Fury of Fire (Dragonfury Series #1)

out his brain, hauling him back into pleasure. God, she was delicious…and powerful. The energy she shared was gorgeous, so full-bodied it made Bastian groan. It was more than just her connection to the Meridian, though. It was chemistry; a human-to-human, male-to-female vibe he’d never felt before. She made him want on so many levels, almost as though she’d been created—born, designed…whatever—just for him.
    And man, that pleased him so much it scared him.
    The last thing he needed was to become bound to a female. Relationships were a minefield, not meant to be a part of his world. All he needed to do was ask Sloan to know that—the poor guy. Pitfalls aside, however, he didn’t want to feel anything for anyone other than his warriors, the brothers who fought beside him night after night. He and his pack shared a necessary bond, one that made them stronger and crazy lethal in the field.
    But he and Myst? Their mating was meant to be physical, not emotional: a straightforward, no-strings-attached kind of thing. Yeah, and look how well that was turning out. In less than a day, the whole “absence of emotion” plan he set in motion was shot to hell.
    Witness the fact he was a second away from getting her naked and—
    Oh, right. That’s where he wanted to take her. To the recovery room, the one that boasted a big bed where he could lay her down and do her hard…do her right. But as much as his body liked the plan, Bastian knew it was a bad idea.
    She was too tired, on the edge of exhaustion.
    Plugged into her energy field, Bastian could feel her fatigue. She’d had a hell of a night, and with her energy ebbing, sleep was close. Just minutes away for her.
    On the heels of the thought, she swayed, her grip on him loosening. Bastian slowed the pace, let their kiss become lazy, a decadent brush of mouths…more of the kind he indulged in post-sex, after he’d come inside whatever female he was with. And wonder of wonders, his dragon—the same territorial SOB that had turned him into a human torpedo to get to Myst—recognized her state and pulled back, insisting he stop.
    Fantastic. His beast was now AWOL, a deserter…no longer on board with the plan. Great. So much for not caring.
    Bastian forced himself away from her mouth. Eyes closed, halfway to dreamland already, she protested, making a sexy little sound that made him go back and kiss her again. This time, though, it was without passion, a mere brush of lips.
    “Myst?”
    “Hmm?”
    “Time for bed.” Holding her close, he kept her upright as she went boneless.
    “Okay.” Her eyes drifted open and then closed again on a lazy downward sweep.
    Bastian smiled and hugged her, giving her a gentle squeeze. God, he couldn’t help himself. She was so goddamn adorable.
    Cupping her cheek, he tucked her against his chest before gathering her up. Carrying her like precious cargo, he headed for the exit. The quiet hiss of the airlock sounded as the motion detectors went active, opening the clinic door.
    Out in the corridor now, Bastian turned right toward the stairs that would take him to the house and their living quarters. Seven stories above the underground lair, a whole wing of guest rooms waited. Bastian knew which one he wanted for Myst: the lavender one that matched her eyes.
    Man, he could already see her there: relaxed, ready, her thick, wavy hair spread out on the pillows as she waited for him to come to her. For him to love her. For the pleasure he would give them both.
    Bastian swallowed past the knot in his throat. He needed to stop thinking about sex with her. What was happening below his waist was already painful enough.
    Strides even to keep from jostling her, he walked by the weight room and PT suites. All was quiet. No clink of metal on metal. None of the treadmills hummed, either. Nor was there a sharp, scathing sound of claws being sharpened.
    Huh. Maybe everyone was already in bed, getting some much-needed shut-eye.
    With the sun coming up, it was a good guess. UV rays and Dragonkind didn’t mix. Their eyes got the worst of it, though. Prolonged exposure resulted in burned retinas and eventual blindness. Not something any dragon wanted…unless he was gunning to die.
    He passed the computer room next—Sloan’s domain—then a series of holding pens and interrogation rooms before coming out into a wide, open foyer. The vaulted ceiling curved upward, trapping the sound of his heavy footfalls, ping-ponging the echo as he walked by