As pleasure burst over her and her entire body released, her sex clenched around him, and he let out a groan before following her into freefall, both of them lost to gorgeous release.

  This was heaven. This was everything. She held him throughout all of it, loving the hot jerks of his body, the tensing of his immense muscles as he released… the feel of his pleasure, of feeling pleasure together. It was more than she’d ever hoped for before she met him.

  As they both finally came down from the peak together, she let out a breathless sigh and continued to hold him tight, letting him go for only a second so he could pull out and then stay on top of her, holding her again.

  She never wanted to let go.

  He brushed her hair back, propped over her but pulling back slightly. “I will love and protect you forever, my mate. My Mara.”

  She hugged him again, pulling him down to her on the blanket. “I’m so glad you kidnapped me, Konar.” She laughed and felt his body shake with a chuckle. “I love you so much.”

  She wanted to hold him like that forever, but they were both so overwhelmed from coming together in such a special way that it was difficult to simply do so and stay calm.

  Konar rolled over next to her and held her hand, keeping her close as they lay on their backs. “If I stay on top of you, we’re going to go again,” he said. “And I want to savor the moment.”

  She smiled, her heart full of more happiness than ever before. The future would hold many challenges, but as long as she was with him, she was excited to meet them together.

  He leaned up on his side and looked over at her. “I’m so glad I came here, now. A hundred years was nothing compared to meeting you.”

  She smiled and truly felt a sunrise in her heart at the knowledge that she had somehow been part of healing him from all he’d lost.

  Making up for things.

  Because as much as she loved her life before him, she had found so many things she hadn’t known were missing just by finding him too.

  “I promise, Mara,” he said. “I’ll be with you forever.”

  She squeezed his hand, still warm with afterglow. Blossoms blew by, delicate and pink, and the world was so beautiful she almost couldn’t take it.

  He moved over her one more time, looking down at her with soft eyes. “Everything before you was winter. You are the spring of my life.”

  Her lips opened in shock at his sweetness, but then his lips covered hers, and she felt herself get caught up in the moment all over again.

  As he rolled over again, she laughed and wrapped her arms around him, ready for whatever came next.

  Ready to be claimed over and over again by her barbarian dragon.

  Epilogue

  “Why didn’t you tell me we could wear swimsuits in here?” Mara asked Konar as they walked into the secret springs with her friends, Becky and Willow.

  It had been a few weeks since they were mated, and they were still very much in the honeymoon phase.

  But Mara had wanted her friends to come see the fortress as soon as possible, so here they were.

  Konar wished they could stay alone so he could continue the constant pleasuring and claiming of his mate every day. But Mara had assured him she was utterly claimed and that she would need to see her friends for a happy life.

  And Konar definitely wanted to make sure that happened.

  “I never said you had to be naked,” he said to Mara quietly as Becky and Willow dropped their bags by the springs, exclaiming over the beauty of the room. “I said warriors bathed here naked, and you jumped to conclusions.” He grinned wickedly. “You didn’t seem to mind.”

  She blushed, pushing him away in embarrassment, then lifting on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. “You’re right. Thank you for inviting my friends.”

  “Your friends are my friends,” he said softly, surprised by how easy it had been to let go of his barbarian life. To accept slow, quiet moments.

  He loved it.

  Then he heard Mara’s phone ring just as she was getting into a hot spring with her friends.

  “Hold on a minute,” she said, going over to it.

  “Can’t it wait?” he asked.

  “Actually, no, it can’t,” she said, brushing her red ponytail over her shoulder. “I was told the oracle would be calling. She still wants to make it up to you.”

  He frowned, grabbing his mate for a hug and pulling her in against him, ignoring the ringing phone. “I told you I don’t need anything. Waking up in time to meet you was enough. The rest of my life was nothing in comparison.”

  She grinned, flushing, but hit the answer button on the phone regardless, pressing mute for a second. “It’s the most powerful being in the shifter world. Don’t you want to at least hear what she can do?”

  “Fine, if you do,” he muttered, letting her move in front of him to answer the phone. He kept his arms wrapped around her from behind and pouted as he rested his head on hers so the oracle could see both of them on the screen.

  Looking down, he saw a curvy older woman with snow-white hair, misty purple eyes, and a smile that held too many secrets.

  Konar instantly didn’t trust her. It was hard not to let bile rise, seeing this person again, knowing what she’d done—

  “I know you have no wish to talk to me, Konar. But I must apologize.”

  “You are forgiven,” he said, nuzzling the top of Mara’s head. “As you can see, this worked out for me.”

  “I’m so glad,” the oracle said, looking to the side as if someone asked her something. When she looked back, she seemed slightly harried. He guessed a lot was going on with the shifter world. “We are going to need you and your mate in this new world, so I’m glad you’ve forgiven us, even if we didn’t deserve it.”

  He nodded. “We all make mistakes.”

  “I do have one thing to offer,” she said. “To congratulate you two on your mating.”

  He cocked his head. “I can’t think of anything I need.”

  Mara was quiet, just patiently watching the conversation. He appreciated her support.

  He wasn’t ready to go out into the human world and protect it yet, but when he did go, it would be with her, so he knew everything would be fine.

  The past few weeks had been heaven.

  Better than his life had ever been on Drakkaris.

  “I want to pair your lifespans,” she said. “It happens automatically when humans mate dragons or when two dragons of the same type mate. But with you two being from different realms—”

  His heart nearly stopped. “What?”

  “If you want to live as long as each other, I can make that happen. It would mean adding about a thousand years to Konar’s lifespan,” she said. “Barbarian dragons aren’t known for their longevity.”

  “Do it,” he said instantly. A thousand extra years with Mara? He’d give up anything for that.

  The oracle nodded, and immense gratitude welled in him.

  “The two of you will come visit me tomorrow, and we will take care of it.”

  He nodded eagerly. It was hard to kill dragons, but knowing that he and his mate would spend their entire lives together… it was too good to be true.

  Far too much for an apology.

  “Thank you so much,” Mara said, and Konar could feel the emotion in her voice.

  “Is there anything we can do?” Konar asked gruffly, hating that he spent so much time hating this woman for a simple mistake.

  Mara was right. Forgiveness allowed so much room to move on.

  He was glad he’d had her to convince him.

  “Funny you should mention that,” the oracle said. “You don’t owe us anything, obviously. But if the two of you want to help, you could reach out to the other two dragons that came to help. The others I locked up—”

  “Karnal and Drokar,” Konar said, dread settling in his stomach.

  “Yes,” the oracle said. “They have resisted all attempts at amends and apologies, merely shooting fire at all of my messengers.”

  Konar snorted. “They are barbarians. They will be stubborn.”

  “I want to make it up to them,” she said. “Especially after they helped us. What do you think? Can you help us convince them?”

  Konar frowned, unsure.

  “They showed up at the battle for us,” Mara said. “I mean, you told them, right?”

  Konar nodded. Then he looked over at Becky and Willow, who were toasting with wine and still exclaiming over the beautiful greenery, basking in the steam rising from the springs.

  “I need to find me a dragon,” Becky said, relaxing back. “I need one of these castles.”

  “Right?” Willow said, letting out a sigh of relief.

  “I think we just need the right motivation,” Konar said, grinning.

  The oracle looked relieved. “Well, let me know, because your help on that would be much appreciated. And regardless, I do want them to be happy. Like you are now.”

  Konar nodded, agreeing. He knew what it was like to be trapped in rage and violence. “I think they can be convinced, with the right leverage.”

  “Great,” the oracle said, giving him a warm smile. “Let me know if there is anything else you need.”

  Then she hung up, and Mara turned to Konar, still in his arms.

  “What do you mean leverage?” she whispered, leaning in against him.

  He glanced at her friends, and she looked too, then laughed, shaking her head.

  “You can’t be serious,” she said.

  “I am,” he said. “Hey, what harm can it do, making introductions?”

  Mara laughed. “Just don’t let my friends get flamed, Konar.” She put her arm through his, and they both started to walk over to the spring where her friends were.

  “Come on, don’t you trust me?” he asked, tilting his head at her.

  “With my life,” she said, reaching up on her toes to kiss him again.

  Drakkaris, he couldn’t get enough of her.

  “Okay, okay, that’s enough PDA!” Becky yelled. “Now, Konar, get over here and tell us you have some single dragon friends to hook us up with.”

  Konar had liked Becky immediately. Her frank way of speaking, kind eyes, and fun sense of humor was a great complement to Willow’s quiet warmth. “As a matter of fact, I might just have two friends who fit the—”

  “Trust me, you don’t want his friends,” Mara muttered, making him chuckle. “They’re all barbarians.”

  “Well, as you found out, sometimes a barbarian can be tamed, just a little,” Konar said.

  “I’m in,” Willow said, watching them avidly.

  Konar laughed and pulled back, helping his mate into the spring.

  As the warm water enveloped them and steam rose all around, he leaned back and just enjoyed the banter of his mate and her friends.

  All was right with the world.

  Thank you so much for coming along with Konar and Mara on their adventure! If you enjoyed it, I’d love it if you would consider leaving a review to help other readers find it! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my book!

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  I have a new pen name!

  If you like fantasy romance with anti-heroes and strong heroines, my other pen name might be for you!

  The Demon’s Pet (Rise of the Morningstar Book 1)

  My first series as Domino Savage has been a huge success, but it’s a bit different from my Terry books!

  It’s more violent, with a higher heat level. It is not insta-love (there is no cheating, and each book ends with no cliffhanger, but each book furthers the relationship more).

  There is more world-building, and it takes place in a world separate from Terry.

  The current heroine is not a curvy woman.

  These books are intense reads and not for everyone. If you like my double dragons, awakened dragons and other more action-filled reads, and you’re okay with monster elements in hot scenes, then it might be exactly what you’re looking for!

  The Demon’s Pet (Rise of the Morningstar Book 1)

  Rules are all that keep us alive in my haven. I broke the most important one.

  Ever since the great divide, when supernaturals emerged to take back the world, wolf shifters like me have lived in sheltered havens.

  The celestials, winged gods who inhabit the sky realms above us, protect us as long as we follow the rules, and kill us if we don't.

  So when I refuse to accept my place as the pack's scapegoat, they send an archangel to kill me. From the instant I see Samael, something burns between us. He's as powerful as I am powerless, with authority no one can gainsay.

  And he decides he'd rather take me than kill me.

  Between his black wings that signal horrific amounts of mortal sin and his dark love of violence, I'm not sure being with him counts as being rescued.

  Until I see the things he's willing to do with his swords in order to protect me.

  He insists he has ulterior motives and is only waiting for a mysterious favor, but Sam is far more than he appears on his beautiful surface.

  And as we get closer on our dangerous journey, the heat between us grows hotter than hellfire. We both have hidden secrets, and they're being pulled to the surface with every touch.

  I might just be the subject of an ancient prophecy, destined to bring the world to balance. That is, if the ruthless gods trying to kill me don't catch up first.

  The Demon's Pet is an epic fantasy romance with steam. No cliffhanger, 135,000 words. Fans of fantasy romance will love the possessive, ridiculously gorgeous anti-hero, strong heroine, scorching love scenes, thrilling action and elaborate, unique world-building that grabs hold of the reader and never lets go.

  The Demon’s Pet (Rise of the Morningstar Book 1)

  Sample of The Demon’s Pet

  “Hey, omega, come give me a kiss.”

  I raised my head, staring through the straggled, dark strands of my hair at the smirking, obnoxious face of Zane, one of my worst bullies.

  Then again, as the omega of my village, almost everyone had a reason to bully me, so rankings could sometimes be relative.

  In any celestial wolf haven, we were expected to follow strict rules from the time we were born.

  Without them, the pack would cease to function, or worse, the celestial enforcers, the archangels, would come to wreak havoc on any apostates.

  And bless those who followed the rules.

  I stared at the ground, chest painfully tight and heart ramming against my ribcage, and went over my possible options as Zane continued to taunt me from the other side of the road.

  I didn’t have to look up to know he was handsome. Blond. Tall. Athletic, though still slim.

  All his life, things had been handed to him.

  All because he was an alpha.

  “Hey, omega, look at me when I’m talking to you.”

  I told myself to calm down, stay cool. It never did any good to escalate things in these situations. Even if I managed to fight off one alpha or beta, they would group up and enforce the pack dynamic.

  And why not? They weren’t at the bottom of it.

  “Look at me, or I’m going to make you look at me,” Zane snarled.

  Alpha power. He’d use it on me, forcing me to bend to him.

  We don’t have to listen, something murmured inside me.

  I’d always had this little rebellious voice that crept up at these moments to try to persuade me to go against the pack.

  But if I stuck up for myself, they’d take away my ability to shift for a week, locking me in a collar.

  The only moments of freedom I had were when I was allowed to shift and run through the endless acres of tall grass and wildflowers outside my cottage.

  I’d seen collared omegas, and I had no desire to be one.

  Not even the mated kind.

  I’d rather die than be on a leash.

  “You’re an omega,” my mother had said. “That means someone will always be in control of what happens to you.” Her weary eyes, deeply lined and drained by her own life as an omega, begged me to accept it easily.

  I never could.

  From the second I’d found out I was an omega, I’d been fighting it. Ignoring advances from alphas. Fighting betas who were bullies.

  Someone else running my life? I’d never allow that.

  They’d have to gang up and kill me first.

  Which wasn’t impossible, since stoning got reinstated last year as a punishment for unruly omegas.

  “I’m going to have fun punishing you for this infraction, omega bitch,” Zane said, losing his patience. I could scent his stress in his sweat. My failure to submit to him had pricked his fragile, bloated ego.

  “You stay right there,” he snarled.

  I stood but dropped my heavy groceries as I turned to face him.

  As an omega, it was my job to do whatever a beta or alpha asked of me.

  No limits.

  Any refusal could be met with death.

  With his shifter strength and deftness, Zane strode across the street and got to me in mere seconds. Before I could blink, he grabbed my hair, uncombed and tangled as usual (because what was the point of looking good for these assholes) and jerked my head back so I was forced to look up at him.

  Tears bit at my eyes from the pain, and my neck flared in agony, but I held it all back and gave him the flat, unresponsive glare that I knew would deprive him of any enjoyment.

  Any of the power he usually felt from putting someone down.

  With a snarl, he shoved me away from him, so hard that I stumbled back and planted down on my ass in the dry grass beyond the sidewalk.

  He circled me and then stopped as I realized others were coming to join us, their footsteps echoing on the pavement as their shadows danced toward us in the waning evening light.