that she liked her freedom.
He loosened his grip deliberately. “Of course not. The decision is yours.”
She inhaled, her eyes sparkling, and ran her hands over him again, as if she couldn’t resist temptation. “You are a surprise. I thought dragons just grabbed the damsels they wanted.”
“I like women who choose to be with me.”
She smiled at him, her approval clear. “Maybe just one kiss,” she agreed, a little breathless. “I’ve never kissed a dragon shifter before.”
Rhys smiled. “Then we’ll have to make it count,” he whispered, then bent his head and captured her lips beneath his own.
“Oh,” she murmured and he swallowed the sound, slanting his mouth over hers to deepen his kiss. She made a little growl in her throat, as if she couldn’t decide whether to fight him or to surrender. Then she sighed and melted against him, parting her lips to welcome him. Her fingers slid into his hair and tangled in it, drawing him closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck, taking control of the kiss in a thrilling way.
The firestorm blazed through him, setting his very blood on fire, hot and hungry and demanding, just the way they’d always said it would be. Desire obliterated every other thought from his mind. Rhys was aware of nothing but his mate and her perfection.
Her kiss—and her hunger for his touch.
He felt her arch her back to rub her breasts against his chest, and felt the tip of her teasing tongue. She wasn’t shy, and he liked that, too. This time, it was Rhys who growled in frustration. He pivoted without lifting his head and strode toward the beach.
“No!” she said, breaking their kiss. “There can’t be more.”
“There must be more,” Rhys replied. “The firestorm can’t be stopped.”
“This one has to wait,” she said as lightning flashed across the sky again. She kicked hard, suddenly. Her move surprised Rhys enough that he loosened his grip. She didn’t wait for a second chance. She jumped from his embrace and splashed into the water, diving for the depths again.
“No!” Rhys roared and dove after her. He saw a blue shimmer in the water ahead of him and knew what it meant. He snatched and caught the tip of her tail in one hand, and she paused to look back at him. She had half-changed, her lower body the tail of a seal, but her upper body still human. Her skin was gathered around her waist, like a cloak. She was like a mermaid but not. Her hair swirled around her and her gaze softened, the light of the firestorm glowing all around them. She reached back and touched his hand, so lithe and lovely that his heart squeezed.
“She’s coming,” she whispered, and he was amazed that she could communicate with him beneath the water. He heard her words, like old-speak but gentler. There was an entreaty in her gaze. “Hide yourself while you can.”
“Who?” Rhys used old-speak and she must have understood.
She shook her head. “I can’t say her name. I won’t say it.” She was fierce. Then she smiled at him. “One day, maybe you can tell me about your firestorm, dragon man.” She swam closer and Rhys released her tail, unable to bear the idea of her being injured because of him. She touched her lips to his cheek.
“Thank you for the kiss. It was one to remember.” Then with a flick of her tail, she was gone. Rhys saw her pale skin disappear and knew she’d completed the shift to her other form, then he had to take a breath of air. He surged for the surface, his chest tight, wishing he had the ability to swim after her and argue his case.
There was a brilliant flash of light above the water just as Rhys broke the surface again. It cracked like lightning, illuminating the surface of the sea and the beach as if it was midday. It was silver light, though, and the sight made him shiver. He spotted a pair of high-heeled sandals at the high tide mark on the beach, but there was no one else in sight. He turned in place, wondering who had abandoned the shoes, as the light faded away. Could it have been his mate? Would they lead her to him somehow? He began to move toward the beach, wanting any clue to her identity.
Then the lightning flashed again, cracking loudly as it struck Rhys between his shoulders. He cried out at the searing pain that shot through him