Page 9 of Dragons Of Shadow and Sea

I pause. "And what's that?"

Chewing on her bottom lip, she hesitates. "The portal I opened--all I wanted was to take my mates someplace secret. Someplace safe." Her dark eyes connect with mine. "We were attacked by Shadow Dragons."

"Shadow Dragons?"

A sharp crack of thunder breaks the quiet of the night air. I curl my hands into fists.

My elemental dragon magic has always been powerful, but I've had it under control. My emotions are running so high right now that the water vapor in the air is responding, though, sending clouds crashing into each other.

My heart pounds, and the back of my neck flashes hot and cold. Memories assault me. Dark forces surging across our lands, polluting our waters and our hearts. Stealing and plundering and turning friends into foes.

At the end of the Great War, if we hadn't retreated...

If my parents hadn't sacrificed everything to move our kingdom to safety, to keep us hidden for all these years...

"Were you followed?" I manage to choke out.

"No." She hesitates, and my sense of dread redoubles. "I don't think so. Like I said, I don't know how any of this works."

Unacceptable.

"Do you know what we have gone through, trying to keep our society secret for all these years?"

She shakes her head, trembling, and I'm speaking with too much invective in my voice, but I can't help it. Her eyes shine with unshed tears. I feel like a monster.

But real, actual, honest-to-the-gods monsters could be at our doorstep.

Stepping back, I let out a rough exhalation and scrub my hand down my face. I recite the facts in my head in a vain effort to calm myself: My head of security is hard at work making sure the wards remain intact. The witch is reinforcing the veil. Soon enough, my mother will be stepping in, probably doubling our forces and increasing the patrols.

There's nothing more I can do right now.

I drop my hands to my sides. "I'm sorry. But my responsibility to my people..."

"I know." She eyes me warily, and I hate that I've made her so tentative.

I hate that our first night together is tainted by talk of Shadow Dragons, that I have to worry about those other men and the machinations of their kingdoms. That I'm accusing my beloved mate of endangering my nation when it's plain to see that she's been hunted to within an inch of her life herself.

As I get myself under control, I look at her more closely. Purple bruises hang beneath her eyes, and there's a hollowness to her cheeks. I swallow hard. When I first came into my powers as a water dragon, the expenditure of energy left me depleted to my bones.

Exhaling deeply, I push my own fears and responsibilities aside. At least for now. "You need food. Rest."

She needs me. Protecting her and caring for her in a way that clearly her other so-called mates were unable to.

Pure relief colors those dark eyes. "That sounds great."

She sways, as if even the idea of resting for a moment has stripped her of her ability to keep herself upright.

"Come on." I close the space between us in an instant, pulling her into my arms. Again, the overwhelming sense of rightness has me ready to topple over alongside her.

That wouldn't do either of us any good--unless we were toppling headlong into a bed.

Arousal heats my blood again, her warm scent eclipsing all my other senses. Electricity hums through me, radiating out from every point of contact between her body and mine. I'm desperate to pull her into me even further. To claim her soft, red lips and tug the ripped and dirty fabric of her dress from her skin.

I want to part her naked thighs and drink from her. All thoughts of a frantic fuck are gone, but I'd make love to her slowly; treat her with all the tenderness she deserves. Push into her and watch pleasure overtake her face until she was radiant and new.

She lets out a soft breath and looks up at me. The same desire I feel is reflected right back at me through her eyes, and my cock is iron in my pants.

"Malik," she murmurs.

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