Page 98 of Beautiful Beast

Mate.

I was their mate.

How was that possible?

Everything settled into place with a resonance I felt. The moment they touched me, they knew. On a level deeper than any of us consciously knew, our very atoms drawn toward the other.

The humans who disappeared. Were they mates? Perhaps they couldn’t simply tell the world what they were and where they were going, instead choosing to disappear without a trace.

A thousand and one questions rattled in my mind. I didn’t know where to start and I also didn’t care because I was alive and they were holding me and I never wanted it to stop.

Endre turned away from me and snarled. I felt his power unleash as much as it could. The only dragons it would not touch were the giants behind us. You know the law. A dragon’s mate cannot be touched. If anyone does so, we will happily remove your head from your body, and you will not be returned to ashes.

Then he turned to the Elders. Sirrus and Zovai turned with him. This will not be forgotten.

You dare say that to me while you bear the scar of a traitor? The center of Cieso’s chest glowed like he might try to kill me again.

I was alive. I was alive.

We all know why he bears that scar, Sirrus said. And it has nothing to do with betrayal.

Aeghi snarled. We will not accept this.

Zovai leapt forward and burst into his dragon form, hurling fire straight into the air. I do not give a fuck what you accept and what you don’t. She is our mate. OUR mate, and you will not touch her. As for the rest of it, think carefully. Your memories might have faltered in your old age, but ours have not. He looked over his shoulders at the crown. And your subjects’ memories have not. Whether or not they will speak of it.

I tried to take a step toward him and my knees went to jelly. Sirrus caught me and boosted me up onto Z’s back. In seconds they were all beasts shimmering in the dying embers of both fire and the day. Flying away with me.

Their mate.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

________

KATALENA

We crashed down into an open courtyard filled with curtains flowing in the breeze. Zovai did not wait, shifting and catching me before carrying me into a bedroom that reminded me of Skalisméra. But more. Larger. A bed that went on for miles.

Endre took Varí from me and they disappeared for a moment.

I was still reeling. “What just happened? How?”

“Later,” Zovai said. “Later we’ll talk and answer all your questions.”

“Why later?”

He moved away, tearing at the remains of his clothes and Sirrus took this place, knocking my legs apart with his. “Because you are our mate,” he growled. “And every moment we wait to truly claim you is one that burns.”

Sirrus’s mouth came down on mine in a bruising kiss. Endre was there taking his shirt back before the dragon on top of me pinned my wrists to the bed. “Please say yes, Princess.”

I laughed, breathless. “Did you think I would say no?”

“Stars, I hoped not.”

Endre leaned down and kissed me. And kissed me and kissed me. Sirrus kissed me between my legs and Zovai’s mouth landed on my breasts, and now I was burning once more, but it wasn’t with fire.

“How is this possible?” My murmured words disappeared into Endre’s lips.

He just smiled. “Later.”

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