To Wake a Dragon - Naomi Lucas Page 0,58

willing to face danger for the hope of a family, who am I to stop them?

“I have finished clearing the hole,” Drazak says.

I twist my neck to the cave entrance.

The tree that once hid the hole from view is partially fallen over. It fell when Drazak turned human, causing the hole to fill up. I ripped out the broken roots, and opened it up enough for Drazak and I to dig. He did most of the digging since I had enough to do: exploring all that is now ours, gathering everything we will need for our new home.

The familiar scent of the cave’s cool darkness releases into the air, pulling me from my thoughts, and I am eager to feel it upon my human skin. My nostrils flare. Excitement fills me.

I am desperate to be back in Drazak’s arms again. Not everything about being a dragon is great. I cannot be as close to my mate as I want. As I need. But will I be able to change again?

Ugh.

At least I am comforted that Drazak remains with me always, that our child is nestled safely inside me.

Drazak wipes his brow.

The smell of his sweat spreads through the air. My wings flutter. I miss having him inside me. Tonight, I want to sleep nestled in his arms, in our cave. Soon it will be a homey den for us and our younglings. I want to journey into it with him. This first time, together.

It is time.

Drazak straightens and steps away from me. Tense, he pins me with his dark eyes. He knows. I see the anticipation on his face.

The need.

I reflect it back to him.

Shaking my sleek frame, I loosen up. I focus on the fire within and imagine it sputtering out, cooling off, becoming smaller. I envision my body fading away. First my wings, my tail, my large, crooked legs. I see my scales drop off, my feathers flying in the breeze, and I feel an ache as my neck and snout pull in.

The fire dances, becoming a core deep within. As the flame pulls inward, my dragon limbs grow cold. My weight and strength disappear. My head spins. I implode.

I black out.

When I reawaken sometime later, I’m being carried. I open my eyes, and darkness meets them. The rich scent infuses me. Drazak’s delicious smell fills me too. I curl my arms around his neck. His hold on me tightens.

I’m naked in his embrace.

“I’m human again,” I say aloud, curling my toes.

He laughs. I love the sound. “Yes,” he agrees.

He lowers to the ground and I peer out curiously, seeing the ledge beneath us. He slips us over it without ever losing his grip on me. When he straightens again, I press my face into his neck.

Then we’re at our ‘camp’ and a feeling of nostalgia zips through me. The dark is not as dark anymore. I can see through it, even lighten it some with what I am now. Lightness. Though I have no jewel like Drazak. The aroma of charred root and wood, even fire moss still threads through the chilly air, welcoming us. Drazak lowers my feet and I stand. He lays out a thick hide onto the ground which he had draped over his arm.

“Wait here,” he says when he is done.

“Okay.” I allow him to leave because there is no way he’ll be gone long. I listen to his quick steps fade. Our bond pulls tight and uncomfortable, and I inhale from the pressure. I shake out my limbs and busy myself with positioning the hide and looking around.

The cave is as it was several weeks ago. Nothing has disturbed it since, not even the naga boy.

The naga boy… I have not seen him since the day we escaped together.

Though he remains nearby. I can sense him, and when I was a dragon, now and then I would smell his scent. He lives here; he’ll be back one day. And when he returns, I’m going to offer him an alliance. I would offer him his den in the back of the cavern, but Drazak would never go for it. An alliance is enough though. Nagas are primal creatures, and living with humans wouldn’t be easy for him.

Now and then, I’ll leave a gift for him outside. A feather atop my dragon’s crown. Protection within my territory.

I hear the crunch of footsteps and turn to see Drazak. His arms and tails are full of some of the supplies we brought with us. There’s firewood,