The pure maleness of his reply served only to heighten her arousal, as did the swirl of his tongue as he teased the peak of her breast. The flat edges of his teeth nipped her nipple, and she cried out then cried again as he sucked her breast into his mouth. How she enjoyed the way he pulled on her flesh. She would have loved to grip him tight. However, he still held her hands captive. Just like his body pinned her in place.

He switched his attention to the other breast, giving it equal teasing play, then switched back again. He seemed determined to torture her.

When he finally released her hands, she could only grab at his hair as he blazed a trail down, his hands divesting her of the scraps of her gown, leaving her naked.

He reared up over her, his eyes glowing with slitted green fire, a true dragon at last. He admired her, stroking a finger down her frame.

Mine. His claim. Hers. It didn't matter. They were joined now. Down he dipped that he might press his lips against her skin, stroking and feathering kisses as he traveled down to her mound.

Her legs were pressed together but immediately parted at his whispered, "Open for me."

She drew her legs up and exposed herself to him, almost arching off the bed at the first lash of his tongue.

He groaned his pleasure as he lapped at her sex. His excitement touched her through their link, and her arousal stroked him right back.

When he finally pushed into her, she was almost past the point of no return. Her sex trembled, hungry for his cock, and he fed it to her, easing his wide shaft into her channel, his body rigid as he tried to hold back.

"Fuck me." She let the dirty words spill past her lips. "Fuck me hard."

It was the secret word that broke his control. He slammed into her, and she screamed, losing her grip on him and, instead, clawing at the sheets as she wrapped her legs around his flanks.

"Again," she cried.

He drew out then pushed back in, hard. Deep. Oh...

Over and over, he slammed into her, each thrust a jolt against her G-spot. Each pump making her channel tighten. Her flesh quiver. Her control waver.

She clawed at him, urging him to go faster, and he listened, even as he manacled her wrists with his hands and drew them over her head once more. He stretched her body and held her as he stroked into her. In. Out. Over and over. Hard, deep slams that had her moaning, and coming.

Oh, yes, she came, her pussy convulsing in orgasmic waves that fisted his shaft. And still, he thrust into her, so big and hard. Although he held her hands prisoner, she could still move somewhat and arched her hips to take him deep, her channel squeezing so tight.

She was going to come again, she could feel it, that building pressure, and this time, she needed him with her.

I need to claim him.

She pulled her hands free and clutched at him, pulling him down to her as he kept thrusting. She kissed him, a hot embrace with plenty of tongue. Her sex clenched around him, and he throbbed inside, pulsing with heat. She rubbed her face against his cheek then along his jaw, marking him with her scent before nuzzling the soft skin of his neck.

There's the spot. Like him, she gave no warning, just clamped down at the moment of climax. He bellowed her name as he came, his hips pushing forward one last time, his seed bathing her womb in heat.

It was done. He'd become her mate.

Welcome to the hoard.

Epilogue.

"What do you mean it's not big enough?" Brand eyed the latest house they'd visited, a very decent-sized four bedroom in suburbia with a few acres of land. Not exactly a sprawling ranch in the mountains, mostly because there weren't many of those to begin with and none for sale.

"My hoard needs room, as does yours."

"I am not going to turn into a collector of shit just because I am a dragon." It got easier to say every day. So much had changed since the fateful night when he'd ascended.

First and foremost, I'm a fucking dragon. A strange blend of green and gold but not the right kind of green, apparently. His was a new green, and it came with a new power-the power to force a shift.

Very cool, which was why he'd gotten his own family name instead of having to take Aimi's. Apparently, when two dragons mated, the stronger color took precedence. She bore the change rather well-and he truly enjoyed her orally inclined attempts to have him change it to Silvermercgrace. She didn't win. Nor was he adding gold or green to it. Mercer had been good enough for his father, and his father before him, which meant it was good enough for him. Perhaps now that he'd ascended, he could do something about having the Mercer name spoken with more respect.

I might be swamp-born, but at least I've got integrity.

He also had the hottest wife around. He'd mated Aimi Silvergrace. Married her, too, in a lavish ceremony planned by her mother, who grudgingly accepted him-and didn't drop dead when he'd called her Ma and slapped her on the ass.

The entire Silvergrace family welcomed him with open arms-and, in the case of Aunt Matilda, tongue, too. The only thing that marred the celebration of his mating to Aimi was Sue-Ellen. While most of the Mercers came-and some left with precious valuables-his sister hadn't even replied to the invitation Aimi sent.

He'd expected that, but it still hurt. A part of him still couldn't believe she'd turned him away, and so coldly, too. What had happened to the sweet girl he knew?

I know what happened. Uncle Theo. The bastard who was still running around causing havoc. Brandon might have saved Aimi from his machinations, but the man still roamed the world instead of resting six feet under.

Or in our belly. Crunch.

The dark thoughts no longer bothered Brandon, just like he no longer saw a difference between him and his dragon. A part of him sometimes missed his simple gator, but at times, traces of who he used to be still surfaced, like now.

It was hard to miss his swamp roots when he'd turned into something so much grander. Perhaps he only bore a hint of gold, but he'd take it, just like he'd take becoming dragon because it had brought him the greatest gift of all.

Aimi. Love. A hoard to call his own.

A hoard that would get bigger just like Aimi would.

"I heard that," she snapped, but it wasn't said with vehemence, given he cupped her belly. Within his mate's womb, life nestled, his child. His treasure.

And he'd protect both with his life-and crunch the bones of any who thought to touch them.

Half a continent away...

She couldn't forget the expression on his face. The betrayal. The hurt. The anger.

I didn't have a choice.

It had almost broken Sue-Ellen's heart to send Brandon away, but telling him the truth, accepting his offer to flee, would have been worse. Uncle Theo had made sure of that. Besides, she couldn't leave him. Somehow, someway, there had to be a way to free him. To release him, but until that day came, she'd play along with her uncle's sick plans. Pretend and hurt those who loved her. Hopefully, one day they'd understand.

A few days later, a gentleman-AKA human-working for an institute known as Bittech, came home to find Adrianne sprawled on his bed, sifting through his comic book collection.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my room?" he demanded, looking adorably flustered behind his glasses.

"I'm the woman who's going to rock your world." Because she did so love a geek.

Especially one with secrets.

The End.

Dragon Point continues in Dragon Squeeze.

end.