Mated to the Earth Dragon (Elemental Mates 2)

Even before Autumn had stopped speaking, a terrible awareness rushed through Damon’s senses.

Fire. Menace. Destruction.

The fire dragon’s aura made the air around him thrum. The dragon within him rose up immediately in protective anger.

His mate was in danger. That was the only thing his dragon knew, and the only thing it cared about now.

“Duck,” Damon shouted, grabbing hold of Autumn’s hand to hastily pull her down behind a large rock.

There, he saw to his relief a narrow path leading down. It was shielded by the overhanging rock. It would not be enough to protect them from an angry fire dragon, but it might give them precious moments to get as far away as possible...

“What’s going on?” Autumn’s voice was trembling in terror. “Damon, what’s going on here?”

“Run! There’s no time for explanations!” His heart was pounding in his chest as he tried to focus his dragon’s senses to figure out where exactly the fire dragon was.

Had they managed to fool him?

The dragon was too close now. All Damon could feel was the alarming thrum of danger that pulsed through his blood.

He’s close—way too close.

Before them, the narrow path turned a corner. When they rushed around it, Damon saw to his dismay that the overhanging rock pulled back, no longer shielding them from view.

And a second later, with no warning at all, a lance of fire fell from the sky.

Dragon fire, scorching hot, enveloped the narrow gorge. It burned the lichen that clung to the rock.

Autumn cried out in utter terror when the flames surrounded them, threatening to devour them.

Just in time, Damon threw himself atop her, covering her with his own body. In his human form, his powers weren’t as strong. Still, it was enough to throw up a small shield, channeling his power over rock and metal to erect an invisible barrier around them that was as strong as diamond.

It deflected the dragon fire, which continued to sizzle down through the gorge. Only a circular spot around Damon was spared by its destructive force.

As soon as the fire was gone, he pushed himself to his feet again, grabbing hold of Autumn’s wrist. He could feel her terror—and her fear only increased his own dragon’s protective anger.

They couldn’t escape. Not from this enemy.

But this gorge was too narrow to shift...

“Run,” he gasped, “run!”

Before them, he could see the rock pull back, the narrow path opening up into another small valley.

If they could make it there...

Then, above, he heard a roar. Autumn cried out again when a large shadow swept past them. When Damon looked up, he saw the red-scaled dragon finishing his turn, his wings lifting as he prepared to dive straight at them again.

Autumn was panting. Her terrified heart was beating in time with his own as Damon counted the seconds it would take the fire dragon to come into range again.

Any second now—any second...

They

spilled out of the gorge, nearly tumbling down into the small valley before them. Damon turned his head—and there, so close that Damon could make out the rage gleaming in its black eyes, the fire dragon opened its maw.

Another shower of fire streamed towards them. Autumn clutched at his arm in overwhelmed terror.

And then Damon’s dragon broke free.