Chapter 48
Von
M y mate telling me she thought I was the dragon from her dreams was not something I expected to hear tonight, out of all things. Then again, I didn’t expect her to crack me in the jaw, either, but—I dabbed at the blood with the back of my hand—here we were.
“Show me,” I said, conjuring a small cloth.
“How?” she asked, snatching it from me. The fabric began to grow dark, water seeping from her palm. With gentle strokes, she began to clean the blood from my chin, the cut and bruising already starting to heal.
“Our bond enables us to do more than just privately speak to one another. It allows us to walk into each other’s minds, as long as the other partner allows it. Think of the dragon, return to your dreams, but take me with you this time,” I instructed her.
She handed the cloth back to me, and my shadows swallowed it.
She shrugged a shoulder. “I’ll give it a try.”
“Alright.”
We laid back down, and I pulled the blankets over us. I tugged her naked frame against mine, tucking her in close to me, right where she belonged. I slid my fingers across her cheek, tipping her head to the side so I could kiss her lips. Her arm wrapped around my neck, and she kissed me back.
I love you, she said through our bond.
I love you too , I answered back, kissing the tip of her nose. Now go to sleep, Kitten, and show me this dragon of yours.
I’ll see you in my dreams, she spoke softly.
You will , I assured her, kissing her shoulder. I glanced at the candle and cut the oxygen going to it, effectively killing the flame and painting the room in darkness.
Lowering my head back onto the pillow, I gently ran my fingers along her side, stroking her until she finally fell asleep. When her breathing became slow and rhythmic, I closed my eyes and walked into my mate’s mind, the door left wide open for me.
If the birds didn’t stop their incessant chirping, I would roast them all to ash. All day long, that’s all they did. Chirp, chirp, fucking chirp. It was becoming rather irritating. Although, it was not nearly as irritating as the mortal female I was stuck in this giant hole with.
She was always up to something, always making noise. If she wasn’t working on her shelter, she was fishing in the lake, and if she wasn’t fishing in the lake, she was trying to dig her way out of here through the partially collapsed hole she had arrived in nearly two weeks ago.
I let out a sigh, stretched out my neck, and placed my head on the ground. My tail swirled in the cool lake water, the only thing keeping my temper at bay. When the Creator sent me on my last mission, I never expected to get trapped here.
Yet, here I was.
Over by the hole, there came a heavy thump, followed by an, “Oomph!”
I jerked my head up, squinting at the female as she rubbed her bottom.
“You are rather noisy,” I growled at her.
“I’m trying to get out of here,” she snipped at me. “Which is more than you can say.”
“It will take you years to dig your way out, and even if you do manage to get back to the surface, how do you know the barrier does not extend to it? Your efforts will be in vain.”
“Well . . .” She got back up on her feet and crossed her arms. She was a mess.
Dirt was smeared all over her face, painting the white strands of her hair brown.
“I’ll deal with that when I get to it.” She turned away from me and started climbing back up the ladder she had built out of fallen branches, returning to her hole like a little mouse .
I rolled my eyes and went back to my resting position.
It wasn’t much longer, and her grunts became even louder.
My eyes narrowed. She was doing that on purpose.
That was it. I was going to eat her today.
I was feeling hungry anyway, and I couldn’t stand the stomach-curling fish she kept trying to feed me, something I suspected she was doing to stave off my hunger.
Standing on my fours, I went over to the hole. “Come out, Little Mortal. I wish to show you some—
I sputtered as a pile of dirt landed in my mouth.
I spat it out then hissed, “I should breathe my fire into this tunnel and roast you alive for that.”
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t know you were there,” she called, her voice echoing down the tunnel.
“You are a terrible liar,” I growled.
“And you are a terrible companion,” she tossed back.
A companion? I had never been referred to as such. The word struck me odd. Perhaps I was even a bit dumbfounded.
“Actually, you know what?” she snarled at me as she slowly crawled back down to the opening, careful not to lose her grip this time.
She poked her dirty little head out at me.
The gall of this woman. I didn’t know if she was stupid or obscenely brave.
She pointed her makeshift shovel at me. “You are the worst dragon I’ve ever seen. ”
“I’m the only dragon you’ve ever seen,” I stated flatly.
“Yeah, well, that doesn’t matter. Aren’t you supposed to be powerful beings? But all you do is lay around all day like some lazy house cat!”
I chuckled at that.
“You find me funny, do you?” she seethed.
“I do,” I said. “Which is lucky for you, because I had fully planned on eating you a few moments ago, but now, perhaps I shall let you live for another day, for entertainment purposes.”
I didn’t bother to wait for her reply as I turned around. I was about to start back toward my spot when something smacked the back of my head. I barely felt it, yet it still annoyed me, because the act lacked respect. My claws dug into the ground, cracking the earth beneath me.
“I would advise you not to do that again,” I warned.
“And if I do?” she challenged.
“Then I will drag you out from that hole, bend you over my knee, and give you the spanking you deserve for acting like a brat,” I hissed.
She gave me a funny look, equal parts insulted and confused. “You can’t do that. You’re a dragon.”
“On the contrary, I can, and I’m not just a dragon.
” My iron bones hissed and cracked as they started to shrink and rearrange themselves.
The black faded from my scales as the gaps between them filled, and they became smooth as velvet.
Tanned skin stretched over my forearms, inked with black markings.
Clothes, forged from shadow, wrapped around my vessel.
I stood as a god before her and raised my hand, eyeing it. “Well, would you look at that.”
“You’re a god!” she stuttered.
“Indeed, I am,” I said, smirking.
Surprise lit her features as she went to press her hand against the dirt, but she wasn’t looking, and she reached too far and went ass over teakettle. I caught her before she hit the ground. Her scent washed over me, her blue eyes locking with mine.
I had never realized how beautiful they were before. My gaze lowered to her plump lips. I wondered if they were as soft as they looked.
She cleared her throat. “You can set me down now.”
“I could. I definitely could,” I said, still mesmerized by her mouth.
“So then . . . why don’t you?”
“Why are you so eager to get out of my arms?”
“You’re being weird. I think I prefer the side of you that would rather eat me.”
“I just caught you. A mere thank you would suffice,” I hissed as I set her down.
She rolled her eyes. “Thank you. There, happy?”
I couldn’t believe how rude she was. Had her mortal parents taught her nothing? Was she raised in a barn? Under a bridge?
Deciding I was done wasting my time with her, I stalked off, growling under my breath. “Infuriating mortal.”
Infuriating mortal, indeed . I smiled as I studied the slumbering face of my wife—the enchantress who had come into my life and fully and irrevocably bewitched me.
She had forged herself as my heart and taken permanent residency inside my rib cage.
There, she would forever remain—ruling over me and all that I was.
My body was hers. Her will, my hands. Her happiness, my purpose.
A small breath fell from her slightly parted lips, her eyes still closed. Her body was nestled against mine, my arms cocooned around her. An impenetrable fortress.
Slowly, she woke, her nose crinkling as she let out a yawn—much like a tiny lioness. Adorable . Her lashes flickered and her eyelids drifted open. Celestial blue eyes met mine and the corners of her mouth shifted into a dazed smile.
“You are a nice sight to wake up to,” she spoke in her morning voice. Her hand slid from underneath the blankets, reaching for my cheek. Soft fingers stroked my stubble, sounding against the stubborn bristles.
I leaned into her touch. “As are you, love.” Truer words had never been spoken, and yet, they seemed lackluster. Having her here in my arms, tucked away in my protection, made me so damn happy it was a shame there were no words available to explain such a divine feeling.
“We should make a note to do this more often then,” she teased.
“I agree. Thoughts on now until the end of time?”
She thought it over for a moment. “I think I could get used to that.”
I loosened one arm from her and stroked her hair, my touch tender. “Wonderful. I’ll make the arrangements.”
She chuckled softly then asked, “What are your thoughts on the dream I had?”
“I have no doubt that was us in our past lives.” A wolfish grin unfurled on my lips as I propped myself up on my elbow. “Probably a good thing I didn’t eat you back then.”
“Von,” she scolded me, but her playful grin and the twinkle in her eyes betrayed her reprimand.
“Maybe just one little bite.” I captured her fingers and brought them to my lips so I could nip at them.
“Von!” She giggled, trying to pull her fingers from me, but I would not relent.
“Just a taste,” I teased in between light chomps. “I don’t think you need this finger, do you?” I popped the one in my mouth and bit down, softly.
She let out a surprised mousy squeak, one that took us both by surprise.
I released her imprisoned finger from my mouth and said with a smirk, “That was adorable, wife.”
She squinted at me, her message clearer than a mountain spring— shut up .