Page 32 of Claimed By the Drakarn Warrior Lord

We stayed locked together, chest to chest, her legs wrapped around my waist, her breath coming in ragged gasps as we rode out the aftershocks of our passion. My claws held her hips carefully, holding her in place, our hearts thundering against each other.

After what felt like an eternity, I gradually pulled out, my cock glistening with our combined fluids. Terra made an unhappy sound at the loss, her legs falling limp around my waist.

I pulled her back down into the warm water, cradling her against my chest.

I could never have imagined that someone like her would be my mate. But now that I had her, I would fight every force on Volcaryth and anyone from her Earth before I let her go.

FOURTEEN

TERRA

My first thought wasfire.

Then tornado.

A horn sounded the alarm all through Darrokar's quarters, making my heart pound and jerking him out of a sound sleep beside me.

"What's that? What's going on?" It could have been some sort of drill, but from the tension in Darrokar's form, it was real.

And serious.

"Security has been breached." He scooped up my shirt from where it had fallen on the floor. "Get dressed. Someone will be here soon with a report."

"I need to check on my team." I'd just managed to get them moved to actual rooms in Darrokar'sdwelling, though they were all still angry at me for whatever it was I was doing with Darrokar.

Mate.

It was what he called me. It felt right. And if I looked deeper, I might have words of my own I could use, but I was too much of a coward to think too hard about it.

I threw on my shirt and pants quickly, ignoring the lingering soreness from my training the day before. My team—Hawk, Kira, and Vega—might hate me right now, but they were still my responsibility. My people. Whatever was happening, my first priority was making sure they were safe.

Darrokar was already at the door, his broad silhouette framed by the faint orange glow of the crystals embedded in the walls. His golden eyes were hard and focused, slits narrowing as though he were preparing for a battle. When he turned back to face me, there was an edge to his expression that made the air between us feel charged.

Before I could take a step toward the hallway, the door groaned open, and Rath stormed in, his ruby-red scales glinting in the dim light. His wings, half-furled, twitched with tension. He didn’t bother with formalities.

"The human, Vega Cross, is missing," he growled, his voice deep and grating.

I froze. "What?"

Darrokar’s wings flared, his talons flexing against the stone. "Explain."

"Her quarters were empty when the security check was conducted," Rath said, his gaze flicking briefly to me before locking back on Darrokar. "The guards stationed near her rooms failed to notice her departure. Either she evaded them on foot, or …" He paused grimly. "Or she was taken."

The words were a punch to the gut. "No," I said immediately, shaking my head. "Vega wouldn't just let herself be taken." And I remembered the conversation we'd had a few days ago. She wanted to escape, to go find the others. Then my mind caught up to the rest of what he said. "Guards? I thought we agreed my people were guests."

I gave Darrokar a pointed look.

"Guests," Darrokar repeated, his voice a low rumble that sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. "Guests do not vanish in the dead of night without explanation." His golden eyes bore into mine, molten and sharp as obsidian, daring me to challenge him further.

"She may have left on her own and thenbeen taken," Rath suggested, his tail lashing with agitation. "Her trail vanishes abruptly in the crimson deserts. The pattern suggests an aerial attack."

My blood ran cold. If Vega had been taken by air … "I need to see."

"No." Darrokar's response was immediate, his wings mantling protectively. "The crimson deserts are treacherous enough for those born to them. You will remain here where it's safe."

"Like hell I will." I stepped forward, squaring my shoulders. "Vega is my responsibility. I'm going."

"You do not understand the dangers?—"

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