Page 23 of Aria's Ascension

Aria opened her mouth, then closed it with a sigh and shut her eyes. Opening them again, she intentionally kept her gaze on Skaa instead of looking at her men.

“I… I have to find him. Ihaveto.”

The words lingered in the air, floating between them like a specter. She felt disloyal as soon as they escaped her mouth, but that didn’t make them less true.

She wanted to offer an explanation, to make them understand, but she didn’t understand it herself. How was she supposed to explain to her men, her mates, this draw she felt to the dragon? She felt like a magnet being pulled toward him, helpless to stop it and equally unable to deny it.

Even more confusing, it was the same pull she felt for Kix and Tirox.

Bracing herself, she finally peered at her men. Incredibly, neither of them looked pissed. She damn sure would’ve if one of them had told her they felt compelled to find another woman. Instead, Tirox was frowning at her, his head tilted slightly. His expression was contemplative, somewhere between thoughtful and reflective, like he was trying to grasp a thought that was staying just out of reach.

Stranger still, Kix no longer appeared angry. A small, knowing smile played at the corners of his mouth, and the look in his eyes was one of understanding.

“If you are compelled to find him, then that is what we will do,” he replied calmly, as if what she’d said make complete sense.

Aria was still blinking at him, trying to process how utterly nonchalant he sounded, when he turned to Skaa.

“I will need to share my knowledge with you in order for you to escape. There is too much to convey verbally.”

The woman appeared leery, but nodded once in acceptance and stood tensely as Kix raised his hands, hovering them over her temples.

Aria pushed her bewilderment aside and focused on them, glancing back and forth between their faces as they stood almost chest to naked chest. She had no idea how telepathy, and his gifts in particular worked, but she knew without question she damn sure didn’t appreciate the obvious intimacy happening between them.

She didn’t realize she was leaning toward them with her jaw clenched until the squeak of teeth on teeth broke the silence. Grumbling silently, she forced herself to relax and rolled her eyes.

Fuck’s sake, get ahold of yourself. You’re leading them into what’s very likely a trap in order to find a dragon man you can’t stop thinking about, and you wanna get pissy that he’s sharing thoughts with another woman—your friend—in order to save her life.

After a couple of seconds, a frown creased the rippled skin between his brows. Strain spread across his handsome features just as a trail of dark blue blood dripped from his nose. Alarmed, Aria jerked forward to pull them apart. She’d cut the fucking directions into Skaa’s arm if need be, but she wasn’t going to let him hurt himself.

Mid-reach for Kix’s arm, Tirox intercepted her and pulled her into his chest. Tipping her head back to scowl up at him, she opened her mouth to tell him off, but the angry words on her lips froze at the gentle head shake he gave her.

“He is well. Worry not, my heart,” he purred, stroking his big hand down her hair before resting it on the small of her back, his thumb rubbing soft circles against her skin.

Her face screwed up into an expression of incredulity. “What the hell are you talking about ‘he’s well?’ He damn sure doesn’t look well! He’s bleeding,” she hissed, wiggling to free herself, but he tightened his grip to keep her against him.

“Be at ease. I have seen this from him when he freed us in the lab. His mind magic is growing, but as with a muscle, he must push himself to strengthen it.”

Some of the worry tightening her stomach relaxed at his explanation, and her racing pulse slowed. She understood pushing yourself to get stronger.

“You’re sure it won’t hurt him?” she asked, staring over her shoulder at Kix.

“I am sure. He knows you will lash him with your sharp tongue should he go too far,” he responded with a chuckle.

“Damn right,” she agreed.

It took a long, nerve-wracking minute before Kix dropped his hands and stumbled back a step. Aria was there in an instant to steady him.

“Are you okay?” she demanded, gazing searchingly up at him, looking for any sign he’d hurt himself.

His skin had lost some of its pearlescent sheen, and the blue glow of his pupils was dimmed, but his nose was no longer bleeding, and he was smiling down at her.

“It was not as difficult that time,” he said instead of answering her question, quiet pride visible on his face even through the tiredness.

“Good,” she sighed then popped him soundly on the shoulder. At his look of stunned surprise, she narrowed her eyes up at him and growled, “You scared me.”

The surprise gave way to tenderness. Lifting a hand, he traced his fingertips down her forehead, over the bridge of her nose, then across her lips before replacing them with his own in a soft, sweet kiss.

His spicy taste was tainted by the tang of blood, but she didn’t care. Raising up on tiptoe, she deepened the kiss, taking a moment to enjoy the feeling of his mouth on hers.

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