Page 11 of His Curvy Mate

He held her close, his own motions growing more frantic until he shoved deep and stilled, his release hot and sudden. In the chill of the night, they lay there, panting and entwined, the fire crackling its own silent applause.

CHAPTER 6

ANDREAS

The ice cave glittered with a haunting beauty, its walls adorned with crystalline formations that caught the faint light from the fires Andreas had placed strategically around the cave. The air was cold and crisp, every breath a visible puff in the frosty atmosphere. Andreas, in his dragon form, stood at the entrance, his scales shimmering with an ethereal coppery glow. His eyes, normally fierce and unwavering, now reflected the turmoil within him.

He looked at her sleeping. She was so beautiful, so peaceful. He had thought never to leave her, but he could not draw her into his fight. This was not like her fight with the Resistance; it was personal, and it was between him and Xenos. If Andreas survived, he prayed she would find a way to forgive him, but even if she didn’t, he knew he wouldn’t risk her. Far better she lead a long and full life without him than for him to be the cause of her death.

“You aren’t about to do something stupid, are you?” she asked, sitting up in their bed.

“Depends a great deal upon your point of view.”

“How about from mine.” Her eyes flashed angrily.

Andreas turned to her, his expression a mix of sorrow and determination. "Caye, I can't let you come with me. Xenos is too dangerous. This is between me and him. I won't risk you getting hurt."

“For the record, that would count as something stupid,” she said, her eyes narrowing as her jaw clenched in frustration. "You think I can't handle danger? We’ve already faced Xenos and what makes you think it’s personal between the two of you. He recognized me, or at least knew I was with the Shadow Sisters. You think if he manages to kill you, he’ll just leave me be?"

"It's not about what you can handle," Andreas replied, his voice strained. "It's about what I can bear. I can't lose you, Caye. I won’t."

“Not your choice to make.”

“It is. You cannot follow where I will go.”

“Think not?”

“You are transitioned, but not fully. I suspect you could shift into a dragon, but whether or not you could fly or breathe fire is unknown.”

“Then let’s find out.”

“No. My decision is final.”

“That might have worked back when your kind ruled the skies; maybe even back in the nineteenth century, but it won’t fly—pun intended—here in the twenty-first century.”

Andreas hesitated before shaking his head. “No. I will not allow it. You will remain here.”

“Don’t count on it,” she said.

He said nothing and spread his wings, the massive span casting a shadow over her. He took a step forward, but Caye leaped off the bed and darted in front of him, blocking his path.

"Andreas, listen to me. We are stronger together. You would still be an oversized ice cube if it wasn’t for me."

Andreas looked down at her, his heart aching. He gently nudged her aside with his snout. "I'm sorry, Caye. But my mind is made up."

He took a running start toward the opening of the cave, leaping off the side of the mountain and spreading his wings. Andreas soared through the tumultuous skies, his massive wings slicing through the raging snowstorm with powerful, rhythmic beats. The once copper scales shimmered with ice crystals as frost clung to them, blending seamlessly with the swirling flurries. His keen eyes glowed with a fierce determination, piercing through the blinding blizzard as he scanned the rugged mountain range below.

The peaks of the mountains jutted up like jagged teeth, each one shrouded in a thick blanket of snow. The wind howled through the narrow passes and craggy cliffs, creating eerie, whistling echoes that mingled with Andreas’ heavy wing beats. The landscape was treacherous, with sheer drops and hidden crevices lying in wait to trap the unwary.

His breath came in visible puffs, each exhalation a plume of white mist quickly swept away by the gale. He veered sharply, navigating the labyrinthine terrain with grace and precision, his eyes flicking from one potential hiding place to another. Dense clusters of pine trees, their branches weighed down by snow, offered scant cover. The dragon dismissed these as too exposed for a cunning wizard such as Xenos. He was convinced Xenos was somewhere within the Wrangell Mountains. He’d come after Andreas too soon after he’d broken the spell for Xenos not to have been waiting.

Instead, Andreas focused on the darker shadows – deep caves carved into the mountainside, their entrances partially obscured by snowdrifts. He swooped lower, the sound of his wings momentarily drowned out by the roar of the storm and peered into the gaping mouth of each cavern he passed. His keen sense of smell cut through the frigid air, searching for any hint of magic or signs of recent habitation.

The storm intensified, the wind whipping ice and snow into a frenzy and reducing visibility to mere feet. Yet, Andreas pressed on, unwavering in his quest. He circled a particularly forbidding peak, its rocky surface slick with ice, and spotted a narrow fissure that seemed to lead into the heart of the mountain. Even though the entrance was almost entirely hidden, a thin plume of smoke, barely visible against the whiteout conditions, trailed out, mingling with the icy storm.

With a powerful thrust of his wings, Andreas descended towards the fissure, landing with surprising delicacy on the narrow ledge outside. Folding his wings tightly against his body, Andreas crept closer so he could peer into the darkness. The storm's fury muted by the mountain's bulk helped to keep him safe as he strained to see or hear what might lie within. At first there was nothing, but then the faint hum of arcane energy emanated, making its way back to him.

Andreas smiled; this was no ordinary cave. This was a place where a wizard might hide, weaving spells, protecting the undead and plotting schemes away from prying eyes. With a low, rumbling growl, Andreas stepped forward, ready to confront whatever lay within, his mission clear and his resolve unshaken.

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