Her dragon was tiring, and Sunniva gradually came back to herself. She felt content, as if something she hadn’t realized was missing had finally been found, but in addition there was a physical tension there, building as surely as the storm clouds. Her dragon had what she wanted, a rival worthy of her. Sunniva wanted more.
The air was thin and unpredictable, gusting in her ears. They were above the height of the lower peaks, high enough to see the curve of the world in the far distance; and, above the horizon, the faint gleam of the massive Dreki worldgate.
She had to go back. Sunniva reached for her dragon, and nudged her towards the thick glass of the plane’s windscreen. She made eye contact with Rafe. His face was drawn, but he smiled when he looked up. She tipped her head back behind them, to Marcus and the crawler, and then tipped over in the air in a slow cartwheel, heading back down. The plane followed in her wake.
The storm clouds were mounting in the distance, a grey so thick it looked solid in the afternoon light. As she approached the crawler she smelled smoke, and followed it down to find a small fire ringed with rocks, and Marcus next to it, getting to his feet to wave at them both.
Yours, her dragon said. Sunniva’s bare feet came down on the dirt as she shifted back, the scales rippling into skin and her dragonmesh warm against her. She heard Rafe’s plane settle down and the engines switch off. The crackle of the fire was suddenly loud.
Marcus brushed dirt from his lap. “Who won?” She could hear the amusement in his voice.
“We did.” Three quick steps, and she was in front of him.
What do you want? Rafe had asked her that, and now she knew. She reached up, slipping her arm under Marcus’ jacket and along the firm warm muscle of his torso, tugging him towards her. He came willingly, and when she kissed him, tasting that familiar strangeness again, he put his own hand on her waist, the shock of it setting her ablaze at each point where his fingers touched.
She wanted to be closer, to feel his skin against every inch of hers. She yanked at his shirt, getting her hand under it and spread her fingers, feeling his muscles flex as his hand tightened on her waist. His other hand cupped her cheek, fingers stroking her scalp. Sunniva’s nipples tightened against the dragonmesh, prickling with anticipation.
Marcus lifted his mouth off hers. His eyes were dark and intent. The hand on her scalp moved up, tracing a circle.
“Are these the horn buds you said you didn’t have?” His voice was a lazy drawl. Sunniva shivered as the sound vibrated through her.
“Yes.” She thought he probably deserved more of an explanation. “It appears my dragon does indeed have exotic tastes.”
Marcus kept holding her, but his grip slackened. “I see.” He tipped his head to one side. “Rafe. Stop tiptoeing around and come over here.”
Footsteps. Sunniva turned in the loose circle of Marcus’ arms. Rafe gave her a faint smile.
“I was attempting to give you some privacy.” He looked worn out, smaller and thinner than she remembered. Her dragon gave her the image of his plane, spiraling upwards on a thermal, and Rafe at the controls, encouraging his craft on to even greater heights. He’d done that for her.
Sunniva held out one arm, breaking Marcus’ grip. “Come here.”
Rafe eyed her uncertainly. “You don’t have to be kind,” he said.
Marcus took a h
alf-step back. “You’re the smart one.” He sounded as though he were pointing out something obvious. “You figured out how to use that matrix. Her dragon wants you.”
Rafe shook his head. “And I’m not six foot tall and ridiculously handsome. Not to mention overly prone to self-sacrifice. You need to be more selfish.”
“I want both of you,” Sunniva said, exasperated. They turned towards her in surprise. “Both of you,” she repeated. “Which may be selfish, but it’s true.”
She did. Marcus was more familiar, but she knew Rafe through him, and through her dragon, who hummed in approval as she reached out again, taking Rafe’s hand and holding it in both of hers. She spoke directly to the doubt she saw in his face, willing him to believe her. She liked him. “Not just my dragon.”
His mouth twisted. For an instant she thought he was going to pull away, and the thought of it hurt more than she expected, and then he muttered something about only living once, and kissed her. His mouth was uncertain on hers at first, but as she leaned in to him in response, he became more sure.
Marcus moved up behind her and ran his hands up from her waist to her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over her nipples and sending shocks of sensation through the mesh. “This is delightful,” he murmured into her ear, “but I don’t know how to take this off.”
Sunniva sent a command to the dragonmesh. It peeled off neatly, leaving her naked between the two men. Marcus’ hands moved over her bare skin, cupping her breasts, and Rafe kissed his way down her neck, the scrape of stubble leaving Sunniva tingling, before pulling back a fraction to look at her, his gaze moving hungrily over her body.
“I can’t be the only one naked.” She brought her hands up to cover Marcus’, twisting their fingers together. His body was pressed against her back, solid and strong.
Rafe pressed his lips together, looking uncertain again for a moment, and then yanked his belt free. As he stepped out of his pants he pulled his shirt off and dropped it on to the pile.
“I hope I’m not too disappointing.” He gestured impatiently at his chest. “Scrawny.”
Sunniva shook her head. She moved towards him, putting her palms flat on his chest, feeling his heart pound against his ribcage. “Streamlined. Aerodynamic.” Her hands found their way down towards where his erection was rising from a patch of dark curls at his groin. “Engineered.” She looked up at him, wanting him to share her appreciation. “Precise.” Her fingers caressed his hardness with feather-light, teasing touches.
In the background she’d heard Marcus undressing as well, and then more noises. When she glanced back she saw that he’d gone to the crawler and brought back the fabric used to pad the equipment to assembling a makeshift bed. The firelight flickered across his golden skin as he knelt beside it. Sunniva turned back to Rafe.