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Oh no you don’t.
My shadows rip from my body, wrapping around her wings, crushing and pulling at the delicate appendages. She struggles in my hold, her head thrashing side-to-side, trying to see me coming. The dragons part, clearing a path as I stalk toward her.
Her panicked voice trembles. “I didn’t have a choice! Inchel?—”
My shadows dive down her snout, cutting off her words. Her eyes bulge from her head as she tries to take a breath and fails.
Walking up to her, I lean forward. “I don’t care.”
Her claws tear at her neck, trying to dislodge the shadows. I release her airway so I can hear her screams. And they are fantastically blood-curdling as I rip her wings from her back. I toss them aside, several nearby dragons scrambling out of the way as the pink wings smack to the ground.
Her screams grow louder, her eyes bulging from her face as my shadows turn her to face me. Faster than she can track, my arm snaps out, talons ripping across her chest. Her head falls back, her mouth open in a silent scream. I strike again, this time my claws sinking into her throat. Muscle and bone squish and crunch as I rip her spine out. I fling the bloody mess onto the ground, and the second my shadows pull back into my scales, the coral dragon’s body crumples in a heap.
I make my way back to the center of the theater, unable to hide my limp as the pain of the fight comes flaring to life with the fading adrenaline. My eyes scan the colorful dragons until I find her. Syphe struggles to keep her hold on my mate until Tatha pulls free of my guard’s arms, her limping hops bring her closer, her bare feet stumbling over pebbles and rocks. She ignores the carnage of Inchel’s corpse, focused on me. I crouch, lowering to my belly, ready to shift, but before I can call up the magic, Tatha falls into my side.
I freeze.
Her small hands press against my scales. She’s so small. I’ve been afraid of hurting her in her dragon form, but like this, I could crush her so easily. I’m barely breathing as she makes her way up my side. Her tiny feet squelch in the blood pooling from my stomach wound. My tail snakes out, giving her more of me to hold on to. Her fingers grip my scales, making her way up the curve of my neck. I shiver as her touch skims over my face.
When she comes around my snout, she presses both hands to my muzzle, and the purr that rumbles from my chest vibrates against the rocky round, pebbles skipping and jumping with the sound.
Her right toes skim the ground, and her ankle is dark and swollen. With every breath, a small wince pulls at her bruised face. But her eyes are fierce as she strokes my nose, staring at me. Her voice whispers across my scales. “Mate.”
I feel that one word throughout my entire being.
She rests her forehead between my nostrils, and I breathe her in. Her hands continue to stroke me, and I can’t help the stiffening of my cock.
A gentle voice cuts into our moment. “Sire, allow me to heal you.” One of the royal healers, in his human form, approaches. I start to shake my head, but don’t want to dislodge Tatha from where she’s pressed to me. “In a moment.” My shadows slowly peel from my scales, their power sluggish from my blood loss. “Tatha, let me.”
Her head lifts at my grumble, but my shadows wrap around her, keeping her pressed against me. Her eyes pinch in confusion, but a moment later, she sighs. I have a small amount of healing power, but I usually use it through physical touch. Fear of hurting her further holds me absolutely still as I attempt to send my healing power through my shadows. The inky tendrils skim over her body, and I feel the pull and press of my power flowing through my shadows, easing her pain, knitting her torn muscles and tendons, and aligning broken bones.
Over and over, my swirling shades trail over her skin, reaching under her clothes to touch every part of her. Her pained breaths even out, then turn desperate. The scent of her arousal punches down my nose.
In this form, her scent is so much more potent. My fire burns through my veins, and my claws sink into the rocky ground. Fates, I want her. I force my voice to remain even and calm. “Better?”
She takes a deep breath, and a smile curls up her lips. “Yes, Mate. Much. Thank you.” Her hands continue to pet my scales as she leans to the side, her eyes skimming down my long body. “You need a bit of healing yourself.”
I huff, and smoke curls from my nostrils, drawing her attention back to my face. “Healer, go ahead.” The man steps forward, shifting to his dragon. I keep my eyes on my Mate as the healer runs his clawed hands over my scales and wings. Tatha moves with me as I shift to the side so the healer can mend the giant tear in my stomach.
Tatha gasps, staring in horror at the wound, and when tears fall down her pale cheeks, I huff a breath of smoke at her. Her eyes meet mine, the sorrow in them nearly as painful as my actual injuries. To distract her, I ask, “The ones who held you?”
“Dead.”
“Good girl.” She shivers at my words, and a small smile lifts my lips.
The healer shifts back to his human form, bowing as he steps away.
I gently nuzzle Tatha. “Were there others?”
She nods, her vibrant hair spilling around her face. “There was someone delivering messages, but I never saw them. I’m not even sure if it was the same person or a different person each time. I was also drugged and passed out for a while.”
I growl. “Did anyone touch you? Did Inchel …? Were you …?”
Her hand strokes my snout, quieting a fraction of my rage. “No. I mean, not that I know of. Inchel tried, but was interrupted.”
My fire goes white hot, the blaze shining through my eyes, reflecting against Tatha’s pale skin. “I’m going to hunt down the forbidden magic and bring him back to life to kill him again, slower this time. I’m going to track down every member of his family and make them pay for the sins of their brethren. I’m going to wipe every existence of Inchel from the face of our realm.” Her eyes dance with fire as I purr, “We will find them—everyone involved—and we will kill them.”
Lips parting, she nods. “Yes, Mate.” Her chest rises with her panting breaths. Vengeance looks good on her.
