Dawn of the Dragons (Exiled Dragons Book 10) Read online

  His legs pushed her knees apart, spreading her further open and dragging the head of his thick cock back and forth across her clit, which only aroused her further. It felt incredible as he finally entered her and began fucking her slowly and gently. Dawn dug her fingers into his back, holding on to him savagely as he picked up the pace.

  Their bodies rocked back and forth against one another in front of the fire, his throbbing tool opening her up, filling a void meant for only him. She felt full – heart, body, mind, and soul. This night was just as magical as their first night had been. She never wanted it to end.

  Liam unexpectedly pulled free and twisted her around, putting her on all fours to face the fire as he entered her from behind. His hands grasped her hips as their centers met repeatedly, plowing his cock deeper and deeper inside her with each thrust until their bodies were a whirlwind of activity bouncing back and forth as flames danced across their sweaty skin.

  “God, yes. Fuck me. Harder,” she cried out, desperate for him to give her more.

  Liam was normally soft and gentle. This was a new side of him, and she loved it. Her moans filled the office around them as they fucked like animals in front of the fire. Liam’s hand reached forward, circling her neck. His grip was not tight, but firm enough to show her his power, to remind her who was in control in that moment.

  Their thoughts were both primal, urgent as he slammed into her harder and harder, pushing her forward on the rug, closer to the fire. He pulled her upward, her body almost vertical as his chest brushed against her back and he pounded her with long, deliberate strokes that only made her wetter.

  Her body shuttered with another orgasm, sending streams of cum dripping down his cock and balls. It swirled down her thighs and shimmered in the light of the fire. His body jerked as he finally let go, no longer able to hold back the flood of his own climax inside of her.

  They remained there for a moment, enjoying the warmth of the fire on their skin and the scent of their sex that floated about them. Finally, he pulled free of her and sat back on the rug, retrieving one of the bottles of wine and unscrewing the top. He looked at her balefully.

  “What? They didn’t have a corkscrew or wine glasses. I had to find the best bottle of screw-top wine and a couple of tumblers.”

  Liam laughed and poured them each a bottle of the cheap red wine, handing her one as they curled up against one another in front of the fire. Dawn felt more alive than she had since the attack. This is how their life was supposed to be, not filled with maniacs out for revenge and inquisitions by men who preferred archaic laws over modern common sense.

  Her tension had eased now. Liam had always known how to calm her, whether he chose to do so physically or with his words. At the end of the day, he loved her and would do anything for her. They would have a great life together. As far as she was concerned, they would still be fucking in front of the fire when they were old, gray, and wrinkled.

  They sipped the wine and talked about the future now that they had gotten past the worst of what had happened to them. They still had to look for a house and plan the wedding, but that would be easier now that they didn’t have the other stuff to deal with.

  Following her hearing, Aaron Donnelly had taken measures to remove certain members of the council. It wasn’t strictly because of what happened with Dawn, but it had been the final straw in an ongoing struggle to finish pushing certain members who refused to accept more modern law and less barbaric punishments.

  Though no one could argue that what had happened to Harlan was tragic and that Tommy deserved to be punished for it, many could argue that had he been given some rehabilitation, some opportunity to change and improve, he might not have done what he did in the end. He might be alive and leading a productive life despite his teenage errors in thinking. Not even Aaron had realized the horrors such a young prisoner had endured during his incarceration.

  It was only after what had happened that he had looked into the way prisoners were handled in the dungeons and discovered that, despite all the progress he had made, there were still people in this employ that were sadistic and cruel in ways that normal people could have never imagined. Tommy had been beaten and fed food with maggots virtually every day for five years. It was like something out of a seventeenth century dungeon. No wonder he had been set on revenge when he came out.

  It didn’t make what he did right or even forgivable, but there was little doubt that his inner demons had been nurtured rather than exorcised during his time there. Dawn tried to push the thoughts from her head. She reminded herself that it was a part of her life that was over now and returned her gaze to the fire.

  Everything would be better now, she thought, sipping her wine as Liam nuzzled her neck softly from behind. They stayed like that for what felt like hours, but was much shorter. The fire began to die down and the wine ran empty as they finally laid down on the rug, making love one last time before going home. This time it was lazy, slow. Dawn could have happily slept here on the floor in his arms rather than getting dressed for home, but she finally managed to do so, as did Liam.

  They walked home, hand in hand. Somehow, the stars seem brighter tonight as they made their way back to their house. It felt magical to her as they walked along, not like other nights. She wasn’t sure why, but tonight felt different.

  CHAPTER 24

  Their opening day was a great success. Though most of their business was not going to come walking through the door, they held a grand opening for the people in the village. It was well attended, which meant a lot of them would spread word of mouth that would foster business. Most of it would come in on the internet, but they would hopefully also have many local customers.

  Their days were long as they worked diligently at a desk built for two. Liam had selected a large oak one with laptop pads that recessed, allowing them to work across the same space while looking at one another. With the push of a button, the computers would slip down into the desk and a door would close over them, allowing the top of the desks to be used like a table for collaboration or creation purposes.

  Within a few months, business was booming. Their reputations for quality work and expertise had reached clients worldwide. They were well on their way to being a powerhouse in their field. Before they knew it, their wedding date was growing near, and that was an area in which Dawn didn’t feel nearly as successful.

  “We need to go shopping for your wedding dress, Dawn,” her mother reminded her on the phone for the millionth time in months.”

  “I know. I just haven’t had time.”

  “Is everything okay, honey? I mean, you aren’t having second thoughts, are you?”

  “What? No, of course not. I can’t wait to marry Liam.”

  “Then why haven’t you picked out a dress? We only have a few months left, and it could take every bit of that time to get the fit right and get it altered, or even have it made if you decide to go that route.”

  “Okay. Okay. I guess I’m not much of a wedding planner,” Dawn replied.

  “Then perhaps we should hire you one?”

  “What? No. I can do it. I just have to get on it. I’ll sit down tonight and make a list of things I need to get done and get on them.”

  “And we will go this weekend to look at dresses?”

  “Sure. Yes, Mom. We will go on Saturday. Is that good?”

  “That is perfect. I’ll make us some appointments. Did you want anyone else to go?”

  “What? Like who? Why?”

  “It sometimes helps to take people with you so that you have several opinions. It’s hard to see your dress the way other people see it.”

  “Hmm. I don’t know. Maybe Aunt Barb?”

  “I’m sure she would love to go, and how about Penelope and Liam’s mother?”

  “I don’t know if they would want to.”

  “I can ask.”

  “Okay. Ask.”

  “Talk to you tomorrow after I’ve gotten in touch with them.”

  “T
hanks, Mom.”

  “Goodnight, honey. I love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  “Mom nagging you about wedding plans?” Liam asked once she laid the phone back down.

  “Yeah, a little.”

  “Good. You’ve hardly done anything.”

  “And what have you done?” she asked testily.

  “I’m not saying I’ve done anything. I’m just saying that, for a woman getting married in a few months, you don’t seem very excited. You aren’t getting cold feet, are you? Should I expect you to burst out of your wedding dress and take to the skies instead of walking down the aisle?”

  “Are you serious? Do you really think I would do that?”

  Dawn felt angry that he could even think such a thing. When had she ever done anything to make him doubt her love for him?”

  “Wait. Whoa. What is this all about, Dawn? I was just teasing you. Why are you so upset with me?”

  “I’m not upset with you!”

  “Well, you are sure as hell upset. If it is not with me, then it is about something else, and I want to know what that something else is.”

  “I’m just stressed. We have the business, and we still haven’t really had time to find another house. Plus, we have a wedding to plan.”

  “Dawn, you’re making too much of it. The business is going well. We have it under control. As for the house, it’s not like we are getting kicked out of this one. So what if we don’t find one right away? We are here until we do, and it’s not a bad place, is it? It is large and it’s near the office.”

  “Yes, but it isn’t ours. I want to get started on things like a garden and picking out furniture we like. I want to pick out colors and decor that I like instead of settling for things that match what the house already looks like. I feel like we can’t continue to move forward and…oh, God…”

  Dawn ran for the bathroom. She felt incredibly ill. Was there a bug or something going around? Liam rushed in behind her, holding her hair as she threw up and sat back on the floor, gasping for fresh hair. She felt incredibly flushed and nauseous.

  “Feel any better?” he asked softly.

  “I’m sorry, Liam. I guess I’m just cranky because I don’t feel well. I didn’t realize I felt so bad. It just sort of came over me.”

  “Perhaps you should take a couple of days off and get some rest. I can manage down at the office while you get a bit of downtime under your belt.”

  “I don’t know. I don’t want to leave you there to do everything yourself.”

  “It’s just a couple of days. Rest up for the weekend, and then you can enjoy the day out with the women picking out dresses and stuff.”

  “I think I might if I still feel like this in the morning.”

  “Come on. Let’s get some sleep, and we will see what morning looks like.”

  Dawn awoke the next morning to find that she felt fine. Perhaps it had just been something she ate or letting herself get stressed out too much about everything she needed to do for the wedding. She and Liam got ready for the office and walked over, stopping at the diner down the street for bagels and coffee.

  She felt fine when she walked in, but in a matter of moments, she was ill once again and had to hurry back outside to get fresh air. Liam ran out behind her, putting his hands around her shoulders to steady her.

  “Perhaps you should have stayed home, after all,” he told her.

  “It’s looking that way. I really don’t have time for this nonsense.”

  “Why don’t we walk over to the doctor before we open the office and let him look you over?”

  “I’m not that sick, Liam. It’s probably just a bug or something.”

  “All the same, why not just let him look you over, give you a shot or some antibiotics, and knock it out?”

  “All right. Let’s go.”

  Liam took her to the hospital at the council building and walked her in. She was glad that she managed to avoid any of the members of the council as she had found herself ill at ease around most of them since the hearing. It had resulted in some of them being voted off the council, but she still felt strange seeing them and avoided it whenever possible.

  Liam left her in one of the small waiting rooms and went to fetch the doctor. They returned a few minutes later, and Liam took her place in the waiting room while she went to an exam room with the doctor.

  “So, how long have you been sick?” he asked, sitting across from her.

  “It just started yesterday. It comes and goes. I just felt sweaty and nauseous for no apparent reason, and then it fades.”

  “When was the last time you were sick?”

  “This morning when Liam and I went to breakfast. I felt fine and then we walked in, and I felt ill at the smell of food.”

  “I see,” he said, smiling a little. “Lay back on the table for me.”

  Dawn did as she was asked and he poked around on her belly a bit, then took a little blood from her in some test tubes.

  “You want to wait around for the results, or shall I just call you?”

  “How long will it take?”

  “Usually a few hours, but the lab is empty right now, so probably about an hour.”

  “Do you have any idea what it might be?”

  “Could be several things, but I’d like to be certain before we discuss any of them.”

  “I’ll be close by. Just call me, and if I need to come back by, I will just walk back over.”

  “Good. We will call you with the results.”

  Dawn left the room and retrieved Liam, who was full of questions.

  “Well? What did he say?”

  “Nothing yet. He drained my blood and is going to test it. He’ll call when he knows something.”

  “How long?”

  “I don’t know. An hour or two maybe.”

  “Oh, good. Not long then.”

  “Are you worried that I’m sick, or just that I might get ill and bite your head off again like I did yesterday?”

  “Both,” he admitted.

  “At least you are honest,” she laughed.

  By the time they reached the office, Dawn felt fine again. The nausea had passed, and she poured herself into work. She had all but forgotten she was waiting on the doctor until the phone rang and he was on the other end of the line.

  “Dawn, I need for you and Liam to come back to my office.”

  “Now?”

  “It doesn’t have to be right this second, but I’m going out of town tomorrow and might not be here later. I’d like to see you both before I go.”

  “That doesn’t sound good.”

  “Let’s just talk in my office. When can you come?”

  “We’ll come now,” Dawn replied, knowing she couldn’t just wait for the news knowing it seemed a bit urgent.

  “Doctor?” Liam asked as she hung up.

  “Yeah. He wants me to come back for my results.”

  “That doesn’t sound very good. Why couldn’t he just tell you over the phone?”

  “I don’t know, but we need to get over there.”

  “All right. Let’s go then.”

  Dawn and Liam locked up the office and headed back to the hospital. They sat down in the waiting room until he called them back to his office. Sitting across from him, they both waited anxiously for the results.

  “Dawn, your system is a bit compromised, so I’m going to put you on a strict regimen of vitamins and recommend a particular diet for you to follow.”

  “What does that mean? What is wrong with me?”

  “Wrong with you? Nothing. You’re pregnant.”

  Dawn and Liam both sat looking at him with faces that would have been no more shocked if he had reached across the table and slapped them.

  “Pregnant? With a baby?” Liam finally uttered.

  “Well, she ain’t going to have a puppy,” the doctor laughed.

  “How far along?” she asked.

  “Not far I’d say. I’d have to do a full pelvic, but my g
uess is not more than a few weeks or so. You’re just having morning sickness.”

  “Well, this is quite a surprise, but why couldn’t you just tell us over the phone?” Dawn asked.

  “There is something else. I could have told you over the phone, but I just thought maybe it would be best to do it face to face.”

  “What is it?”

  “Indicators in your blood show that this is not a single fetus. You’re most likely looking at twins. From some of the levels and the early onset of morning sickness, maybe even triplets.”

  “You’re shitting me,” Liam gasped.

  “No, son. I assure you that I am not shitting you at all,” the doctor laughed.

  “My God,” Dawn said.

  “Congratulations,” the doctor told them.

  “Thanks,” they both mumbled.

  “All right, so I’ll get you a prescription for the vitamins and a list of dietary recommendations. You’ll need to make an appointment with an OB/GYN as soon as possible for the full pelvic and an ultrasound. If this is twins or triplets, you’re going to require extra care right from the beginning.”

  “Thanks,” they both managed again, each of them feeling completely numb.

  Nothing else the doctor said really registered as the two of them stood and made their way back to the office, where they sat across from one another and said nothing for a few moments.

  CHAPTER 25

  Dawn made an emergency appointment with another doctor for the next day, closing the office early and taking Liam with her to find out just what they were looking at here.

  “Can you imagine triplets? I mean, one baby would be great. I don’t mind that we have things a bit out of order, but three at once. Wow!”

  “I know. It would be crazy.”

  “Maybe he’s wrong. He is just going by indicators. Those aren’t always right.”

  “I guess we will find out soon enough.”

  They were both extremely nervous by the time the doctor called Dawn back. She asked Liam to wait outside until she was done, and then he could join them for the ultrasound. Both of them were excited as the tech got her ready for the test after the doctor confirmed that she was pregnant and about five weeks along. It was a little longer than they expected, but it coincided with that first night together in their new office.