“Milaye,” I whisper her name aloud, wanting to hear it.
I enjoy it. The names we dragons give ourselves are rarely songlike. We choose what speaks to us as mighty beings of the land, what would threaten other dragons away—what might compel a femdragon to seek us.
My human’s name is not threatening.
She says she is a huntress, and I hear fierceness in her voice, but it does not make me comfortable—not anymore. At first, I was proud. If a human female could bind me, of course she would be a warrior. But now that I am moving again, feeling the tug of this bond, this mate—whatever it is—fear has crept in for her safety. I cannot lose her.
What if this is all a dream? What if she goes away and I lose everything? Again? I could not bear it.
I watch her scout the cavern, following her movements as she makes her way over uneven ground and around rocks. While my gaze trails after her, her body, her curves, I greedily breathe in the last remnants of her scent.
Nectar. Female—human—nectar. It keeps my shaft stiff and aching. It makes my hands curl into fists because all I want is to grab her and throw her under me, to run my nose over her soft flesh and find the scent’s source.
Would she have let me, if she found me on top of her?
Watching my human sleep was as comforting as it was painful. I had never wanted to engorge myself on another like I had then. But I could not move. I had this feast of flesh—my mouth salivating for a taste—and I could barely flop to my side and lift my hand.This blasted poison!If I could kill that poison dragon all over again, I would.
He has made me a weakling. Hundreds of years as a weakling.
He has made me weak in front of my mate.
My tails thump. The tips of them harden to points. I bare my teeth, hissing between them.
Milaye stops in the distance, and I notice her peer my way before turning back to the shadows.
Come back to me, human.Once she is near, I will grab her and not let her go. I will take hold of her and show her who is the alpha of this union.
It should be me finding fuel for the fire, not her.My jaw ticks. I press my palms into the ground and lift myself, sitting straighter against the boulder.
It will not be long now.
I test my legs, bending my knees. I bring my feet closer to my chest and dig my soles into the ground. Pressing my weight down, I raise my hips off the ground, just for a moment. My tails press into the rocks, giving me more leverage.
My recovery is quickening.
Soon my human will see a strong dragon as her mate, and I will be so ferocious she will forget all about my shame.
I glance in at her direction, but she is no longer in view.
She is gone.
I drop to the ground and search, finding I can move my head.
My heart thunders. No matter where I turn, the glow of her torch has disappeared—her body is gone.She has vanished out of sight, and I did not even notice.A growl tears from my throat. I could forgive myself many things, but this? If something were to happen to her?
I try to rise but am unable to. My elbows catch me. I stop to listen for her, for her footsteps, for her breaths.
The cave is silent, deafeningly so, like it has been many of my long years. I do not even hear the hissing of the naga. Am I alone? Again?
To have a female so near, only to lose her?
A shriek fills my ears.
It sounds human.
“Milaye!” I bellow, but my voice does not carry. Worry careens through me, and my vision goes dark. I clutch my chest, sensing our bond. My fear surges, knowing it is not just my fear anymore, but hers too.
She is afraid.My teeth grit. I must go to her. I listen for another shriek, another sound, but there is nothing. A single shriek. Would that be the last noise I ever hear from her?
