“My Treasure,” I whispered, enjoying this time with my cat. My own dragon wanted time with Harpy’s cat form, too. So I tipped his small chin up, scratching underneath it as I softly spoke, “I need to shift too.”
Harpy calmly left my lap and sat a few feet away, giving me the space I needed. Then I shifted, my red dragon taking over and once again familiarizing himself with the scent of his greatest treasure.
“You’re just too cute,” I said, using our mind link.
“We can talk?!”His voice was pleasantly surprised and awed.
“Dragon shifters can speak with their mates in shifted form,”I explained, prowling closer to Harpy’s still purring body.
“This is so cool!”he exclaimed, body vibrating with excitement as I nuzzled his head with mine.
“It definitely makes it easier when I fly with you,”I agreed.
“My cat does not like the idea of flying,” Harpy argued, no longer purring.
I rumbled with laughter. “How would he feel about snuggling together tomorrow then? My dragon wants cat cuddles.”
The purring started again. “That could be arranged.”
Chapter Eleven
I landed softly on the ground, no longer hidden from view up on the cliffside. Harpy was purring in my arms, pleased beyond belief that we were now on steady ground.
“You want to try out your dragon form?” I asked, eager to see him in my form. My new cat form was ready inside of me, eager to be let out too. I was used to being so huge in my shifted form, but now I could snuggle up with Harpy whenever we wanted without taking up too much space and I couldn’t wait for that.
“I have to admit that I’m a little scared,”he replied, easing out of my hold, his cat form seeming to melt into liquid as he found the ground.
“I’ll help,”I assured him.
“Will I… Um…”
“Will you, what?”
“Will I need to claim you?”
I smiled at his worry. He really didn’t enjoy being the one to top, or maybe he feared I wouldn’t enjoy him topping me. I truly didn’t mind either way, but regarding claimings… “No,”I replied easily. “My dragon has already claimed you, so the claiming part is done with, and I will be the one who needs to reclaim you every once in a while.”
He nodded his tiny cat head, then closed his eyes. I stepped back, allowing him his space as I watched him shift into his red dragon, a perfect match to my own.
His brown eyes were now a gleaming yellowish green as he opened them and watched me with fondness.
I flew forward, my head nuzzling his, the need to mark him with my scent taking over as we both danced around each other, nuzzling and growling in a purr-like sound of happiness and contentment.
“I feel so big,” he grinned.
“You are big,” I agreed, smilingwith all my teeth. “Want to fly before we head off to bed?”
“Um, sure…”
“You won’t be afraid of heights in your dragon form,”I assured him.
“If you’re sure…”
Spreading my wings, I lifted off, staying close to the ground as I watched Harpy gain his confidence. His wings were wide and spread, the posture correct. He jumped… and fell face first into the ground…
“Harpy!” I hurried over to him, nuzzling into his body and licking at his scraped face. Dragon saliva had healing properties and I hated seeing even the tiniest amount of blood on my mate. That simply wouldn’t do.
“I think this is enough for today,”he grumbled.
