Ember (The Dragao 1)

“If our mate wants nothing to do with us, we would not force her.” His voice was torn, his expression now matching that. “We would hope she would need us as much as we needed her, but if she still denied the mating, then we would just be a silent shadow in her life, ensuring she was always safe and protected, always provided for.”

My throat tightened, this tingling starting in the pit of my gut as I thought about what a lonely existence that was for a species like him, where that one person who made them complete and whole wanted nothing to do with them. According to Azar, he had been looking for me, waiting for me his entire life.

I opened my mouth, though I didn’t know what to say. But before anything could be uttered, there was this echoing, ear-splitting roar that pierced through the cave, and I lifted my hands to cover my ears. Gods, whatever was out there was close.

Another roar came through, and my entire body tightened. I looked over at Azar, feeling my eyes widen, feeling real fear fill me for the first time since I’d left the Pit.

And as easily as blowing out a flame, Azar’s entire composure changed. He was standing and striding toward the tunnel that led to the mouth of the cave, this dangerous sound leaving him. I stared at his back, seeing the muscles clench and relax as I looked at that fearsome dragon tattoo that covered the wide expanse.

I found myself following him, survival telling me to stay close to him, that Azar would protect me. He stopped and turned so suddenly that my body slammed into his, my hands instinctively reaching up and landing on his pecs to steady myself. I tilted my head so I could look up at him. His lips peeled back from his teeth, his fangs elongated and sharp and so very white.

He hissed as if my touch burned him, and I was about to pull my hands away, but faster than I anticipated, he placed his warm palms over the backs of my hands, keeping them right where they were as he stared down into my eyes.

He seemed so serious, all the desire he had reflected on his face completely wiped away as pure territorial aggression covered his expression.

“Stay in the safety of the cave.” His fingers tightened around mine, and I felt my heart skip a beat.

Another ground-shaking roar pierced the night, and I could hear pebbles skittering across the dirt floor. He growled even lower, deeper… fiercer. I snapped my head toward where the cave entrance was, my throat tightening, my mouth going dry. I was breathing so hard now, beads of sweat lining my forehead. What if the dragon came into the cave? What if he killed Azar?

Why did that thought cause pain unlike anything I’d ever felt make a home right in the center of my chest?

We stared at each other for a prolonged moment, the tension high, the emotions wild. And before I knew what was happening, Azar was kissing me, his tongue stroking the seam of my mouth. I was so stunned that I gasped against his lips, and he took that as approval to slip his warm, sweet-tasting tongue into my mouth.

He groaned, and I felt his hands tighten against mine as if reflexively. I was shocked by how good and right the kiss felt—my first kiss. And then it was over almost as quickly as it happened. I stumbled back and reached out for the rocky wall to steady myself, my body humming with pleasure that coupled with fear as I heard another roar.

But Azar was already moving away from me, his body seeming bigger the closer he got to the entrance of the cave. I leaned around the corner just as he cleared the mouth and instantly shifted into his dragon.

And although I’d seen him change from dragon to human before, watching his incredibly powerful beast come forth was still the most beautiful thing I’d ever experienced.

The beast turned his huge head to look at me, his wings unfurling and flapping gently. And then he was in-flight, and I was left wondering if I was going to be smart and stay back or head out there and see if I could help Azar stay safe.

The answer was easy as I started making my way toward the entrance of the cave.

12

Emma

I knew if someone saw the look on my face, they’d say it was from fear and horror that I’d be in the clutches of those dragons. What they wouldn’t know was the truth, and that was my fear of Azar getting injured… or worse.

I didn’t want to think about what would happen if Azar got hurt or killed. I didn’t like the way that caused this heavy pressure to settle in my chest, or how my breath caught when the dark dragon tore its claws at Azar.