Page 69 of Gift from the Stone

Deep in my chest, I feel a low rumble build up, and up, and up until finally, I release it. My growl’s so powerful, so thunderous, the ground beneath my body quakes, and I can hear the windows behind us rattle and tree branches in the forest crack.

His body begins shaking, and the moment the bright light of his shift flashes, mine follows suit. Shifting quicker than him, only to about fifteen feet in height, I beat my wings hard, taking off to the sky at breakneck speed. His deafening roar travels through the air like a blade, piercing my ears, my only warning he’s coming after me.

I push myself faster when I look over my shoulder and see him gaining on me quickly, his massive size doing nothing to slow him down. No matter the twists, turns, or dives, he’s catching up to me.

Flipping over in the air, I zoom over the top of him, my scales shining like silver bullets, quicker than the eye can see, but not quick enough to deter him. He flips on a dime, sailing through the air on his back, his belly upward right under me. His large wings wrap around my body, trapping me for a split second then letting go, roaring his victory to the realm.

We circle each other in the air, a choreographed dance that our dragons seem to know instinctively. Beating our wings, spiraling upward, we soar higher, higher, and higher, the ground barely visible beneath us before we briefly pause, suspended midair, our gaze locked onto one another.

Pulling our wings into our bodies, we free-fall, plummeting back toward the ground. With uncanny accuracy, we execute perfectly synchronized barrel rolls, corkscrew turns, loops, and spirals, our movements mirroring one another turn for turn.

Slowing our descent, we catch the wind under our wings, gently lowering ourselves. The closer to the ground we get, I feel a connection forming between the two of us, much like the night we bonded. I can sense a oneness brewing between our beasts.

As our claws sink into the soft soil, I become overwhelmed by the urge to sink my teeth into Draken.

I attempt to fight my dragon off. I’ve enjoyed her wild adventure she’s taken us on, but biting him is a little much. My teeth could do some serious damage, but she isn’t relenting. The more I fight, the harder she pushes back.

Draken’s chuff forces my attention back to him, and locking onto his cobalt eyes, my bond floods with encouragement; he’s pushing me to give in to my dragon as well.

So that’s what I do.

Again, in perfect harmony, we lean into one another and bite down. With the size difference currently, I’m only able to reach up to the junction of Draken’s shoulder and throat, whereas his long neck can stretch to my hip.

There’s a brief second of pain before euphoria. I thought after our bonding, we were complete, but the difference is stark now as my teeth sink deeper, his blood dripping down my mouth. We were still missing a piece, and now we’re truly becoming one.

Pulling my teeth from his shoulder, his body begins to quiver, morphing as he shrinks down until he’s eye level with me, the size he was his first ever shift. His dragon purrs softly, and he overflows the bond with respect, pride, and admiration.

Leaning our foreheads together, our bodies suddenly ignite in flames. A sea of cobalt fire races down his spine as a blazing inferno of purple coats my silver scales, the flames embrace one another, mingling and blending, uniting.

The air crackles with the intensity of raw power that’s being shared between us right now. I can feel the electricity of it surging through every cell, pore, and muscle in my form. I feel so loved, so powerful, so, so, much…

Then we grow. Growing and growing until we stand at least fifty feet in the air.

Raising our heads as one, we release ear-splintering roars, breathing fire to the sky that matches the flames licking our bodies. As the noises echo on, we start shrinking down until we’re no bigger than maybe eight feet tall before the flash of light takes over, slowly fading, leaving us in our human forms, locked in each other’s arms.

“Draken, what was that?” Corentin yells, seething as he makes his way toward us.

“Calm down, Corentin, everything’s fine,” Draken says as he pulls my still naked body closer.

“Are you okay, little one? Let me see where he bit you,” Tillman orders as he steps up to me and wraps a robe around my shoulders.

“I’m fine. Draken’s right, everything’s fine. All of you need to calm down and listen before you flip out,” I say softly, moving the robe to the side to reveal an already healed silver scar. I look over my shoulder at Draken and see his matching one at the junction of his shoulder and neck.

“It’s a claiming mark, well, a mating mark,” Caspian muses as he sends his tendrils out to trace over it, causing a tremor to pass through my body and a small moan to leave my lips.

“Careful, brother, you’ll have our girl falling apart right here between us if you keep stroking that mark much more. It’s going to be sensitive for a few days.” Draken chuckles, a satisfied smirk crossing his lips.

I know my eyes are dilated, and I’m staring at Caspian, preparing to pounce on him at any moment. It takes every bit of restraint I have not to do just that.

His darkened eyes meet mine with a hungry look before his lip twitches and he slowly calls his shadows back, pulling a little whimper from me that has them all pressing in closer.

“I need you to explain what’s going on, Will, or go inside while we talk to Draken,” Tillman warns lightly. A little growl slips out of me, but he silences the sound as he plasters his lips to mine.

“Caspian’s right. Our animals just bonded,” I say with a breathy smile as I slowly pull away from him.

“You two have already bonded,” Corentin states the obvious, not understanding what I’m talking about.

A huge smile takes over Draken’s face. It’s so bright. It’s like staring into a Star gem.

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