“We were having sex. Good sex. Great, amazing sex, andbam. Pain and claws, and I don’t know how to help,” Bridget said because she was in the babbling stage of panic.
“These things happen when sex and dragons are involved.” Quinn reached over and put an arm around her shoulder.
Quinn Draxos is hugging you. Don’t freak out.Bridget’s life had become seven shades of surreal.
“Don’t worry, Taran will help. Bas will be okay. Isn’t that right, honey?” Quinn continued and gave Taran a pointed look.
“Of course, my heart,” Taranis said without looking up.
Bas growled, and Taranis growled back as he pushed Bas back down. It was weirdly dominant, and Bridget tensed.
“It’s okay,” Quinn said, rubbing her shoulder.
The back doors of the house opened, and the Greatdrakes men poured out in various shades of pajamas.
“I have painkillers!” Apollo declared, holding a handful of vials.
Cosimo had an extra robe made of thick red velvet that he held out for Bridget. “Here, you must be freezing.”
Bridget put down the blanket and put on the robe that dropped way past her feet. It smelled of Bas. “Thanks. I… He won’t let go.”
“No shit, you’re his mate,” Apollo replied and then pressed his lips together tight.
“Nice one, idiot,” Valentine grumbled.
Bridget wasn’t sure she heard him correctly. “Come again?”
“It can wait,” Taranis muttered, his hand resting on Bas’s forehead. “Just don’t let go of him, Bridget. Touch always helps dragons.”
Quinn released Bridget so she could hug Cosimo. “Hey Daddy G, how you holding up?”
Cosimo bent to kiss Quinn’s cheek. “Better now that you two have come to help.”
Bas cried out, and all the chatter stopped. “Bridge…”
“I’m here. I’m here,” she said, putting her other hand on his shoulder. “Why aren’t you helping him?”
“He needs to do it himself. I’m going to give him a boost, but it’s up to him to come out,” Taranis replied.
Bridget swallowed back a mouthful of saliva. She couldn’t handle seeing him in so much pain.
She got an idea and leaned down to whisper to him, “Bas? Remember in the astral plane how you turned up at my mind library as a beautiful dragon? I would really like to see thatagain. You can shift in the astral, baby. You know how to do it. Will you do it for me now so I can see how beautiful you are?”
Taranis’s magic seeped out of his hands like red smoke. He placed them on Bas and said something in the fae language with a voice that was pure commanding alpha.
Bas shuddered and let go of Bridget’s hand. Cosimo took her by the shoulders.
“Come away, now, he’s going to get very big,” he said, pulling her backward.
The air went heavy with magic, and pale blue mist rose out of Bas. There was a strangled cry that turned into a roar, and suddenly, he was shifting. Bridget stumbled further back with the others as the human melted away, and a dragon the size of a bus was suddenly destroying the lawn furniture with its weight.
Bas shook himself over and let out an ear-piercing roar. His dark scales were colored from the deepest black to a shimmering sapphire blue, the same as his eyes
“Fuck me,” Apollo gasped. “He said he wanted to be blue.”
“Well done, Basset. Let me have a look at you,” Taranis declared, checking him over. “Wings out.”
The dragon that was Bas shook again like a wet dog before unfurling his wings. Bridget was barely breathing. She was in utter awe.
