To Wake a Dragon - Naomi Lucas Page 0,50
little human. The sooner this business is done, the sooner I will get to have you again. This human cock of mine does not want to give me a break,” he grumbles.
I cough. “Be happy you did not find me during the red comet’s heat.”
“Hrrmm.”
We walk in silence for a time, enjoying each other’s company during this quiet moment. The sun sinks toward the ocean on my left, while Drazak flanks my right. Only the sounds of the lapping waves follow us as we travel. Birds fly overhead.
It’s peaceful. Golden dusky twilight paints the land, and the jungle falls deeper and deeper into shadows. I know this terrain, this area. We are close to home. I take it all in, breathing it in slowly, because what’s ahead may not be entirely good.
My tribe probably thinks I’m dead. And Haime?
Are they out searching for me? Us?
And Drazak. I love him.
Smoke rises in the distance, we walk around a rocky bend, and in a few yards, the giant rocks rise from the sand and come into view. It is land that long ago broke from the cliffs that led into the jungle, where Sand’s Hunters now make their home.
“There it is,” I whisper, my belly tightening.
Drazak grunts. “Your tribe is unsafely exposed. Any dragon could come along and rain fire down upon you.”
“Dragon’s never bother us.”
“Except me. What will your people say when they see me?”
I purse my lips. What have I told him about the other dragon men?
I forgot. I didn’t mean to forget.
“About that…”
Figures appear on the beach ahead of us, holding spears, stepping out of the jungle. I recognize them immediately. My two sisters, and… Zaeyr. My belly tightens further. I stop and grab Drazak’s hand. “You’re not the only one,” I say.
“What?” Drazak asks.
One of them spots us and stops. The others turn to face us soon after. For a long minute, all we do is stare at each other.
“Milaye?” Ola, my eldest sister shouts. “Milaye! Is that you?”
Drazak tenses beside me.
“It’s me!” I shout back, suddenly dreading facing Zaeyr. He is only soft toward Aida and his children… If Haime didn’t make it…
I just realized he may kill me.
He may kill me. My heart thunders.
My sisters run towards us, and I step forward. They cry out and wrap me in their embrace. I hug them back—too absently—all too aware two alpha males about to clash. Waters! This is all happening faster than I expected. Two ancient predators are about to meet…
My misgivings are founded.
“A dragon dares approach my female!?” I hear Drazak blare. A roar erupts, and the sound of flesh meeting flesh follows soon after. One of my sisters screams, and I jerk myself out of their embrace.
Drazak is on top of Zaeyr, slicing him with his claws.
“Stop!” I shriek.
Zaeyr flips Drazak over, streaks his nails down Drazak’s chest, and bends one of his tails between his hands. There’s a cracking. The sound sends dread down my spine, and I dive between them. “Don’t hurt each other!”
“Milaye, stay back!” Drazak bellows.
I’m shoved away, a hand shunts against my chest, sending me backwards. I don’t know who’s. Limbs, tails, everything is flailing, obstructing my view. Ola catches me and helps me rise.
Zaeyr slams his fist into Drazak’s face—but Drazak jerks his horns forward at the last second. He spears Zaeyr’s hand. A harrowing, deep scream shakes me. My dread skyrockets when blood gushes between them.
“You have to stop! Zaeyr, he’s my mate!”
I want to lunge forward, to step in between again, but my sister holds me back. “Don’t!” she warns. “You’ll get hurt.”
“I don’t care. Drazak, he’s part of my tribe! No!” They’re tearing into each other, not even hearing me. I struggle in Ola’s grip.
Drazak throws Zaeyr onto the sand as the water dragon pulls his gored hand back. Zaeyr cocks his long, sharp white and blue horns forward.
They stop Drazak before he surges, preventing Zaeyr from spearing him with his own horns. An animalistic, horrid sound emanates from both of them as Drazak rises into a crouch, looking for an opening.
“Drazak, stop!” I implore. “Zaeyr isn’t an enemy.”
“He approached you!”
“He is already mated!”
Zaeyr growls. “You are rabid, dragon male.”
Smoke oozes from Drazak’s jewel at the taunt. Zaeyr’s eyes go to it. They narrow, and he bares his teeth.
The light around Drazak vanishes. His form wavers. “A male coming near my female is rabid. I will keep her! You have chosen death, snake.” He snarls and jabs his horns into Zaeyr’s.
Finally, I slip away, tearing out