“But he was speaking. Didn’t you say that at first he was able to speak normally and have a conversation?”
“Correct. I believe his mind still held a trace of his humanity – just a memory, perhaps – which is why at first he seemed like other dragons. But each time he drank a dragon’s blood, he gave up the last traces of humanity and received dragon power back. By the time he had drunk the blood of the whole clan, nothing remained.”
“Which is why he lost the ability to speak,” she said slowly.
“I believe so. His physical being can no longer remember a human form, and can therefore no longer form the words of a human tongue.”
“So how can he now speak to me in my thoughts?”
“As he said, your blood. I believe Xavier, probably without even realizing it, has bonded himself to you.”
“Bonded? You mean taken me as a mate?”
“Yes. And your blood has restored a tiny amount of his humanity. But whatever you do, don’t drink his blood.”
“Why not? Won’t it increase the bond?”
“It will. Do you really want to be bound to a creature that can only form a few words, and is driven purely by animal instincts?”
“No,” she whispered. She thought for a moment. “If he has more of my blood, will that make him more human?”
“I can only surmise. The bond will be strengthened, but I don’t know how much of your blood is needed to make a discernable difference.”
“I see.”
She turned to look over the hills, then drew back with a start when a roar tore through the air. Drægón was bearing down towards them, claws outstretched, and she scrambled to her feet. In an instant Aaron flung himself off the ledge and transformed, racing to meet the angry dragon.
“Stop,” Evelyn yelled, but Drægón crashed right into Aaron. They tumbled through the air as Drægón sank his claws into Aaron’s side, but a moment later Aaron had pulled away, and was circling around Drægón. He roared and launched himself at the white beast, plunging his talons into Drægón’s hide and drawing golden blood.
“No!” Evelyn screamed. Drægón darted a glance at her as Aaron pulled away. “Please, stop,” she begged.
Drægón snarled at Aaron once more before landing in front of Evelyn. She pushed herself against the wall of rock behind her as he towered over her, crowding her.
“Mine,” he growled through her mind.
She gave a shaky smile. “Aaron and I were just talking,” she said. “He has his own mate, remember?” She glanced up to see Aaron watching her closely.
“Talk?” Drægón asked.
“Yes, just talking.”
“Mine.”
“Yes, yours.”
He stared at her for a long moment, then stomped into the cave. Evelyn drew a shaky breath and glanced at Aaron.
“He reacted instinctively,” Aaron said. “He’s claimed you as his own and saw me as a threat.”
“He could have killed you,” she said.
Aaron snorted. “He may be more powerful than me, but I have many more years of experience. He could not have killed me.”
Aaron landed back on the shelf and walked into the cave. He approached the huge dragon, who was still glowering, and dropped to his knees. “Master,” he said.
Drægón looked at him, then turned to Evelyn. “Why here?”
“I wanted to ensure your mate was safe,” Aaron said. “I needed to know she had food and water. That you hadn’t harmed her.”
Drægón looked down at Aaron with a snarl.
“You weren’t her mate when I brought her back,” he explained.
Drægón pulled back and looked at Aaron thoughtfully, then looked back at Evelyn. “Mate?”
“Yes. Aaron thinks that when you tasted my blood, you bound yourself to me.”
His lips curled in derision. “Human?”
Aaron glanced at Evelyn with a wry smile. “I don’t think I need a translation,” he said. “So you’re sure you want to remain here? I can take you back to the city now if you want.”
Drægón growled, and Evelyn looked at him thoughtfully. “Not yet.”
“Very well,” Aaron said. “I will be back in a few days to check on you. And remember what I said.”
She nodded. “I will.”
Chapter 39
A blinding rage had overcome Drægón when he saw the dragon sitting beside the female. She belonged to him, and no one else. His first thought was that the dragon must be killed without mercy. He had heard the female’s shout and ignored it, but when she screamed again, he could sense her panic flooding the air, and he had paused. She was staring at him, fear written boldly across her face and leaking through her pores. She would not be happy if he killed this dragon, and he wanted her to be happy. He also wanted her to know that she belonged solely to him, and had been greatly relieved when she agreed.
He was still unhappy with the dragon, though, and had been ready to evict him from the cave when he said something that made him pause. Mate. He had called the female Drægón’s mate. Drægón had known what the word meant as soon as he heard it, but he could not comprehend why the dragon had used it. The female was a human – small, weak, puny – and he was the most powerful dragon in the world.
As Aaron flew from his cave, Drægón turned his back to the female and settled himself on the bed of embers. That he felt something for the human was clear – he hated the thought that she was unhappy. And he had cleaned away her blood. Was it possible that he had bonded without thinking? He closed his eyes and searched himself, testing the many bonds he had with the clan. He felt the one he had with the male human and gave it a slight tug, and was satisfied when he felt the tug in return, then continued searching. There – the bond was weak, but it was definitely there. So the dragon had been right – he had formed a bond with her, the kind of bond a dragon forms with a mate. He sighed and sparks filled the air. That he could have done something so foolish was incredible. Perhaps if he killed her the bond would be broken, but as the thought arose, he pushed it aside. He could not kill the female, and he would destroy any who tried.
He sniffed the air, wondering how the female was feeling. Knowing that the greatest dragon in the world had bonded with her must give her an incredible amount of satisfaction, but instead all he could smell was despair. He tested the air with his tongue, and almost recoiled as the sharp taste filled his mouth. The female was not reacting as she should.
He sneaked a quick look at her, then turned around completely when he saw the tears glistening in her eyes.
“Not happy?” he said. She looked at him in surprise. “Mate?”
“It’s not because of that,” she said.
He cocked his head. She had not understood. “Mate?” he said again.
She smiled sadly. “I cannot be your mate, Drægón.”
He pulled back with a frown and sorted through her words. Had he misunderstood? He shook his head to clear his thoughts. “Mate?” he said again.
“No,” she said. “You’re a dragon, and I’m a human. Unless you can be human too, I cannot be your mate.”
He pulled back in shock. She wanted him to be human? Weak and puny? He, the greatest dragon who ever lived, who had deigned to take a human as a mate, should be human? He frowned angrily.
“The other dragons can take on human form,” she said. “Are you not more powerful than they?”
Of course he was, which was why he could never even consider such a revolting prospect.
He launched himself past her and flew out of the cave as betrayal washed over him. He needed to find some peace and solitude. He pushed himself into the clouds as frustration overtook him, and he gave a loud roar. It echoed around the hills, fierce and furious. He pushed himself further away, eager to leave the scent of the human behind. How could she even think he would lower himself to take on human form?
He soared higher into the clouds, and they scattered around him. Humans were weak and soft. Their skin was smooth, wit
hout armor to protect them. They had no tails to sweep away dangers, and their teeth could not rip the flesh of an animal. An image flashed through his mind – flesh against flesh, a soft mouth open beneath firm lips, legs entwined together. He slowed down as he sought the image again. Was that what the human wanted? He would never be able to wrap himself around her like that. At least not as a dragon.
He allowed the images to rise again, and he could almost feel the softness of her skin against his. Was this something he had felt before? In that other life before he was born? Was that what she wanted? To feel him around her like that again?
He slowed his pace as more images rose, tumbling one after the other – hands held together, lips caressing a neck, a searching tongue; wild, curly hair spread across his bare chest as he breathed in her scent. A peak rose in the distance and he headed towards it, landing on a patch of grass. He dropped to his haunches as he considered this new revelation. The human wanted to love her mate with her body. Something she couldn’t do with a dragon.
Drægón searched his mind for an image of when the human was happy; there were a few fleeting moments – she smiled when he brought her food, and was content when she used her little stick to make markings on the sheet. He liked seeing her happy. But the moments were few and far between. The female was happier in the other images that had flashed through his mind. Where had they come from, he wondered? Was it possible they were a memory from his previous life? He had no recollection of being in human form, but in those images, he had been the one holding the woman, caressing her, loving her.
Was it even possible for a dragon such as himself to take on human form? The human’s words rose in his mind: Other dragons can take on human form. He snorted to himself – he was unlike any other dragon, more powerful than any before. But if they could do it, so could he.
He frowned as he mulled this idea. Did he want to look human? If it made the human happy, perhaps it was worth trying. A scent drifted to his nose from below, and he looked down to see a deer leaping between the rocks. It was unaware of the danger that lurked above, and Drægón launched himself silently from his perch and grabbed the creature in his claws before it could even begin to flee. He filled his belly, then lay on the ground, his hunger satisfied; but he was not content. The human was unhappy. He suspected that he was the cause of her unhappiness, and the only reason he could find was that he was not human.
He flew back to his peak and examined his claws. What would they look like if he changed? Short and stubby. He glanced at his tail lying on the ground, admiring its size and strength. He would feel naked without it. He flexed his wings – would they remain, in human form? He closed his eyes and dozed, but disturbing images plagued his peace, and he finally rose and lifted himself back into the air.
He stopped on the next hill and examined himself again. He did not know how a dragon changed his form, but he considered how he became one with the flames by pushing away his physical form. Closing his eyes, he pushed away the flames that filled him, and thought of the image of his arms around Evie. Light flared through the air and he fell to his knees. He stared down at them, bare, pink, puny, then pushed himself to his feet. His spindly legs seemed too feeble to hold him, and he grabbed hold of a small bush to steady himself. He held out one arm, then the other, and stared at the long limbs, then brought a hand to his face and studied it as he turned it slowly. He glanced over his back, relieved to see that his wings were still outstretched behind him, and he shrugged carefully. His wings moved easily, and he lifted himself into the air and turned in the direction of the cave.
Evelyn was drawing, her back against the wall, when a soft sound caught her ear. She added one more line, then turned, expecting to see Drægón. What met her eye, however, made the breath freeze in her chest. She leapt to her feet and stumbled back against the wall, her hand over her mouth as she stared at the man standing at the entrance to the cave. He was naked from head to toe, with glittering white wings that stretched above his shoulders and trailed on the floor. His eyes were blazing, and his silvery white hair gleamed as it fell to his shoulders.
“Xavier?” she whispered.
“Drægón,” he corrected.
“You … you changed.”
“Yes.” He smiled, and she felt her chest tighten. “Evie happy?”
“I …” She slid down the wall and onto the floor as tears streamed down her cheeks. “Yes,” she sobbed, “happy.”
She could feel his eyes on her as he stepped closer and sunk to his haunches beside her. Tentatively, he reached a finger to her cheek, wiping her tears, then inhaled the scent before licking the dampness from his finger. Leaning forward, he ran his tongue down her cheek, capturing more of her tears, then sat back to look at her. She looked up to meet his curious gaze. His eyes were no longer flaming bright but had changed to the light blue she knew, ringed in gold, and she sucked in her breath.
“Mate?” he asked.
She giggled nervously, then hiccupped. “Not yet. I want to know you more.”
“Soon?”
“We’ll see.”
He rose, clearly unhappy with her answer, and walked over to the fire. She watched him as he stood motionless, then moved to stand beside him. He looked exactly like the man she remembered, except for the wings, of course – but there was something different about him, too. It was the way he held himself, she decided. As though he was uncomfortable in his body. She pulled a wry smile at the thought; the man was a dragon, of course he was uncomfortable. She placed a hand on his arm; it was hot, just the way Xavier’s always used to be.
“You need to give me some time to get used to all this,” she said.
He glanced down at her, his eyes troubled. “Mine now,” he said. He was speaking in her mind again. “Not mate, but mine.”
“Drægón,” she started, but his voice spoke again.
“Xavier’s?”
She sighed. “Yes, I was Xavier’s.”
He nodded. “Mine.”
He reached out a hand and cupped her cheek, then turned to face her fully, his lips a whisper from hers. She wanted to protest, but then he was kissing her, and whatever rational reason she had for stopping him fled. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close, as his hands slid around her waist, holding her tightly. There was nothing unsure or tentative about his kiss – instead he teased her, drawing her in as his tongue chased hers. She pulled back for breath and stared at him in shock.
“Where did you learn that?”
“Xavier,” he said with a satisfied smile.
“You remember?” she whispered.
His smile vanished as he broke their gaze. “No. Feel.” She stared at him, confused. Closing his eyes, he lay his forehead against hers and took her hands in his. “Close eyes,” he whispered.
As her eyelids dropped she could see an image of Drægón in her mind, but it was suddenly replaced by absolute blackness, and an enveloping sense of warmth swept over her. Desire mounted as a soft touch ran over her, brushing her bare skin, and she squeezed Drægón’s hands, clinging to him as the most intense feelings built within her. The darkness faded and she saw an image of herself looking up from a bed, her eyes glowing as she smiled. She drew away with a gasp and stared at Drægón as he looked at her.
“You feel all that?” she said. “Your body remembers what Xavier felt?”
He brushed a finger over her lips. “Yes.”
“Do you feel … everything?”
He smiled and pulled her close again, lowering his lips to hers. He pulled her closer and she could feel him pressing against her. Clearly, he did remember everything. She pushed him away and stumbled back a pace. “Wait,” she said. “This is too fast.”
He cocked his head and frowned.
“Drægón, you’re a dragon! Even like this, you’re a dragon.”
“Yes?” He looked confused.
“How can you want to mate with a human?”
“Xavier – dragon.”
“
Yes … no! Not like you. He was also human.”
He turned away and walked over to the mouth of the cave, his wings trailing along the floor. So beautiful, she thought, rubbing her finger between her eyes. He glanced over his shoulder. “You …” he started, and she could see the tension in his shoulders as he sought the words. “You … me … more human.” He turned to look at her, his eyes pleading. “You …” he tried again, then stopped.
“I make you more human?” she asked softly.
He gave a wry grin. “Yes. You, mine.”
He was right, she thought. She was his, as there was no way she could ever leave him, not when he was trying so hard. He might never be the man she had married, but she couldn’t leave.
She took a step forward, then another, her gaze meeting his as he watched her silently. She stretched out her hand and laid it against his chest, over his heart, and he captured it with his own and drew it up to his neck. He slid his hands down to her shoulders and pushed the sleeves of her gown down her arms. The gown had not been tightly tied, and it slipped off easily, falling to the ground around her ankles.
He pulled away slightly to look at her, his eyes beginning to brighten as they roamed over her form beneath the diaphanous chemise. His gaze returned to her face as flames overtook the blue of his eyes, and she bit her lower lip, sucking in her breath. His eyes darted to the movement, and then his lips were on hers, burning and searing her as though the flames were in his mouth. His lips left hers and slid down her neck to the edge of her chemise, and she arched back as he pushed the loose fabric away with his searching mouth, dropping lower. The vague thought wandered through her mind that even if he didn’t remember his Xavier self, he certainly knew how to please her; but in that moment she didn’t mind who he was, as long as he didn’t stop.
He lifted her into his arms and carried her over to the fire; she barely noticed, but as the heat grew stronger, she realized what he was doing.
“No,” she moaned, “I’ll burn.”
He paused a moment, processing her words, then turned to the blankets she had spread on the ground and gently laid her down. He placed himself over her, holding himself up with his elbows. His eyes were bright furnaces gazing down at her, and his wings moved lightly through the air, brushing her legs. Starting at her mouth, he began to kiss her again, working down to her neck. His tongue brushed her skin and she shivered as he sank his teeth into her flesh. She bucked against him, but he held her tight as her shock passed and he drank her in. He licked away the last of the blood, then continued a leisurely path down her body with his mouth as she gave herself over to him and let him fill her with the most incredible pleasure.
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