Protected: Bonus Epilogue for Fated Mates of the Drakoan Season 1

“I’m not really sure how we’re gonna make this work,” Jess said as she stood in the front lawn, most of her roommates surrounding her as a shuttle descended to the street in front of them.
In the windows of the neighboring houses, she could see curtains and blinds being pulled aside as faces plastered themselves to the glass.
“We’ll make it work,” Amanda said, pulling her into a side hug.
She smiled over at her, but didn’t comment.
Davin had been serious when he’d said he was going to step aside. At the time, he hadn’t worked out what that might entail, but with Van’s help, they’d worked out a reasonable compromise. Davin would stay here and coordinate communication and efforts while Van ran the team in the field. This would allow Davin to maintain his position, while also providing an essential service. Communication with space would likely be a dicey proposition until they could rebuild the satellites and launch them into space.
As they watched, the shuttle finally landed, and a few minutes later, a combination of humans and Drakoans spilled out the back, converging on their home. They nodded at her and her roommates as they passed, flooding into the house. Jess turned around and could spot them through the window, setting up in the dining room, the only practical place for a communications hub.
She turned to her friends. “Shall we?”
Melissa snorted. “Like I’m gonna miss this.” She led the charge into the house, stationing herself at the doorway to the dining room and probably making a nuisance of herself.
It took the better part of the next few hours to get everything set up properly, and when they were done, she didn’t recognize the space. The dining table had been pushed up against the wall and converted into a workstation, complete with tons of tech she couldn’t identify. The chairs were either set up in front of the station, or set against the opposite wall and out of the way. Everything was blinking and making little noises.
Right now, the sea of people were slowly trickling out, and before long, the sound of engines heralded their departure.
“You okay?” Davin said as he sidled up next to her, looping an arm around her middle to pull her close.
“Yeah. Are you?” She looked up at him, and he nodded. She couldn’t read his expression, but it didn’t look like a bad expression, so maybe he was telling the truth. “Are you gonna miss them?”
“A little, but they won’t be far. Are you going to miss Scottie?”
She tensed and looked around, realizing her best friend had already left.
Without saying goodbye.
“That little shit.”
Davin chuckled. “You didn’t notice.”
“No, of course not. He didn’t say goodbye.”
“I’m sorry. He seemed quite preoccupied.”
And the moment Davin said that, Jess knew immediately what he’d been preoccupied with.
Van.
She rolled her eyes. Leave it to Scottie to be so obsessed with a potential paramour that the rest of the world fell away. Slightly disgusted with her best friend and fully intending to give him hell for it the next time they talked, she turned to Davin, waving her hand toward the former dining room. “You have anything you need to do here?”
He shook his head. “Nope.”
“Good. Come on. I’ll show you to my room so you can get settled in.”
He smiled at her, then extended an arm, urging her to lead the way.
Within a minute, they’d climbed the stairs and entered her room in the back corner of the house. The simple, blue comforter was still on the bed, the curtains slightly pulled to the side from where they’d been looking out the window, searching for whatever had scared Inez all that time ago.
It felt like ages. In fact, as she stepped over the threshold, her room felt foreign, like she was seeing it for the first time. “Uh…” She paused, feeling out of sorts. “Do you need a drawer or closet space or both?” she asked, suddenly feeling very uncertain of herself.
He shrugged, stepping past her and carefully dropping his bag on top of her desk, which she kept cleared off because she preferred versatility in her space. She often drew maps or played solo board games on her desk, so keeping the space empty was more convenient. He turned to her. “I can just keep everything in the bag for now.”
She frowned, not liking the sound of that. It made him seem like he was just visiting, like he would just be passing through, and they’d been through too much and felt too much for each other for that to be acceptable. She turned toward him, opening her mouth to object, but never got the chance. Davin’s mouth crashed down on hers, his hands going up to cradle her face.
She gasped and time stood still.
When he pulled away, it seemed to be with great reluctance, especially in her dazed state.
It took several moments for her to blink the stupid out of her brain. “Fuck, Davin, what was that for?”
He dropped his hands to his sides, a smirk stretching his lips. He shrugged his shoulders. “I wanted to. And there’s nothing stopping us. Nothing holding us back. Van and the team have their orders. We’re alone. Why wouldn’t I kiss you?”
She felt a little giddy at his words.
Yeah, why wouldn’t he?
They’d been through a lot so far, and it took her slow brain a little longer to realize that the worst was truly behind them. Davin’s mission now kept him here, by her side, and with any luck, Van and the team would have power back soon. Hopefully other services would return shortly after that. The worst was behind them. How long would it be before the world had returned to normal?
“Why indeed,” she said, returning his smirk. She looked up into his handsome visage, amazed that this was her life now. This was her mate. She had a mate, and he was stacked. She’d never really thought of that being something that appealed to her. Being a nerd, she’d just never spent a lot of time around men with that build, but it worked for him, and he worked for her, and what else mattered?
She pressed up against him, running her hands over his chest. “Is there anything else you want to do now that we’re alone?”
He tensed, and she could feel a certain part of him react to her words. “You are perfect.” He ran his hands over her sides, slipping them around her back to pull her in closer.
There wasn’t a breath of space between them now.
“Good of you to notice,” she said, her smirk growing. “What are you gonna do about it?”
“Worship you, of course.”
Her smirk morphed into an honest, beaming smile. “Naturally,” she said breathlessly.
He leaned down, taking her mouth in a kiss once more. It was gentle and sweet, like he had all the time in the world and he had every intention of making use of it.
They stayed that way for a long time, just standing there, exploring each others mouths and bodies, in no hurry to take things further. The world around them slipped away until all that was left was each other.
When her hand finally slipped beneath his shirt, skin to scales, he pulled back, sucking in a breath. They were both breathless, and that one hand, that connection, felt like a promise, like permission, maybe even a demand. Her brain wasn’t exactly running on all cylinders by this point. All she could think about was him, all she could see was him.
“It can be different this time,” she finally said, breaking the silence, though she wasn’t even entirely sure what she meant. There was just something different in the air. The past had fallen away until all that was left was this moment, which seemed like it could continue into eternity.
“That it can,” he said as he leaned forward, nuzzling her cheek.
She smiled, loving the tender feeling, then the edge of the bed pressed against the backs of her legs, and a moment of clarity hit her. “Love me.”
“Always,” he said against her ear.
She chuckled. “I meant right now, silly,”
“I know.” He leaned her back gently until she rested against the bed, his impressive bulk hovering over her. And for a moment, they just stared at each other, neither making a move. There was no rush, and they were both enjoying the freedom in that.
Then Davin’s fingers traced the edge of her shirt, just barely brushing her stomach underneath. She sucked in a breath in anticipation, but he teased her ruthlessly, keeping the anticipation going far longer than she would have had the patience for.
When his full hand finally dipped beneath the fabric, she almost moaned in relief, but the relief was short-lived, because Davin was intent on taking his time. Each movement was slow and languid. Working his hand slowly up under her shirt, moving it up her torso, slowly stripping her of it.
By the time he’d pulled it over her head, she felt certain the sun must be setting soon, but it was still morning.
Next he pulled back, and she whined as he lifted off the bed entirely, leaving her still mostly dressed, but he wasn’t leaving her. Instead, he kneeled, massaging her ankle before slowly working her shoe and sock off, testing every inch of skin for sensitivity as he went.
It was madness, and she wanted to snap at him, but he seemed to be enjoying himself too much. He ignored every grumble as he took his time, exploring her body inch by inch as he divested it of every article of clothing. The pants went next, sliding surprisingly easily down her legs as he traced his fingers lightly over her skin in their wake.
By the time she was down to her underwear, she was practically panting with need.
And Davin was still fully clothed.
But that didn’t stop him from continuing his exploration. Her panties went next, taking the same slow route down her legs, this time with Davin raining gentle kisses on the skin as he went.
A little impatient, Jess stealthily slipped off her bra, not wanting this to get dragged on any further than it needed to be. When he tossed the slip of fabric aside and returned to her, a light gleamed in his eyes, clearly surprised to find her completely nude.
It was actually the first time he’d seen everything, now that she thought about it. Their first time had been quick and he’d removed only the bare essentials.
“You’re beautiful, Jess. My mate.” He leaned over her, taking her mouth in a gentle kiss, then peppering her face with sweet little touches of his lips. “How is it that this is real?” More kisses. “How it is that this is my life?”
She chuckled, the emotion practically bubbling out of her at this point. She felt light as a feather, or a balloon. Yeah, she could definitely see herself floating away. “How are you not naked yet?”
He pulled back and nodded, then reached behind him, yanking his shirt off in one quick pull. He then stood, kicking off his shoes and jerking his pants off. Then he was there in all his naked glory.
She couldn’t help pushing herself up onto her elbows to get a better view. “You’re pretty beautiful yourself.”
He smiled, then approached, looming over her once more. She reached out, looping her arms around him, needing to feel scale against skin in a way they hadn’t done yet. He pressed against her, and she sighed. He was hot, heavy, and she couldn’t help wanting to be touching him in every way possible.
And he must have been thinking the same thing, because now the hand that wasn’t holding him up was exploring. He brushed questing fingers across her breast, a curious expression on his face, but he didn’t seem all that interested in them as he quickly moved on, his fingers delving between her legs. He groaned, then a spike of pleasure hit her, causing her to jerk her hips toward his touch as he brushed against her clit. He hesitated, like maybe he’d forgotten it was there, then he circled it slowly, his touch so light it was maddening.
“Please,” she whined.
But he didn’t seem inclined to answer her plea, instead lazily teasing her, dragging it out until her body felt like a bowstring, tense and ready to snap. She begged and pleaded, but he seemed determined to keep her on a knife’s edge, never falling over.
Then his finger fell away, and she almost cried in relief. And it was relief. She wanted to come, but falling back from that cliff was better than being held there.
He shifted, his lips finding hers, and for a moment, she wasn’t really into it, too distracted by the pleasure that never quite upheld its promise, but then he was pressing against her, pressing into her, and she could have sobbed.
“Yes!”
He dove into the kiss as he dove into her. She couldn’t help pulling him closer, wrapping her legs around his hips to get some leverage. She needed him inside her like she needed her next breath.
But it was different this time. It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t quick and intense and passionate. It was slow, and she could feel every inch as it filled her, the thickness spreading her wide in a way no one else ever had or ever would.
And he isn’t even knotted yet.
She keened, the sound lost to their kiss, and by the time he’d filled her up, somehow pressing against her clit and g spot at the same time, she snapped, pulling back from the kiss to scream her release.
But he wasn’t done. Hell, he hadn’t even pulled back once yet. And when he did, that slow glide out of her had her whimpering with need once more. She hated it, hated the emptiness, hated the loss of pressure against her most sensitive spots. She pulled his head down, retaking his lips in a kiss that spoke to all her need.
But he wouldn’t be swayed. Each movement was slow, methodical, like he was trying to drive her mad. And maybe he was. It certainly felt like she was going mad.
And before she knew it, she was working her way up toward another peak. She could feel it in her toes, feel it flushing throughout her entire body. She dropped her head back, her breath caught in her body, unable to be released. Then he pressed deep, and a moment later, she felt it. His knot.
It filled her, sending her over the edge in an orgasm so intense, she thought she might pass out. She screamed, all her muscles going tense for a brief moment before melting into a gelatinous goo and collapsing to the bed.
She was boneless, weightless, practically insensate.
When she came to, it was to the feeling of Davin beneath her, his muscled chest serving as her bed, his knot still firmly in place.
“Fuck,” she said shakily as her core clenched around him once more, the tired muscles pleasantly sore. It felt different than last time, not quite so uncomfortable. She smiled, letting her entire body soak in his heat and the feel of being this close to another living being. “I could get used to this,” she said sleepily.
“Good.” He leaned in, kissing the top of her head. “You’ll have to.”