Mated to the Earth Dragon (Elemental Mates 2)

He’d never worried overly much about mating, or what happened to those dragons who failed to find their mate before their full power overwhelmed them. He knew his duty to his family, after all, and if he wasn’t lucky enough to meet his mate, he’d have mated another shifter, because that was his duty.

But now that it had happened, he could barely believe the strength of emotion that ran through him.

He, Damon Drago, who’d always been known as the most serious and dutiful member of the council, had met his mate. And suddenly, the world, which had always appeared so clearly regulated and orderly to him, had been turned onto its head.

He’d break any rule for his mate. He’d woo her with song and dance if she asked it of him. He’d break into famous museums to lay the world’s most famous treasures at her feet...

No, he thought firmly while his dragon coiled greedily. No, we’re not going to break into museums.

He took a deep breath.

If this was what finding your mate was like, no wonder that the formerly flighty dragon of air had turned into such a reliable mate.

He couldn’t think of anything but Autumn: the gorgeous color of her auburn hair in the sunlight, the warmth of her body, the way her closeness made his dragon’s soul sing with pure joy.

Focus, he told himself. Think of what’s important right now. There might be fire dragons hiding in these mountains, ready to attack at any second.

But his dragon was too busy thinking about which gems and necklaces they’d take out of their hoard to decorate Autumn with.

Amber, he thought, amber for my Autumn...

Then he shook himself, tightening his jaw.

Stop it, he told his dragon. Now is not the time. We will woo her—and we won’t leave her. We already have a date. But right now, we must keep a clear head. Listen to the rock. Listen to the soil. Be ever vigilant. If there are fire dragons around, they also mean danger for Autumn.

At that reminder of the danger to his mate, his inner dragon relaxed a little.

Gullfoss, Damon thought firmly. And keep an eye out for anything that feels strange.

The journey was slow and uneventful. Even though he felt slightly embarrassed, Damon drove behind the bus, hoping that Autumn didn’t think he was stalking her.

On a whim, he’d decided to stick to Iceland’s most famous tourist destinations because it seemed as good a place as any to listen for hints. After all, this was where people came together who traveled all over the country. If there was anything unusual happening, surely it was here where rumors would surface.

Afterward, he’d planned to take his Landrover into the highlands—if there was no rumor of dragon activity, it had to mean that they’d gone deep underground away from human civilization

Autumn’s going north as well...

Damon tightened his hands around the steering wheel. She’d probably think it was crazy if he followed her all the way to a remote farm. And it wasn’t anything he’d usually do. Duty had always come first for him.

But then, Autumn was his mate. Surely the council would understand...

Before him, the bus took a turn when they neared the parking lot. Chagrined, Damon realized that he’d spent most of the journey thinking about Autumn instead of feeling for traces of dragon activity.

But then, he’d be able to feel it if another dragon was nearby. And if they chose to hide, he wouldn’t be able to find them in human form, and from his car, anyway.

“You made it!” Autumn exclaimed when he met her on the parking lot.

She was smiling, her cheeks flushed. Her damp hair had dried during the journey and now looked adorably windblown. She shifted a little, smoothing her hands over her parka to tug it down, as if she was self-conscious about the waterproof pants she was still wearing.

A smile tugged on Damon's lips. It wasn’t the jewel-studded gown his dragon would like to dress her in, but Damon adored the way she looked like this. Sensible and dressed for the weather.

As a dragon, Iceland’s cold didn’t mean much to him—but now that he had his mate to worry about, he’d become suddenly aware of just how cold it could get, and of how vulnerable humans were.

“I followed the bus. I didn’t want to get lost,” he said, unable to stop himself from staring at her.

“You don’t look like someone who’d get lost.” She gave him an answering smile.

“I didn’t want to lose you,” he admitted, and then found himself flushing as well, suddenly flustered.