Dragon Knight-Commander (A Cullen Rutherford Shapeshifter Romance)

Chapter 18

I heard chatter and laughter from the camp before I saw it. Two hundred men had divided up the green valley with narrow rows of deep red tents. Warrior Girl picked up her pace, recognising the prospect of fresh hay and water. Beside me Maxwell, Varric and Cassandra urged their horses forward, eager to get out of the saddle.

The sun slid southwards. I held my hand up to fight the glare and made my way towards the large tent in the middle where I knew he waited for me.

I dismounted and handed Warrior Girl's reins to a soldier, then snatched them back. If all went as planned this could be the last time I saw her. I rubbed her nose, then hugged her neck, burying myself in her silky hair. 'So long, brave Warrior Girl,' I whispered, fighting back tears. I was a blubbing mess when I thought of home and a pathetic, emotional wreck when I thought of leaving Thedas. What was wrong with me?

I smiled at the soldier and let him lead her away.

'Knock knock,' I said as I entered his tent.

Cullen stood in the middle of a group of soldiers, leaning on his fists over the desk, giving orders in his low, rumbly voice. His eyes met mine. Golden eyes. He smiled. 'Enough. Thank you all. Leave us now.'

The soldiers nodded at me as they strolled out of the tent. Cullen prowled towards me and the last man had barely walked through the opening before he pulled me into his arms and pushed his tongue into my mouth. He brought me firmly up against his body by moving one hand against my bottom, the other held the back of my head. His kiss was rough and demanding, stoking up my need for him. Mmm. Dragon Cullen was back.

I turned my head and said breathlessly, 'Your eyes are gold so I'm guessing I'm talking to your dragon?'

He pulled back. His eyebrows shot up. 'You can see the change in my eyes?'

'Yeah. They go a pale gold when you let your dragon out and then kinda dark gold when you kiss me.'

'Perhaps that old enchanter Ludvic was right and you are angel-touched.'

'A mage?'

'No. Mages aren't. Angel-touched is old magic. From the fallen. Elves from elder bloodlines, all demons, dragons. Is there anything else that you notice that is strange? Do you see anything else, feel anything else?

I turned up my palm. 'Aside from my supernatural hand?' There was something else but I was too embarrassed to discuss it with him and he would find out soon enough.

He marched to the tent flap, flipped it closed and secured it shut. Yes, I loved dragon Cullen.

He came back to me and cupped my face with both hands. 'Makers blood, it's good to see you, kitten.' He brushed his lips over mine. 'Are you thirsty?'

'No,' I said, wanting his lips back.

'Are you hungry?' he brushed my lips again.

'Yes,' I said breathily.

'Are you hungry for food or hungry for me?'

'For you, Cullen.' I pulled at his lion fur to bring him closer.

He growled and I gave a small gasp when a talon grew out of his finger. My gaze flew up to his dark eyes. He grinned and placed the talon by my throat. He drew it down my coat slowly. He gave me an easy wink that made my heart flutter. 'It pleases me you are hungry for your Commander, kitten. Perhaps finally you will submit to me.' He kissed me and pulled off my jacket at the same time. He'd cut right through it. He cut through the ribbon holding my leggings up. Then he proceeded to do the same with my top and cut through my breast band. I shook off my boots. With a few quick movements I was completely naked in front of him, blinking and wondering if I was dreaming.

He pulled out my hair band and ran both hands through my hair, brushing out the kinks with his fingers, pulling me against the cold of his armoured body as he did it. He set me back a little and gazed at me. He bent his head and breathed into my ear, 'So beautiful.' His hand lifted to my breast and I closed my eyes in ecstasy when his rough-skinned thumb brushed over and over my nipple.

'Are you wet for your Commander, kitten?'

I moaned as I felt his other warm hand cup my sex and his finger entered inside me.

He tipped his head to one side in silent question. He'd discovered I was completely hairless. It had been a surprise to me too when I'd taken my first bath in Thedas.

'You are angel-touched,' he whispered. He closed his eyes and held me there, stroking his finger in and out. 'So wet,' His breathing was laboured. His lips parted and his forehead was creased with concentration.

He swayed forwards and slammed his lips onto mine. His thick finger moved harder inside me. His hand massaged my breast causing heat and lust to wind up through my body from my core. I tugged at his lion pelt and pulled it off him. My fingers moved to the leather ties of his armour while I rode his finger, moving my hips. I needed more.

'No kitten.' He pulled me against his armour, up and off the ground, carried me through the tent and lay me down on top of the furs in the corner of the room, his bed. He followed me down. He licked my bottom lip with his tongue and growled, 'Unless you have changed your mind and want to be mine.'

I looked up into his stormy, dark eyes and his handsome face. All my mind could register was that I wanted him inside me. I wanted this spectacular man to fill me and wanted him to do that forever. 'Take it off,' I begged him. One hand tore at the fastenings on his armour. My other went to the tie on his trousers. My skin felt tight and feverish. I needed to feel his skin on mine. I arched up towards him, 'Cullen, I need you,' I said.

'Kitten,' his voice held a warning. 'Kitten, stop. I'm right here.' He lowered his head and his kiss was hard and relentless. His clever hands brushed lightly over both my breasts but I ground up onto his leather clad thighs feeling his hardness press at my core.

Cullen kissed my chest, my tummy, held my gaze as he moved downwards. 'You're just about to make all a dragon's dreams come true,' he said. 'Your need for me smells exquisite. Now I need to taste.'

My hand reached for his curls to stop him. No one had ever gone down on me before. Darren hadn't wanted to. But as his mouth touched my folds, moved at my core, his tongue licked inside me, I just tangled my hand in his hair and panted out his name, 'Cullen, yes, Cullen.'

His hands roughly parted my thighs and he licked me over and over. His tongue pushed in and out of me like his finger had before. I felt my orgasm building. My eyes flickered open and I saw him watching me, watching me writhe beneath him. Every time his tongue entered me I shuddered and moaned needing to come.

He replaced his tongue with his hand and pushed two fingers deep inside me. 'Kitten, come for me,' he ordered in his low gravelly voice, his gaze glittered before he turned his head back down and put his mouth on my clit. He tongued and sucked me there while twisting his fingers inside me and my orgasm exploded into a pushing, shuddering sweetness that consumed me.

He gathered me into his arms and lay next to me on the furs as I caught my breath. I kissed along his jaw and stroked his hardness through his trousers. I mentally totted up the scores. Three orgasms to me, zero action for him.

He kissed me, took my hand from his crotch and placed it on his armour, by his heart. 'Precious one, never forget I'm a dragon. I love you. I will make you mine. But not tonight. Tonight we fly.'

My belly knotted. 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we can't, er, mate. I shouldn't push it. You're being a gentleman by keeping your clothes on and I should respect that.'

He threw his head back and roared with laughter. 'You think my behaviour just now was gentlemanly? By the fallen, you were made for me.'

I laughed with him. 'Aside from ruining all my clothes, yes Cullen, you are being a gentleman.'

He stopped laughing and stroked my hair. 'I will always protect you, even if that means protecting you from me.'