Page 26 of Meet Me in the Stars

That time I opened my eyes. He had really long hair. Longer than it had looked from the ship’s opening. It was long and blonde and cascaded down to his navel. He was beautiful. Orange scales marked his brow and the lowest part of his plump bottom lip. I could’ve kissed him. I would’ve if he really was my true-mate, but that was Lotus. I reached to wipe a fat tear from his cheek, but my bonds stopped me.

“Do you want me to let you go?” he asked, and I shook my head.

I could get out any time I wanted to. Izora tied me up to remind me of my strength. It was something dragons did from time to time if they were going through particularly stressful life events.

“Why do you think I’m your true-mate?” I asked again, trying and failing to soften my voice.

“Because I am,” he blinked his big indigo eyes.

“Why?” I asked again, frustration curdling in my stomach.

“Because I am. You have one gland for Lotus. Her bite’s still there,” he sniffled, looking down at my shoulder. “You have another one, though. I can see it swelling up from here.”

Out of instinct I rubbed my jaw against the other shoulder and winced. Yep. He was right. It was there.

“Tell me more about this star scale thing. Not the flight, but the one you say will grow in on my chest. Will it be like yours?” I asked, nodding to the biggest scale marking his human form that I could see. It was a bright orange star right over his heart.

“I don’t know what color it will be,” he shook his head. “It doesn’t always match the other scales. I just got lucky that way. Yours is still flesh colored.”

He traced his finger along a star shape over my heart. I looked down and squinted. If I squinted hard enough, I could just make out the outline of a star.

“Come here,” I said.

“How can I come any closer?” he laughed.

“Let me smell your neck,” I said. “The side with your supposed claiming gland.”

“Do you believe me?” he asked.

“I’m still deciding. The freckle could’ve been a lucky guess,” I shrugged.

He leaned in closer, and his scent slapped me in the face. He smelled so good. He smelled so much like home, but he wasn’t. He couldn’t be. He wasn’t Lotus. He never had been Lotus. At least, he wasn’t making that claim. I’d snap his neck if he had. He was close enough to lick. So I did. I ran my tongue along his claiming gland and he winced, but didn’t pull away.

“See,” he said. “It’s all swollen up for you.”

His voice dropped low and husky. He wasn’t in heat, just horny. Incredibly horny. Just like me. Just like any newly met true-mate would be.

“Forehead to mine,” I said, and he listened.

“You’re awful bossy for a man who’s tied to the bed,” he grinned when our flesh met.

“You really think these ropes would hold me?” I asked.

“Probably not, but you’re still bossy.”

“You’re pretty damn obedient for a man who just met me,” I countered.

“You haven’t told me to do anything I haven’t wanted to yet,” he said.

“Listen, we’re going to do this thing. I don’t have time to wait around on a scale that might or might not show up. So, we’re going to take the first option. You’re slick. I’m hard. Your pheromones are fucking killing me. So, we’re going to do this and if I find out you lied or you hurt Lotus in anyway, I’ll kill you, magic or not. I’ve known heaven with her in my arms and hell the day she had to leave me. Spellcrafted love won’t protect you, because I’ve known the realest thing to ever breathe life in any solar system.”

He let out a long, slow breath before speaking. He smelled pained, but I meant what I said. He wouldn’t have been the first asshole I put out of everyone else’s misery if he turned out to be a con dragon.

“I didn’t hurt her. I’m not lying. This isn’t spellcrafted. You’ll see.”

“I better,” I growled at him. “Now, what’s your name?”

“Elio,” he finally told me.

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