Page 15 of A Kiss From a Dragon Lord

Like now, as he sets down another hot plate of eggs and bacon, sadness takes hold of me as I realize I may never find this attentiveness again if I leave. A human man could never do this, provide for me in this way. Lassar covets me like a treasure in a way only a dragon could.

We eat in silence for a moment as my new feelings war inside me. Lassar seems to be aware of the shift in weather as he picks around the food on his plate.

“The storm seems to have passed,” I say softly, my stomach curdling. I am hungry, but I can’t bring myself to eat.

Lassar’s eyes find mine, and he nods. The loneliness that has been gone from them for the past three days swims in his gaze once more. From the tales he’s told me, he is truly alone in this world. Just like me. No one from his past life is alive anymore.

“I should probably get going,” I say into the silence. It feels like a mistake to leave. Where will I get comfort like this again? Is my independence worth forsaking this? Having the means to live alone and my own freedom has been the one thing I’ve craved for so long.

Lassar has me questioning if it would really be so bad to belong to someone else.

My dragon nods his head and collects my plate. I go to the leather bags and begin stuffing them with the items Lassar got me. My eyes burn as I secure the tops. This feels wrong, so incredibly wrong.

When I stand and turn, Lassar is right behind me. Making me gasp. His large hand comes up to my face, gently rubbing his claws over my cheeks. The look in his eyes is devastatingly soft.

“I wanted to thank you,” he says, his voice deep with emotion.

“For what?” I ask; surely I should be the one thanking him. Look at all he’s done for me.

“For showing me what it’s like to be a man again, for making me remember how wonderful life can be. Over the years, this curse has taken much from me. There was a time when I could barely remember anything beyond my desire for more gold. But no longer.” He leans in, pressing his lips against my forehead. Tears leak down my cheeks.

“Getting to know you, my precious Anwyn, was the greatest treasure I have ever found. No gold or jewel or silk could ever compare to you,” he says into my hair. With one last kiss to my forehead, he steps back and turns, walking towards the mouth of the cave.

“Lassar, wait!” I shout, his whole body freezing.

Perhaps it’s reckless, foolish, or any number of unsavory words, but I don’t care. I can’t let this end here, not yet.

I do some quick math and speak to Lassar’s scaled-back.

“I arrived here four days ago,” I say. Lassar slowly turns, nodding his head.

“That means it’s the end of the working week.” Lassar’s brows lower, and inclines his head, clearly not knowing where I’m going. Truthfully, I barely know what’s coming out of my mouth at this point. “Finding lodging at the next town might be difficult, as well as getting work on the weekends. Perhaps it would be best if you took me to town at the start of this upcoming week?”

Lassar blinks once, then twice before smiling. The sight makes my heart pound.

“I can take you in two days from now, my Anwyn.”

I sigh at the use ofmy Anwyn. It’s rare he calls me anything but his: his precious one, his treasure, his Anwyn. I find I rather like his names for me.

Letting my leather bag drop to the floor, I look at Lassar expectantly.

“Since I’m not leaving, what should we do?”

Lassar looks to his right, down a passageway of the cave we have yet to explore together. Raising his hand towards me, I walk forward and take it. His large hand engulfs mine, the scales rubbing against a few callouses I have on my palms. Lassar had lamented at those, saying someone with hands as delicate as mine shouldn’t have been forced to work.

I was in total agreement with that.

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to show you. Come.”

He leads me deep into the bowels of the cave. The deeper we get, the darker it becomes until the rocks around us are illuminated in faint blue light. I’ve seen them before, Lassar explained they are some rock formation that glows. It helps guide us along our path until we reach an opening.

I gasp at what I see there. A large pool with still, clear water. The entire thing comprised of those glowing rocks illuminating the water.

Dropping his hand, I venture to the side of the pool. Dipping a finger in, I yelp at the freezing temperature. Lassar lets out a small laugh behind me and then comes to my side. With a deep inhale, he produces a mass of scorching flames. Their heat makes my eyes water. It’s not long until the pool is bubbling and steaming, heated by his fire.

“I thought you might like to bathe.”

Nodding my head, I can’t think of anything better. It’s been days since I’ve bathed, and while I don’t think Lassar minds, I certainly do. I watch my dragon pull out a bar of soap and a few hair-cleaning tonics I’ve only seen in fancy homes.

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