Dragoned in Half

Playing with Fire-Julia

The look on Jeffersons face as he stares at me is almost too much. I gulp at the predatorial look as he takes a step in my direction. My eyes flicker around the room looking for some where to go just in case this gets out of hand. My lips get dry and I cant help but lick them. The sound that is coming from his chest really isn’t helping matters much. Its almost like a low hum that calls to me.

A moment ago I wanted to have fun at his expense. I definitely saw what he was packing in those pants. Hell a blind elephant couldn’t miss the size of his erection. The only thing that stopped me from saying anything out loud was how embarrassed he looked at the reaction. He looked like he didn’t know how to touch it let alone to make it go away.

“I thought you said that I needed to be fed. Weren’t you just talking about how I needed to eat?” I blurt out in a panic as he comes closer. I curse silently when I realize how that sounded. My eyes zero in on his hard c**k in his pants again as I think about being fed. That thing would definitely sate any hunger I would have. I don’t even think I would be able to put the entire thing in my mouth.

I can see when he catches where my gaze has gone because he smiles. Crap, I’ve really done it now. “It looks like you have already decided on what you want to eat mate. All you have to do is say the word and I can fill you up” He says with a thickness to his voice. My gaze flickers back to his at his words and my breath hitches. The yellow irises of his dragon shine brightly as he looks at me. He’s so close to me now that I have to look up to see into his eyes.

Oh boy. The heat that I see there could definitely set me on fire. I rub my thighs together where I stand as I start to get wet from the images that I know are playing behind his eyes. There is so much s****l promise held in just this one look that I instantly want to jump him. However, his brothers warning plays in mind. I wouldn’t put anything past Morbius. “You know that I cant ask you for that. No matter how much I might want to do so” I tell him with a whisper as I hold his gaze.

What I say does something because Jefferson’s eyes come back immediately. The smile that he graces me with now is sweet as he cups my face. I freeze as he leans down to come closer. My heart rate kicks up speed as I wait for his kiss. After such a heated interaction, I would love some type of connection to him. My shoulders droop a bit when he leans his forehead against mine instead. The gesture is sweet but not at all what I wanted in the moment. I must not hide my reaction well because he pulls away quickly. I look away from him not quite knowing what to say.

“You need only to ask Julia. I cannot take the choice from you. I wouldn’t let my dragon do it either” He says as he cups my face again.

I don’t know what it is but I feel like asking him to kiss me would be something monumental. I stare into his eyes as I try to decipher his need to but it doesn’t get me answers. Yesterday he refused the bond. He refused me. Does him wanting to kiss me mean that he is accepting the bond or does he just want to get laid like every other man? This whole situation is just beyond confusing. This is exactly why I don’t do relationships.

The mood changes rapidly as he takes a step away from me. I know he is confused as he scratches his head and looks anywhere but at me. I don’t know what to say or how to explain all that I am feeling to him. I don’t even think that I t would change anything if I do. I would love to kiss him. I just don’t know if I want the problems that would come with doing so. Before I can say anything, however, the metal hatch of the door is opening. Jefferson moves in front of me as we both wait to see who comes in.

There is a loud metal clang from the area of the door and I feel as Jefferson freezes. I hide further behind him as I wait to hear a voice or any other noise. The door closes and he starts to move. I automatically tighten the hold that I didn’t realize I had on him and he pauses. “No one came in. All I smell is food but I still want to check” He says as he looks down at me. I nod my head and I watch him disappear around the wall. He comes back moments later with a try that is over piled with food. As he comes closer and the scents hit me, my stomach growls.

“Let’s eat” He announces as he carries the tray over to the table. With the way that my stomach feels right now, he doesn’t have to tell me twice. I take my seat in a rush as he also takes his. “Help yourself” he says as he gestures to the tray. The first thing that I reach for is a shiny red apple. I take the biggest bite of it that I can manage as I start to chew. The juice from it drips down my chin and I quickly wipe it away. Remembering where I am I slow down on how I attack the fruit as I look up to see…..that he isn’t eating.

I pause automatically as I look at the food and then look at him. “Its not poison. I would smell it” I narrow my eyes at him as he says this. The thought that it could be poison hadn’t crossed my mind but now the once sweet apple I had bitten taste foul. I wouldn’t be able to smell it if it were poison, so how do I know he is telling the truth? And if its not poison then why isn’t he eating. I decide to just go ahead and ask as I sit the apple down on my side of the table.

“If the food is not poison, then why aren’t you eating?” I question him as I c**k my head to the side.

“I need to make sure that you are full. Once you are finished I will eat what is left” he answers as if the thought is purely logical. My mouth opens and shuts as I try to think of what to say to that. All that comes out however is one word.

“Why?”

“I do not need to eat as much as you do to survive. My dragon and I also do not like the thought of you going hungry. The sound of your heart rate slowing earlier already caused us enough worry. Its why I ordered the food. Now eat” He states as he pushes the tray closer to me.

“I will eat, if you do” I state as I sit back in the chair. I would love nothing more than to devour the plate before me but from the look of things, he could use the food too. It makes me question exactly how often he has been getting fed here. As I issue the demand he narrows his eyes at me.

“You need the food too Jefferson. I saw pictures of you back at the clan. You are like half the size you once were. We both need to survive this. Eat with me” I nearly plead. I also don’t just want to have him watching me eat. As I wait for an answer the apple I had already eaten sits like lead in my stomach.

“No” he says and then he rises from the table. I narrow my eyes at his back. The stubbornness of these beast apparently lies in all of them. You would think that an entire species would at least learn from the mistakes of each other.

“If you eat, then I will tell you why I refused to kiss you earlier” I state loudly. He spins on his feet fast as he appraises me. I blink my eyes up at him innocently as I watch him ponder the idea. His eyes even flicker as his dragon weighs in on the idea. I can still see his refusal as he starts to speak so I decide to make the deal sweeter. “I can even ask you for a kiss after if we have a proper discussion” I state as I fold my hands in my lap.

A smile graces his faces immediately and just as quickly he hides it. it seems that I have found something he wants. I smile in triumph as he walks back over to the table to take his seat once more. He grabs one of the fluffy pancakes off the tray and bites into it. As he chews I pick up the apple once more. When he has finished the pancake in record time, he sits back in his seat. “Talk” he demands.

I place the core on the side of the tray as I reach for one of the slices of bacon. I nearly moan aloud at the pleasurable crunch of it. At least the food has been cooked properly. “You told me yesterday that you no longer want the bond or me. I thought that you wanting to kiss me was just a quicker way for you to get laid since you can only be with your mate” I state in a rush as he starts to joke on the bite of the other apple he just took. His eyes nearly bug out of his head as he beats his own chest with a closed fist to dis lodge the chunk.

I rise quickly and start patting him heavily on the back to help. Well, hell. I just meant to shock him with the blunt statement. I didn’t mean to kill him. The piece finally comes out of his throat and he grabs my arm as he tries to catch his breath. When he does he looks at me with a sullen expression.

“I would never use you or any other woman that way. I admit that I may have overreacted the day before. I wont apologize for it though because what I said was true” he says quietly. I take my hand out of his and I step away from him. I don’t even want to go back to me seat or to the food. I no longer feel hungry at all.

“Thank you for being honest” I say robotically. I should have known that even my mate wouldn’t want me for anything. I turn to go back to my corner when he stops me again. With my feelings hurt I lash out at his touch. “NO” I shout as I yank my hand from him. After saying something like that, he has lost all right to touch me.

“I’m a man Julia. We are simple. We live to provide and to take care of our family. If I cannot protect you here in a place of four walls then what right do I have to try to do it out there. I will not see you hurt in any way if I can put a stop to it. I don’t deserve you but in no way does it stop me from wanting you” He says angrily.

His words ring through the room with the might of his voice. He honestly believes that that is all a man is here on this earth for. He speaks as if he doesn’t matter and that he can have no feelings. He speaks as if his only existence would be to take care of me. What about what he wants? What about what he needs? How can he still want me if it sounds like he doesn’t even want to be who he is?

“I’m a woman Jefferson. We are only as strong as the man that stands beside us. We live life to provide life for the world and to nurture. I could never agree to a bond where you work yourself to death just so that I stay happy. You would have to want things for yourself too. You would have to let me know how you feel and allow me to help. A woman comes from a mans rib to stand beside him. No one gets to take the whole lead in a relationship. We share all of the burdens” I tell him. It’s the very line that my mother said to me as she passed. It’s also something that only the mated dragons I have met understand.

“I can do that Julia. I just cant waste my time on someone who doesn’t want this bond also. There cant be anything uncertain if you accept. It would mean the death of both of us. Its either you are in this bond with me or you are not” he states as he gives me the ultimatum.

My feet carry me to him slowly as he stands there uncertain. His chest rises and falls. I feel terrible because it’s like I keep putting him in vulnerable positions. All this time here in this room I have felt like I have the power between us. Only when his brother enters do I feel powerless. If I am going to give this a true chance, then I need to put myself in a position to take one. I just cant look him in the face as I explain myself.

“For generations, the women in my family haven’t had the best luck with men. We have all been taught that it is a curse to trust one because all they do is get you with child and then leave. Any relationship that could have resorted in such a thing, I abandon before anything can come of it. I don’t want to do that with you though. I see how dragons are about there mates. I see the love and I want to believe that I can have something like it. I want to trust you so much Jefferson but I don’t know if I can” I say as I look at the wall.

“You haven’t tried though love. You try to force answers out of me but are not willing to give any of your own. I told you what I wanted that first day. If I don’t know what you want, then I can not provide it. Its my honor to provide it.” he says as I hear his voice come closer.

I take a deep breath before I answer. I’ve never had to say it aloud but its always been my idea. “I want to love as I love. I want the happiness and the tears. I want the sorrow and the comfort. I want the beautiful home with the family. I want to be secure and safe. I want certainty” I whisper as I turn to look at him.

“Then let me provide that. You don’t have to be in this life alone anymore Julia. I am asking you to let me love you. Can you do that for me baby?” he ask as he takes my hand. Instead of replying with the word yes, I step into his arms and do him one better.

“Kiss me Jefferson. Show me how certain you are” I ask of him.

He doesn’t hesitate as he closes the distance between us. I expected the kiss to be ferocious like his brother but as always he surprises me. His lips are tentative as they touch mine. I can feel the full warmth of them as they envelope mine. The tip of his tongue slips out from between his lips as he swipes it against my bottom lip. When I spread my lips to give him access he groans as he pulls me closer.

The angle of the kiss changes as a purr rumbles from underneath my hands on his chest. My tongue battles his as the heat in my body soars and I grind my hips against the bulge that I feel forming on his. The hard ridge of him rubs against my stomach and I shiver with the thought of it being inside me. He breaks the kiss and leaves a peck on my lips before placing his head against mine. Our breath rushes out between us as we both try to calm. I wish that the kiss hadn’t of ended so soon. Now the only thing that I can think about is more. As my gaze lands on his hard c**k between us, I slowly drag my hand down his chest.