“He speaks our language?”
I nod.
“Hmm,” Drea grumbles, rubbing her chin. “If he is unmated, I wonder if he would accept a female from our tribe and join with us.”
My chest squeezes painfully.
Tabach interjects. “We would like to meet him. You say his wounds are healing and he’s awake. Do you think he is strong enough to face us?”
I open my mouth to answer when the tent flutters behind me, and there’s a chorus of collective gasps.
Zaeyr’s voice resounds before I can twist around. “I am strong enough to face anything, let alone humans.”
He doesn’t think much of us.My hands ball into fists. But he moves to stand behind me and when I look up at him, his gaze flashes hot and heavy towards me before pinning the elders. My back straightens as the rush of heat returns. Holding in a gasp, it’s almost too much.
My mother rushes in behind him. “I’m sorry! I tried to stop him!”
“It’s okay, Shyn.” Tabach coughs, rising slowly to his feet to welcome Zaeyr by the fire. Shyn goes to his side to help him. “Please join us—” he hesitates “—dragon, and sit.”
“No.”
10
Sleeping with Dragons
It seemslike half the morning has gone by before I’m able to leave the tent. I’m a shaking, confused mess.
Hoping to question Zaeyr in private, the elders asked me to leave on several occasions, but Zaeyr refused to stay without me. After the third time trying, they stopped.
Milaye’s sisters are long gone by the time we emerge and have been replaced by others with spears and bone knives. Zaeyr grips my arm, making the female guards tense, but nothing happens when I allow him to lead me away. Stumbling from exhaustion, he catches me and keeps me upright, making me lean into him for support.
I hate how good it feels.
But I sense my father’s scornful gaze on my back as we leave.
Despite all our time talking, the elders refused to accept there’s a bond between us. And because Zaeyr would not say one way or another, he left me alone to justify my body’s dire response to him while they talked and talked. It hurt. I hurt.
At least he refused to leave my side, even when Drea offered him a place in our tribe and a mate of the elder’s choosing, promising peace between our species and for children bred from his loins.
Zaeyr made it clear—shockingly, embarrassingly so—that he would take who he pleases, and no one, let alone meddling old humans, would tell him otherwise.
The elders don’t like their power denied.
They didn’t so much as look at me, mention me, or bring me up at all except for his transformation. It was as if I wasn’t even there, wasn’t even considered…
I don’t get it.What have I done?
We enter the main cave, and I look around to see half the tribe is gone, fires burnt out, and those who remain are carrying supplies back out.The storm’s passed,I realize and head for the exit. Zaeyr’s hold on me tightens, stopping me.
“No. You need sleep.”
“I should be helping my—” Glancing up at him, I know there’s no point arguing. He leads me back to our spot up on the ledge, hides us from intrusive eyes, and I lie down. I hear him growl at the guards but once my head hits cushioned hides, any cares I have left cease.
Sleep overtakes me immediately.
Blissful, peaceful sleep.
Sleep that ends all too soon when I wake sometime later breathless and sweaty, with my legs open.
