Darkblood Prison - G.K. DeRosa Page 0,9

shelter of the tunnel and stepped foot onto the snowy peak, the glacial breeze stole the breath from my lungs. My teeth chattered, and I hugged my arms around myself trying to disappear into the warm coat. “Freezing faeries!”

Meanwhile, Talon stood atop the icy promontory in nothing but boxers like it was a sunny day at Summer Court. “You’ll feel warmer once you’re on my dragon, you’ll see.”

“Well, let’s get on with that then.” I twirled my finger at him.

A wicked grin pulled at his lips, something like excitement flashing across his twinkling irises. “You might want to step back.”

I staggered backward and took shelter at the tunnel opening. A silver mist swirled around Talon’s legs, slowly crawling up his waist, chest, and neck, until it covered him completely. The air vibrated around him, and the smoky scent of magic swathed the chilly air. Through the mystical haze, I could just make out Talon’s form expanding and contorting. Silver scales crept over his shoulders and chest, then sped down his arms. His hands curled, his fingers disappearing as sharp talons jutted from webbed reptilian digits.

Enormous leathery wings sprang out from his back, about twice the size of the ones I’d seen when he’d partially transformed to battle the caracara demon that attacked me in the communal showers. His face elongated, a silver snout and razor-sharp teeth glistening beneath the rising sun’s first rays.

The magical vapor finally dissipated, revealing the massive dragon in all his glory. I sucked in a breath as my heart bashed against its skeletal confines. Holy dragon babies, he was more incredible than I ever could’ve imagined.

I stared unblinking at the magnificent creature before me, the creature I was tied to. Now in his animal form, I could feel it more acutely than ever before. I had to fist my hands at my sides to keep from touching him. From running my fingers over his glistening scales.

Are you going to sit there and stare or are you getting on? A familiar deep voice echoed in my mind, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

“How are you in my head?” I shrieked.

The dragon’s luminescent eyes locked on mine, and his nostrils flared. Don’t you know anything about how dragons communicate?

“No, I must have missed that particular lesson in human high school.” I threw my hands up as I stared at the oversized iguana.

This is how we communicate within our pride when we’re in dragon form. Dragons can’t actually speak.

“Thanks for the newsflash.” With his voice invading my mind, I was having a hard time focusing. I actually did know my aunt could communicate with her dragon husband, but they were mates. “Wait a second. I’m not in your pride; I’m not even a dragon for gods’ sakes. How come I can hear you?”

Another perk of the blood bond.

I could’ve sworn the dragon smirked, but I couldn’t be sure. Could the monster reptile even smile?

We have to get going. We don’t want to be late for your first meeting with the director. Climb on.

He said it so casually, like he was a horse with a saddle and I just needed to hop on the mounting block. When I didn’t move, he flattened down, his tree-trunk sized legs sinking into the blanket of snow. He stretched out an arm, and his head ticked at his monstrous talons.

I eyed the huge beast as my insides wrestled with indecision. I might have been weirdly attracted to the creature, but that didn’t mean I was totally okay with jumping on his back and soaring over the towering crags of Draeko. What if he dropped me, and I plummeted to my death?

Come on, Azara. We don’t have all day.

“You have done this before, right?”

Flown someone on my back?

“Yes.”

Of course.

“No casualties?”

His frustrated growl reverberated across my mind. No casualties. Dragon-Talon’s gaze locked on mine, his nostrils flaring. Azara, if you don’t get on my back right now, we’re not going and you’ll spend the next ten years in Darkblood Prison.

A streak of panic tightened my chest and sent my feet in motion. “I’m coming, I’m coming.” Grabbing onto his scaled shoulder for support, I placed one boot on his foot then the other. Slowly, I climbed up, my fingers digging into his plated flesh.

Hold onto this. He lowered his wing, and I grabbed onto the smooth membrane. With a quick jerk, he hauled me onto his back. I gasped and clung on for dear life.

My legs wrapped around his body, sitting between what I