Page 12 of Blazing Reactions

The final wave of transformation hit without warning. Power exploded through her, stronger than before. Her wings snapped out fully, scales shimmering across her skin. But instead of pain, this time she felt... completion.

“Oh,” she breathed as everything clicked into place. Her dragon surged forward, recognizing Talon not just with her mind but with every cell in her body. “That’s... that’s...”

“What do you feel?” His voice was low, rough, and intimate.

“You. Everything. Like you’ve been written into my DNA.” She blinked up at him, surprised by the certainty in her voice. “My dragon’s very smug about this, by the way. Apparently, she’s been waiting for me to catch up.”

The dark energy pressed closer. This time, instead of fear, Asher felt anger. Her dragon rose in response, protective of her newfound mate, her family, and this connection she’d just discovered.

“No.” The word came out as a growl. “He doesn’t get to ruin this.”

Power surged through her again, but this time she controlled it. The lights flickered as energy crackled around her hands. Talon’s sharp intake of breath made her look down.

“Huh.” She stared at the lightning dancing across her fingers. “That’s new. And significantly more dramatic than my usual lab work.”

“Impossible,” Eldric, Talon’s dad, breathed. “Electric manipulation is a rare gift, even among dragons.”

“Of course, it is.” Asher rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t quite hide her smile. “Because apparently, I couldn’t just turn into a normal dragon. Had to be an overachiever. Though my dragon’s mostly focused on how impressed you look right now,” she added to Talon.

“I am impressed.” His voice dropped lower, making her shiver. “And your dragon’s not the only one focused on that.”

“Flirting during a crisis? Really?” But she leaned into him anyway, her newly completed bond humming with satisfaction. “Though I have to say, the whole ‘proud mate’ thing is working for me. Even if your timing is terrible.”

The threat of Dimitri’s presence still hovered at the edges of her awareness, but somehow it didn’t feel as overwhelming anymore. Not with Talon’s arms around her, their families rallying behind them, and the absolute certainty filling her heart.

Her life had completely changed in the span of one night. She wasn’t going to die soon. She’d gained wings, scales, apparently some fancy lightning powers, and an impossible connection to the man she’d spent months trying not to want. Her careful, scientific world had been turned upside down.

And somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to regret a single moment.

“So,” she said, smiling up at Talon as lightning continued to dance across her skin, “I don’t suppose the employee handbook covers what to do when you accidentally turn into a dragon and discover your irritatingly attractive boss is your mate? Because I have some suggestions for the next edition.”

ELEVEN

Talon watched lightning dance across Asher’s skin, his dragon practically preening at their mate’s rare ability. She’d gone from accidental transformation to controlling electrical energy in hours—a feat that should have been impossible. Yet there she stood, beautiful and fierce, making jokes about employee handbooks while casually wielding enough power to short out half his building.

“The council needs to convene immediately,” his father’s voice cut through Talon’s admiration. “I’m sure Dimitri is gathering forces now.”

“Now?” Asher’s electricity crackled in response to her irritation. “I just figured out how not to set things on fire. Mostly.” She glanced at the smoldering training dummy. “That one doesn’t count.”

His dragon rumbled in satisfaction at her sass—a direct challenge to centuries of stern council traditions.

“The council can wait,” he found himself saying, earning surprised looks from both families. Eight hundred years of rigid protocol, undone by one scientist with a talent for destruction and sarcasm.

“Did you just postpone a council meeting?” his sister Harlynn’s eyes sparkled. “For a woman? The same brother who once held a strategy session during his own birthday celebration?”

“The cake was tactical,” Talon muttered.

“The little dragons on it were tactical?”

“Fine. Family meeting.” Talon squeezed Asher’s hand before stepping back. “Boardroom in ten minutes. Try not to destroy any more training equipment.”

“No promises.” Asher grinned, then her expression softened. “Though I should probably learn to control this before I accidentally turn your boardroom into a light show. Which would be extremely unprofessional. Almost as unprofessional as how good you look right now.”

His dragon surged forward at her words, pushing against centuries of control. “Asher...”

“That voice should be illegal,” she informed him. “Especially when I’m trying to focus on not electrocuting things.”

Ten minutes later, Talon stood at the head of the room, trying to focus on security reports instead of how Asher’s scent lingered on his skin. The massive table, carved from ancient oak and inscribed with centuries of clan history, displayed camera footage feeds of Dimitri’s movements outside the building.

---