Page 30 of Ragnar

“Ragnar…” Reggie begins, her words wobbly. A snarl of frustration threatens to erupt when a howl interrupts what she was going to say. As much as I want to stay in bed with her all day, we cannot. Her safety comes before our pleasure. With a groan, I snag her hand and help her gather her things.

“Do you have everything?” I ask, taking mental note of all her bags. When she nods, I lead her through the house and into the yard. Three big males stand in the street, watching as we approach. Talnag is at the front, his gaze assessing. I can tell the moment they all catch her scent. Their reactions are palpable.

Talnag ducks his head in a show of respect but the other two tense with curiosity. Unwilling to risk Reggie’s safety, I release her hand and shift into my monstrous form. My muscles bulge and my sails rise aggressively. Reggie’s gasp is loud in the ensuing silence. Her gaze is trained on the newly glowing tips, the green resplendent in the sunshine.

“It worked!” She gasps out, trailing the tip of her finger along the sail at the back of my leg. A shiver of pleasure courses through me at the awe in her voice.

“Yes, my mate, it did. For you.” She smiles up at me, radiant in this moment.

“So glad to see that you took my advice.” Talnag quips, reminding me that we are not alone.

“Our mating is not up for discussion.” I snarl, glaring past him to the other two males, the twins. Carbon copies of one another with dark obsidian scales that shimmer in the light, I immediately dislike their presence. Talnag follows my gaze with a toothy grin.

“This is Kan and Kil. They have come to help us. Remember that.” He admonishes gently and I bite back a snarl. These males are risking it all to help me keep my mate safe. I must remember this before I do something stupid. Especially when I catch them staring at my mate, the look in their eyes unreadable.

“Hello Kan, hello Kil!” Reggie chirps, her smile bright as she steps forward to greet the pair. As if they are one unit, their gazes snap to hers at the same time. A shiver of unease trails down my spine at the odd behavior. I turn to Talnag with a questioning glance but he simply shakes his head, denying me the answers I seek.

“Hello human.”

“Hello human.” Their greetings are timed perfectly, one right after the other. Kan speaks first, followed by Kil. The oddity isn’t lost on Reggie, her steps falter for a moment before she stops altogether. Gritting my teeth, I remind myself that this is for my mate. To help save her sister and get safely away from the city. Once we are in the clear, we can leave the creepy copies behind. At least I hope so.

Chapter Twenty-One

*Reggie*

The first day of travel is a bitch. By the end of it, I am ready to crash to the ground and sleep. Except I can’t. I have to play referee between Ragnar and the twins. Or more precisely, I must keep him from killing them.

After our initial awkward meeting, the day started off pretty good. Talnag and Ragnar kept up a constant stream of conversation and I tried my best not to get creeped out by the twins. They are harmless really, just curious. They just don’t know how to react around a human. I took for granted how hard Ragnar has worked to accommodate me. They lack any of the consideration that my mate has for my human-ness.

As the day wears on, I feel more like a science experiment than a person. They pepper me with questions while trying to get close to Ragnar’s back, close enough to catch a glimpse of me. My mate never lets them get too close before he snaps and runs them off. The twins treat it like a game, never once stopping their questions as they pester Ragnar.

It also doesn’t help that we can’t just make a beeline out of town. Far too many times today we have crossed paths with either Nagas or humans. Our path is like a drunk man trying to walk a straight line. It dips, turns and twists until I feel all out of sorts. As it is, we decided to camp in a burned-out warehouse. The others wanted to keep moving but Ragnar immediately shut them down for my sake.

Guilt assails me. I want to be strong. To be able to keep moving without a care in the world. I can’t. I can barely feel my legs and I have to pee. Embarrassment keeps me silent though, as my mate champions my cause. It helps to remember that I am likely the first human the others have ever met and not even Ragnar knew it all in the beginning.

The twins cleared the building before we entered, resuming their barrage of questions the moment I drop from my mate’s back. While riding on his back I could feel his mounting tension, on the ground it is all I can do to keep him from lunging for the obnoxious pair. As it is, I simply wave them off while stomping to the back of the building.

A grimace twists my lips at the mess that was once a back office. A quick perusal shows the barest hint of a bathroom. It is more like a busted toilet and the remnants of a sink, but my bladder doesn’t care. It looks like the bathroom at the Ritz in my current condition. Ragnar, who followed me to the back, stands guard as I relieve myself.

Thankfully the twins took the hint and stayed back with Talnag. At least until they catch sight of me once more. The ground practically shakes as the elephant sized males barge towards us, uncaring of the fact that they could literally crush me in their enthusiasm. A squeak of alarm escapes me when Ragnar lunges, snapping at one twin before twirling to face the other, violence etched in the lines of his rigid muscles.

“Leave. My. Mate. Alone.” He rumbles, his voice distorted more than normal with his rage. One of the twins whines while the other looks like a kicked puppy. A Spinosaurus sized puppy.

“They just don’t know how to act.” I argue, unsure why I’m even sticking up for the scale covered, Jurassic toddlers.

“They will be dead if they harm a single hair upon your head.” Ragnar grumbles, baring his teeth again.

“Not hurt the human.”

“Beautiful, nice.” They almost finish each other's thoughts, truly two halves of the same whole. I think their words are sweet, the same way I would get a compliment from a kid. Ragnar takes it as a challenge for his mate.

I can’t even say that fur flies since they all have scales. Instead, I am left gasping for air as their writhing bodies kick up all the stagnant dust in the warehouse. Talnag is the only one left standing and is the kind of unbothered king that I can appreciate. He watches their antics from the other side of the warehouse, rolling his eyes frequently but staying out of it.

As annoyed as I am, I can’t help but admire my mate’s movements. He is outnumbered but holding his own. The fight isn’t truly a fight. I can tell that they are each holding back. Ragnar is frustrated and the twins are letting him vent it in his own way. The more I watch them battle it out, the more convinced I am that this was for Ragnar’s benefit.

Looking at the twins, I assess them again. They aren’t childlike at all, simply more innocent than Ragnar. He is the strong, assertive type. He sees danger in every shadow and acts accordingly. Kan and Kil are free spirits, taking everything at face value. If it bites, they bite back. If it smiles, they smile. It is refreshing to see spirits so resilient.

Our two species were both dealt a shitty hand and though I relate more to my serious yet sweet mate, I am drawn to the innocent and fun twins. My face heats with a blush. Not interested in them the same way I am Ragnar. Images from the previous night play through my mind like an R rated movie. An ache forms in my core and I clench my thighs, trying to relieve the ache.

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