Cupcake Kisses & Dragon Dreams Page 10

  She could hear the smile in his voice as he answered, “Yes, mo céadsearc. What tis ye need? Ye have oonly tae tell me.”

  Trying to move his hand, growling in response to his question, the sudden movement of her mate’s body against hers forced her eyes to fly open only to find Murdock kneeling between her legs. Snared by the intensity of his gaze, Kallie was unable to do anything but look into the eyes of the man she would love for all time.

  Placing his hands under her bottom, Murdock gently pulled her closer until the head of his cock touched the outer lips of her pussy. Lifting her hips in response, causing his erection to slide between her outer lips and the base to come in contact with her highly aroused clit, Kallie gasped as pure electricity raced through her veins. Fighting to move her hips forward, she tried with all her might to push him farther inside, her movement causing them both to gasp and his hips to finally, blessedly begin to move.

  Rolling her hips to meet his thrust, Murdock’s cock slid all the way into her wet warm pussy, only stopping when he reached bottom. The feeling of utter bliss rolled over, around, and through them. She had no doubt that the angels were singing in exultation that she and her Dragon were finally one in every way.

  Feeling him savoring the contractions of her womb around his erection, loving everything they were sharing for the first time, Kallie’s heart nearly burst when her Dragon once again looked deep into her eyes as he asked, “Are ye okay? Ah wanted tae go slow our first time but with ye, all thoughts of caution simply disappear.”

  The emotions flowing between them and the depth of love in his words sent Kallie’s excitement and need skyrocketing. “I am better than I have ever been in my entire life. I am finally complete, and it is all because of you, my very own Dragon man.”

  Smiling in return before looking down in reverence and lovingly commanding, “Look at us, mo ghra’, look at where we are joined...always together.”

  Getting up on her elbows, Kallie looked at their bodies joined together. One glance and the uncontrollable need to move, to experience the orgasm that was barreling toward her, to share absolutely everything with Murdock overtook the Witch.

  Moving with renewed vigor against her mate, Kallie watching Murdock glide in and out of her body. He needed no more motivation. Kallie heard his thoughts as if they were her own. Her Dragon meant to love her as completely and thoroughly as he possibly could.

  Driving in and out of her, Murdock rolled his hips forward every time their bodies touched. The change in motion made the head of his cock rub against the sensitive bundle of nerves at the top of her channel, and combined with the way her clit made contact with the base of his cock on every stroke, Kallie was awash in a myriad of emotions that sent her careening towards ecstasy. Letting go of everything but the love and devotion for her Dragon, Kalliope reached for his hands, elated when Dock’s fingers slid between hers at the exact second that she screamed her release and heard Murdock roar his.

  Slowly returning to earth, Kalliope reveled in the feel of Murdock continuing to move in and out of her while their hands remained tightly wound together. Opening her eyes, she smiled as he asked, “Hey there, álainn, how ye doin’?”

  Purring her answer, totally unashamed of showing her mate how amazing he made her feel, Kallie sighed, “Perfect, my love, just perfect.”

  Letting their hands fall apart, Murdock pulled completely out of her, picked her up, and moved to the top of their pallet. Lying back on the huge mound of pillows, he turned on his side, laying her next to him, so they were face to face. Losing all track of time, completely content to spend the rest of her life in a cave gazing at her mate, Kallie was surprised when her Dragon pulled a turquoise velvet box from under her pillow, holding it out in the palm of his hand and winking with a radiant smile on his face.

  Taking what he offered, she asked, “What is this?”

  “Open it and find out.” Accompanied by his gorgeously cheeky grin was Murdock’s only reply.

  “But you’ve given me so much already, and I have nothing for you.”

  “Oh, but ye have given me everything. Tis all right here.” He looked around their cave before laying one hand over his heart and the other over hers. “Tis ye, my sweet Kalliope. Now, open your present or Ah’ll tickle ye til ye do.”

  Kallie couldn’t help but laugh and wonder if the day would ever come when she would tire of simply being near her Dragon. Carefully opening the box, she gasped. Nothing in all the world could’ve prepared her for what she saw nestled in the turquoise fabric.

  Tears ran down her face as Murdock lifted the halo-design aquamarine and diamond ring that looked exactly like the one her grandfather had given to her Grams and slid it onto the ring finger on her left hand.

  “How could you have known?” She sniffled.

  “Aye, t’was right there.” He gently tapped her temple. “In ye memories and surrounded by so mooch love, I knew it had to be special.” Kissing the knuckle above her ring, he added, “Please tell me tis happy tears ye are cryin’.”

  “The happiest. Murdock, always the happiest where you’re concerned.”

  Throwing herself into his arms, Kallie placed her hands on either side of her Dragon’s face and gushed, “Do you have any idea how much I love you? How very special you are to me? How in just a few short days you have become the center of my universe? You have awakened my soul, set fire to my heart and given me a peace that outshines all other.” Leaning forward, she laid her lips to his and spoke in the way of true Dragon Mates, “I will love you, Murdock Deóireach, for all time, in this lifetime and the next, no matter where we are.”

  “The bottom of the sea, the sky above, the waves as they roll onto the sea or a mountaintop cave…” Murdock’s voice floated through her mind as the couple loved one another just as the Universe intended.

  Epilogue

  Ignoring the calls from her parents and older sisters, Lulu continued to swim towards the reef nearly a hundred miles off the east coast of the island. She could feel her sister, Nessa’s need to answer their mom and dad, to let them know where they were and that they were all right.

  But Talullah by birth, Lulu to her family, knew how that would end up. Mom would cry. Dad would scold and her other five sisters, all older than her, would gripe and complain until Nessa gave up and turned around. Then Lulu would feel bad and follow. And that was not happening this time…no way…no how. She was tracking down the man who needed her help, come Hell or high water.

  Well, I’m praying there’s no Hell down here, but only the Goddess and Poseidon know for sure…

  Visions of the man from her dreams, the one trapped and begging for her help flashed in her mind like the neon signs the bait shops used to lure in tourists. His long, matted and bedraggled auburn hair hanging in clumps over his face, Lulu could only make out the deep violet of his eyes and the sharp lines of his cheekbones pushing against the translucent, emaciated skin pulled taut over his face.

  How could she not answer his call? How could she leave him to suffer? His pleas for help had literally reached into her chest and grabbed hold of her heart. Night after night, she paced the floor, trying to answer his calls. Yelling so loudly within her mind that she faced every morning with a headache rivaling the worst hangover she’d ever had.

  “Are you sure we’re doing the right thing?” Nessa asked, using their sisterly link to speak directly into her mind. “What if we get down here and find nothing?” She paused, her trepidation evident by the tremor in her voice. “Or worse yet, find something bad…or dangerous?”

  “We’ll be fine, Nessa,” Lulu reassured. “I have my blade, and if all else fails, we’ll put out the call. You know Poseidon himself promised dad that if any of us were in trouble, all we had to do was call.”

  “I know, and we could always call one of his daughters. I’d much rather one of them come than those big beefy Castle Sentinels. They make me nervous, always swinging those tridents around and filling the water with all that testosteron
e.”

  Laughing, Lulu quickly teased, “I think they turn you on more than they make you nervous.”

  Waiting for one of Nessa’s quick comebacks, the older mermaid screamed into Lulu’s mind, “Cyclone! Get to the reef!”

  Grab Your Copy of HER DRAGON’S TREASURE,

  Dragon Guard #30

  HERE

  Gram’s Famous Red Velvet Cupcakes

  Ingredients

  2 1/2 cups flour

  1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  1 teaspoon baking soda

  1/2 teaspoon salt

  1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

  2 cups granulated sugar

  4 eggs

  1 cup sour cream

  1/2 cup milk

  1 bottle (1 ounce) Red Food Coloring

  2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

  ¾ to 1 cup of finely diced Bing cherries (Or whatever is in season or in the freezer section)

  Instructions

  Preheat oven to 350°F. For the Cupcakes, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

  Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Fold diced cherries in with a wooden spoon. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.

  Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.

  After cool, cut out centers with a paring knife or melon baller.

  Kalliope’s White Chocolate Ganache

  Ingredients

  6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped

  1⁄4 cup heavy cream

  Instructions

  Place finely chopped chocolate in small heatproof bowl.

  Set over warm water on low heat (water should not touch bottom of bowl).

  Stir very frequently until almost melted. Remove from heat and hot water; stir until smooth, pressing out any lumps with back of spoon or a rubber spatula.

  In small saucepan over low heat, heat cream just to a simmer, stirring frequently.

  Remove from heat; all at once, add about two-thirds of hot cream to melted white chocolate.

  Gently stir to incorporate, then beat or whisk until smooth, scraping bowl as necessary with rubber spatula.

  Gradually stir in remaining cream.

  Place in frosting bag with large tip

  Fill cooled and cored cupcakes with ganache

  Kalliope’s Cherry Rock Candy

  Ingredients

  1/2 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

  2 cups white sugar

  1 cup water

  2/3 cup light corn syrup

  1 teaspoon cherry flavored oil

  1 teaspoon red color food coloring

  Instructions

  Generously coat a cookie sheet with confectioners' sugar, and set aside.

  In a heavy bottomed saucepan, stir together the white sugar, water and corn syrup until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium-high and cook to a temperature of 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads.

  Remove from heat, and stir in the flavored oil and food coloring.

  Immediately pour the sugar mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet in a thin stream (this helps it cool).

  When the candy is cool enough for the outer edge to hold its shape, using a tiny heart cookie cutter, cut into bite size pieces, or use scissors to create your own miniature shapes.

  Let cool completely, before sprinkling over the ganache in the center of your cupcakes.

  Gram’s Swiss Meringue Cream Cheese Frosting

  Ingredients

  4 egg whites

  1 cup (225g) caster sugar

  1 1/2 cup (337.5g) unsalted butter, cubed

  12 oz (340g) softened cream cheese

  A pinch of salt

  2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla extract

  Instructions

  Place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water and heat the egg white-sugar mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch, about 160˚F (71.1˚C).

  Attach the bowl to the mixer base and beat the mixture with the whisk attachment on medium speed until foamy, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until you get a stiff-peaked meringue. If the meringue is still warmer than room temperature, reduce the speed to low and stir until completely cool.

  Meanwhile, cut the unsalted butter into cubes and let it come to room temperature while the meringue whips. The butter should be a spreadable consistency and not melty in any way.

  Add the butter, cube by cube, to the meringue, stirring on low speed. The meringue will fall and start to look curdled, but keep adding the butter and stirring and it will come together into a fluffy frosting.

  Scrape the frosting into a different bowl and set aside.

  In the mixer bowl, whip the cream cheese until very light and fluffy.

  Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl several times with a spatula to make sure it is thoroughly whipped.

  One spoonful at a time, gradually add the SMBC to the whipped cream cheese, stirring on medium-low speed. Once combined, the frosting should be like softly whipped cream. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is like stiffly whipped cream. Add a dash of vanilla and a pinch of salt. You can use the frosting right away, or chill it to firm up a bit (re-whip before using).

  Check out the first chapter of

  RAYNOR

  Dragon Guard Berserker, #3

  Coming May 22, 2018 as part of the

  Stoking the Flames II Anthology

  Chapter One

  "Lizzie, I have to confirm with the gallery owner," Seth sighed. "I swear the old man is going to have a conniption fit if you're not there. He's left at least five voicemails since six am, and it’s barely noon.”

  Standing on the loft overlooking the converted barn Elizabeth Wentworth called home, she picked at a stray piece of lint on the back of her glove as she pondered her answer. It wasn't that she didn't want to go or that she was worried the patrons of Ernesto’s would be disappointed in her latest works, it was that she didn’t feel strong enough to be around all the people lately.

  Wasn't it enough that she'd offered to be on a live feed via Skype for the entire show? Didn't they understand what being near so many emotions, so much converging energy, just so much of everything was like walking on hot coals or having needles pushed into her eyes?

  Turning away, the weight of Seth’s stare and his impatience weighing her down, pulling at the very fiber of her being, making it hard for her to breathe, Lizzie moved towards the floor-to-ceiling stained glass window. Looking through the clear petals of the daisies Jonathan had so delicately designed, she was finally able to catch her breath. Warm and inviting, the sun on her face made her want to sprout wings and fly away. Leave the swarm of buzzing emotions, chatty people, and noxious energies far behind and live on a mountain, or in a bubble at the bottom of the sea, blissfully alone and totally untouchable.

  Tap. Tap. Tap.

  The toe of Seth's shoe striking her hardwood floors was akin to someone beating a railroad spike into her skull. Folding her hands so tightly together that they shook, the only thing saving her palms from being raw and bloody from her nails were the black cotton gloves she'd grabbed when her assistant had unexpectedly shown up at her door.

  “Seth, please,” she cringed, her vision blurring as his venomous irritation swept through her, becoming her own seething cross to bear as it tried to take root in her psyche. “Just go. I’ll call you,” she ordered, her tone sharper than she intended, but something she would have to apologize for later.

  “Damn! I’m so sorry, Lizzie.” Annoya
nce turned to regret and shame as her assistant hurried on. “I wasn’t even thinking. I don’t know what… Two fucking years and…”

  “Just…” she swallowed back her tears. “Please… go.”

  Quick footsteps preceded the opening and closing of the front door, thankfully, resulting in the powerful exhale of the breath she'd been holding. Allowing the tears caused by Seth's immediate and intense embarrassment, to fall, Lizzie laid her hand on the wall, closed her eyes and counted to ten.

  “Wonder if there’s a psychiatrist who would visit me on a deserted island?” The sound of her own voice echoing through the rafters was comforting in a way she simply couldn’t describe and refused to analyze too closely for fear she would spoil the magic. “Or send me recordings tied to the foot of a carrier pigeon?”

  Pushing off the wall and straightening her spine, Lizzie rolled her shoulders and jerked off her gloves. Throwing them against the window, not waiting until they floated to the floor, she inhaled as deeply as she could, threw her fists in the air, and screamed with all her might until she could scream no more.

  Gasping for air, she leaned against the railing, her latest painting, one in a series of three named Shadow Man, sitting on the easel, catching her eye. The huge canvas, colored with multiple hues of grays that faded to the black, should’ve made her feel sad, but instead intrigued her in a way no other work ever had.