The dragon Elders would have little patience for her denials of his Claiming now.

Damn him!

“Rhiannon,” he whispered in her ear and her entire body melted. “I’m going to f**k you, Rhiannon. I’m going to make you come . . . again.” She rolled her eyes at that and she felt his smile against her cheek. “It will always be this way with us, you know. Always.”

She doubted that, but then he started moving and she stopped thinking about much of anything except how good he felt inside her.

Bercelak held onto her arms, but her legs were free. She wrapped them around his waist, her heels digging into his ass. He growled at that and kissed her while his hips continued to move against her, his big c**k powering into her over and over again.

Her tongue met his and she cried out in desperation. Amazing that after what she’d just experienced, she now wanted more. So much more.

Kissing her cheek, licking her chin and throat, Bercelak continued to push her toward another blinding climax. She tried to pull her hands away, but he took a tighter grip and pushed them deeper into the mattress.

He won’t let me go, she thought to herself and that’s when his mouth clamped over her breast again, sucking hard on her nipple.

Her release hit with brutal swiftness, tearing through Rhiannon’s entire body the way the Magick had, only this time no pain. Just pleasure. Wonderful pleasure.

Panting and trying to focus, she realized Bercelak had come inside her and now lay collapsed atop her.

That’s when she had to admit—at least to herself—that it didn’t feel too bad to have him there.

“Rhiannon?” It felt like ages until he could get up enough energy to say that. But when she didn’t answer him, Bercelak became seriously concerned. Scared he may have accidentally hurt her, he pushed himself up on one elbow, looking down at her.

“Rhiannon?” he said again, louder.

“Mhmmm?”

She sounded sated.

Bercelak couldn’t help but smile. It felt nice to smile. “Are you all right?”

Slowly, her eyes opened, staring at him in wonder. Then, just as quickly, her eyebrows pulled down into a brutal frown. “This changes nothing, Low Born.”

Bercelak laughed out loud and that felt even better than smiling. “Sorry, Princess. This changes everything. And we both know it.”

Growling, she tried to pull away from him, but he caught hold of her waist.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“Let me go.”

“No. I want to talk first.”

“Talk?” She looked absolutely horrified at the idea.

“Aye. Talk. Make sure we are both clear on a few things.” She relaxed back, but watched him warily. “Clear on what things?”

“The next full moon is in four days. At that time I’ll Claim you.”

“Wait—”

“No. I won’t wait, Rhiannon. You’re mine as I am yours. Nothing will change that.”

Angry, she pulled away from him, scrambling across the bed. “This isn’t fair. It was the Magick . . . it changed . . .”

He shook his head. “Try another tack, Princess. I won’t believe the Magick made you, of all dragons, do anything you didn’t want to do.”

“But—”

Frustrated, he barked, “No! No more excuses. No more denials.” He pulled his body up and, on all fours, moved toward her.

Eyes wide, Rhiannon moved back away from him. The bed was big, but it wasn’t that big.

Her back leg slid off the bed, almost tumbling her onto the floor. But Bercelak grasped tight hold of her wrist.

“Wait—”

He ignored her plea, yanking her onto the bed.

As he placed his body over hers, she snarled, “I’ll never love you, Low Born! Never!”

His heart stuttered to a stop. He wanted her love. Needed it, even. This wasn’t about taking a royal as his mate. This was about Rhiannon and only Rhiannon. He’d loved her since he saw her and, he had admitted to himself years ago, he would always love her. No female would ever compare with her. And now that he’d actually been inside her, had actually heard her cries of passion and felt her lust, he wanted no other female in his arms. Only Rhiannon. Always Rhiannon.

But from what he knew of his Rhiannon, no “sensitive” male would ever live in her bed . . . own her bed. So, the side that wished to care for her—that wanted to make her laugh as well as see her smile—he pushed aside. He would bury it until he’d Claimed her. Even if he missed the next full moon, he’d only Claim Rhiannon if she loved him. Nothing was worse than being with someone who didn’t love you and never would. Dragons lived many years and that was too long to live without a true mate to care for you.

So he buried the part of him that cared and brought out the warrior. The merciless battle-dragon who had destroyed more dragon kingdoms then he could remember.

He dug his hand into her hair and snatched her head back. One of her hands reached up and gripped his shoulder, trying to push him off.

“Perhaps we should understand each other, Princess. I will have you. I will make you mine until the end of time. Challenge me if you wish, but you’ll lose in this battle. I promise that you’ll lose.”

Clear blue eyes glared at him but he also saw the heat in them. With her hatred came her lust. Just as he knew it would.

He pulled her head back a little farther and the hand on his shoulder dug into his flesh.

“I think it’s time you understand how things will work between us, Princess. I think it’s time I show you.”