Soaring In Flames (Reborn Book 2), page 11
“Your story is so compelling...” And she continued talking and asking me questions for a near hour. Much the same and my story stayed consistent, leaving out most of the important details and keeping it vague. My honesty seemed to make her very emotional and I found myself feeling guilty for making her look so upset.
When she asked about my father's death I kept with what my mother had stated because as far as I knew he was still dead. At least, that was what I told her. I didn’t like that I was lying but it would feel far worse to see my mates in trouble.
After a series of other questions, more photos were taken and Kelsey pulled me aside personally to thank me for being so honest. I didn’t know why she was thanking me, but maybe people weren’t usually as open. We had called this interview though, so I told them what I could.
Bella was happily in my arms as the shuttles and vans left, some being taken to the airport to get on the jet while others were leaving to go back to local offices. When the door closed I let out a tired sigh and kicked off my shoes.
“How did I do, you think?” I asked openly.
“I was surprised you told so much of the truth,” Sai admitted honestly.
“My mother and Jed don’t deserve to be protected,” I stated softly, as Ledger began taking out stuff to cook with. Bella swatted at my hair as I focused back down on her, smiling.
“How long?” Henry asked, walking back in as Marco turned on the TV. Most of us gathered between there and the kitchen.
Atlas was sitting on the couch, so I put Bella down and crawled forward, his eyes burning as he pulled me against him. I nuzzled against his chest as he grew hard underneath me, his large fingers massaging my hair.
“I give it until they get on the jet,” Marco stated, turning on a local news channel.
“You know the bigger channels are going to pick it up,” Croy stated. “They were practically fucking salivating over her story.”
“Here we go!” Henry shook his head looking frustrated at his phone.
“What?” Ledger frowned.
“Abused Daughter Ran From Mother, Days Before Her Death,” Anani stated softly as I tilted my head. Well, that wasn’t exactly wrong. Still, talk about cutting it short. Instead of listening to any of that, I played on my phone until my email started to ping. Not as much as Marco’s but everything began to light up right as the news station began to play an excerpt of the video. Wow, they did work fast.
“We received this from the LA Times who had an exclusive interview...what a harrowing awful story...” I zoned out after a few comments from the newscaster as I began to play this new game Candy Crush that Jordan had suggested. I wasn’t positive I really wanted to know what they were saying about me. Especially if it was cruel. I’d dealt with enough of that in my life.
I wasn’t exactly positive when, but my eyes closed as I was surrounded by Atlas’s warmth and the way his arms wrapped around me. Sleep invaded my entire mind as I dipped into the darkness of it.
MY EYES FLUTTERED OPEN and I inhaled. Quickly, I sat up. The fact that I was on my stomach had flashes of that night hitting me hard. I gripped the sheets as I looked around, finding myself alone. My heart beat rapidly, hands shaking slightly.
I could feel my mother’s phantom blows on my back and I tried to find my grounding. But as it often goes when you first wake up, everything felt very hazy. The door opened and I instantly relaxed when I saw Atlas. His eyes widening slightly and then darkening in worry.
“Maya?” he asked, closing the door and approaching. Don’t ask me how I knew but the others were still up and talking downstairs, making me wonder how long I’d actually slept for.
I put a hand out wanting him closer. The massive man pulled me against him after he pulled off his shirt and shoes, getting into bed with me. My hands ran over his chest as my breathing calmed, his lips against my forehead as he seemed to surround me with warmth and stability.
“I woke up on my stomach,” I mumbled. “Sorry, I just got really freaked out.”
“You never need to apologize to me.” He ran a thumb over my lip before pulling my leg so that it was hitched at his hip and I was wrapped against him. My eyes closed and his sea salt scent surrounded me.
Sleep warred with me on and off as I tried to get comfortable. Atlas’s breathing was easy and relaxed, letting me know he was probably asleep. I turned, stretching out slightly. I closed my eyes in frustration, wishing that I could fall asleep. Wishing that I wasn’t scared of dreaming.
My pulse raced again wondering if my Dad was watching the house as I fought to sleep. If the media was still talking about my mother and what she did...I let out a small panicked sound.
Atlas’s chest produced a low rumble as I was tugged tightly into him, his lips against my neck as I tilted my head to the side. Loving the feel of his massive arms caging me against him. Making me feel stable. Safe.
As my panic subsided, another feeling took place and I began to squirm against him, feeling frustrated for an entirely different reason. Atlas’s teeth grazed my shoulder as he hardened against my lace covered butt. The oversized shirt I had on did absolutely nothing to hide how turned on I was. My nipples tightened to painful peaks as my center exploded with heat.
“Angel,” Atlas groaned, as I bit my lip hard, slightly tasting. His arms banded around me tighter. I wiggled again wondering just how hard he could get.
What?! Come on, I was curious!
“Fuck...” Atlas attempted to still my hips, but that only made me tip my head back and arch so that my neck was available to him.
I wanted his lips there. One of his large hands slid under the comfortable shirt material, up my waist and across my ribs before grazing my breast. A whimper came from my lips that I didn’t even attempt to stop. “Atlas,” I whispered as he brought the other hand down to play right along the edge of my panties.
I needed him to touch me and another small needy sound broke from my throat as I felt the air spark, his dragon jumping forward. I smiled, feeling a sense of victory crash through me. A squeak escaped as I was tugged on top of him, his massive frame underneath my much smaller one.
His dark eyes watched me as he pushed my shirt up and off, leaving me in barely anything as he growled looking over my frame, my nails digging into his firm chest. I rolled my hips slightly as his hands slipped from where they were on my thighs to grip my butt, my breathing hitching at the possessive hard grip.
“Angel,” His voice was rough and rumbly, “this probably isn’t a very good idea. My control is a bit lacking right—”
I kissed him, my lips meeting his in an explorative kiss as he tightened his grip on me to the point I wondered if it would bruise my skin. The oddest part was that it felt amazing. I loved how it felt and I felt needy, without his fingers sliding against my wet center. I needed something there...
“Atlas, please,” I begged softly as I pulled back, his jaw tight and eyes a bit wild looking.
“What do you need?” he rasped, his voice almost inaudible as if he was trying to hold back.
“You,” I murmured. I meant that. I squeaked as he flipped us and his fingers easily rolled down the material of my lace underwear, tension rolling through him as he cursed almost seeming in pain.
I shivered as he moved down my body, his hot breath against my wet center suddenly. I let out a soft moan as he inhaled, “Fuck, angel, you smell like heaven. I bet you taste like fucking sugar.”
“Atlas,” I squirmed as he rolled my clit gently under his fingers, “I want to taste you.”
His eyes heated, snapping up, as he offered me a dark smirk, “You sure, angel?”
Why did I feel like I was signing up for something more than I assumed?
“Yes,” I whispered.
Atlas let out a low growl, moving me so that my thighs framed his head. My chest aligned with his, facing away from him. My entire body broke out into goosebumps and I moaned as he ran his tongue along my slit.
“Oh shit,” I mumbled, my nails digging into his firm abs as my eyes ran over his dark sweatpants and the very obvious rigid line of his hard erection. For a moment I felt almost dazed, the feeling of his mouth on me was unbelievable. All I could do was cry out his name. I shamelessly arched forward, rewarded with his hot tongue dipping inside of me, making my legs shake as my climax tried to push forward and overtake me in a wave.
I pushed away the stupid clothes that covered his massive length in front of me and my eyes widened...holy crap, he was huge! Was that supposed to fit inside of my mouth? Oh wow.
Still, I found myself leaning forward, my tongue rounding the tip as he let out a near feral snarl. Something about his reaction spurred me to take even more of him inside of my mouth. I moaned around his length as he sucked on my clit, making my eyes flutter shut. I tried to take him completely in my mouth and throat, but gagged slightly, making him jerk forward as he groaned out my name. My hand wrapped around the base of his length, bobbing my head up and down, sucking on him and running my tongue along his ridiculously hard length.
My sharp inhale and moan of his name echoed the room as his teeth grazed my clit, making me jump slightly as pleasure hit me like a starburst. It was so intense. Liquid molten seemed to invade my every limb, making me feel nearly high.
Wanting him to feel the same, I tried to take him completely in my throat, despite having gagged the last time and Atlas snarled a ‘fuck’ as I nearly did. Before I could try it again, saltiness exploded in my mouth. He pulled me up against him as he sat up, my back against his massive chest.
I moaned, looking down to see that his hard length was pressed right against my center. Not inside, but rubbing back and forth against me, his breathing rough and my body flushed and trembling.
“Fuck, Maya,” he growled, the sound eliciting goosebumps across my heated skin, “I wish I could bury myself inside of you. You feel so goddamn good, Angel.”
“Atlas,” I moaned as his lips trailed against my neck, the action making me impossibly more turned on. My clit pulsed with need again as he slid against me faster than before. Christ. How many times could a woman climax before they passed out?
I let out a small cry as his large arm locked around my hip and the other around the front of my neck, making sure I couldn’t escape his demanding touch.
“Holy fuck,” he tightened his grip on me, “this ass is going to kill me. You are so fucking sexy, Maya.”
I let out a small cry, his hand releasing my neck as my climax blasted through me. My teeth bit down on his wrist to stop from screaming as he came, growling my name and biting down hard on my shoulder. The flame at the center of my chest roared to life.
My breathing was quick and unstable as I leaned back against him, his cum against my center as he moved back and forth slightly, rocking as I shivered from the over stimulation. I inhaled sharply as he licked the blood from my shoulder and I gently let go of his wrist. His blood stained my lips as I stared down, thrilled to see my teeth marks there.
I sank further back against him. Tilted my head up to find his gold eyes searching mine with heat and something so much more. He brought his lips to mine and I eagerly kissed him, loving how my scent was all over him. His fingers ran over my body as I whimpered at how everything lit up with his touch even after coming several times.
Finally, he mumbled, “Angel, you’re dangerous.”
“No,” I grinned, “I’m pretty sure that’s you.”
He lifted me and brought me into the shower, as we both stepped under the hot water. My smile grew as I thought of something.
I guess we did end up doing what that website page had said...I was starting to like sleepovers a lot more.
Chapter 9
Atlas
I wasn’t lying, the woman was very dangerous. To my sanity mostly. I’d been up pretty much all of the night after taking a long hot shower and pulling her naked body against mine, her damp hair pressed against my chest and her soft breathing making me feel better. She’d been so panicked when she first woke up and it had sent my dragon into overdrive.
Then she had started to rub against me and I knew the fight had been lost the moment she said ‘please.’ I would never say no to her.
Her soft red lips were open slightly as those dark lashes laid against her stunning face. My eyes ran along her elegant shoulders and the bruised bite I’d left right on her soft, tan skin. It made me feel nearly as happy as the one she’d left on my wrist. My dragon finally relaxing a fucking bit because he was no longer paranoid that someone was going to try to take our place in our mate’s life. Now, she was stuck with me.
Most of my life, I’d been somewhat insecure about my place in anyone's life. Except for Marco of course. I’d been eleven when I’d officially met Marco although I’d heard about him from others at the academy. It took only about a day to realize that we worked well together, and still to this day, he was the only person that knew the true extent of what I’d come from. Which was nothing.
I’d never known my family personally. Only a single rumor from the older couple I’d been raised by from eight to ten years old. Not that they’d told me. No, I’d heard them whispering about how my father had apparently been a traitor to the realm. I wanted to believe that wasn’t real but who the fuck knew. The Dreki realm had been in countless wars and conflicts with all of the other realms because dragons by nature were aggressive and possessive.
When Marco had blindly accepted me, I knew I would be loyal to him for life. Well, now I realized there was only one person that could make me question that.
Maya.
I was just glad that she was our flight’s mate. There were instances, especially since phoenixes were essentially extinct, that half a flight would mate with one woman and the other half someone else. It made for a lot of conflict.
With Maya, though, it had been instinctual and you could almost feel how natural the bond was, like our energy and magic had been made to fit together. It was like a clock with her as the center cog and all of us surrounding her and fitting into certain parts of her life. I know she felt as though we’d taken her in but the truth was that she’d made us a family. We’d been brothers for a long time but I’d always felt like we were on the edge of waiting for something...someone.
Marco had mentioned the fact that he didn’t like that she didn’t have a last name and frankly, I was perfectly okay with her sharing ours one day. Unlike the others, I hadn’t been given a last name so when we came to the Earth realm, he’d given me his, making me his real brother in the eyes of most of the world. It was a move that probably meant far more to me than he had ever realized.
So yeah, Maya Moretti sounded pretty good.
There were a lot of things we needed to figure out, including how to make sure she was safe but still able to do what she wanted. Because that concept was essential to me, being able to make sure that Maya could do whatever she wanted.
I don’t think she’d remembered in the light of the stressful interview, that she was supposed to work the night before and she would no doubt feel guilty about it come morning. I on the other hand was thankful in a way because without knowing where her father was, anywhere off this property was dangerous.
Hell, I’m still fucking annoyed Jed somehow got on. Just makes me wonder how embroiled in shit he really was, my security wasn’t lax by any means and it would take a fairly decent skill set to be able to sneak in.
I’d given Clara’s shop a call and Jordan, her apparent new friend, had said she’d already told her grandmother about Maya probably being busy. After insisting I talk to Clara, she repeated the same thing. Sort of. What she actually said was along the lines of, “I figured, being who she is and who she is with that, she wouldn’t be able to have a set schedule. We are just happy to have her here whenever she can make it. She makes everyone happy.” I believed that. Maya was special like that. She had this soft radiance that surrounded her and made everyone want to bask in it. Too bad she was mated to some really selfish bastards because I was pretty possessive over that light.
No really, I don’t think she even realized how different the house was with her in it. How could she? There were aprons in the kitchen with baking supplies, cat beds in every room for Bella, and Marco had even switched to order pink and purple flowers for the house instead of the classic space fillers we’d always had. I knew it was only a matter of time before even more things were added to the house and frankly, I loved it. It was like she was leaving her imprint everywhere she went. Her floral scent and sweetness made the entire house seem warmer.
I mean hell, she’d even been sweet to the obnoxious reporters today. Giving them every photo and minute of her time as if it was nothing to her. My growl at the thought of that many people around her, had her turning into me as I inhaled the scent of ash, roses, and rain on her skin. I wrapped her hair around my hand and tilted her jaw slightly looking over the hickies I’d littered on her angelic elegant body.
If everything went according to plan for today, and then this weekend, I would be getting a good amount of time with her which was needed. I only felt better when she was in my arms and after the bullshit with Jed, I was a bit paranoid about her safety. I just wished that it wasn’t necessary to always rush back from wherever we traveled.
If she was serious about this notion of not finishing school, our plans could be extended for sure. I was a fan of the concept. Not because I didn’t think she should be in school, but because it was clear she didn’t enjoy it. Maya had spent her entire life doing what others wanted, it was time for her to be able to make her own choices and her time shouldn’t be wasted on things she doesn’t enjoy.
That's just how literally everyone in our family saw it. Hopefully, she would realize that as well. Realize that she had the world at her fingertips and that anything she could want or to try and pursue was an option for her.
