“Oh, it's nothing serious,” Nix began. “He was stomping around and cursing in typical Orsen fashion, so I think he’s fine. We just agreed that a second opinion was needed from someone who had a few more brain cells than we do.”
I nodded, shaking my head as my worry mixed with amusement. “Rightfully so. Let me throw on some pants.”
“I mean, you don’thaveto.” He laughed, not hiding his ogling. “Nice shirt, by the way.”
My face heated as it dawned on me that he now knew I’d worn his clanmate’s hoodie in bed. I quickly cleared my throat, redirecting the conversation.
“Oh no. I'm not a girl who likes to let it all hang out, and these shorts are tiny,” I pointed out. “Also, do you really want othersseeing my ass?”
Nix’s expression went from jovial to grumpy in a fraction of a second, his brows pinching together. “No. No, we can’t have that. Wemustprotect the beautiful butt!” he declared, his voice carrying a little too much for my liking.
When I rolled out of bed, I ignored the fact he was now likely watching said butt intently as I grabbed a pair of jeans and threw them on, once my shorts were off. I pulled off the hoodie, thankful for the simple tee underneath. Still, there was no way in hell I was putting a bra on, especially with Nix right freaking there.
If someone was scandalized by my nipples showing slightly through my shirt, they could go to hell. Everyone had nipples. It wasn’t weird. Even if some people decided to make it weird. But, come on. They were dragons. Nix was currently naked as a jaybird. I didn’t think anyone would care that much.
Grabbing my medical bag, I jerked my head toward the door. “Let’s go.”
Nix bounded ahead of me, occasionally looking back with a beaming grin as he practically pranced through the empty den—stillcompletely naked.
Even though dragons were usually pretty casual when it came to nudity, every horde I’d visited at least attemptedto maintain an illusion of modesty while I was working with them. Nix wasn’t even trying. Thankfully, I managed to avert my gaze and didn't get an eyeful of his junk.
As tempting as it might have been.
Nix chattered casually as we exited the den and headed outside. I hesitated, looking around as he walked down one of the dirt paths that led into the woodland.
Okay, this was not what I was expecting. Where was Orsen, anyway?
“You know, I don’t think I’m supposed to follow strangers into the woods,” I muttered, a trickle of nerves getting the best of me.
Nix snorted, waving my comment off as he pushed deeper into the trees. “I’m hardly a stranger, mate. Anyway, I’m pretty sure with everything you have in that bag of goodies, you could take me down in under a minuteandmake me regret my entire existence.”
He was stronger than I was, sure, but there was something about his confidence in my skills that offered a little comfort. I wasn’t truly scared. I knew Nix would never hurt me. I just didn’t understandwhyI knew that.
And then there were the various things in my bag I couldeasily poison him with… You know, if it was an emergency.
“So, what happened to Orsen? You seem pretty calm about everything,” I asked as we turned a corner. “I know—Oh, holyfuck…”
My words trailed off as I stared in amazement at what lay before me, my steps halting in the lush green undergrowth.
I healed dragons, so I'd seen plenty of them shift before. They came in all shapes, sizes, and different colored scales, but the dragon sitting before me was easily the largest I’d ever seen in my life. And sure, I only remembered six years of it, but still.
Easily four times taller than me, the dragon was coiled in a ball on the clearing’s floor, his black scales rippling with a holographic sheen that glinted even in the minimal light of the dark night sky. Smooth patterns of scales covered his entire body, of course, but itwas the way they appeared to shift and move, even as he held still, and the imposing yet elegant horns adorning his head, that really made him stand out.
He wasbeautiful.
Orsen probably would’ve preferred to be called handsome, but there was something so awe inspiring about the powerful beast in front of me that, while terrifying in the right light, it was also stunning and regal.
And the iridescent nature of his scales was just so pretty.
“Orsen here crashed into some trees!” Nix declared with a laugh, walking up to the dragon.
Somehow, in the few moments I’d been admiring Orsen in his dragon form, Nix had managed to find a pair of sweatpants and threw them on, thank the goddesses.
Nix gestured at Orsen’s enormous wings. “As I said, he fucked up his wing.”
I slowly nodded, unable to take my eyes off the creature in front of me, a little entranced. Now that Nix mentioned it, Orsen was holding his wing at a weird angle that hardly looked comfortable.
“Hey, big guy…” I approached him carefully.
