I turned away from Erin,and the heat of my arousal pressed insistently against my jeans. It was like nothing I'd ever felt before—an intensity that bordered on pain. She hadn't noticed, somehow, and for that I was grateful. I took the stairs two at a time, my body thrumming with need.
Inside my bedroom, the door barely clicked shut before I was tearing at my clothes. Fabric whipped through the air as I shed my constraints, the last articles of denim and cotton hitting the floor with soft thuds. My heart hammered, each beat echoing the throbbing pulse between my legs.
Stepping into the bathroom, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. My skin was flushed, eyes dark with desire, and every part of me ached for release. I leaned against the cool marble of the countertop, gripping the edge until my knucklesturned white.
Everything in me wanted to claim Erin, to make her my mate right now. Forcing her or taking her without notice was the last thing I would do. She needed to be wooed and romanced. And I didn't want to skip a single step. I wanted those moments of getting to know each other, of falling hard. Visions of Erin swam before my eyes, her pale skin and faint dusting of freckles across her nose, the vibrant green of her eyes, and the rich, red of her hair. The way she bit her lip when concentrating, the sound of her laughter. It was all I needed. I wrapped my hand around myself, tight and urgent. My breaths came out in ragged gasps as I moved, chasing the feeling that had eluded me for so long.
The pleasure built like a crescendo, spiraling higher and higher until I could see nothing but blinding white behind my eyelids. Imaging Erin beneath me, her body wet and willing and ready for me, pushing my way into her body. The orgasm ripped through me with the force of a decade's worth of pent-up longing mixed with the raw emotion I felt for Erin. It was as if my entire being had shattered and reformed, every nerve ending singing with aftershocks.
For a moment, I thought I might collapse, but I braced myself against the counter, panting. The world spun back into place slowly, and I was left with a sense of profound clarity. Erin had ignited something within me, something fierce and insatiable.
I took deep, steadying breaths as I regained my composure. Turning on the shower, I stepped in and let the cold water run over me, grounding myself in the sensation. Tonight had changed everything. Erin had changed everything.
After washing myself, I got out, dried off, and pulled on some pajamas. First, sleep—if it would come. I had no idea what the night might still hold, but one thing was certain: I was alive in a way I hadn't been for far too long.
I lay in my bed, the luxurious cotton sheets a poor substitute for the warmth I craved. Restlessness gnawed at me, every inch of my skin tingling with an energy that sleep could not claim. I had been asleep for ten whole years, and now it seemed as though I would never need to sleep again. My thoughts churned, images of Erin flickering like shadows against the walls of my mind.
I rose, muscles flexing smoothly under my skin. The need to move, to fly, was overwhelming. Quietly, I padded across the room on bare feet, listening intently. The house was silent. I made my way to the window, moonlight casting a silver glow over the world outside.
A deep breath steadied me, then I removed my pajama pants, shedding the last barrier to my true nature. The night air brushed against my skin, cool and inviting. With a swift motion, I vaulted through the window, shifting as soon as I cleared the frame.
The change was instantaneous, a familiar rush of power, my bones stretched and reconfigured, my skin rippled and hardened, the new scales obsidian black that drank the light, making me a creature of pure shadow and formidable power. From my shoulder blades, massive, leathery wings ripped free, stretching taut and wide as they unfurled to their full, magnificent span, powerful muscles rippling beneath the tough skin. My hands twisted into razor-sharp talons, my jaw elongated into a powerful snout, and I had to hold back a roar that threatened to rumble up from deep in my chest as a dragon, the night was mine to command. I stretched my wings wide, catching the updraft, and soared away from the confines of the inn and toward the freedom of my manor house.
As the treetops became a blur beneath me, the exhilaration of flight pumped through my veins. This was what I had missed during those long years of slumber: the boundless sky, the thrill of the wind against my scales, the strength of my wings lifting me higher.
Drawing closer to my destination, I let out a call, a deep rumbling note that traveled through the crisp night air. Skye would hear it. She always did.
Moments later, she appeared on the balcony of the top floor. She ran, leaping into the void, her movement fluid and practiced. As she transformed in mid-air, her dragon form burst into existence, a kaleidoscope of sunrise hues. Scales shimmered with the soft pink ofdawn, the vibrant orange of the rising sun, and the warm gold of the first rays of light. Her wings caught the moonlight, reflecting a spectrum of cheerful, vibrant colors. Even her roar, though potent, held a playful lilt, a joyous sound that echoed her uncontainable spirit. Joining me in the sky, our paths aligned seamlessly.
Skye's presence was a balm to my soul. Together, we ascended, two creatures of legend reclaiming the night, reveling in the sheer joy of our flight.
Skye's scales shimmered like a moonlit lagoon, her pearly whites reflecting the night sky's scattered constellations. As we glided side by side, our wings almost touching, sending ripples through the cool air. The vastness of our land sprawled beneath us, a patchwork quilt of shadow and silhouetted trees that whispered secrets only dragons could understand.
We stayed low, skimming the tops of ancient oaks and weaving between the skeletal branches of sleeping willows. Their leaves rustled in our wake, a soft applause for the dance we performed in the sky. With every beat of our powerful wings, the chains of my decade-long slumber shattered and fell away. The sensation of flight was not merely movement; it was pure liberation, a declaration of life resounding through my very core.
The wind was a friend that had waited patiently for my return, now caressing my snout and sliding under mywings to lift me higher. The scents of nature filled my nostrils, grounding me in the present while my heart soared with possibilities. Nature's beauty, unmarred and serene in the darkness, was a canvas upon which we drew strokes of freedom and companionship.
Our circuit neared its end as the silhouette of the manor emerged from the forest. Skye angled her descent toward the balcony, cutting through the air with precision. She landed gracefully; the transformation enveloping her as magic replaced dragon with woman. In a swift motion, she was clothed, standing on the stone railing to wave farewell.
I banked sharply, answering her gesture with a nod before retracing the path to the inn. With one last surge of energy, I approached my window, shifting mid-flight. My human form took over, and I tucked into a roll just as I passed through the opening, landing softly on the carpet of my bedroom.
The rush of adrenaline subsided, replaced by a deep weariness that pulled at my bones. Now, after the night's escapades, sleep finally beckoned like a siren's call. I surrendered to its embrace, knowing that dreams awaited—a world where I soared on wings unfettered by time.
Chapter 13
Erin
I rolledout of bed as the last wisps of dreams about Ashton still clung to my mind, and I tiptoed downstairs. The early morning light filtered through the kitchen window, promising a fresh start and, if I was lucky, first dibs on breakfast. Sure, he said he would do it, but he didn't have to. However, Ashton already stood at the stove with his back to me, a plate piled high with pancakes that looked like a child's hands had shaped them into perfectly imperfect dragons, each one a whimsical, slightly lopsided nod to mythical beasts.
"What in the world..." I said, rubbing sleep from my eyes as I approached the counter.
"Open your mouth and close your eyes," Ashton said without turning, a mischievous lilt in his tone.
Hesitation brushed me for a second, but curiosity—and frankly, an undeniable trust in Ashton—won. I did what he said.
The moment the flavors hit my tongue, I was in heaven. Pancake, bacon, and real maple syrup melded into one divine bite. "Oh my God," I said once I swallowed, "this is fabulous."
"I hoped you'd like it," Ashton said with a chuckle, sliding a generous helping onto a plate for me.
