Her heart pounded as if it might bolt from her chest as she craned her neck, staring at the black dragon. His head was the size of a small car, his talons larger than her forearms. Her gaze followed the spines crowning his brow, running down his back in a dark, lethal line.
It’s still me, heart-fire. Come.
When she didn’t move, he lowered his massive head and chuffed softly, the warm rush of his breath stirring her hair. Thatfamiliar scent—burnt ember, ice, and Race—wrapped around her, grounding her even as awe stole her breath.
With trembling fingers, she reached out.
“Hullo, Kaelthar,” she greeted softly.
The great dragon dipped his head, his crimson eyes—so like Race’s, except with the slitted pupils—met hers, and she gently caressed his scaled muzzle. His snout brushed against her hair, a surprisingly tender gesture from something so powerful. Ash smiled at the tender acknowledgment, her heart stuttering.
Kaelthar and Race…both were him, both had chosen her.
Come, my mate,his voice was a rough purr in her head as he stretched out against the wall like an enormous, overgrown house cat and chuffed again.
Ash curled against her dragon’s scaly and incredibly warm chest.
Her gaze roamed over him in the flicker of the firelight—those utterly lethal ridged spines, the sheen of obsidian scales—when something else pinged her mind. Curious, she sat up and studied him again. Her dragon was spiked and scaled everywhere, but?—
His tail swept the ground, stirring dust.What?
“Your dragon’s beautiful…”
A low purr rumbled through his throat.But?
I don’t see your dick.
Soft laughter drifted through their mate bond.It’s concealed in this form. Can you imagine if it were all hanging out?
Ash grinned and snuggled against him again. “No, I don’t want anyone else seeingthat.”
A tired sigh escaped her. He was so incredibly warm, like a massive quilt. Her palm traced the rough, scaled forelimb. “I do like your obsidian scales…”
I’m the last of the blacks. We males all took after Pyr’xian—his silver hair, his eyes in varying shades of red.
Ash twisted, staring up into those deep claret eyes glowing like banked embers. “What about females?”
Pyr’xian’s line rarely birthed daughters. When they did, they often favored their dams. My mother was silver.
“She must have been beautiful.”
Aye.
The word thrummed with quiet reverence.
From outside, faint voices drifted through the tunnel entrance. She froze.
Just Skaldr,Race soothed.Reporting to Attor.
Right. Her stomach remained tense as she shut her eyes, pressing closer into him. What the hell did she know about war—about fighting terrifying dragon shifters?
Calm down,he murmured. You can do this.
Right.Go to the mountain and work my weather magic. Simple.
She was going to mess up.
Ash.
