Page 78 of Cam's Treasure

Kai turned around in a circle, his dark eyes wide and full of admiration as he took everything in. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"It was our pleasure," Cam said with a beaming smile, and I nodded in agreement.

Ember and Cam spread out the blanket, placing the basket on the edge of it, and then Cam turned to Kai, his eyes twinkling. "Would you like to see my dragon now?"

That sounds like an innuendo, I told him in his mind, and he shot me an amused grin.

"Um, yeah," Kai answered, wide-eyed, and Cam took a few steps back until he was at the edge of the clearing, leaving just enough space behind him that he wouldn't accidently crush the plants when he shifted.

"Micah, there's no one around, is there?" Cam asked, since I could sense humans better than him. Pulling down my mental shields, I quickly scanned the park, finding only Elian and Alden in their private space.

"We're good," I said, quickly putting my shields back in place, and Cam grinned, rubbing his palms together. Then, he met Kai's eyes, smiled, and turned into a big purple dragon.

Kai

Cam was magnificent.

I craned my neck so I could take all of him in and wondered how I could be mated to someone so...majestic.

Cam folded his large, gleaming wings at his side, his familiar green eyes now slitted vertically like a snake's. He watched me curiously, as if waiting to see how I'd react.

"You can touch him, if you want," Micah offered, and I glanced at him. His dark eyes were warm as he glanced between us, and I nodded as I got to my feet and walked forward.

Cam lowered his head when I came near, and I still had to reach up to brush my palm on his nose. His skin was smooth and leathery there, and I smiled as I petted him. He snorted against my palm, making me chuckle, and I slid my palm down his jaw, surprised by the sharp, prickly underside of his jaw.

While his wings were big and leathery, they sparkled in the faint sunlight filtering through the trees, telling me they were covered in smaller scales much like the ones that covered the rest of Cam's body. The scales looked sharp, and I wondered if they'd cut me if I touched them.

The skin covering Cam's chest and belly was smooth and warm, and he made a soft, rumbling sound as I ran my palm over it, his tail thumping against the ground behind him.

"Cam's asking if you'd like to take a flight with him," Micah said, sounding closer than he'd been. I turned to see he'd stood up as well, though a ways back, giving me space to explore.

"Um," I hesitated, not wanting Cam to think I didn't trust him but also not ready to take off into the skies just yet.

"It's okay if you don't want to," Ember said, his blue eyes warm as he looked at me. "How about you and I go for a flight, Cam? We can show Kai some of our moves."

Cam shifted his big wings impatiently, and I didn't need Micah to translate to know he was agreeing with Ember.

I took a few steps back, clearing the way, and Ember smiled at me before he shifted into his phoenix form. Compared to Cam's dragon, he was almost tiny, but no less beautiful. Yellow, orange, and red feathers covered his slim body, and though they appeared a bit faded right now, I got the feeling it was because he was at the end of his cycle. When he was at his prime, I had no doubt he was a sight to behold.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Micah murmured, now at my side, and I hummed in agreement. Watching them in their supe forms made me itch for my coat, made me wish I could shift into my other form as well, but I pushed the need away, focusing on my mates as they took off into the sky.

"Wow," I murmured as I watched Cam circle the clearing, Ember at his heels.

"The humans can't see them, right?" I asked, worried they'd be spotted by some clueless person.

"Yeah, they have their shields up, so they're safe."

"Do you fly with Cam a lot?" I asked, when what I'd really wanted to ask was, 'Is it scary?'

Micah smiled, his eyes lighting up as he gazed at the sky. Cam and Ember were far enough away now that all I could see was an orange dot and a slightly bigger purple dot.

"I do, yeah. I've had years of practice now, but when I first started, it was scary as fuck. We practiced over the river, and I can't tell you how many times Cam dropped me into the water. But he's gotten much better now, and he hasn't dropped me in years." Micah glanced at me, his dark eyes twinkling. "You getto reap all the benefits without any of the hardships, if you do decide to fly with him."

I chuckled, turning my eyes back to the sky. Maybe, someday soon, I'd ask Cam for that ride after all.

"Come on. Let's sit down. Those two will probably be up there for a while."

Nodding, I joined Micah on the blanket, and he dug out some of the snacks Ember had packed. As we ate the home-baked cookies made by Micah's dad, Cassian, Micah told me more about the various residents of Mistvale.

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