Page 28 of Dark Dragon’s Mate

She stopped, looking down at him, biting her lip. “It’s okay,” he said. “I’ve been where you are. I’ve fought my friends, and bled them. I’ll be fine.”

They stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment, and then Trish gave a jerky nod. Tristan squeezed her hand.

Emon, watching, felt shut out of their little circle. He’d never had friends like that, willing to bleed and die for him. Hell, he’d never had the chance to have friends.

Suddenly, there was a gaping ache in his chest.

“This is really fucking touching,” he said, “but we still need to get him back to the castle. Like, now.”

Tristan added, “Without anyone seeing us, if possible.”

Emon grimaced. “There’s only one way to do that,” he said. “And you’re not going to like it.”

He backed up, and Changed.

Chapter 14

Be gentle, he warned his dragon.

Don’t be an asshole. And since when do you know what a taxi is?

he said.

Just don’t squash anyone.

Shut the fuck up and fly.

His dragon let him take control—reluctantly—and he carefully picked up Tristan and Trish, one in each forepaw. Then he gave a jump to launch himself, and flew back to the castle.

Once on the roof, Emon put them down as gently as he could, and then Changed and lifted Tristan up in his arms.

“This is stupid,” Tristan whispered. “I feel like a cub. Or a bride.”

“I’m not marrying you,” Emon informed him. “Not even if you tell me you’re pregnant.”

Tristan snorted with laughter, then winced in pain.

Emon carried Tristan to his converted guard station near the roof. It was sparsely furnished, with a pallet on the floor, a table with a couple of straight chairs, and a few books.

He didn’t spend much time here.

He deposited Tristan on the pallet. Trish was standing in the doorway, looking around the room. “You live in a castle with about a hundred over-decorated bedrooms, and this is where you sleep?”

“I don’t sleep here,” Emon said, checking Tristan’s pulse. It was still weak and thready. Shifters didn’t usually go into shock, but they could if they’d lost enough blood. Which he had. “I sleep out there.”

He jerked his thumb toward the roof.

She stared at him. “You sleep outside?”

He shifted his gaze to her. “If you’d been kept in a cage for a year, you’d sleep outside too.” He rose to his feet. “Besides, I’m less vulnerable in my dragon form.”

He made Tristan’s shirt disappear to get a better look at his wounds. Tristan tried to push his hand away. “I’ll be okay now.”

As if. The wounds were still seeping blood at a rate that was probably too fast for him to replace it. He tried to move Tristan’s hand, and Tristan slapped his away. Emon slapped him back.