“You are mine, human, mine. You may have not touched me willingly—ifyou are to be believed—but you have touched me nevertheless, and that makes you mine.”
“I did want to touch you,” I tell him. “Desperately. I was… I was also afraid.”
His lips twitch. “I instill fear in all,” he boasts. “But I will not have you be afraid of me, not anymore.”
“I’m not.”
His hand which had fallen onto my lap, comes up again, and this time cups my cheek. His clawed thumb softly grazes my lips. My mouth parts. He’s so close that his body heat envelops me.
“You will never be afraid of me,” he states.
I inhale. “I won’t be.” My want for him grows desperate. I feel myself becoming wet between my thighs.
“You will bow down to me.”
My brow furrows. “What?”
“As your male, you will allow me to protect you, human. I am healing fast now, and it will not be long until you are taken care of, until we mate.”
The butterflies in my stomach vanish. “I can protect myself, Drazak. Very well, in fact.” I push his hand off my face.
“You have hurt yourself, and that cannot happen again.”
My eyes narrow. “I have been hurt in the past and will be hurt again in the future. I can still protect myself—and you. I am a Protector of the Mermaid Coast. It is my honor and duty.”
“Now it will be mine.” He reaches for me again. “And I will give you the child you seek.”
I move away. I don’t want him to touch me. My body aches for him, but… “It is not a negotiation. I am more than capable of protecting myself, and others too. I even train—”
“Not anymore, human.”
“My name is Milaye,” I snap. A spike of pain shoots through my head. I palm the back of it.
A rumbling growl fills my ears. Drazak tries to grab me, but I get up and move to the fire and out of his reach. Darkness flashes in his expression, and my throat constricts.
I bend down and find my dagger, sheathing it.
“Milaye,” he says, deep and raspy. The sound does things to my body, and I nearly go back to him.
Instead, I dig my heels into the ground. “I need to find us more roots to burn. The fire moss will keep these going for a bit longer but not forever. Eat.” I nod at the ration he’s dropped. I grab mine and bite into it, hoping it’ll take away my arousal. It doesn’t. “It’ll help you regain your strength.”
“Milaye, it is dangerous. I will join you.” Drazak presses his hand to the boulder and tries to rise, but slides back down. An annoyed snarl tugs his lips, and his tails curl.
Good.
I stuff the rest of my ration into my mouth and move to his side, but not before taking a half-burned root from the fire. I put it beside him. “One thing you should know, dragon, is that I am a huntress, a good one. I may be a human, but I have survived this world like you have. I may want to be a mother, but I will not lose what else I am in the process. It’s your turn to rest. You can use the torch as a weapon if you need, but I’ll be back soon.”
I shift back. He grabs my hand. “There’s a naga lurking, be careful,” he says. I can see this omission takes a lot out of him. There’s frustration and something else in his eyes…
He knows I’m going to leave and there’s nothing he can do to stop me.
He stares at me with such intensity it nearly roots me to the spot.
Some of the butterflies return to my belly.
“I will,” I say, swallowing.
Drazak squeezes my hand and then lets go.
