Firefighter Dragon's Demi-God Daughter Read online

  “We can leave your car here,” he said. “We’re going to Portland.”

  She nodded and let him open his truck door for her. She smiled to herself. A week ago, she would have been stunned to learn that she was accepting a date from a man and allowing him to drive her around, especially all the way into the city.

  But she liked it. She liked the way he constantly held his hand out to her, the way he treated her like she was something desirable.

  Around human men, she had to be so careful. She had to watch how hard she held a man’s hand, or she could crush his bones. It was the same with coworkers, but she could handle that. This was different, though. If she was going to be intimate with someone, she wanted him to know her, the real her. And that was impossible with a human.

  She felt like a woman when she was with Jackson. She could let down her guard and just be with him. In the city, he took her to the Japanese Gardens first. Hand in hand, they strolled down the paths, admiring the plants.

  Next, he took her out to eat, to a small fusion restaurant on the Willamette River that served Vietnamese food combined with Western food. They kept the topics light on the drive over, at the Gardens, and during dinner as well. They purposefully avoided talking about demons or witches, or even about the things either of them had faced in their jobs.

  Instead, they talked about hobbies, and books, and movies. After dinner, he took her on a sunset cruise on the river. He booked them on a tour that came with a captain to do all of the heavy lifting for them.

  “I have a sailboat back home. We even keep one at the firehouse for our days off. But I wanted to relax,” he’d said as they checked in. “Do you sail?” he asked, once again holding out his hand to her as she stepped onto the boat.

  “I have before. In Mykonos.” She had spent days on her small sailboat with one of her cousins, bobbing in the crystal blue sea. That had been nice, but being with Jackson was even better.

  They both settled onto the side of the boat, choosing to let their legs dangle as the captain set up the sails and got them moving. “Is that where you’re from?”

  “No. I was born in Seattle. But I have family in Greece.”

  “Tell me about it. I’ve never been there, but I’ve seen pictures of the coast.”

  “The water is vibrant. It’s so blue. When I’m there, the rest of the world slips away.” She had such mixed feelings about Greece. It called to her, in a way that nowhere else did. It was as if her ancestors were sending her a signal that she belonged there. But in reality, she never had fit in there.

  She spoke Greek, and she could read Latin, but her family never fully accepted her, not in the way they’d accepted some of the other demi-God children. She felt like they blamed her for what happened to her father, even though she’d only been a child at the time. Maybe she reminded them of him, and he was gone.

  “Do you have to live near a coast?” she asked, pitching her voice low enough so the captain couldn’t hear. “As a shifter?”

  “No. But we prefer it. We’re drawn to the cliffs, and like I said earlier, it’s easier for us to shift and fly when the weather is cloudy and rainy. We also like to swim in our dragon forms, and the cliffs make it really easy to plunge right into the water.” He leaned back on his hands. “But I’ve met some members of a clan who live in Texas.”

  “Texas. Wow.”

  Now they were out on the flat water of the river, with the wind propelling them along. “Have you been to Texas?” he asked.

  “I have. I went to a conference in Dallas when I was still in training. It was hot and flat and dusty, but it was welcoming if that makes sense. The people were friendly, and there was something appealing about all that open sky and the abundance of land.”

  “I’ve only been to Houston. I went with my cousin once, when he was on tour.”

  Right. He’d mentioned the cousin that was a rock star, but Helena didn’t keep up with pop culture. She’d tried, and failed miserably, preferring the classics. There was something about carrying the blood of the Gods in your veins. It was potent, and it influenced her in ways she could not control. It kept her close to them, even as they rejected who she was. It was just one more thing that set her apart from her peers.

  When she was a teen, she’d tried to make herself learn the culture, but it didn’t work. She’d forced herself to listen to the music at the top of the Billboard charts, like Fall Out Boy, One Republic, and Ludacris, but none of it had stuck. It sounded like noise to her, which she knew was a very odd thing for a fifteen-year-old to think. Most of the kids at her school had kept headphones on with the beat of the songs strumming through their heads at all times.

  She liked classical music. She understood its highs and lows, and it’s atmosphere.

  “Why are there shifters in Texas?” she asked, intrigued.

  “They were some of the dragons who were attacked by witches. It was a long time ago, but their clan was almost wiped out,” Jackson said.

  She closed her eyes. If they didn’t get some answers, and soon, she feared Jackson’s clan would end up with the same fate. Her stomach cramped at the thought. She rarely had physical reactions to distress, and yet she’d had several since meeting Jackson. When she opened her eyes, Jackson was staring at her intently.

  “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

  She sighed. “Not talking about it doesn’t make it go away.”

  “I agree. But we have this brief reprieve,” he said, as the light really began to fade.

  She leaned forward, dipping her hand into the cool water as waning light lit up the skyscrapers that lined the banks. The river was surprisingly beautiful. She hadn’t taken the time to appreciate the scenery around her when she had been working in the Portland office.

  “You’re right,” she said. “We should just take a break, and tomorrow we’ll deal with it.”

  On the edge of the sailboat, their thighs pressed closer together. Her breath caught in her throat. She wanted a night with him, without thinking about demons, or her family.

  Seeming to read her mind, he moved to sit behind her, pulling her back against his chest. He lifted her hair to the side and kissed the back of her neck. “That sounds good to me.”

  She could feel his erection, hard against her back, and her stomach flipped over. She wanted him so much. Now she began to have a little sympathy for her relatives who’d gotten all of them into hot water over the years because of all the people they’d fallen for.

  They’d started wars over their romantic pursuits, and she’d always thought they were morons who couldn’t control their hormones. To be fair, many of them had seduced people who were already committed to someone else, or heads of state whose marriages helped maintain peace for several countries, or military generals who were supposed to be focusing on battle. Once her relatives got involved, all hell broke loose.

  But Jackson wasn’t married, he wasn’t a president or a prime minister, and he wasn’t a military leader. He was a gorgeous shifter, and she wanted every part of him before the rest of their lives got in the way. She had no doubt her grandfather would try and interfere, but she was going to have tonight with Jackson. And she was going to enjoy it. She’d lived her life for duty and service to others, both humans and Gods alike. Tonight was for her. And for Jackson.

  Once a God or a demi-God, or even their offspring, set their sights on a human, the human was often smitten.

  Helena had argued that it was wrong to sleep with humans for that very reason.

  Not a single one of her relatives agreed with her. They saw humans as ripe for the taking.

  She didn’t know if Jackson could be swayed by her or not, but she had done nothing to try and seduce him. She’d only been herself. Still, she had to be honest with him.

  She glanced up at the captain. He was looking at his phone with one hand, and the other was on the steering wheel of the sailboat. He had probably sailed this route a thousand times, and he wasn’t paying any attention to them.


  “Before we sleep together, there’s something I should tell you.”

  He kissed the side of her neck. “Go ahead.”

  “This is going to sound really conceited,” she said. “But it’s true.” She licked her lips. “My kind is really gifted at attracting people to us. I’ve always gone out of my way not to try and influence anyone in a romantic sense, but it could be unintentional.”

  He put his hands on her upper arms and rubbed his palms over her skin. “I’m willing to take that risk.” He tugged her closer and whispered into her ear. “It’s not a problem for me at all.”

  She turned around halfway so that she could look at his face. “But what if—”

  He shushed her. “You’ve warned me, so there’s nothing else to worry about.” He pressed his lips to hers for a quick kiss. “I would gladly take that chance to be with you.”

  She turned back around, and he tucked her under his arm again, pulling her back until her head rested on his shoulder.

  She thought he wasn’t taking it seriously enough, but he was right. She had warned him, and he didn’t want to hear it. “Maybe you’re immune,” she said. She hoped so.

  “At this point, I do not care. But maybe I am.” He shifted his hips, making it clear just how turned on he was.

  The rest of the sunset cruise passed quickly.

  For the first time in her life, her body was reacting to a male. She’d put on her usual cotton panties that morning, but now they were growing wet thanks to Jackson’s strong body behind her. She imagined all the things he would do to her later on. As the sun set and the air around them grew darker, she closed her eyes and just let herself feel.

  “I can’t wait to get off his boat,” he said. “I need to be alone with you.”

  A tiny moan escaped her lips and her eyes flew open. Her cheeks flamed. Thankfully the captain’s hearing wasn’t as good as hers, and he hadn’t looked back at them.

  “Helena,” Jackson breathed. “I want you.”

  “I want you too.”

  “I’m going to get us a hotel room here in town. I’m not willing to wait until we’re back at the coast.”

  She nodded. Her chest ached, needing his touch, and her nipples tightened. The space between her legs throbbed as well, as a rush of heat surged low in her belly. “I wish you could fly us off of this boat right now.”

  “God, don’t tempt me,” he said. “I would do it. And then we’d both be in trouble.”

  They managed to hold it together long enough to thank the captain and get themselves off the sailboat. They left Jackson’s truck parked in the garage and walked to the closest hotel. Helena took deep breaths, trying to center herself as Jackson paid for the room.

  Finally, he took her hand and guided her to the elevators. When they reached their room, he shoved the metal door open, revealing a modern suite with a white bedspread and wooden furniture. Then Jackson lifted her into his arms.

  Her back was against the wall as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He kissed her, pushing his tongue into her mouth. Insane with arousal, she bucked her hips against his, feeling his hard cock.

  He held her with one hand and tugged her top off with the other. He grabbed her bra and tugged it off over her head, not bothering to unclasp it.

  With her breasts exposed to him, she shivered.

  “Beautiful,” he said. He shifted her body until her clit was right over his hard cock. Layers of thick fabric separated them, but he began to rock his hips, stimulating every nerve ending she had.

  She cried out, letting her head fall back against the wall. Distantly, she heard the plaster crack. She grabbed onto his shoulders, running her palms over the corded muscle. “Jackson!”

  His free hand cupped her breast, kneading the flesh. “You’re turned on,” he panted.

  “Yes.” That was an understatement. Her panties were soaked.

  “Good,” he said. “I want to keep you that way.” He put his mouth on her neck and sucked while his fingers pinched her nipples.

  She was already close, and she still had her jeans on. With a sudden jerk, he moved her away from the wall and laid her down on the bed, crawling on top of her. His mouth landed on her breast, licking her nipple while his hand tweaked her other nipple.

  He continued to torment her naked breasts until she was a writhing mess. “Jackson. I need you.”

  He pulled back. His green eyes were on fire with lust as he stared at her.

  With quick motions, he unbuttoned her jeans and tugged them off. She lay there in only her panties. He pushed her legs apart and stared at her pussy. “You’re so wet,” he said. “All for me.”

  “Yes. All for you. I’ve never been this wet before.”

  “God.” He pressed his lips to hers. “You have no idea how much I want you.” With that declaration, he grabbed her panties and yanked them off.

  He stared at her bare pussy. She didn’t have much hair to begin with, but she’d been waxing for years. She didn’t do it for men because there had been so few. She preferred the way it felt.

  “I love that I can see all of you,” he said.

  She squirmed, embarrassed by the attention, even though she wanted it. With a great bit of effort, she forced herself to open her legs all the way, letting him look as much as he wanted.

  He exhaled. He reached out with his hand. Her stomach clenched in anticipation.

  Slowly, he put his palm over her mound. Just that quick contact made her hips lift up, seeking more.

  He dragged his hand down, raking his strong fingers over her clit and pussy. He lightened his touch, taking his other hand and parting her slick folds. He took one finger, tracing her entrance. “I can’t wait to taste you,” he said. “But I can’t wait that long tonight. I need to be inside you.”

  “Yes. Please. But I want to see you naked.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yes.” She sat up and reached out, rubbing her hands over his muscular torso.

  He hopped off the bed. “I won’t keep you waiting then.” He stripped off his shirt and his pants, standing there in only his boxers. His toned body rivaled any of the Gods, sending a hot rush of shivers to her core.

  “The rest,” she said, ready to beg. She needed to see all of him.

  He smirked and pushed his boxers off, revealing his large cock. She’d never paid much attention to a man’s erection before now, but Jackson’s looked just as good as the rest of him. Just as he’d said to her, she wanted to taste him too. She wanted to put his cock in her mouth and feel the heavy weight of it.

  She’d had a man inside her before, a few times when she’d tried dating, but she’d never gotten on her knees for a man or put her mouth on a man’s cock. She’d felt the act was too intimate for the shallow relationship she’d shared. But with Jackson, she wanted all of him. She wanted anything and everything that he was willing to share with her.

  She held her arms out, and he crawled back on top of her, gathering her into his embrace. “You smell so good,” he said, nipping at the space over her collar bone.

  She pressed up against him, feeling his cock. He briefly rolled away, grabbing a condom from his wallet and rolling it on. “I don’t usually carry these,” he said. “But I was hopeful about tonight.”

  “I’m glad you did. Because I don’t think I could have waited.”

  He grabbed his cock and positioned it right at her pussy. Her wall clenched, needing him inside her body. “Jackson! Now!”

  He pushed inside her with a loud groan. His eyes rolled back into his head for a second, before he focused on her face.

  “You’re so tight,” he said.

  “It’s been a long time,” she whispered. It had been years. She’d thought she’d never take a man to bed again, but as she’d told Ares, Jackson wasn’t a man. He was so much more than that. He was what she’d been waiting for, and she hadn’t even known it.

  Her eyes started to close, but she fought against it, not wanting to miss a second of their time tog
ether. She desperately hoped that their first time wasn’t their last, but with the lives they both led, anything was possible. She didn’t have premonitions, and she didn’t see the future, but there was a definite sense of melancholy that clung to their interactions.

  Maybe it was just the looming threat of the demons. She’d seen firsthand the destruction they could bring. They’d killed her father after all. She should probably have told Jackson and his clan about that.

  Jackson had stopped moving. “What’s wrong? Am I hurting you?”

  “No. You feel perfect.”

  “You looked sad.”

  “I’m not sad.” She sniffed. “I’m really happy.” She clung to him, wrapping her legs around his waist. She was happy. For the first time, she was content, despite all the other turmoil that was going on in her life. “And I’m not giving you up,” she said under her breath.

  Of course, he was a dragon shifter, and he heard her.

  “I’m not giving you up either,” he declared. “Not unless you want me to.”

  She shook her head. Never, she thought. I never want you to give me up.

  He quickened his pace, fucking her with rapid thrusts. He hit her sweet spot, and she screamed his name again. He put his hand between their legs and rubbed a circle over her clit.

  Every part of her body tensed. She felt the heat coil, first in her pussy, then all the way down her legs. Her orgasm hit her like a tidal wave, and she crashed over the edge. She held onto Jackson tight, watching his handsome face as he sped up.

  Her pussy continued to contract as the pleasure flowed over her.

  Then it was his turn. “You feel so good,” he said as his cock throbbed inside her. He rested his forehead against hers, letting go as his huge cock pulsed. Her pussy walls continued to squeeze him, and he dropped down next to her, pulling her with him. He cuddled her close, holding onto her as both of them came down from their climax.

  As his strong arms embraced her, she finally allowed her eyes to close.

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