Page 37 of Never Feed a Dragon

He chuckled into my mind. “We’re mated, Spaghetti. If you die, I die too. I’d sooner give up my wings than let you fall.”

“It’s safe to assume that wings are important to dragons, right?”

“More important to a dragon than anything except his mate.”

So, I was going to be fine.

I’d never flown with a dragon before, but I loved both roller coasters and airplane flights, which Randa had compared it too. How bad could it be?

“You good?” he checked.

I confirmed, and without further ado, he launched us into the sky.

Adrenaline coursed through me as the wind whipped through my hair. My lips stretched in a massive, uncontrollable grin as I held on tightly, my gaze moving over the forest and city below us.

Somehow, Scale Ridge was even more beautiful from above.

My heart beat rapidly, in the very best way.

Eli seemed to let the wind currents take the lead, flying up, down, and side to side without warning or reason. As soon as the excitement started to fade, he changed position or course, reigniting my fire.

Heat still had me sweating, but the cooler temperature in the clouds helped me from overheating.

We didn’t fly for long before we landed in front of his cabin. I’d driven past it every time I went to Elodie’s place, so I was well-acquainted with the way it looked from the front.

The large home had expansive windows, dark gray siding, and a gorgeous porch. It was built much more modern than August and Elodie’s place, but I preferred modern to cozy when it came to décor. Modern homes were open and airy, in a way that made them feel clean and comfortable to me.

I’d never lived in a modern house, of course. My parents’ mansion was stiflingly traditional, and I’d been paying my own way since I graduated high school. That meant shitty apartments, second hand furniture, and small kitchens when I wasn’t at work.

I didn’t love that way of life, truthfully.

Who dreamed about cooking in a small kitchen? Not me.

But I was happy with it. Proud to have a place to call my own. Glad I’d taken responsibility of my own life and choices, paying for my education, housing, and food.

If I had the money?

Well, I’d probably move to a house like Eli’s. I thought it was gorgeous, and I hadn’t even been inside.

Eli shifted forms suddenly, and I took a sharp breath in as his body tilted with the change. My chest collided with his bare back, and he caught my thighs, holding me up in a piggy-back position.

“Well?” he asked, carrying me up the steps to his front door.

“Well what?”

“Well, how do you feel about flying?”

Oh.

Should’ve figured that out myself.

Too late.

“It’s a blast,” I admitted. “You may have just created an addict.”

“Phew. You’ll support my addiction, then.”

“Guess so.”

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