact. The intensity of her gaze brought a blush to Caity’s face.

  “I couldn’t be with another.” Quinn tugged on her hair. “You knew my race bonds with their chosen ones. You knew I was alone.” Always alone.

  “Let me prove myself to you.” Caity shuffled as close as Quinn’s grip and the chains allowed. “Please, Mistress.”

  Fire flared in Quinn’s eyes. “You lost the right to call me that.”

  Caity whimpered. God, she knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but she had no idea where to start. With nothing to lose, Caity pulled against Quinn’s grip and pressed her nose into the curls of her pubic hair.

  The unmistakable scent of the dragon’s arousal slammed into her like a bat to the head. The pain of her hair being pulled wasn’t a deterrent. She nuzzled her nose into the hidden folds of Quinn’s cunt, seeking out her prize.

  The dragon didn’t stop her, but neither did she assist Caity in any way. If she wanted this, to work her way back into the dragon’s life, she needed to earn it. Closing her eyes, Caity pressed her mouth where she knew Quinn’s clit was hidden. With a lick of her pointed tongue, she lapped at the folds, swallowing down the unique taste of her mistress.

  Everything narrowed down to that moment, that connection and Caity’s need to win her way back into the dragon’s heart. Tang burst across her taste buds as she licked and teased Quinn’s clit. The dragon didn’t move, didn’t respond in any way for what felt like eternity. Concentrating, Quinn doubled her efforts and began to use her nose along with her tongue to drag a reaction out of the dragon.

  The slight shaking of Quinn’s thighs told Caity she was making progress. Moaning against her pussy, Caity yanked on the chains preventing her from touching the thing she most wanted to. She pulled back to look up at Quinn.

  “Mistress, release me?”

  “No.”

  “I want to touch you. Make you feel good.”

  “No.”

  This time when Caity yanked on the chains, pain flashed through her shoulder muscles and into her chest. “Tell me, then. I need to know how to fix this.”

  The growl when it came shook the trees circling the clearing and vibrated through Caity’s body. Quinn shoved her back, sending her into a heap against the stones and wood.

  “You’re mine.” Quinn grabbed Caity’s leg and lifted it up. “You thought you could walk away from me and find some other life?”

  Quinn dropped to her knees and shuffled forward. Caity’s chest tightened, her breathing starting to come in gasps as she watched her lover move into position—moving to claim her.

  Thank God.

  Lifting her leg to curl it around Quinn’s back, Caity shifted her lips to lift her pussy enough to brush against the dragon’s. Their simultaneous moans blended together, making the best music Caity had ever heard.

  Quinn ground her cunt down, sliding their clits together, mixing their wetness and binding them as one.

  “Don’t you dare leave me again.” Quinn’s voice was barely a whisper. She moaned as she swiveled her hips once more. “Never, ever again.”

  “I won’t. Promise.”

  Words stopped, and Caity focused on the pleasure. Every brush of her clit against Quinn’s brought her another step closer to release. Ten years was too long to go without contact. Too long to be separated from the woman she’d loved. But she’d hold back until Quinn gave her permission, her blessing for this to become something more than physical release.

  Quinn rode her body hard, grinding and humping her until sweat covered Caity’s body. Her body tingled where the dragon touched her. Quinn’s nails dug into the flesh of Caity’s thigh as she squeezed it, using the limb as leverage to push their bodies together. Sweat mingled with tears on Caity’s cheeks and slid into the corners of her mouth.

  She hadn’t realized her eyes had slid shut until she felt the sharp pinch of her nipple. Quinn smiled at her surprised gasp and gave her another hard tweak. The roll of her nipple between Quinn’s fingers sent another jolt of pleasure to her cunt. The rough contact ramped up her desire, and Caity knew she wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. Instead of begging, she bit the side of her cheek and prayed her lover would understand.

  Quinn released her nipple, leaned in and caught Caity’s bottom lip in her mouth. The points of her teeth dug into the flesh even as Quinn increased the pressure of her pussy against Caity’s clit. Turning her head, Caity opened up and gave everything she had left to the dragon. The kiss scorched her soul, re-branding the dragon on her heart.