Then why do I feel bloodlust swamping me?his dragon chuffed.Because she chose Koal?
Bastard.
Hmm, you have a habit of always cussing yourself,the beast mused.I suppose it’s better than admitting what we both know—you’re fighting a losing battle.
Race barely heard his dragon, his gaze on the collar of her tunic pulled up, deliberately blocking his claiming mark from view.
A jolt of fury clocked through him, blood thundering to his head. The urge to kill the whelp and wipe the fucking smile off his face reignited.
You’re growling,his dragon murmured.
By the dark fucking gods!He’d given her just a damn surface bite, yet it was already messing with his head, urging him to spill blood to anyone who came nearhisAsh.
Ash refused to look up or acknowledge that maddening dragon striding out from the cave.
Being human, she knew she needed protection in this dangerous world. But his anger at being forced to mark her hurt. So, she’d pivoted for Koal to let Race see how it felt to watch someone he wanted choose another.
But with her crappy luck, he probably wouldn’t care. And somehow, that hurt worse than the mark burning on her skin. Yeah, she’d won the battle, even if victory tasted bitter.
She rubbed her damp palms on her tunic.
Climb him like a cat in heat?
The jerk.
The claim mark burned like a brand on her neck, pulling her skin taut as desire coiled her body like a spring. Sod him for making her ache for him—when she should be hating him.
“You covered up?”
At the icy tone, Ash lifted her head. Race loomed in front of her, his expression resembling the polar ice caps, and still so damn tempting. It took a moment for what he said to register.
“I’m cold,” she retorted, smoothing the little stand-up collar of her new tunic against her neck.
If stares became reality, she had a feeling that what he promised would have them both slamming into cave walls and rolling on the ground. The low throb of arousal pooling in her core spiked.
Bloody perfect.
His nose twitched.
Oh God, please, please don’t let him smell that I’m so damn aroused.
But she had a bad feeling he already did.
He stared at her for a second longer. “We’re leaving the moment I get back.”
He stalked across the clearing to where Attor sat on a flattened rock near Skaldr, who appeared to be dozing. The older male said something, but Ash couldn’t hear beyond her pounding heart.
She rubbed her arms as her powers prickled beneath her skin like angry wasps, her heart sinking deeper into her belly.
Leaving? Where was he going?
But meeting Koal’s troubled stare, Ash forced a wry smile. “Oh, don’t mind him. He’s just fretting because I was hot a moment ago, and now I’m all covered up. Thinks I’m catchinga cold…” She cast Race another furtive look, lowered her voice, “Funny thing, though, I’m burning up again, impossibly so.”
Ash fanned her face and was rewarded as Race’s entire body went ramrod stiff. Bingo.
It took every bit of her willpower not to rub the claim mark. Yeah, it sodding hurt for a second when he bit her. And God knew she did want to climb him in the cave with lust flooding her. She clenched her aching core muscles, hoping to ease the need.
And failed.
