To Love a Dragon - Tiffany Roberts Page 0,43

and Serek had become my clan well before we made this bond, and it would not have changed.” He leaned closer and touched his forehead to hers. “My heart’s song was made for you.”

12

Arysteon paused and looked up at the patch of sky visible through a break in the leaves overhead. The soft, fluffy clouds that had been drifting lazily across the heavens all day bore the faintest hints of orange and gold, heralding the sunset that would arrive within a few hours. The forest’s shadows were already deepening, and the layered chorus of bird songs that had ushered in the morning had long since faded, but the woods remained peaceful and soothing, a calm place in the wake of the storm.

Serek twisted in Arysteon’s arms to wave a hand at the sky, babbling excitedly.

The tiny human had been in surprisingly good spirits since they’d departed from the lair. He clearly preferred it when the person carrying him was on the move, and the forest’s natural beauty had provided him with plenty of distraction. He’d even napped for a little while with his head on Arysteon’s shoulder and spittle dribbling from his mouth.

The frequent stops they’d made had undoubtedly helped maintain Serek’s mood. Most of those stops had been to tend to the baby’s various needs—food, drink, and changing his diaper cloth. But they’d stopped a few times for Leyloni to tend to her own needs, as well. She’d fashioned a means of catching her blood, thus diminishing its scent and ensuring she did not leave an easily followed blood trail through the woods. The solution was impressively simple—just a long strip of cloth and some dry moss. Unfortunately, it also seemed quite uncomfortable, and he’d seen her adjust it several times as they walked.

Arysteon smiled at Serek before stopping and turning to face Leyloni. She arched a slender brow as her eyes met his, and her lips curled into a soft smile. But that smile had not come quickly enough to mask the tightness that had been in her features a moment before, and it did nothing to distract Arysteon from the stiffness in her gait.

“Have you already grown tired, dragon?” she asked.

Even without physical evidence of her pain, even had it not crept ever so slightly into her voice, he would have known of her suffering. He felt echoes of it in his heart, felt it pulsing in his spark.

“My endurance is far from exhausted, Leyloni.” One corner of his mouth quirked up. Despite her discomfort and pain, Arysteon could not stop his imagination from suggesting several uses to which he could have put said endurance.

Mutually pleasurable uses.

Those thrilling imaginings, however potent, would not distract him from the truly important matter—Leyloni’s wellbeing.

He looked skyward again before surveying their surroundings, flicking his tongue out to taste the air. “It will be dark soon. Shall we find a suitable location to make our…what is the word? Camp?”

Leyloni nodded and glanced around. Her features tightened slightly, and she lowered her gaze, dropping a hand to her waist, just over her pelvis. Arysteon felt a flare of pain in his spark as she released a slow breath.

A moment later, her expression relaxed a bit. She pointed ahead and to the left. “That clearing would work for tonight.”

Arysteon took a step toward her, leaned down, and held her gaze with his. “What is wrong, Leyloni? You cannot hide your pain.”

She started, her eyes rounding. “What do you mean?”

He glanced down at her hand, which was still over her pelvis, and lowered his brows. “You have made no complaint, but I have seen it. I have felt it.”

Serek turned and reached out, settling a palm over Leyloni’s cheek as he smiled and chattered in his nonsense words, making sure he was part of the conversation.

Leyloni returned his smile, took his hand, and pressed her lips to it before releasing her gentle hold. “It is the bleeding pains. It is natural and will go away in time.”

Arysteon was beginning to despise whatever power had decided it should be natural for his female to bleed and suffer pain every moon cycle. The only consolation he had in that moment was that he’d not rushed their journey. A swifter pace would only have caused her more discomfort, and he knew she still would not have voiced a single complaint.

“Then you will guide me in arranging our camp while you rest,” he said.

Her gaze softened, and she raised her hands to cradle his jaw. “I will be fine,