“Okay, okay, I surrender!” Bryn announced. Gaelin and Stefan forfeited as well.

  A chorus of “Yay!” rang out as pups shifted into flesh.

  “Augh, gods, all of you, scales or pants, you know the rules!” Bryn waved them off.

  “Baba, Fu, who are they?” Suyin tugged on Sile’s sleeve as he stepped forward.

  “Oh, they’re the Loch clan representatives for the area, a bunch of young silvers with behavioral problems,” Shui sniffed.

  Gaelin and Stefan pulled out a few bags from somewhere in their jackets and held them up high.

  “Oh please, no candy,” Shui muttered beneath his breath.

  “I think we have enough this time. There’re more pups here than we were expecting, but we always bring extras.” Bryn whistled as Gaelin pulled out a feeder rat and shook it. The pups went wild.

  Bryn turned, the pups racing off as Gaelin and Stefan took off outside to let them have their rats. Even though they’d moved on to larger prey and people food, rats were something that even the little ones could enjoy. Bryn’s jaw fell slowly, eyes going wide.

  Bryn approached, nearly hypnotized, as he reached a hand out for Suyin’s. He bowed low and kissed Suyin’s wrist. “I’m sorry we’ve not been introduced before; I am Bryn of the Loch clan. And who are you, beautiful?”

  Sile swore beneath his breath and grumbled, burying his face in his palm as Shui escorted him off.

  Shui leaned in on his way out and glared at Bryn. “I will have your testicles mounted to my wall if you upset my Suyin. Do you comprehend?”

  Suyin blushed, the pink in his pale skin lovely, a betrayal of his masculine shape.

  Bryn nodded to Shui and swallowed. “Will you be staying here to help us pupsit? I think I would enjoy getting to know you more.”

  “Uh-huh.” Suyin nodded. His eyes reflected a strange sort of want, and Sacha knew at once that their dragons called out to one another.

  “So, your den. Are you three lovers?” Suyin peered up with his steely blue eyes gleaming. Sacha raised an eyebrow, watching the interaction with interest.

  “No. I can’t share…I can’t share,” Bryn grumbled as scales the color of oxidized copper traced up his arms. Suyin reached out and traced them with his delicate fingers.

  “Suyin. Would you care to join me on a quick walk to my car? I have some more things for the pups in there and…I—”

  Suyin fished in his pocket for a moment and pressed something into Loch’s hand, staring up at him with a fierce twitch of his lip. Bryn looked down at it with shock, his face flushing.

  “I don’t play games,” Suyin said sharply.

  “I-I—” Bryn stammered and squeaked when Suyin grabbed him by his hand and led him outside to the car, a glint of gold in his free hand as he swallowed.

  Gabriel’s jaw dropped, and he sat there, still as a statue.

  “Dettes…Dettes can…” Gabriel whimpered. “They can offer to court?”

  Sacha grinned. “It may not be common, but there’s no rules against it.”

  “But that was Sile’s Dette son!”

  Sacha nodded, half grinning. “Yeah. But they obviously had some kind of connection. You know, I felt the same way the moment I saw you. I wanted you all to myself and I petitioned your Drake father twice before they agreed to even let me into your den.”

  “I thought you were cute, and you smelled so nice, but I knew my place.” Gabriel took a shuddering breath and muffled a whimper when Sacha leaned down to kiss the sadness right out of his voice.

  “Let’s go get our pups and get them to bed so we can—”

  Gabriel grabbed the neck of Sacha’s shirt, pulling him into a wanton kiss. “Get the pups. I don’t know if I can wait much longer.”

  “If they got a good meal in them, they’re probably sleepy.” Sacha nipped a kiss along Gabriel’s jawline and separated, strolling outside to grab Michael and Gabriel. Michael licked his maw, full and happy, and Raphael played with a detached tail, shaking it about.

  “Ew,” Sacha grumbled, picking Raphael up. He struggled for a few seconds, swallowing the tail with a defensive growl. “Skin, boy!” Sacha tugged his neck and cuddled the naked pup in his arms. He scowled then gave a sleepy yawn before snuggling into Sacha’s chest. Gabriel barely had Michael in his arms before he sprawled out, half asleep.

  “Was it all crunchy?” Gabriel tickled Michael’s belly, and he struggled a little and snuffled into Gabriel’s chest for warmth.

  Sacha shook his head and waved to the others.

  “If you see Suyin, tell him we’ll be out here or in the nesting room if you see him,” Shui shouted out and waved. Sile’s jaw clenched as he worked it, anger plain over his face. Shui slapped his arm and frowned.

  With Michael and Raphael in hand, they made their way out to Sacha’s car. Heavy breathing came from around the side of Bryn’s car. Their driver bowed toward them, and Gabriel helped hook the pups into car seats. Sacha chanced a glance over at the car, watching as Suyin leaned against the side of Bryn’s SUV, the loch’s hair in his hand as he worked his head desperately over Suyin’s groin.

  “Well, that was interesting.” Sacha blinked rapidly as Gabriel snuck a glance.

  “I thought they were going to court?”

  “I mean…we all court differently.” Sacha shrugged and helped Gabriel into the car. “Let’s go home. You’ve a lot to contemplate and you can decide if you want me to court you like Bryn when you get home.” Sacha licked his lips and made Gabriel giggle.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Gabriel

  The drive wasn’t a long one, a mere few minutes that brought them to a house of a similar design to Hallr’s, minus the nestblossoms and the ostentation. Sacha’s was a little plainer, the landscaping generic. The house looked unlived in as he escorted Gabriel inside, up a short flight, up steps into mahogany double doors that spread into an echoing foyer. Gabriel glanced around, cupping Michael to himself as Raphael clutched to Sacha and whined. He wanted to sleep so badly.

  “Okay, let’s get some diapers on these boys and get them into a guest bedroom.” Gabriel bounced Michael a little in his arms.

  “Bastien!” Sacha shouted out. A disheveled, fair-haired shifter of some variety stumbled down the stairs. He stared at Sacha with watery brown eyes and slight posture. He wore a pair of sagging pajama pants and a loose shirt. And something about him didn’t smell like male, and Gabriel got the impression that he was some sort of Dette of another species, but as far as he was aware, no other species had genders as the dragons did.

  “Oh! You’ve found Master Gabriel.” He bowed politely and Sacha waved him off.

  “None of that, Bastien. Gabe’s adopted a few pups. Would you mind keeping them company for a bit?” Sacha gave the man a hopeful look.

  Gabriel waited for the man, boy really, to deny as he stared at the two pups but gasped and bustled forward. “Oh my goddess, look at them! They’re so precious. Yes! I’ll get them into the boys’ playroom to settle down and I’ll stay with them. I had some embroidery I was working on anyway. No trouble at all.” He happily scooped Raphael from Sacha’s arms and held out an arm for Michael.

  “That’s Raphael, and this is Michael.” Sacha watched as Bastien stared at each of the pups for a lingering moment, likely memorizing their scents.

  “You two, go! Shoo. Uncle Bastien is going to go spoil these pups. You two tend to your mating.” He scampered off, giggling, the pups snuggling into him quite contentedly.

  “Bastien is a grandchild of a good friend of mine. He’s half coyote shifter,” Sacha said, welcoming Gabriel into his arms for a soft kiss. “Now come here. Worry not. He’s been taking care of Leo’s pups for years.”

  Gabriel protested with a whimper before Sacha pressed his lips down and dominated his mouth. “Mine.”

  “Mine,” Gabriel echoed, his eyes hooding as rational thought slipped away. Gabriel jumped, wrapping his legs around Sacha’s waist, and locked their heads together in a deep and hungry kiss. Their tongues slid softly against one another at first then roughly as Gabriel nipped and growled possessively. “This place doesn’t smell like me. Smells like Dette. Make it smell like me.”

  “Mmf, probably Bastien, dear. It’s a long story, but he’s never warmed my bed. He’s still a boy, yet. Feel free to get your sweet smell over all of my house.”

  “Want,” Gabriel hummed.

  “I want, too.” Sacha nipped Gabriel’s lower lip and sauntered down a hall and down a set of cellar steps, leading into a wine cellar. A shelf swung open and Sacha slipped in, carrying Gabriel into his vault.

  It wasn’t as impressive as Hallr’s, but there was enough room to shift and frolic about, enough gold piled around the edges to make a bigger nest for Gabriel. Sacha had a nest already in there, no furniture, only a dragon-sized depression filled with warm cushions and blankets. The bare stone walls and stone floor were lit poorly by hanging industrial basket lights with exposed steel beams. This place needed decorating.

  “Dragon wants,” Gabriel panted.

  “Hmm, my dragon wants, too, but let’s have skin first, and then our dragons can play, okay?” Sacha’s offer made Gabriel shiver.

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.” Sacha fell to his knees in the nest and pressed Gabriel onto his back amid the cushions. “Now let me have you. Tell me what you want.”

  Gabriel squirmed. “Lick me.” Gabriel whined as he shimmied from his pants, struggling to get his bare skin against Sacha. Sacha tugged on Gabriel’s shirt and brought a hand up to his side, letting a thumb circle one of Gabriel’s small pink nipples. Sacha leaned down and licked the pert nub tenderly.

  “Here?” Sacha’s tongue flicked.

  “Lower,” Gabriel growled, pushing on Sacha’s head.

  Sacha chuckled before enveloping Gabriel’s nipple for a lingering suck. “Patience, Firefly.” Sacha hummed and kissed an inch lower before moving to Gabriel’s other nipple.

  Gabriel struggled to kick his pants free, reaching for his cock, taking its plump form in his hand to squeeze and tug it into hardness. “Want.”

  “Wait.”

  Sacha kissed lower, dragging his tongue until he circled Gabriel’s tender navel. The heat there burned him, the warmth of life within a storm of small fire. He needed Sacha to quench him there, to ease the itch and cement their bond as the pups developed, if they were pups at all.

  “Love you,” Sacha whispered, his eyes two green fires, staring up at Gabriel’s warm face. Tears stung Gabriel’s eyes before he shoved Sacha’s face down lower.

  “Stop teasing me before I come all over your stupid face,” Gabriel whined.

  “Then stop making it so fun to tease you.” Sacha dipped his head down and enveloped Gabriel’s cock, sucking him down to his root with a soft dip of his head. Sacha’s facial hair gently tickled over Gabriel’s sac. He swirled his tongue, stimulating the tip of Gabriel’s twitching cock to claim his trickle of precum.

  Sacha slipped his fingers down behind Gabriel’s sack, circling his bud before forcing him to tent his knees up. “Good Dette. Now let me give you your pleasure.”

  Gabriel whined and choked over his breath. Sacha hummed with delight as he bobbed his head, slowly sinking a single finger to the first knuckle into Gabriel’s channel. With a twist of his finger, Sacha spread the slick with a rocking thrust, pushing deeper in before drawing slowly out. “Want another finger?” Sacha asked. Gabriel did want another finger, but he wanted a cock so much worse. Betraying him, his sac drew up tight, threatening to end their fun.

  “P-please.” Gabriel squirmed, his thighs quivering. Sacha swallowed over Gabriel’s cock and withdrew, panting before licking around Gabriel’s foreskin and snaking his tongue down to trail the seam of Gabriel’s sac. A second finger pushed in to join the first, scissoring open Gabriel’s wetness. All the stress melting away as Sacha’s tongue swiped around his fingers. Gabriel drew his legs up, shaking violently as the urge to release overcame him.

  Sacha slipped his fingers out, ceasing his ministrations and relaxed Gabriel with gentle flicks of his tongue. “You taste so sweet.”

  “I love you,” Sacha said again, tongue lapping over Gabriel’s pliant ring. Hungrily, he grasped Gabriel’s cheeks and pushed him up, folding the Dette nearly in half. With a brief hesitation, Sacha buried his face between Gabriel’s cheeks, lashing his tongue with slow, thrusting motions.

  Gabriel keened and screamed thoughtlessly, enjoying the attention with little fear of predators, other dragons, weather, humans, or anything. Inside Gabriel’s head, Sacha projected thoughts of safety, love, pleasure, happiness, family, and forever.

  “Gabriel. Gabriel—Gabriel—Gabriel,” Sacha hummed against him with each pass of his tongue.

  “Put me down!” Gabriel keened, whimpering. Sacha let him down, sliding away to watch him with dark simmering eyes. “Swallow me. I want to finish in your mouth,” Gabriel hissed, sighing with relief when Sacha’s mouth enveloped his aching cock, hollowing his cheeks until Gabriel exploded. A nerve ticked in Gabriel’s leg, drawing it up higher as his body contorted in a rigor of posturing.

  Aching shot after shot spilled over Sacha’s tongue and Gabriel keened with delight, panting as each wave of bliss took over. Sacha slowed the bob of his head into a gentle pace, stilling and drawing back with a tender suckle to bring Gabriel down without overstimulating him. With one last swallow, Sacha separated himself and kissed Gabriel’s softening tip before pulling away. “There we go, Firefly.”

  “Not nearly enough,” Gabriel whispered, drawing Sacha over him for a tender kiss. Gently, Gabriel cupped his hand between Sacha’s legs, pumping him to full hardness and drawing him into his pliant channel. “Fill me, Drake. Show me why I chose you over all the others.”

  Sacha groaned, pushing his hips forward to sink in. Gabriel’s soft hisses of pleasure turned into whimpers of delight. The sting of his Drake’s girth sent the heat in his belly chasing around in slow circles. “Can I be gentle?” Sacha rolled his hips slowly. “It’s been so desperate these last days that I just want it easy.”

  “As long as my dragon gets his turn next. We made a promise.” Gabriel moaned softly as Sacha thrust into him with a satisfying slap of flesh to flesh.

  “What happened to slow?” Gabriel whimpered and Sacha stirred his hips, soaking in the heat and tightness of his mate.

  “You feel so good.” Sacha scooped a hand behind Gabriel and leaned backward, tugging Gabriel into his lap. “Shake your hips.”

  Gabriel complied, draping his arms over Sacha’s shoulders, rolling his hips exploringly to point Sacha’s cock right against his tender spot. With a soft whimper, Gabriel leaned over Sacha’s shoulder and whispered into his ear, “I love you, Sacha. From the moment you first kissed me; I knew I was yours.”

  Sacha choked out a strange groan, his entire body shivering. “Gabe, please. I need that. Keep doing that.” Sacha wrapped his arms around Gabriel’s back, holding him close.

  “This?” Gabriel did something with his hips that made Sacha squirm.

  “No, no! Gabe, keep talking. Keep saying that.” Sacha’s voice wavered, his breath trembling. Tears pooled in his eyes and Gabriel rocked his hips in slow and gentle waves.

  “I want you, Sacha. I want us, forever. Your kisses make me feel like my first heat. I didn’t know sex could be fun until you. You were my only reprieve. I love you; my dragon loves you. You’re my favorite.” Gabriel kissed and whispered over Sacha’s ear, trying to control his mounting pleasure. As Gabriel bounced his hips, a thickening at his base signaled an impending knot, tugging and spreading his ring until Sacha’s entire body went rigid and twitched, locking Gabriel hopelessly down.

  “Thank you for coming back. Thank you, Gabriel. A million times, Gabriel. Forever and always.” Sacha buried his head into Gabriel’s hair and clutched Gabriel against him, holding him tight down over his cock, jerking his hips with spasmodic twitches, the spasm sending thick splashes of cum deep into Gabriel’s belly. “I love you.” Sacha leaned down to work Gabriel into a tender kiss and snaked his hand down over his Dette’s cock, stroking him in time with the tiny tugging motions of his knot that bumped and raked over Gabriel’s gland. He weakly spilled over Sacha’s chest and wilted bonelessly while his channel spasmed and squeezed over Sacha’s knot.

  When they finally separated, Gabriel stared at Sacha, his dragon fighting to take over his eyes, his perception of color flashing, and they both took to their scales and allowed their dragons to seek their own comfort.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Sacha

  Sacha stood, chest puffed and proud with all the confidence of a knight that had just slain a dragon…minus the s. He tightened a belt around a soft terry cloth robe and slid back into their nest to stroke gently over Gabriel’s flank. His gold scales twitched, so gorgeous even out of his flesh. Sacha’s dragon pawed within his mind, begging for another round with his mate, but Sacha promised him later. “Come on, Firefly. Join me.”

  Gabriel huffed and nuzzled over Sacha, knocking him over and tugging at the robe belt to lick at all the parts of Sacha’s body that interested the Dette at the moment.

  “Hey! Come on! Skin time now!” Sacha struggled. “Michael and Raphael want to see their papa, I’m sure.”

  The names struck a chord with Gabriel and he took over for his dragon, shifting into a well-loved and slightly sticky flesh version of himself.

  “There’s my beautiful mate.” Sacha pressed a robe into his arms. “Let’s go get ourselves a shower. I’m afraid the one down here is rather bare bones for emergencies but—”

  “It’s fine. We’ve shared worse.”

  “I don’t know. I think that little stream was nice. Cold, but nice.”

  “Twenty some odd years nice?” Gabriel raised a brow and slid the robe on but didn’t bother tying it.