by Naomi Sparks
Sometimes, I just want to be by myself, be responsible for only myself.
When I'm a ways from camp, I hear a shuffling behind me. At first, I think Lysandra, has followed me out again, but before I turn, I know it's not her. It's Galen.
"What're you doing out here?" I ask, putting a hand on my hip and raising an eyebrow. I turn and wait for a moment until he walks out from between two large rocks. He's grinning at me and once against I stand there staring at his natural beauty, just the sight of him making my mouth go dry.
God, he is a gorgeous man. All the Fire Riders are attractive, and I wonder if that's something all dragons have in common. But even though they're all good looking, none of them hold a candle to Galen. He'd told me he's Greek, over two thousand years old. Even though he's older than Tyko, from a time when Gods supposedly walked the earth, he doesn't look much older than me.
For a moment, I wonder if Galen and the other dragons might be the ones legends referred to as gods. Good looking men with immense power? That certainly sounds like the dragons I've met thus far. To ordinary humans, I can see how they might be mistaken for gods.
"Figured I'd see where you were slinking off to," he says with a smirk.
I roll my eyes and shake my head. "I don't slink," I tell him pointedly. Just because I'm in awe of him doesn't mean I will let him treat me like a child.
"Okay, maybe not," he admits, still smirking. He walks closer to me, close enough for me to feel the heat radiating off him. "Still, I wanted to see where you were going. See if maybe you would like some company."
I hadn't really wanted company, but now that I think about it, I don't mind the idea of Galen coming along with me. There's something about him that puts me at ease. He's not stressful like the others are. And he's not relying on me for anything. Sure, he and his friends need our help, are counting on us for it, but that's not me. I've already given them the support I can and now it's out of my hands.
"Can I see you transform again?" I ask. I can still picture him in my mind. I can see those dark black scales, dark enough that they could easily blend with the night's sky. Horns going from head to tail. He'd been large, though not as large as some stories portray dragons. Still, big enough to crush me in an instant.
And just the thought of seeing him like that again makes me giddy.
Galen's smirk broadens. It looks like he's amused by my question. "I could, but I'll need something to recharge with after. Shifting twice in a day will take a lot of my strength."
"What do you need to recharge?" I ask. None of the stories mentioned this, and I'm eager to learn anything he can teach me about dragons. Mom spoke very little about my grandmother when I was young, and most of my knowledge comes from things Tyko and the others have told me. Most of that isn't pleasant though, and after meeting Galen and his friends, I'm questioning how true a lot of it is. "Sleep? Food? Water?"
Whatever Galen needs to recharge, I'll get it for him.
He shakes his head, still smiling at me. His smile is enough to make my heart flutter, and I wish I could get myself under control. I'm not a little kid anymore, meeting a fairytale hero. I need to stop acting like it. "I need precious metals or gems. We can absorb their essence and it refuels us. Some, more than others, but any will do in a pinch."
I blink at him for a few moments as I process what he said. That's not what I expected from him. He can absorb the essence from metals and gems? That intrigues me, and I want to see that, want to learn more about it. I reach beneath my sleeve and unclasp the small bracelet there. It's silver, with a couple of turquoise gems inlaid in it. Nothing particularly valuable, but just something I'd picked up on a trip to town one time. "Will this do?" I ask as I hand it over to him.
Galen looks at it, then nods before handing it back to me. "That should be fine." He winks at me, then steps back and starts removing his clothes. He drops them into a pile at his feet, not the least bit concerned about stripping nude right out here in the open. When he stands back up, I suck in a breath, marveling at just how amazing his body really is. He's gorgeous, far better looking than any other man I've laid eyes on.
But before I really have enough time to take in his body, I can feel the power emanate from him. A lump forms in my throat as his body slowly grows, as he leans forward until massive dragon legs replace his arms, leaving him on all fours, his obsidian eyes locked onto mine.
God, even in this form, he's gorgeous, unlike anything I've ever seen before. I can't help but circle around him, taking in all of his details now that there's ample light to see him. He looks so strong and intimidating, yet he doesn't scare me in the least. I know he can easily destroy our enclave by himself, but I can't feel anything except awe and wonder as I marvel at his body.
"Wow," I say at last, unable to form any other words. He's just so beyond anything I've ever dreamed of. No matter how many times I thought about dragons or read about them, none of that prepared me for this. I've seen so many amazing things over the years, works of magic that even now still impress me. And still, none of those hold a candle to Galen.
Galen stretches out his wings, and they're massive, but then, they have to be able to lift him into the air. Suddenly, a thought pops into my head, and I can't help but voice it. "Can... Can I fly on your back?"
I've never been up in the air before, not even on an airplane. There's never been a reason to, but now, I so desperately want to see what it's like up there, what it's like being able to ride on the wind and soar over everything.
Galen nods then lowers himself so I can climb on and settle between his horns. He seems to know exactly when I'm ready, since the moment I wrap my hands around the horn in front of me, he takes off running in the direction away from camp. My heart lurches into my throat, blood rushing to my head. He keeps picking up speed and I tighten my grip, suddenly wondering if I might fall off. Maybe I should have run back to camp and gotten a rope to tie myself onto him first.
But before I can even open my mouth to say anything, he pushes up off the ground. His wings move as air rushes by me. We continue picking up speed as Galen's wings sweep the air faster and faster until we're soaring high above the desert. My heart continues to hammer to the point I think it might explode. My entire body is shaking, my fingers ache from gripping the spike in front of me so hard.
I want to squeeze my eyes shut and pretend I'm still down on the ground. But I know that's a stupid thought. I wanted this, wanted to see what everything looks like from the air. If I don't look down, I know I'll regret it once we're back on the ground. Even though I'm absolutely terrified, I lean over and peer down at the ground.
All the air is forced from my lungs as I gasp. It feels like we're miles up in the air now, gently coasting on the wind in circles. The tan of the desert stretches out for what seems like forever below us. I can see small rock formations and a few roads here and there, but even the road look like they were designed for ants.
Is this what the birds see when they fly high above us? If it is, no wonder they're up there for so long, only coming down to sleep and eat. God, I wish I could stay up here like this forever.
As Galen continues to soar with almost unimaginable ease, I try to take everything in, commit it to memory. It's all so gorgeous, and I want to see the rest of the world like this. I've seen pictures of other places, with lush green forests and oceans as far as the eye can see. What would they look like, gliding above them on the winds?
When Galen finally begins to head back down toward the ground, I feel a pang of sadness welling up inside me. I don't want to go back down, I realize. I want to stay up there with him, want to spend the rest of my life up there on the winds, far away from the rest of the world, where nothing really matters.
Galen lands with a clap of thunder, the ground shakes beneath him. I wonder if anyone at the camp felt that, wonder if any of them saw us. But we'd flown in the opposite direction from the camp and when Galen circled above it, we were so high up, anyone who might've seen us probably jus
t assumed we were a large bird looking for prey.
"That was amazing," I say as I slide off his back. My legs are still shaking as I try to move away from him. It feels weird to be back on solid ground now.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it." When I turn back, the large, majestic dragon is gone, replaced by a no-less majestic, naked, man. He's grinning at me, but as he reaches for his clothes, I can see he's shaking.
This must be what he meant about needing to recharge after. He must be weakened when he shifts between forms, and once he's finished dressing, I pass the bracelet back over to him. I'm sure I'll never see it again, but I don't care. It's a pretty bobble and nothing more. I'll gladly trade that and so many other little trinkets in exchange for the experience he just gave me.
Galen gives me a grateful smile as he takes the bracelet from me. He wraps his hand around it, then closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. When he opens his eyes again, I can see more light behind them. The blue seems stronger, even more piercing. He's standing with his back straight now, his muscles bulging beneath his shirt. He looks like a completely new man like he just slept for a month and is now ready to face the world again.
He opens his hand, and the bracelet is gone, replaced by a fine powder that scatters in the desert wind. I stare in the direction it disappears, my mouth hanging open. He told me he absorbs the essence from the material, but I hadn't expected to just see it reduced to dry dust. Maybe lose its shine or crack, but not that.
There's so much I want to know about him, and about dragons. It hurts to realize just how little I know about my ancestry. My grandmother would probably be ashamed at how little I know about her, about where I came from.
"Did you enjoy that?" he asks, his gaze going up to the clear blue sky.
I nod, smiling broader than I can ever remember. "It was amazing. Stunning." I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I wish I had enough of my grandmother's blood in me to transform and fly. I can only imagine how amazing it must be to just leap into the air and take off whenever you want while the rest of us are stuck on the ground."
Galen walks over to me and puts a finger under my chin, lifting my head until our eyes lock. "I think you're perfect just the way you are."
Before I can even so much as open my mouth to respond, he leans forward and kisses me.
7
Galen
When I kiss Katia again, it's more energizing than the bracelet had been. It's like it ignites something inside me, something that's lain dormant my entire life, something I didn't realize is there. I never want to stop kissing her, never want to be apart from her.
She'd told me not to kiss her again, but I can't stop myself. I'm drawn to her, compelled to be near her, be close to her. And this time, instead of running away from me, she kisses me back. I can feel her pressing against me, and I reach out, wrapping my arms around her and pulling the two of us together.
Gods, she feels absolutely amazing against me. Now, more than ever, I know just how much I need to have her in my life. I've loved many women over the years, cared about them each immensely. And yet, none of them ever sent my body into overdrive just from a single kiss, from a single touch. Katia does though. She makes me feel things I didn't even know I could feel.
When I slip my hands beneath her shirt, she doesn't stop me. Her skin is soft and red hot beneath my touch, but as I let my fingers explore her back, I can feel hard, strong muscle just below the surface. She's not some dainty girl who needs to be handled with fine gloves. She's a woman, one who's ready for battle. Gods, can Katia be any more perfect?
After a few moments of me exploring her body, she reaches her own hands beneath my shirt. A shudder goes through my body as she caresses my muscles, tracing them with her fingers. She makes me want to tear our clothes off so we can both explore each other, but something tells me she may not appreciate me doing that out here, where anyone from her enclave can see us.
I have no problem with everyone watching, but she didn't grow up in Greece where sex was as natural as breathing.
Oh, how I wish she'd been there with me back then, how I wish I'd been able to spend my entire life with her. I'd always been content with my life until now, even all the years we've been on the run from Amasis. But now that I've found Katia, I'm not sure how I ever lived without her. Nor am I sure how I can ever live without her now.
I break the kiss, sucking in deep lungfuls of air. When I look into Katia's eyes, I can see my own need and desire reflected back at me. It's not lust, not like Lex and them described. Sure, I want to take her right here and now, but beyond that, I have an urge to claim her, to make her my mate for life. My dragon roars up inside me, agreeing very much with that idea.
"I want to claim you," I tell her, the words spilling out of my mouth all at once. My brain is on overdrive now and I can't stop talking. "Please, Katia. Become my mate."
Katia stills in my arms. Her eyes go wide as she stares at me. I can see her throat bobbing as she swallows. She opened her mouth, then closes it when nothing comes out. Again and again, she does that until finally, after a few moments, she's able to speak. "What... what does that even mean?"
I smile at her, forgetting she knows nothing of our kind. Though she may be Fae and know of us, it seems her enclave doesn't speak much of the dragons that still roam the world. So, I tell her exactly what it means to be a dragon's mate, the bond it will give us, how my venom will extend her life even beyond that of a Fae and enhance her powers and strength even more. "We can spend the rest of our lives together, traveling the world. You can come with us everywhere, see things you've only ever dreamed of seeing."
At those words, Katia breaks the embrace and backs away from me. She starts shaking her head as she looks down at the ground, pacing back and forth. When she looks up at me again, I can see the pain in her eyes. "You know I can't do that. I have responsibilities here. I'm the second in command of the enclave and you want me to just run off with you? What will they do without me? What about Lysandra, my sister? Am I supposed to just leave her behind, too?"
I stare at her, my mouth hanging open. I want to respond to her, but the words won't come. I hadn't even thought about what she'd be giving up by coming with me. She has a life here, friends, family. And here I am, just asking her to give it all up, to run away with me and never look back. I should've thought of all of that before, should have come up with logical reasons to give her in reply.
But I hadn't.
And before I can, Katia shakes her head again. "I can't do this. I'm sorry, Galen."
She takes off running, back to the enclave. She's fast, her powerful legs propelling her across the desert. She's much faster than an ordinary human, and that just makes my heart race even more. She's not as fast as a dragon, but with my venom to enhance her physical strength, she just might be.
I want to chase after her, want to carry her away from here and make her mine like she's a pile of gold to be hoarded.
"No," I say aloud, shaking those thoughts from my head. Those aren't rational thoughts, not my thoughts. They're the thoughts of my dragon, a baser, primal instinct. And I can't let them control me. I need to give her space, give her time to think everything through.
And I need time as well. I need time to think about everything she said and come up with a solution. Need time to cram my dragon back down inside me and not let it control what I say and do.
Once Katia is near the camp, I start walking in that direction, at a much more leisurely pace. I don't want her to think I'm chasing after her since I suspect that will only make things worse for me. So, I take my time until I get back to the camp and find where the guys have set up our tents. Everyone is there, hanging about and talking, except Ezra, I notice, but I have a pretty good idea where he’s hiding out.
Hannah is sitting next to Lex, pressed against his side. She doesn't look any worse, I note, but neither does she look any better. She will still need that blood, no matter how much we all wish for another way to keep her safe. I wa
lk over and sit down next to them, nodding to Lex as I do so. "How's it going? Any change?"
Lex shakes his head. "It doesn't look like they're going to help us willingly. I've seen Surem a few times since our meeting and he looks as angry and sullen as he did sitting upon that throne of his." I can hear the bitterness and pain in his voice as he speaks. His eyes are unseeing as he gazes out into nothingness. I know how hard this must be for him, stuck between losing his mate and harming the Fae.
"If we're going to take one, can I suggest Katia?" I find myself saying. The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. I don't want to take her that way, but if it comes down to spending my life without her or bringing her along by force, I'm not sure I can live without her.
Faris pipes up from behind me, nearly making me jump. When I look around, I notice everyone save Ezra is around us now, listening to the conversation. "Lysandra would be a better choice. She's already willing."
Bren nods his agreement. "If we explain things to her, away from everyone else, she may come along with us against orders. Any of the others we'll have to use force to leave with, but if we play our cards right, we might be able to slip off in the night with her."
I stare down at the ground, frowning. What Bren and Faris say is correct. Lysandra is the most obvious choice if we want to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Katia will most likely fight against us if we try to take her against her will, and though I have no doubt we can subdue her, I don't want to put her through that. I don't want to torture a woman, especially not her, just to save Hannah's life. It doesn't seem right.
Still though, as the guys continue to talk, I vow to bring Katia with us. Even if we convince Lysandra to come to be the blood donor, I want Katia to join us as well. And maybe, if her sister is leaving with us, she will come voluntarily as well. After all, her sister is one of the biggest reasons she wants to stay here. The enclave can get along just fine without her. Surem is a perfectly capable leader, even if he is a jackass. They don't need her to stay here when they have him.