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Or at least, shewouldhave fire, if she were operating at her full capacity. She swayed a little, then moved toward me slowly.
“Are you all right?” I asked, studying her tentative movements. “You took a lot of knocks tonight.”
She nodded, but her lips pressed into a thin line.
I opened the door and took her elbow as she reached me. “One short walk, then back to bed. I don’t want you passing out again.”
“Again? I passed out?” Her voice was slightly breathless.
“Yes, once we got to a higher altitude. I’m not sure if it was fear, or your injuries, but I was worried about you for a good few hours.”
We took a few steps before she stopped. “I don’t think I can... I’ll have to see the rest in the morning.”
She sagged and I grabbed for her, sweeping her into my arms and marching back to her room. “I’m not making a move.” I said, trying to be stern. “You just looked like you were going to fall down.”
She lay her head on my shoulder and sighed. It felt so right to have her in my arms. “I was. Thank you. I wouldn’t have made it back on my own.”
I placed her back in her bed and tucked her beneath the warm covers. “You’re not used to having help, are you?”
She closed her eyes, effectively shutting me out. “I don’t usually need help.”
I brushed her hair back off her forehead, unable to not touch her when she was this close. “Well, tonight, just take it. Okay?”
She nodded, though her eyes remained closed. “Okay.”
“My room is a few flights of stairs down. Do you think you’ll be all right here if I leave you now?”
She opened her eyes and, for the first time since the attack, there were tears shimmering in her eyes. “I’ll be fine. I just need to sleep.”
The sight of those tears did something to my insides. I felt all squeezed tight, like it was difficult to breathe, and I couldn’t stop myself from leaning forward to press a gentle kiss against her hair.
Instead of recoiling as I half expected her to, she lifted her chin and met my lips with her own.
Desire burned in my gut and although I desperately wanted to kiss her deeply, the last thing I wanted was to take advantage of her when she was injured.
But the imprint of her lips on mine stayed with me, even after I managed to stand straight once more. My dragon roared inside my head, wanting—needing—his mate.
No.I told him.Now is not the time.
“Good night Charity.” I managed, then I turned and fled, shutting her door quietly behind me.
I leaned against the wall in the hallway outside, my head back and my eyes closed. My heart hammered as aggressively as a dragon’s wings in war and I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel the same.
My mate was strong, and beautiful, and fierce. But she was also soft, and tender.
My dragon was already in love, ready to claim her as ours, forever.
But I had a hard job ahead of me. She wasn’t of this world, and she certainly wouldn’t just fall into my bed, and my heart, without a second thought.
She would need to be wooed, and reassured, and... I didn’t even know exactly what she needed, but I was certain our path to happiness would not be straight, or easy.
I stood up straight and walked down the stairs to my bedroom. My dragon wanted me to sleep on the floor outside of her room and protect her like the treasure she was.
But how creepy would that be if she woke up before me, and then practically fell over my sleeping form as she tried to leave her room?
She already thought me a liar. I didn’t want to make her believe anything else bad about me.
I managed to reach my room, strip off and climb into bed without running back to her. She was safe in my mother’s old room. Safer than anywhere else in the world, human or dragon.
