Chapter 20: Chapter 20

SILVER

Storm smiles seductively, and I can’t help but wonder how he is so perfect.

His looks are hardened but never aging; his Broken Fire that leaks out of his cheek is now more controlled, with only a light mist seeping through.

“You are broken and old,” I tease, wading farther back into the water of the river.

“I am young and new. Therefore, I may be stupider and ill-advised, but I am braver, more courageous, and ready for learning. I am mated to you because I. Am. The. Best!

“The best that ever was—Well, that was a poor choice of words, but I bet Jinx won’t mind.”

“If Jinx were here,” Storm says with a dangerously wide smirk, “you’d both be on your knees pleasing me. You and she…would both be attending me in the same bed.

“Have you ever thought of that? I do all the time. Shame that I can’t put some love bites on ~two~ mates. I could have let you rest in between intervals of lovemaking.

“Unfortunately, now you’ll have to take all of me and keep taking it.”

“Well, like I said, Storm, I am the best that ever was…and I am still a virgin.” I whisper the last part. “You brute; you left me wanting and achy, and I don’t even truly know what I’ve been craving.”

“The last time I offered, you stabbed me with a blunt knife and hit me over the head with a hot poker—” Storm is more than happy to rub this in and remind me.

“If we replayed that time, I’d still do it that way,” I whisper and slowly duck deeper into the water. “I’m a fast swimmer. I bet you can’t catch me if you try.”

“Well, if I do,”—Storm takes determined steps into the water—“you will have to do whatever I want you to do tonight…without a fuss or a single ~blink~ of complaint.”

“If I win,” I murmur as I try to think, “you will have to be ~my~ Student of Feeling for a day.”

“Sure, pipsqueak. That sounds amusing either way.” Storm doesn’t hesitate; he dives into the water just as I do my surprise dip.

The damn bastard times it well.

However, I really am a fast swimmer, and I know how to stay in a river’s current to help gain speed. First, I’ll have to kick a bit harder, angle myself a bit better and—

My head collides with a hard chest, and my arms are gripped and pulled out of the water.

I come up spluttering in surprise as Storm has impossibly moved in front of me in an ~impossible~ amount of time.

It’s not even ~slightly~ probable that he could have moved that quickly.

He looks down at me now, content and amused.

“There are shadows in the water,” Storm murmurs. “I didn’t spend seven centuries just to be showed up by a little girl.”

“I am not little,” I snap. “Compared to you, maybe—”

“Don’t forget our terms of agreement,” Storm growls. “They start now.”

“Oh—” I am left speechless as he starts to haul me out of the river with his arm around my waist. He trudges his way up the riverbank while holding me like a sack of potatoes.

“Pick up my clothes,” he commands me as he stops by his pile, and I reach down and grasp all the material with the boots in the middle.

“Good… That ~bloody~ river, although refreshing…”

Storm snarls angrily as he continues to navigate through the forest, jumping from shadow to shadow with me in his arms, making me feel dizzy and a little nauseous with the unfamiliar magic.

“That ~icy~ river… It did nothing for my balls. Cold balls are no fun, Silver.”

“Shall I warm them up?” I ask bravely, wondering what the hell I even mean by that.

Storm just laughs so loudly I think the whole world will hear.

I cringe as he continues to carry me while laughing his head off.

I just blush so red I think I’ll never have my normal too-pale face again, especially when I see we are nearing the camp. My eyes scan through the trees, and I see Elena still passed out on that pole.

“What about Elena?” I ask out loud, hoping it doesn’t dampen the mood.

“I believe she’s rated our accommodation five stars; no need to worry. I will release her in the morning after I decide if she can live,” Storm growls.

“Simply because I don’t wish to push you away with how I truly want to punish that brat.”

“Releasing her sounds great —” I feel woozy again as everything distorts and suddenly becomes as close as the two steps up to his wagon door.

“~Warmth~ sounds great.” Storm keeps holding me around the waist even as he walks through his wagon door.

He slams it shut, exhales in a sigh of relief, and then shakes me a little. “Drop it.” I know he means the clothes, and I drop them to the floor just before he drops me.

Instead of face-planting, I barely manage to land on my knees and hands.

“Hey!” I look up, angry.

“Good reflexes, impressive.” Storm smirks at me and walks forward.

From the way I’m on my hands and knees by his clothes and the way he so happily walks forward while I’m left like a dog… I know even when he is kind, he is still a damn barbarian.

A seven-hundred-year-old freaking cave Dragon. Dragon Lord. ~Legend~.

With cold balls.

I smile at this thought, and I slowly sit back onto my heels and bring my wet silver hair forward, twirling it in my fingers as I watch Storm wave up a magical fireplace before the red nest.

He then reclines on his bed, putting his hands behind his back.

“What…are you doing?” I ask, confused as I stay where I am, waiting instructions.

He opens one eye to gaze at me arrogantly.

“Don’t rush me… I’m thinking,” Storm closes his eye again, and I think about getting up to my feet. “~Don’t~ move.”

I stay where I am.

All righty, then.

I wait with impatience as Storm starts laughing out of nowhere again, his eyes opening and gazing at me.

“May I ask what you’ve been thinking about?” I ask, confused.

“How to savor this night, ~your~ special night, for the rest of eternity,” Storm says seriously and then laughs again.

“I fail to understand how it’s funny in any way.” I feel offended now, until I see Storm’s hand drop between his legs to grasp his cock and balls.

He lets out a sigh of contentedness at a thought he has.

“You offered me something before in the forest on the way back.” Storm drawls low, his eyes hooded as he glances at me.

“Come follow through on that offer. ~Now~. You’ve got my command…so come closer.”

I lick my lips.

He couldn’t mean—

I see him playing with his balls, holding them and already helping my shy, virgin mind with the answer.

Yep.

He did mean exactly what I thought he did.

I have to help warm them, and I have no idea how.

I stand up, sucking in a breath of bravery.

Here goes nothing!