DRAGONESS

By

Annmarie Ortega

© copyright by Annmarie Ortega, March 2008

Cover Art by Alex DeShanks, March 2008

New Concepts Publishing

Lake Park, GA 31636

www.newconceptspublishing.com

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s

imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or

events is merely coincidence.

At the death of the Dragon, the man chosen to take its place will find the mark of the Dragon branded across his chest. This man will become the next protector of the village, same as the many men before him, centuries ago. The chosen lives as a man until his protective powers are needed, then the Dragon will be awakened from deep inside him.

The chosen will mate one time a year, his partner an unmarried woman of the village, who is chosen during the Scale Ceremony.

There is an old prophecy, so old no one knows when it began, that someday a special woman will be chosen for the Dragons mate. She will be known by the brand on her back, the mark matching that of the male Dragon. She will be the Dragons’ true soul mate and their children will be blessed by the Fates, creating a great race that will survive all time. And it will all be because of her, the Dragoness.

Chapter One

Gabriella lay on her back in the tall, summer grass, the gentle breeze caressing her lithe, nude body. She closed her eyes against the bright sunshine, seeing dark red behind her lids. Her body was so comfortably warm, and her arms were stretched out over her head, her body totally relaxed.

Today was the first time she’d allowed herself to relax this past week since realizing that it had been a year already, and that the ceremony would be held again that week.

Her lover, Jason sat next to her in the tall grass, naked also. His fingertips playfully traced the circle of her belly button, making swirls in and out. He had told her she had a perfect belly button, and during their lovemaking he would always touch it, kiss it, and place his tongue in its center. When his finger lightly touched the center it made her heart skip a beat and her pulse quicken. As his finger circled the inside, she noticed the familiar throb between her legs start again. Jason had the power to arouse her with the simplest touch.

Even though tomorrow had the potential to be the worst day of her life, Jason had tried to make her forget her worries about the ceremony. He had promised her earlier that morning at her cottage he’d make her forget the entire world around them, and for a time he had been successful. But just lying down idly allowed her mind wander and now she felt the doubt and worry start to ooze back into her, like a sickness that would eat at her insides slowly.

“I really don’t want to be chosen and I don’t know how you can’t be worried. If I’m picked, I'll have to go with Randolph. The thought of him just touching me makes my skin crawl, much less spending an entire night with him,” Gabriella said as she shuddered at the thought of Randolph touching her. “Have you forgotten how much we disliked him before he turned into the Dragon? When he was a normal man we couldn’t stand him or his arrogance. Plus, you haven’t been here for a few years so I think you’ve forgotten how obnoxious he can be. I’ve told you how every year he’d find me before the ceremony and tell me he hoped the Fates would choose me for him. Every year I’d actually be physically sick thinking about the ceremony,” Gabriella finished as she sat up.

“I can honestly say there is no one I despise more than him, even though he is our protector, and even that is a joke. In the past five years he’s only been the Dragon once. He acts so high and mighty and he hasn’t done anything yet.”

Jason sat listening to Gabriella, knowing her concerns were valid, but he thought she was worrying for no reason.

“Ella, the odds are in your favor. This time there are the most single women of age, so naturally your chances of being picked go down. Plus, there has never been someone chosen who was originally from outside the village. He is not going to lay one finger on you, and please don’t tell me there is a first time for everything. You know it makes me crazy when you say that.”

“Only because you know that it’s true. If I have to spend the night with Randolph I don’t think I’d be able to bear it. We may not be married yet, but you know I have sworn to be faithful to you. I’ve told him so many times I’m not interested in him but he just doesn’t want to take no for an answer. He knows the ceremony is the only way he could get me, even if it’s for one night. Since this will be my last time in the ceremony, I keep thinking with my luck, I’ll get picked.”

“Please, don’t worry. You’ll see it will all work out in our favor. Everything we’ve planned for our future will come true. When this is all finished we’ll announce our marriage and you’ll never have to be in the ceremony again because then you will be mine.”

Jason then stood, and offered his hand to Gabriella to help her off the soft grass. She sat up and he took her hand firmly in his. “Let’s go back in one more time before we go back to the village,” Jason suggested.

Gabriella smiled at him as he pulled her off the ground and they headed towards the bank of the river. Jason let go of her hand as he slid into the sparkling warm water head first, arms stretched over his head. As Jason was underwater Gabriella stood in the water that reached just above her waist. She tilted her head back and arched her back, dipping her long auburn hair behind her into the water.

As her head was tilted back Jason rose out of the water in front of her like a bronzed god emerging from his underwater kingdom. He grabbed her around the waist as she straightened herself, pulling her towards him. He looked delicious as the water dripped from his short brown hair, running down his handsome face. Droplets of water sparkled in the sunlight as they raced down his muscular chest.

The look in his hooded eyes told Gabriella exactly what he had in mind besides one last swim. She could already feel him pressing his hard erection against her belly. After spending the day together making love, he was ready for her yet again.

“Ella, you know how much you mean to me, right? How much I love you?” He touched her cheek and drops of water ran down her neck.

“Jason, I feel the same,” she answered honestly to him. In the past few months he had become her world, as she was now his.

“Good, I’m glad,” he murmured, then leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. Gabriella wrapped her arms around his neck, and caressed the back of his neck like she always did.

Jason kissed her cheek, and then started a trail of wet kisses down her throat. She tilted her head to give him better access to her throat, all the while caressing his neck with light passes of her hand. When he reached her breastbone, he lowered his head further until his mouth found one of her full breasts. He circled her erect nipple slowly with his tongue, before he took the hardened, pink bud in his mouth, gently sucking.

Gabriella sighed out loud in pleasure, and her hands slid from Jason’s neck to his strong wide shoulders. Her hands slid down his arms and she felt his bulging bicep muscles flex under his wet skin.

Jason moved from one nipple to the other, giving each hardened nub the same attention. Gabriella grazed her hands down Jason’s sculpted abs, down to find his hardness against her. She took a small step back from him, holding him firmly in both her hands. He let out a moan as she started stroking him, and she was so aroused her hips started to move towards his on their own.

She felt the familiar burning of desire for him, the ache return between her legs, wanting to feel him inside her again. They had made love all day, and yet the need for him to be buried deep inside her had returned. She knew she was slick with wetness between her legs for her body could literally not get enough of him.

Jason stood up and wrapped his fingers around her long hair, pulling her head back. She looked up to him and saw his smoldering brown eyes and smiled, still holding him in her hands, never stopping the rhythm she had found.

“Put your arms around my neck again,” Jason demanded, his eyes hot as he watched her.

She reluctantly let go of him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Now wrap your legs around me. I’ll hold you up.”

As Gabriella lifted one leg up and around him, Jason took hold of his engorged erection and slowly slid it into her. She inhaled deeply as she felt herself adjust to his largeness inside her, satisfied that he was inside her again. She lifted her other leg and wrapped it around him. She could feel the muscles in his buttocks contract against her legs as he held her up.

Gabriella tightened her grip of him with her legs, letting him inside her even more. She rested her face against his sinewy neck, loving the fullness of him in her.

“Ella,” Jason whispered to her.

“Yes,” she answered into his ear, her face still against his neck. She had her eyes closed and was enjoying the sensation of him deep inside her, buried in her to the hilt.

“Ella,” he whispered again, this time with more urgency.

She pulled back to look at him, now realizing he wanted to speak to her face to face. She looked into his brown eyes giving him her full attention.

“Ride me,” he commanded with a look in his eyes that made her heart miss a beat. She bit her lower lip at his command, then began to kiss him fiercely on the mouth, bruising their lips.

Arms around his neck, she swallowed hard as she slowly raised herself up his massive length, then slid herself back down, impaling herself on him. They looked into each others eyes as she rode him up and down. Jason’s hands cupped her buttocks and he helped lift her as they found their rhythm which quickened as they continued.

Gabriella ground her hips into Jason and his body moved to match hers. They were now both breathless, panting for air as they each felt their release steadily approach. With every grind Gabriella felt a grunt escape her throat, and her long auburn hair covered them. She cried his name out as she came, clutching his neck as if her life depended on it, her thighs squeezing him as tightly as they could. He felt her release contract around him, milking him.

Jason moaned loud and long as he came inside her, his orgasm so intense he had to steady himself as he held Gabriella. He grasped her tight to his chest as his breathing slowly returned to normal. Once again Ella had brought him to the edge of reason, and once again he’d loved every second. He buried his head in her neck and grazed the side of her throat with his mouth and tongue.

Gabriella slowly unwrapped her legs from Jason as she loosened her grip around his neck. Jason let go of her buttocks and helped her to stand in the water. As her feet touched the ground she felt her legs wobble under her, and she grabbed Jason’s arm for support.

“Someone appears to be a bit weak in the knees,” he laughed as he scooped her into his arms. He started walking towards the shore and Gabriella laid her head against his muscular chest, completely safe in his arms.

“I feel like a new born colt,” she confessed with a large smile across her face.

They reached the shore and he placed her on the grass. Jason started sorting through their clothes they’d left in a pile on the ground in their rush to undress earlier that morning. He handed her the dress she’d worn and she pulled it over her head and down her body. She put on her shoes, then sat back to watch Jason finish getting dressed.

“Think you can make it home now?” he asked grinning once he was ready. He was obviously quite proud to have left her so weak in the knees.

“Yes, I think I’ve recovered enough to make it back. Jason, you were right, today was wonderful. Thank you.”

“Ella, no need to say thanks, you know I love being with you. Come; let’s get you back to your cottage without having to see Randolph. I believe we’ll be seeing too much of him tomorrow.”

Before she could agree Jason once again helped her to her feet, and they walked side by side holding hands down the path to their village. The sun had started to set on their perfect day and Gabriella felt a chill run through her body. She hoped it was because of the setting sun, and not a premonition of what tomorrow would bring.