Page 112 of Dragon Unhinged

“You can do it any time, my mate.”

She lets out a bit of a laugh, snuggling in tightly. “I can’t believe we get to do this for the rest of our lives. I’m so fucking lucky.”

“I can’t believe you’re mine.” I kiss the top of her head, and grin. “And we’re doing that again, really fucking soon.”

I don’t knowhow many times I make her come, how many times we come together, until we’re both sweaty messes and food and sleep are of the only things we take a break for, aside from when Brianna breastfeeds our daughter, and we take some time with her too when she’s awake.

It’s like coming together like this with her, connecting in this way, has given me a peace I didn’t think I’d ever have again. And having our daughter is the most incredible feeling.

Brianna’s sleeping on my chest, over the puncture wounds that have nearly healed.

My mate. My perfect, amazing mate.

I can hear you thinking. How are you not as exhausted as I am?

I chuckle and shift just enough to give her a gentle kiss. “I can go get us food from upstairs, if you want, let you rest.”

“It’s almost three a.m., Declan. I don’t know that the kitchen’s still open.”

I chuckle. “You think your mate couldn’t make you something incredible to eat? You think I need a cook to take care of you?”

She sits up, stretching her arms over her head, making her breasts bounce a little as she tries to wake up. They’ve filled with milk so quickly and her hips flare out more than they did before. Her tummy is soft and her thighs thick, and I love every inch of her even more than I did before. “You might have to teach me. But first, I think we should take a swim.”

“A swim?” I furrow my brow, trying to reason why she’d want to go out into the ocean in the middle of the night.

Brianna nods. “Pru said if we needed to shift, we should do it at night, in the ocean. I want to see your dragon. And I want to see if I’ve got one too.”

I have no doubts that she has one. I’ve seen her eyes, her talons, and her teeth. And I have no doubt she’s going to be beautiful.

It’s my own dragon I’m worried about.

“Okay, a quick swim. And then I’m making you a delicious meal so we can refuel for more.” I slap her ass as I get up, not bothering with any clothes at all. They’d just get shredded anyway.

She follows suit, and I lead her to the back stairs that have a keypad entry, so that we don’t have to worry about a key to get back in.

As soon as we’re in the water, it’s like Brianna’s dragon was just waiting for permission. She shifts like she was born to it, the larger shape flowing out of her like water. Her dragon’s distinctly feminine, with graceful lines and her black scales are almost deep blue in the moonlight.

I, however, am a lot more reluctant to let my beast free. Knowing what happened the last time, everything in me wants to keep my dragon on a short leash.

Declan, come on. Teach me to fly.

How can I deny my mate a request like that?

Reluctantly, I let my dragon loose, fully expecting to be the monstrosity I was before. The damaged, broken beast who lost control and killed his brother.

But the pain doesn’t come.

It’s still uncomfortable, still rough, but for the first time in months, I feel like I’m one with my dragon, and I know, without a doubt, that Brianna’s the reason for it all.

There you are.It’s like I can feel her smiling in my head, and I tilt my head toward her, still in awe of her beauty, of the woman I’m proud to call her my mate.

You want to fly?

You up for it?She sounds teasing in my head, almost like she’s trying to goad me into it.

Like she understands my worries and fears.

Without any guidance from me, Brianna leaps into the air, spreading her wings to catch the sea breeze, and I follow her quickly, but I fully expect to fall with wings unable to carry me.

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