on trousers, Neriso, and meet me out back,” I instruct her, then lean down and lick the sauce from the corner of her mouth, making her shudder against me. I hop up before any of her other mates can kill me and stroll from the room. I glance back at the door to see my mate’s eyes on my arse.
I wink at her and Griffin rolls his eyes at me. Laughing, I head downstairs and prepare for our break. This is the first time I will be alone with my mate and not in the dreamscape. A part of me is nervous about what I want to show her, but it’s better to do this now instead of later. She didn’t flinch when she saw me shift in battle, but this is different. My dragon is aching to meet her, to wrap around her and protect her.
They need to meet.
If she will let us, I want her to meet my dragon and then take her flying. Let her soar above the sky with me and get her away for a bit. Get her to relax so she is ready to face what is coming, because if I am right, if the dragons are preparing for an attack...we have a war approaching.
She doesn’t keep me waiting long. She hops down from the second floor balcony and lands before me, grinning on the grass. Her legs are encased in leather pants, which look painted on, with a tank top tucked in, showing off her bare, pale shoulders and arms. I debate keeping her to myself, but then shake it away.
“So what are we doing, dragon?” she queries, seeming excited.
“We are going for a ride.” I smile and then, without warning, I change.
My wings sprout from my back as scales take over my expanding body, the ground and air around me swirls with power, and through it all I see her eyes locked on my transformation in wonder. Then, my dragon stands before her.
Her mouth drops open. “Aska...you’re beautiful,” she whispers.
Huffing, I lower my head and she steps closer, pressing her hand to my snout, unafraid, even as my purple magic seeps through my black, spiny leather skin. She stares into my eyes, looking so tiny against my curled body.
My dragon hesitates, not wanting to hurt her since she is so little. Want to climb on? We will go for a ride.
“You want me to ride you?” She beams, still stroking my snout like she cannot stop.
You can ride me anytime, Neriso.
She giggles and looks at my body. “You are huge, how do I even...ride you?”
Tilting my head to the side, I sink my body to the ground as low as it goes. There are some spikes behind my head, use them, don’t worry about gripping too hard, my skin is very thick. You couldn’t even shoot an arrow through my hide.
She nods with a wide grin, and without hesitating, grabs onto my spikes and throws herself up onto my neck. Huffing with a smirk, I rise up and she gasps.
“That felt so wrong, rumbling between my legs.”
So, of course, I do it again and she gasps. I feel her warm body against the skin of my neck and turn my head, blinking at her as I blow smoke right in her face, making her laugh.
“Come on then, big guy, let’s fly!” she shouts, almost squealing.
Taking her word that she is ready, I push from the ground and soar into the sky, flapping my wings. I allow her to get settled and hold on before I dive towards the ground, sweeping low before tucking in my wings and spiralling higher until we break through the clouds.
She whoops, squealing as we move faster. Once through the clouds, I open my wings and we glide. I turn my head and watch her arms spread on either side, reaching out to touch the clouds, her eyes closed. She looks so peaceful, so happy with her mouth curved in a relaxed smile and the wind blowing through her blonde hair.
She is beautiful.
Her eyes open and lock on me. So are you. Now, how fast can you go, big guy? Let’s take this dragon for a real ride.
Oh, she wants to go fast?
Hold on, Neriso, if you fall they will kill me.
She screams in delight as I stop my wings and tuck them close, letting us plunge through the clouds and spiral closer to earth. I streamline my body as much as I can, letting us go faster