“I’ll get to use my wings, correct?” So much hope bounced in Haru’s words that a laugh jumped from Adrian’s throat.
“Yeah, I think you will.”
This job was going to require a dragon.
CHAPTER 5
Omari Haru
Haru grinned like a fool as he slowly dragged the tip of his finger along the length of Adrian’s nose. They’d settled into their campsite in the Birston Forest a few hours ago, and Adrian had stretched out in their tent to catch a bit of sleep. The only way to scout the broad swath of woods was from the air, and for Haru to take his dragon form safely, they would have to wait until well after the sun had set.
Haru had slept for an hour beside Adrian but couldn’t last a second longer. Too much restless energy filled him. The promise of stretching his wings and soaring through the clouds was at the tips of his talons. He was ready to fly.
While Adrian slept, he took the time to scout the immediate area, checking to make sure there weren’t any other people camping nearby or signs of surveillance equipment. If someone caught sight of him in dragon form, he’d never hear the end of it from Adrian or Nori.
Near midnight, Haru slipped into the tent and stretched out next to Adrian, who was snoring softly. There was a lantern lit low in the tent, casting a soft golden glow across Adrian’s face. The man really was the most handsome creature he’d ever seen,with his perfect nose, high cheekbones, and full lips. His thick eyelashes lay like luxurious fans on his cheeks. It was natural for Haru to want to keep him for all time.
He was a handsome man, though it was a harsh, sharp attractiveness. He’d seen some hardship, as proved by the scars that cut across his arms and throat. There was also the deep line that formed between Adrian’s eyebrows each time he glared at Haru. It made Haru ache to press his finger to it and rub it smooth again.
Regardless of his hard face, which was so unlike other dragons, Haru found him beautiful. He had a face that told a hundred stories, and Haru wanted to learn them all. But his favorite was watching that gruff exterior melt into an expression of joy and mischief. As much as Adrian was inclined to worry, he never hesitated to show when he was happy.
Lying on his side, Haru held his finger above Adrian’s face, waiting to see if Adrian would stir from that small touch. He was trying to wake the royal guard gently, and maybe he was having a bit of fun.
Adrian’s nose wrinkled, and he swiped a hand in front of his face as if batting aside a fly. Haru bit his bottom lip and held in his snickers as he touched a finger to the bridge of his nose and ran the tip along the hard line of Adrian’s face.
Just as he was lifting his finger from the tip of Adrian’s nose, a hand shot up and captured his wrist in a viselike grip. Adrian’s eyes flicked open and narrowed on him.
“Do it again, and I will break it,” Adrian growled.
Haru was undeterred by Adrian’s grumpiness. He’d been traveling with the man for weeks now. Adrian was always grumpy after he first woke up. Haru leaned in, nuzzling Adrian’s neck with the tip of his nose. “It’s almost midnight. I thought you’d like me to wake you.” Haru exhaled, sending curls of hot breath across Adrian’s neck.
The royal guard shot straight up in a flash. “I’m up. Awake. I mean, I’m awake.” Adrian hurried out of the tent without looking back while Haru’s chuckles chased after him. He could feel Adrian’s attraction. The fact that Adrian felt compelled to fight it only amused Haru.
Still smiling to himself, Haru rolled to his feet and stepped out of the tent as well, joining Adrian in the thick blackness of the forest. The royal guard was immediately drawn to the fire that was banked low. The summer air was still warm enough to be comfortable without the fire, but it helped to create a halo of light to break up the unrelenting darkness.
“Is this something humans like to do in their free time? Camping in the woods with nothing but a tent and a pot for cooking?” Haru inquired.
Adrian huffed a quiet laugh as he folded his arms loosely across his chest and watched the flickering flames as if mesmerized. “Some people do. I did it quite a bit when I was young, but it wasn’t about the joys of sleeping under the stars with all the bugs and wild animals.” He lifted his face to Haru and grinned. “Camping is cheap. Hotels—even rundown ones—are expensive.”
“You give me brief hints of a troubled youth, but no details. Sometimes I cannot tell if you are trying to scare me away. Were you really so wicked?”
“Maybe I am trying to scare you away.”
“Being wicked will not frighten me.”
Adrian’s mouth twisted in interesting ways, and he finally rolled his eyes, but Haru got the feeling he was rolling his eyes at himself. “No, it wouldn’t. Nori said that he blames half of his white hairs on you.”
Yes, that was probably accurate, and Haru was proud of it. Dragons were stuffy and boring. Haru believed in keeping things light and interesting.
“Tell me a story,” he begged.
Adrian’s eyebrows lifted, disappearing under Adrian’s sleep-rumpled hair. “A story? About me?”
“Yes, something before you became a royal guard. Something about the time you were a sneaky thief and a con man.”
Adrian made a noise and looked up. “We don’t have time for this.”
Haru grabbed Adrian’s arm and pushed him over to a fallen log that was just the perfect distance from the fire to allow them to enjoy the light without sweating from the heat. “We have time. There are hours left in the night. We can spare a few minutes for a story. Tell me something of your life, and I promise to answer any question you have about dragons.”
