A mad desperation tugged at him.
He was unbalanced, teetering on the edge of insanity.
His dragon perked his head, sensing a weakness. If the beast had his way, Vale would have fucking shifted and flown straight into the heart of Luna, uncaring of the dangers that awaited.
Go to her.
She is ours.
Protect. Keep her safe.
Ours.
Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine?—
Vale roared. "Shut up!"
He gripped his golden hair and tugged, eyes wild. He felt his pupils turning to slits. His skin rippled, an onyx scale surfacingon his forearm, glittering in the candlelight. He forced the shift down with a shudder of agony.
"Gods, I need—" Vale’s words broke off.
What did he need?
Sanity? Her?
Both?
Ours. We need her in our hoard. Safe. Amongst our jewels. Pretty flesh sparkling. Naked and cloaked in furs. A warm fire, alone. Safe, safe. Sated. Languid eyes and soft breaths. Hide her where no one can find her, where no one can hurt her.
Mark her.
Take.
Claim.
Vale shuddered at the imagery.
But there was one thing his dragon did not account for.
The dragon huffed, smoke tickling the back of Vale’s throat.They can be there too. But we claim her first.
Vale lowered his voice, aware that, at any moment, the others could return and hear the nature of his seemingly one-sided conversation. "You would let them in our hoard?"
Have before.
"When the castle fell, we needed a brief haven. But that was out of necessity. Make no mistake, the next time we get her in our hoard, it will be for pleasure, not need."
The dragon flicked his forked tongue out over his long-pointed teeth.Why not both? We can make her sweat, cloaked in jewels. Ours. I will share, but only after we have the first taste.His words hissed at the end, a long, drawn-out thing.
It was so enticing, Vale almost sighed at the mere thought.
But the seal of the letter before him broke him from such musings. He could not be afforded the luxury of dreams, not while she was out there, suffering unimaginable horrors.
Their bond was muted; they’d tried everything to reach her. Not even Bastian’s Mind magic could work.
If the absence of the rain was to be believed, she could be… dead. But Vale refused to believe that. She was not.
No, no. Ours. Safe. Take.
