Mated to the Earth Dragon (Elemental Mates 2)

This was ridiculous. How did one talk to one’s mate? Nothing had prepared him for this. How did humans woo? He’d never paid any attention to it—he’d been way too busy with his work and his duty to the council.

“Sorry if that’s inappropriate,” he said, a little embarrassed. “But I felt—when I first saw you—”

“Did you happen to visit the Blue Lagoon back in Reykjavik?” she asked softly. “I feel like I saw you. I didn’t see your face, but there was a man, hidden in the mist—”

“Yesterday, around noon?” He nodded, aching to reach out and smooth away the auburn hair that kept blowing into her face. “This is going to sound just as strange—but I had a feeling when I was there. A feeling that I should turn around, that something was waiting for me, just hidden out of sight... And then it was gone.”

“It might have been one of the elves.” Autumn was still smiling, despite his admission. “I was told to take care not to offend them.”

“No,” he murmured. “I think it was something much, much better. Or perhaps, it was an elf trying to catch my attention to tell me to turn around.”

“It’s a good story, in any case,” Autumn said softly. “Right? That’s the sort of thing you tell your friends about when you get back.”

He didn’t want her to go back. Not without him. But how would he tell her who—and what—he was?

Then the girl who’d taken a picture of them earlier rushed past them, stopping several times for selfies with the beckoning waterfalls in the distance.

“You guys coming? I’ll take another picture for you,” she offered. “If you’ll take one for me.”

“Sure,” Damon said easily, glad for the distraction.

The path towards the waterfall was lined with small rocks and gravel. There were signs telling them to be careful, because the path would get slippery close to the water. But as it hadn’t rained, the path that would lead them straight to the roaring waterfall was open today.

Sarah, with all the focused expertise of a teenager, raced straight towards the best selfie spot, and after several pictures, pushed her iPhone into Damon’s hand.

“There. Give me a countdown, okay?”

“Sure,” Damon said doubtfully, not quite certain what she was planning on.

He stared at the tiny screen.

“Three, two, one...”

Just when he hit the shutter, Sarah jumped high into the air, whooping.

Surprised, Damon found himself laughing along with Autumn. When he checked the screen, they’d caught Sarah in the air, arms stretched out and a wide grin on her face, the water roaring white behind her.

“Perfect!” she said in satisfaction. “Now you two!”

“Uh... I don’t think I can do that,” Autumn said.

“Just... hug or something. Be cute!” Sarah said sternly. “Come on!”

Damon wasn’t sure he could do cute, whatever that meant. Instead, he wound his arm around Autumn, looking seriously into the camera.

Sarah sighed. “You guys are making this difficult, you know!”

Damon looked down at Autumn, uncertain—but she didn’t look like she knew what cute was, either.

Then Sarah smirked. “Hey, I’ve got it! A strong guy like you... Can’t you pick her up or

something?”

“Pick her up?” Damon echoed, still not quite certain that this truly was how humans wooed these days.

Nevertheless, it made more sense to him than the concept of cute, and so he wrapped his arms around Autumn and lifted her up.

Surprised, she gasped, her eyes very wide—and very, very close, he realized with sudden embarrassment.