"Sorry, I smell terrible." Alina sighed, pushing me away.
"What did you do today?" I asked, closing the door behind me.
“Frid was training me for combat.” Alina bit her lip, and her cheeks flushed when she saw my face. “Don’t laugh, I know I’m not like all of you, but I think even I can improve with time.” She took off her cape and I saw the black leather suit underneath.
“How did you get that?”
“It came in a package today.” Alina unbuttoned the front row of buttons, then sighed, letting her arms fall to her sides. “I wasn’t so sure before, but now I’m convinced that Frid hates me.” She sighed.
“She doesn’t hate you.” I placed my arm around her shoulders, the weight of her body steady and familiar against mine.
“I really need to bathe.” Alina relaxed in my arms.
After the servants prepared the bath and left the room, I helped her pull off her suit and led her to the tub. Just looking at her, her soft, ivory skin with a slight pinkundertone, dusted with golden freckles; small, gorgeous breasts, and narrow waist, was like a drug that slowly spread through every blood vessel and artery, setting me on fire.
I clenched my teeth, looking away.
Alina stepped into the tub, and I took the soap, lathering it in my hands. The scent of herbs filled the air, and was almost intoxicating. I focused on what I was doing, trying to push aside the desire that was stirring within me.
“You don’t have to do this.” Alina exhaled, closing her eyes when my hands slid up and down her back, her chest and shoulders. “But it’s so nice.” She leaned back and stilled.
“Don’t fall asleep,” I said, but it was already obvious that she was losing the battle.
When I was done bathing her, I had to steady her shoulders to dry her damp skin. So far the evening had been nothing but fucking torture. I stretched my neck and returned to my task.
“Please stay,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around me, the towel fell to the floor.
“Let’s get you to bed.” I could not believe I was still able to be reasonable.
As soon as I covered her up, Alina turned to her side and the next moment she was already out.
I only stood for a moment watching her, before stripping off my leather suit and getting into the bed.
Alina was still sleeping when I placed a soft kiss on her forehead before leaving the room in the morning. Sleeping in the same bed with her, without wanting to take her right there and then, was not something I was good at. Every waking moment was spent thinking about the way her body felt under mine when I was taking her slow, making her beg for more. I thought about her raking her fingernails down my spine as she arched her back, seeking release.
When I finally stepped out of the castle, the chilled air hit my face, and I immediately shifted into my dragon form. Stretching my wings, I reveled in the wild freedom of flight.
Making a wide circle above the castle, I surveyed the area, making a mental note to talk about increasing the number of men guarding the settlement. There were soldiers by the passage, but they needed to be able to communicate a threat to the others and be ready for a fight at the same time. There was a new threat, one on a whole new level. Their defense of this land was to counter an attack from the other clans, not from monsters. While I was surveying the sleepy town below, I saw a familiar outline and lowered myself closer to the ground to where the dilapidated wooden shed was just visible.
This time, Sage was home. I could see wisps of smoke rising into the early morning sky as I landed in the clearing.
“I wondered if you’d come,” a voice came from somewhere behind me.
I noticed an unsteady figure holding a bottle of liquor. Deep in my heart, I felt a rush of disappointment, as if I had been hoping that everything that happened to both of us would somehow make him stop trying to drink himself to death.
“Do you remember me?”
“Of course I remember you, I haven’t lost my mind yet.” He took a swing of his liquor, scrutinizing me.
“When do you think you saw me last?” I asked.
“Let me think.” He took another huge sip, before adding. “When that huge ass flying crawler painted the ground with my guts.”
“You do remember then.”
“It’s not so easy to forget.” He stretched his lips into a mocking smile.
“Did you try to tell the others?”
