Δράκος: Νερό Pt. 02

"You morphed yourself involuntarily." He said this as if it was the simplest explanation in the world.

"But how? I couldn't change anymore after...after..." She paused, biting her lip, remembering how she had abandoned him.

"We're a mated pair Layra, you can always change into your dragon form if you have completely given yourself to me," He grinned at her, and though she was tired and bleary, she could see the desire dancing in his eyes.

"But I didn't say the word." She insisted.

"You don't always have to say it. You were so consumed by your feelings that you changed just because of the need." He smiled at her again, softer. "You saved my life Layra."

She giggled softly. "I guess we're about even."

He nodded, but his face was solemn. "I wouldn't have ever let this happen to you, Layra. If I could've found you..." He broke off mid-sentence, and she could see the guilt in his eyes for not having found her sooner.

"I ran away from you Jareth. I thought I wanted freedom, but now I see, my freedom is only real when I'm with you, as your mate, as your slave, as your lover." She reached towards him, her chin pointing up some, and he knew what she was asking for.

He lowered his mouth to her offered lips and took them, drinking deeply of her taste once again, lost in the flavor of her. Her body arched up against him, and he could feel the desire in the sinewy way her limbs moved, but her full submission was in the way her body shaped to his.

As they kissed, Jareth's mouth controlling her, taking her deeper and deeper, Layra felt a strange tingling throughout her body. She felt stronger, more energized, and her ribs were now merely a dull ache. She pulled away from Jareth and immediately felt weaker again. Her eyes searched his imploringly.

He smiled at her unspoken question. "Feeling better already?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes, but how?"

He sighed, and she noticed lines around his eyes she had never seen before. He looked tired, suddenly.

"As mates we can borrow each other's strength to heal ourselves, Layra." He turned back to her. "I can heal you with my own energy by taking on some of your pain."

She shook her head, she could not imagine inflicting such pain on him, though once she had reveled in it.

"It's not a question, Layra." He moved back over to her, capturing her mouth with his once again, and she felt that strange energy renewing her once more. Eager to feel him, all of him, what she had been without for so long, Layra submitted willingly, lying back against the bed as he drew her tight underneath him, her pain becoming lesser by the moment.

She could feel the hardly restrained desire throughout his entire body, the way his hands roamed up and down her curves, the hardening against her belly, the hunger that he kissed her with. She sighed softly into his mouth, delighting in the feelings he gave her, in the little tingles she felt as his hands searched her.

He withdrew his mouth to move down her neck, and she felt weaker once more, though stronger than she had the first time. Jareth traced lazy, slow licks and nips down her throat, exploring every bit of her as if she was a meal and he hadn't eaten in weeks. His tongue curled in figure 8's around her throat, and though she wanted to be a more eager participant, she could not find the strength to do so. She was simply at his mercy.

He moved down lower, and Layra could feel the barely restrained self-control in his movements. He was determined to take his time, though his body was screaming at him to take her in a fury. He paused between her breasts, watching her face. She felt guilty, all of the sudden, remembering what the red dragon had forced her to do. She started to voice this feeling, but he put a finger to her lips.

"He forced you, Layra. You did not do it of your own free will. You have nothing to feel guilty for."

How had he known what happened without her saying?

She did not ask, Jareth knew many things without her ever saying them.

"Jareth, why didn't he just rape me? He had plenty of chances."

Jareth studied her for a moment. "Did he know you were mated?"

She nodded.

Jareth mulled over this for a moment before answering. "Thane (so that was the red dragon's name, she thought) was a cruel dragon, but a coward none the less. He knew he was occupying another dragon's territory, and he knew it was one much larger than he. The only answer for who your mate could be would have to be the only dragon that claimed these lands, and though Thane was a monster, he wasn't entirely stupid enough to mate with you. He knew, as all dragons know, that if he had taken you, your heart would've called out to me, alerting me to just where you were, and his life would have been over."

She stared at him, shocked. Layra didn't know if she would ever look at Jareth the same way again. He was a fierce, possessive warrior who loved her more deeply than she could ever understand. Why had it taken such an ordeal for her to finally understand all this?

He looked back to her, his golden eyes capturing hers and refusing to release them. "You belong to no one but me, Layra." She couldn't take the intensity of his gaze. "You will never belong to anyone but me."

He lowered his mouth back to her body, and took lazy, slow licks across her areola, causing her nipples to pucker, begging for him to take long suckles of each of them. He obliged willingly, taking first one in his mouth, pulling hard, while torturing the other with his fingers. He played with her until he could feel the strength starting to leave her body, and he moved his lips back to hers, taking her mouth possessively, reveling in the enthusiasm with which she returned the kiss, the desire and hunger in the way her tongue danced with his. He kissed her as long as he could, but his control was slipping faster and faster, and he could feel her hips involuntarily gyrating against his erection.

He pulled from her and took her body in, drinking in the vision of her lying in his bed, cheeks flushed with desire, eyes heavy-lidded with passion. She smiled up at him, the longing so clear in the lines of her face, and he could wait no longer.

Gently, he eased himself into her, pleased to find she was so, so ready for him. Her hips lifted to meet him and as he buried himself to the hilt, a little moan of pleasure escaped her lips. He smiled down at her, careful not to take her too fast, and lowered his mouth back to hers, thrusting in and out in a slow, easy way, loving the feel of her around him once again.

Jareth took his time with her, not letting his passions overrule him, though they threatened to. Layra could draw off his strength and energy, this was true, but too much at once could threaten her still weakened spirit.

They made slow, passionate love to each other, lost in the sensations of being wrapped in one another's arms yet again, and when Layra came, her body clenching and tightening around him, it was too much, and with a low groan, he felt his own release. He lowered himself on top of her, enjoying the feelings rippling through his body.

After a moment, he rolled off of her, pulling her against his side, where she snuggled into the hollow of his neck willingly. She murmured softly to him as she sank into sleep.

"I love you, Jareth."

He knew the joy wouldn't last long.

Soon the King would be looking for her, for both of them, really. A princess was valuable, to be sure, but a golden dragon was even more so.

They would have to face this new threat very, very soon.

He was lost in his thoughts when she cried out against him softly, and he pulled her tight against his form, his scent comforting her back to reality. She soon settled and was quiet once more.

"Don't worry, little darling." He murmured as she drifted asleep. "You never have to run again."