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“We?”
He glanced sideways at me as we climbed the porch steps, and he punched in the code to the rental. “It might be good for you to try—just a partial shift. We can practice with your wings, learning how to release and retract them at will. Even letting your dragon out that much will be a reprieve for you and some of the tension you feel.”
I inhaled and exhaled as we entered the cottage. The idea of it made me a little queasy, but I also felt this pulsing pressure in my chest, and a mixture of wild emotions still threatened to overwhelm me. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try. My back hurts even more today.”
Evan winked. “That’s the spirit.”
I glanced around at the small cottage as Evan set our bags by the front door, which opened into a small living area with a couch and two chairs. To the right was a dining table, and behind it a small kitchen. Ahead was a hallway, then there were three doors along the hall, the bathroom and two bedrooms. It was cute, quaint, and cozy, and for spending the night, it would do nicely.
“Come on.” Evan took my hand and led me to the back door. “I’ll show you how it works. It will be good practice for a full shift as well. The process is similar to how you’ll call on your dragon.”
I followed him, still uneasy about this, but he was right. I needed to learn this. I wanted control over my dragon, and the only way that would happen was through practice.
Once outside, a good distance from the cottage, Evan turned to me and took both my hands. “I’ll go first. The first thing you need to do is focus all your attention on your dragon. Build a connection between the two of you. Have you been working on that?”
“Sort of,” I said. “Not as much as I should.”
“That’s okay. Just try now.”
I did as he said, mentally connecting with the writhing presence within. It didn’t take long for her to perk up, and I got the sense that she was on standby, waiting for what I’d do next. “Okay, I think I’ve got it.”
“Great.” Evan squeezed my hands. “The next step is to close your eyes and visualize what you want to happen. Imagine your wings sprouting from your back. Picture it clearly in your mind. Watch me.”
I kept my gaze on him as he closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. Seconds later, his vast, leathery wings sprouted from his back, expanding to their full thirty-foot wingspan. His eyes opened as he grinned. “Easy.”
“Maybe for you.”
“You try. It might not be as hard as you think.”
I took a deep breath and nodded, then followed his example, closing my eyes and focusing on the image of my wings. Not the tiny little baby wings that were more fitting for Sofia either. I pictured them full size, bursting forth.
Seconds ticked by, and I continued to breathe and visualize, but just when I was about to give up, I felt my back tearing open. At least that’s how it seemed. I gasped at the sharp jolt of pain, my eyes flying open and locking with Evan’s.
He was grinning, his eyes alight with pride. “You did it,” he murmured, his voice tinged with awe.
“I did?” Glancing over my shoulder, I was shocked to see emerald-green wings expanding from either side of my back, about six feet each in length. Panic threatened to take hold, but I shoved it down, focusing on my breathing.
“Amazing.” Evan’s voice rang with satisfaction. “Now try to bring them in. It’s the same concept. Just visualize it happening.”
It was much easier to retract them, but the pain was just as intense. “Damn,” I wheezed, falling against Evan’s chest. “That hurt like a bitch.”
He chuckled. “You’ll get used to it in time, and eventually it won’t be painful at all.”
I wasn’t sure how that was possible, but I’d never seen anyone else complaining about pain when they shifted, so maybe he was right.
“Try again.”
I groaned, but did as he asked three more times, until I was out of breath from the effort, and aching with pain. “I can’t do it anymore.”
Evan pulled me into his arms, kissing the top of my head. “You’re incredible, Mariah. You amaze me every single day.”
I had to smile at that.
“Okay, I need to shift now, but do you feel up to going for a ride?”
I blinked. I’d only ridden on Evan’s back a couple of times, but it was always exhilarating. My hand came to my stomach, however, my maternal instincts kicking in. “The baby.”
“I won’t let anything happen to either of you. I swear, I’ll protect you with my life. Always.”
