Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 69119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
My breath caught. He froze. Tension flowed through his thighs. Through the air and surrounding us. A heartbeat of pause lasted an eternity, as if he contemplated the request.
In that instant, my trust in him hung like a blade over my head. If he injured me, I would lose this battle. That was certain.
Also certain? Dumping him from my back—killing him—before he had a chance to attack was my smartest move.
But I didn’t do it. I waited for his decision.
Taron stroked his fingers over my spine, a reassurance. “Let’s end them.”
Something fierce cracked open inside me. With fire in my veins, I pretended he’d taken her up on her offer and struck at me, falling from the sky. As hoped, Rainer and his passenger followed me down. Just before crashing into land, I righted and landed dragon-style, causing no injuries to myself or Taron, who hopped off me.
Rainer realized his mistake too late. I slammed into him, taking him to the ground. We crashed together in a tangle of scales, claws, metal and heat. I took another hit across the flank, muscle tearing, but I dished far more damage, raking a talon against his left eye.
As he wrenched free, I seized an opportunity and sank my teeth into his wing, shaking my head. He roared with pain and yanked out of my stubborn hold. Tendon and flesh tore next, making it difficult for him to return to the air. But his position gave the injured Nyla another opportunity to strike at Taron. Sliding from the dragon’s back, she swung her tail, her signature move, but this time Taron caught it—and sliced off the end.
As she screamed, Rainer collected her in his mouth and arrowed away from us as fast as he could manage.
Though I wanted so badly to give chase and finish them off, my aching, abused body refused. As my adrenaline tanked, I returned to my original size and shape.
My companion helped me tug on garments from the pack, then slung an arm around me. Together we raced for home on foot.
“You good?” I asked through panting breaths.
“I’ll survive,” he groaned.
I wasn’t sure how much time passed before the spires of my castle came into view. Dragon guards spotted us and sounded an alarm. Within seconds, we had an escort.
Once locked in the safety of my bedroom, I lowered to the floor, taking a moment to breathe. Taron eased beside me. We stayed just like that, resetting from battle-mode to victory.
We’d done it. We’d gathered the three missing ingredients, clawed our way through a fight and lived another day.
He must have had the same thought. “We have everything we need now.”
“Ja.” In fact, I spotted the remaining ingredients Adelaide had scattered over my bed. Leaves, flowers, tonics, herbs, and seeds. Even a special mixing spoon.
“Our bond will be broken,” he said, his words slow but steady. Without giving a hint of his emotions.
“Exactly what we wanted,” I agreed, masking my sudden trepidation.
“Yes,” he intoned. “I’ll return to Georgia, and you’ll rule Ashmorra.”
The moisture in my mouth dried. “You won’t summon me, and we’ll never see each other again. I might even destroy the doorway to America.”
I’m not ready to lose him!
I looked at him. He looked at me. We stopped breathing.
“Is this the part where you growl something threatening and try not to kiss me?” I asked, low and throaty.
“No. This is the part where we kiss each other.” He lunged for me, and I met him in the middle.
Chapter
Fourteen
They love to kiss and it’s not terrible.
-Humaning for Beginners: A Dragon's Tale of Human Management
Our mouths met in a heated tangle, hungry and unrelenting. Taron kissed me like a man starved for something only I could give. His breath, his blood and his salvation, all rolled into one. As if he’d waited his entire life for this moment—for me—and nothing. Not injury, nor war, or even death, could stop him from claiming what belonged to him.
Possession laced every sensual stroke of his tongue, every desperate drag of his mouth across mine. Not gentle or polite, but raw and consuming, calling forth a hotter fire than I’d ever produced. And yet, he was as much water as ember, drowning me in all that was Taron Locke. He branded me with this kiss. Carved his name into my bones.
Maybe I carved mine into his, too. Responding wasn’t an option, but a necessity. I kissed him back as though I’d been falling down an endless void my entire life, and he was now the only tether holding me to the world. Passion surged through me, wild and molten, scorching fear, doubt and reason. Everything in its path, until they were nothing but ash beneath the flood of this heat.
“You taste so good,” he growled into my mouth. “Feel so good.”
“More,” I demanded, other words currently beyond my ability. His heady scent blended with mine, creating a drugging perfume I never wished to be without. “More.”