Page 50 of Keeper of All

Lucas removed his clothes and Mao, like his mate, looked away. The air shimmered with power, and when Mao looked back, a massive golden-scaled beauty stood several feet higher than him. Before he’d gained his equilibrium, Ki shifted, and though smaller, the silver dragon was no less spectacular.

Thoughts of getting on the scaled back had Mao take a step back.

“Come on, I’ll show you how to get on Ki’s back,” Todd said, all enthusiasm and toothy grin.

Mao sucked in a shaky breath and understood why his cat went into hiding. “Thanks,” he muttered sarcastically, only Todd didn’t seem to notice as he pointed out the notches to use to climb up and on the neck of the creature.

He didn’t release his breath until he was nestled in the dip at the back of Ki’s neck. “Where do I hold on?” he called down, doing his best not to think about falling off.

Abigail climbed up with ease, not at all perturbed by how high up she was, or that they were going flying, suggesting she had done this many times despite only being around three or four years old. Then she was a dragon, so maybe this was learning?

“Just place your hands on his neck, you’re perfectly safe. Abi will keep you safe.”

Yeah, right. I’m about to fly and I don’t have damn wings!

It’ll be fun, Ekon sent back already clambering up with Todd helping.

Ask me when we’re back on land.

Ekon’s laughter was full of delight, and Mao, despite feeling he was in danger, grinned at Ekon. “You’re crazy.”

“Yeah, ain’t it cool,” Ekon fired back right before the wings expanded and they took flight.

Ekon’s whoops could be heard above while Ki followed, and Mao got a rush of air that had him attempting to duck behind the huge silver head so he could catch his breath. Abigail laughed and stroked his arm with a reassuring wisdom that belied her age.

Oh my gods, I’m flying a dragon!

We are. This is the coolest thing ever.

Mao had to agree with his mate, it was, despite not looking down with the ocean beneath them.

Ki swooped down over a large boat and instead of setting down on the back part he flew straight over it and then Mao saw why. Krakens. The sea seemed to be full of them, and then he heard it, the singing that they’d talked about.

It was like nothing he had heard before. Beautiful, melodic sounds that merged together as the sea around them came alive with other creatures.

The hull of the boat was surrounded, and there Mao could see a hammer head shark with an unusual pattern on its back… Christ was that a tentacle coming out of the shark? He blinked, forgetting he let go to rub his eyes, believing it was a hallucination. Only it wasn’t. Freaking hell. This was the “whatever next” because how the hell did a shark end up with tentacles? Hell, if he was going to ask. The crazy just kept coming.

Ki swooped around the boat and Mao felt his ass move and he quickly latched on to the dragon’s neck and shut his eyes. Yep, look after, looking now was damn dangerous.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ekon

His mate was too funny, and this really was the best time of Ekon’s life. He and his mate riding dragons, who would ever believe the trapped boy in a cage would get to do this?

But as much as that excited him, when the krakens sang, something inside his chest, a ball of emotions—longing—brought tears to his eyes. Except they weren’t his feelings, innately he understood they didn’t belong to him.

He was distracted from this when Lucas hovered, then landed on the boat next to Ki. The ride was over far too quickly for him, and he dismounted reluctantly, running a hand over Lucas’s scales as Todd chuckled. “They are pretty special.”

Ekon glanced at the man who kept close to ensure they were always touching and grinned. “You got that right.”

“Hey, what about me?” Mao grumped, but his eyes were alight with amusement as he strode toward him, looking like he’d ridden a horse for a week with how bowlegged he was. Ekon kept his chuckles to himself.

“You are very special, too.” Ekon gave Mao a flirty wink. “And when I get my strength back, I’ll prove it to you.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Mao leaned in and gave him a kiss that was more a peck. He smelled of the salty sea air and glowed with vibrancy that gave Ekon hope.

“Good.” Ekon’s gaze moved to the side of the boat as several wet and gloriously naked men came up the boat ladder. Wow.