Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
A s Emily tumbled through the air, her heart pounding with the sheer terror of the fall, she felt a sudden jolt that rippled through her body like an electric shock. Her screams were silenced by a moment of disorientation.
Logan’s back sprouted wings, majestic and powerful, their deep-purple color catching the moonlight as they unfurled with a graceful sweep. As he held her in his embrace, their descent slowed to a gentle glide, the rush of wind and the chaos of the fall giving way to a moment of surreal calm.
But as they touched down in a nearby park, Emily’s shock gave way to a surge of adrenaline-fueled fury. With a swift motion, she smacked Logan’s chest with a forceful blow, her eyes blazing with indignation as she stepped away from him, her heart still racing with the lingering echoes of fear.
Yet even as she recoiled from his touch, a part of her couldn’t deny the undeniable bond that still lingered between them.
“What the hell was that?”
“I could not fight both of them and protect you. I am sorry about the pearl. ”
Her face froze. He didn’t know she had inadvertently destroyed the last thing his mother made him.
She glanced around the kids’ park. It was deserted this time of night and the seesaws and monkey bars seemed to mourn the night and look forward to brighter days and the children that would hang from them. “Me too. Why did you bring us here?”
Logan glanced toward the towering buildings. “We cannot return to your suite. Lothos will look for you there. I recommend we go to my family’s cabin in the mountains, but it is too far for me to fly in my human form.”
She put her hand on her hip. “Are you telling me that dragon angels have no stamina?”
His eye flickered lavender in the night. “I assure you that won’t be a problem, but a partial shift is difficult to maintain for long distances. That form is only utilized to get out of confined spaces. My dragon would seek to break free once we were in the open sky.”
Her lips pursed as she realized what he was saying. “You want me to fly on your dragon?”
“Yes.”
She swallowed hard. “Do you carry me in your claws or something?”
He smiled. “No. You would sit on my neck. I will raise a scale to give you a handhold.”
“So, like a Pegasus?” she said.
“I am much larger than a horse.”
She was curious about his dragon. Who wouldn’t be if they met a man with wings, but a dragon could bite a human in half. Couldn’t they?
“Yes, but I assure you any biting with you would be enjoyable and not for sustenance; my dragon prefers cow.”
She wasn’t touching that biting comment. “You eat cows? Like the whole live version. ”
Logan sighed. “Not for many decades. Mara insists we cook our food, and I admit I have become quite fond of bacon.”
“Well, yeah, bacon is a superfood.”
“You are stalling, Emily,” Logan said with a quirk to lips.
“Well, it isn’t every day that a man tells you he is a dragon and tells you to ride it. Give me a moment to process here.”
Logan smiled. “I am sorry. If it’s any consolation, I think you have handled adversity rather well.”
“Are you going to explain the mate thing?”
Logan sighed. “I wanted to give you more time to come to terms with who and what you are, but the reason Lothos was able to communicate with you is because he is my twin. And you are mine. Connected to me in a way you are yet to understand. His turning dark doesn’t change our blood connection. But he must have avoided me since he fled our home.”
“You didn’t sense him when he was here, though,” she said.
“No. He has learned to shield himself, but he is far more powerful now and him being dark has distorted the bond we once shared as children.”
She moved closer to him. “I’m sorry. Learning the truth must be very difficult.”
Logan glanced down, and for a brief second, she felt his pain. It was then she realized he was holding her from it. Not wanting to burden her.
She touched his arm and ran her hand over it lightly. It was the first time she had ever initiated contact with him. With any man, if she was honest. He slapped his hand around her waist and brought her against his body. The warmth of him infused her soul, and she felt truly safe for the first time since she was a child. Considering the night she’d had, that was quite a feat.
“Are you ready to fly, Emily?”
As Emily stood in awe, her eyes wide with wonder, Logan’s transformation unfolded before her in a breathtaking display of power and majesty. With a graceful fluidity, he moved away to give himself room, his movements imbued with a primal energy that left her spellbound.
As he shed his clothes, revealing the sculpted contours of his body in all their glory, Emily couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration for the sheer magnificence of his form. Each muscle seemed to ripple beneath his skin, a testament to the raw strength that lay dormant within him.
In a shimmering cascade of scales and sinew, Logan transformed into his dragon form. The massive, imposing creature was bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight. His scales gleamed like polished amethysts, casting an ethereal light upon the surrounding landscape as he angled one of his wings to the ground with a graceful sweep.
For a moment, Emily was transfixed by the sheer beauty of the sight before her, her heart pounding in her chest as she took in the full splendor of the dragon that now stood in Logan’s place. With a determination that belied her awe, she scrambled up his wing with a newfound sense of purpose, settling herself atop his wide neck with a sense of exhilaration coursing through her veins.
She placed her hand on the raised scale, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her touch, before he jumped into the air. As they soared into the night sky together, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of exhilaration and anticipation.
The breeze blasted against her face, and she was thankful he didn’t use one of his shields to protect her from the wind. This was freedom, unlike anything she had known, and her heart soared with the rhythm of his wingbeats.
She felt his mind reach out before he spoke. Legion.
Yes, brother , a deep voice responded.
I am returning with Emily to the cabin. Lothos is alive and is trying to acquire her .
I am truly sorry, Logan. There is nothing harder than losing someone we love to the darks.
It was his choice. He burned down our parents’ cabin. He staged it to look like he was taken. But he did it himself, so I would assume he was dead.
Logan... There was an ache in Legion’s voice as if he had failed his friend.
He should have waited. My mate is flying with me back to the cabin.
I sense her. Welcome, Emily. We look forward to meeting you. I hope you are enjoying the flight.
Do all the dragons communicate this way?
Yes , the men said in unison.
It’s pretty handy. And yes, I like the flying. Logan’s scales shimmer in the moonlight. Why had she added that? Like the dragon leader hadn’t seen every kind of scale there was.
Legion sighed. His color is beautiful. I had hoped to be a purple when I was young.
You never told me that , Logan said.
Like the other young ones of our generation, I would watch your mother fly with your father and fancied her color.
She was beautiful. He paused, as if her memory was both painful and wonderful. Lothos had the pearl she made for me before her death. But it appears a human has stolen it from him. He is searching for it now.
That is amazing news. If we are able to acquire it, then eventually, we can use it to help the druids use the power of transmutation.
Yes. It would be preferable to find a druid with that ability.
Agreed. That pearl will take decades off the learning process. What is your position?
We are five minutes from the cabin, but I have two darks after me. Siro is behind them, but he may not catch them before I return.
We will ensure your stay is uninterrupted. Go to the cabin and secure your woman.
She turned as fire erupted in the sky behind them. What is that?
Siro has caught up to the darks following us. Thorn and Kell are on their way to intercept as well.
How do you know that?
I feel them.
The fire erupted closer this time, and Logan erected a shield around her. The air against her face ceased, and she noticed some lights in the distance. They were just past a large body of water that reflected the moonlight on its placid surface.
He angled down and picked up speed as he swooped above the lake. The ground came up fast, but he beat his wings before his claws touched the ground, and his landing was petal soft, despite his size.
She slid off his neck and down the extended wing before backing away from him. The shimmer of light preceded his return to his human form, and she was almost sorry when he donned his clothing.
He approached her and took her hand before leading her toward the large cabin.
Smoke billowed from the chimney, and the smell of cedar permeated the air as they ascended the stairs to the wraparound porch. He opened the door, and she almost sighed in contentment as her gaze moved around the room. While bigger, this was the cottage of her dreams, from the stone fireplace to the plaid couches. Everything she had ever hoped for if she were to choose her own home.
“You are really lucky; this space is beautiful. ”
“It is, but it isn’t mine. We will build our own home when the time is right. I have chosen a spot a few miles away.”
We? The word was so foreign to her. She understood they had a connection; she wouldn’t deny that, but she hadn’t even kissed him.
Logan spun her in his arms, and she was pressed up against his chest in seconds. His eyes were a deep lavender, and she was beginning to understand his mood swings, and this was a combination of anger and arousal.
“We should rectify that problem immediately.” His lips descended on hers.
Emily surrendered to the kiss, her senses ablaze with the intoxicating taste of Logan’s lips against her own. In that moment of passion, the world around them seemed to fade into oblivion, leaving only the two of them locked in a timeless embrace.
His lips were soft yet demanding, igniting a fire within her that burned with a fierce intensity. With a sense of urgency, she slipped her arms around his neck, drawing him closer as their bodies pressed together in a tangle of desire and longing.
In the heat of the moment, every touch, every caress, sent a shiver of pleasure coursing through her veins. Her heart raced with a fervor that matched the rhythm of their entwined souls.
As they lost themselves in the depths of the moment, time stood still, suspended in their unending embrace of passion. When she was wanton and needing more, he pulled back.
“We must stop before I break my vow.”