Page 56 of Dance with the Dragon Duke

“It’s like you’ve got someone else’s heart and lungs in your body now,” Dr. Bandile said.

Margot and Susan showered Tomorrow in hugs, ruffling her white hair and squeezing her to their chests. Dark’s emotions were once again too large for his form.

Ruby had tired of the shiny new toys in the physician’s bag. She was up to mischief now, looking for things to chomp on. Dark tutted at her when she tried to fit one of the metal buckles into her mouth.

“I’ll take her back,” he told Tomorrow, eager for a large, safe place that could comfortably hold all of him.

* * *

Tomorrow

The good-natured physician finished his examination, reassuring her she wouldn’t need to see him, or others like him, anytime soon. Tomorrow hugged him so tight around the neck, he coughed.

“Sorry,” she said sheepishly, releasing him.

“No apologies necessary, Miss Easton,” Dr. Bandile said kindly.

She got out the rest of her hugging on Susan and Margot, who were happy to be squeezed. It was strange, having to be careful not to hurt their mortal bodies, because some of her strength had returned to her. She’d never win a fight against a full-blooded immortal, of course, but that didn’t make her feel less powerful.

When the bedroom cleared out, the closet door cracked open, letting in dusky magical light. The smell of brimstone had become pleasant to her now, a homey scent. She padded into the meadow, closing the door securely behind her.

Tomorrow turned and gasped.

She’d expected to find Dark, but not like this. He was a dragon, bigger than the astronomy tower and so long he wrapped comfortably around it like a great serpent, his heavy black plates shot through with gold.

Dark lifted a bulky head that was larger than she was. His smile was full of broadswords. Long black horns curled back from his crown. His wings were thick, bat-like, tar-colored monstrosities.

“Mate of my heart,” he said, and his voice was so big the ground tremored, “don’t be frightened.”

“Divine Day’s blazing beard,” she gasped, laying a hand over her heart. “Why would I be frightened. You’re . . . magnificent. Gods above and below, I could get used to being called the mate of your heart in that powerful voice of yours.”

His laughter curled around her, vibrating under her feet. He lowered his head, and his breath heated her skin. She felt like she was seated near a hearth. She reached for him and laid her hand on his snout. The leather of his scales was tantalizingly hot.

She saw them then, stretched out along his back and between his wings, basking in his heat: dozens of tiny fairies.

Dark turned his great head to follow her eyes. His wings twitched, careful not to disturb the girls. “They prefer me in this form.”

“I can see why,” she said.

He nuzzled her. Very gently. She ran her hands along his scales, even dared to touch one of his ferocious teeth. He held still for her, allowing her exploration. He felt soft and dry, like oiled leather. And when he moved, coiled muscles hardened to steel beneath the plates.

Tomorrow’s stomach growled fiercely. “Oh my.” She pressed her hands over it.

“What’s wrong?” Dark rose to his feet—he had six of them now—so suddenly he sent the fairies into the air and nearly knocked his tower over. “Should I call the doctor?”

“No, no.” Her stomach hurt, it was so empty. It had been ages since she’d eaten well. She’d been too ill to consume much food.

“Tomorrow!”

“Don’t you dare summon that poor doctor! I just realized how hungry I am, is all.”

Dark’s relieved laugh nearly blew her over.

Much to Tomorrow’s great disappointment, Dark had to change into his two-legged form to fetch their dinner.

When he returned to the tower, he had enough food to feed an army of elephants. He spread the platters around the first floor. Plates sat on the bureau and armchairs, balancing atop chests. Tomorrow and Dark perched on pillows on the trident rug.

She surprised herself by eating most of everything, her portion and half of his. Beetroot soup and stuffed cabbage, and thick bread that she softened with hot butter. It crunched when she chewed it. They drank tea—with a reasonable amount of honey because Tomorrow had learned her lesson and wouldn’t let him prepare it.

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