15. Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen
Eldrake
Nice?! Fucking nice?! What the hell does that even mean?! Was I not good enough?
I lay flat on my back beside her, staring at the tent ceiling, the word echoing like a Gods-damned curse. My cock was still hard as stone, and all I could think about was how perfect she felt.
Soft and wet, the way her body trembled under my touch, the way she clenched around my fingers—Gods, how would that feel wrapped around my ? —
She shifted, interrupting my thoughts, and before I could process it, she rolled over, draping a small, delicate hand across my chest and resting her head against the scaled side of my shoulder.
She wanted to… cuddle?
I froze, uncertain. Women didn’t do this with me.
They didn’t stay. They wanted my body, my strength, my title—then they left.
That was the unspoken agreement: a quick tumble, no strings, no attachments.
No one had ever wanted to stay, let alone curl up against me as though I were something worth holding onto.
Her breathing was soft and steady, brushing warmly against my neck.
She fit so perfectly against me, her more petite frame curling into mine like she belonged there.
My heart was pounding, not with lust this time, but with something far more dangerous.
I stared down at her fiery hair spilling across my chest, catching faint glimmers of moonlight from outside the tent.
My hand moved on its own, resting gently over hers, and I let out a long breath.
This felt… good. Too good. It felt natural, as though my entire life had been leading up to this moment. And that terrified me.
My mind churned against the peace she brought me, dragging me back to reality.
You’re a Captain, I reminded myself, my inner voice harsh and unyielding.
You’re sworn to the Uprising, to the cause.
Nothing else matters. No one else matters.
I couldn’t let myself get distracted—not by this, certainly not by pretty, squishy, red-haired women.
But then I thought about her eyes. Those wide, amber eyes looked at the world with so much wonder that it made me feel like I was seeing it for the first time.
She noticed the smallest things—the sparkle of sunlight through the trees, the intricate patterns on a single leaf.
How she’d agreed to come with us, leaving behind everything she’d ever known, simply because we asked for her help. No hesitation, no conditions.
Her kindness, her heart—it felt like something worth protecting. Like she was worth protecting, I pulled her closer, letting her warmth seep into me as though she could melt away the jagged edges of my soul. Maybe this wasn’t a distraction. Perhaps this was what I needed.
They say when a Dragonblood bonds, it’s eternal.
Dangerous. World-shifting. The word popped into my head— bond —unwelcome and sharp.
No. That wasn’t what this was. She was just a pretty redhead with soft skin, kind eyes, and a laugh that made my chest ache.
That’s all. Just a woman. Not fate. Not mine. Gods, I was already so fucking doomed.
My lips quirked into a lazy grin. And, well… her ass didn’t hurt either—Gods, that ass.
I snorted softly at my own thought, careful not to wake her.
She shifted again, tugging the edge of the bedroll over our legs, and her scent filled my lungs—sweet and intoxicating.
I felt my eyelids grow heavy. My body, for the first time in years, felt truly at ease.
Maybe I didn’t need to leave just yet. Ten more minutes.
Ten minutes of pretending I could have this—this warmth, this peace, this woman.
The loneliness of my own tent could wait. For now, I let myself fall into the quiet comfort of her presence, my arm tightening protectively around her as my eyes closed— just ten more minutes.