The (Not) Satisfied Dragon - Colette Rhodes Page 0,4
that a mysterious flight attacked the dens here. Maybe now someone will believe them,” Seff chuckled, grabbing Shira’s satchel and putting the bowl inside, while Oren yanked the dagger free with a grimace. Blood gushed from Odessa’s stab wound, trailing down the lump of her body towards her mates.
How had the tiny creature in my arms done all this?
Female dragons were soft. Warm. Sensitive. The sight of blood brought my mother to tears. We were forbidden from discussing duels in front of her — the very idea of them made her hysterical.
Somehow, the gods had blessed me with a mate who wasn’t afraid of blood, who didn’t shy away from death. Who perhaps revelled in it.
Gods, what I wouldn’t give to be in between her thighs at this moment. Her bloodthirsty side was having a profound effect on me.
“How are we going to get her down the mountain without shifting?” Hiram asked, sounding genuinely perplexed rather than antagonizing for a change.
I walked out of the den ahead of the others, a limp Shira in my arms. “We aren’t. We’re going to get her some fresh air and wait until she wakes up,” I replied with a grimace. As eager as I was to get her the fuck out of here, I wouldn’t risk climbing down the mountain with such precious cargo in my arms.
Whether Shira would let us help her when she woke up remained to be seen.
Chapter 2
The world around me came into focus slowly. An awareness that I was awake. The heaviness of my limbs. The stickiness of the clothes that clung to my skin. My head felt light, like it was spinning, yet under my cheek was something solid and warm.
Actually, there was something solid and warm under my entire body. Around my body, holding me in place.
My eyes flew open, though it took a moment for them to focus. I didn’t need to see him to know it was Ezra holding me, though. I could smell him, feel him. The emptiness in my chest was expanding and contracting, forcing me to acknowledge my proximity to the mates I’d run from.
As the black dots cleared from my vision, Ezra’s dark blue eyes came into focus, almost black in the darkness of the night, staring intently at me.
My breath caught in my throat, words failing me. I should say something, anything. Explain why I was here, covered in blood. Apologize for drugging Leo, because I felt genuinely bad about that. Was that why he was here? Because of Leo? But when I opened my mouth, nothing came out.
Were there really words to explain the massacre they’d undoubtedly just seen the aftermath of?
“Odessa,” I croaked, eyes widening in panic.
“Don’t worry, you got her,” Ezra breathed, still staring unnervingly at me. “You got all of them.” There was something in his voice I couldn’t place. Something like awe, but that couldn’t be right.
“How are you feeling, Shira?” Levi asked softly, crouching down next to where Ezra was sitting with me in his lap. Levi was careful to keep a respectful distance between us, his fingers flexing like it was taking conscious effort not to touch me. My heart cracked down the middle.
“I feel okay,” I whispered hoarsely, overwhelmed with emotion and in desperate need of water.
“We’re going to take you back to The Alchemist now,” Ezra said gruffly. “Do you think you can hold onto me while we climb down?”
I nodded mutely, my head spinning. Why were they taking me back to The Alchemist? Did she tell them where I was?
Was this just some kind of favor to her, delivering me back there? Maybe they really didn’t want me anymore. That thought hurt more than it should, considering I was the one who left.
Ezra carefully arranged me so I was draped over his front, and my arms and legs wrapped around him reflexively. He sucked in a breath. I was acutely aware of how much of my body was pressed up against his. Having him in-between my legs made that tingling, fluttery sensation flare up in earnest.
“Ezra,” Oren hissed, a hint of warning in his voice. Was Oren going to take him away from me? My grip tightened at the thought. I felt vulnerable and overwhelmed, and Ezra was strong and safe. Even if this comfort was temporary, I would take it. I’d grasp every bit I could reach and hold it to me, and remember it every day for the rest of my life.