Page 106 of Dragon Unhinged

As soon as he’s out of my sight, I take a deep breath, sniffing her, trying to settle my brain, settle my dragon, so that I can look her over.

Why is she hurt?

Why isn’t she awake?

Who do I have to kill for making her suffer?

I get a close-up of the tourmaline ring that encircles one of her fingers, and wrapping around her wrist like it’s just as possessive of her as I am, glowing faintly in the bright sunlight.

How did she find it? Did it find her?

I need answers, and the only way I can think to get them is for her to wake up.

But if she’s hurt, if she’s been drugged or knocked unconscious, I can’t just shake her from her sleep.

Claim her, brother. Take her into the back of the SUV and mark her as your own.Ash’s voice in my head sounds exasperated, and I wonder just how much of what I’m thinkinghe’s hearing. It’s not like I’m being careful with my thoughts and emotions at the moment.

I carry her carefully across the debris to the van Ash gestured to. As I get close to the SUV just in front of the van, though, I smell the burning scent of brimstone. My lip curls up into a snarl and I feel my talons trying to extend.

The only thing that keeps them where they are is my mate in my arms. I don’t want to hurt her more.

A woman steps out of the front seat, holding up her hands like she’s already trying to surrender to me. “I’m not here to hurt you, or anyone. I just wanted to make sure that Brianna gets the help she needs. The help only you can give her.”

I snarl at her, smoke curling out from my nostrils, and she scrambles away from the SUV as quickly as she can.

Laying Brianna down in the back of the van, I look her over, looking for signs of what harm has befallen her. No bite marks on her neck. No scratches, no holes at all, as far as I can see.

All her pain, it seems, is coming from her pelvis. Her thighs, stained with blood.

“Who hurt you?” I press a soft kiss to her lips, wishing her dark eyes would open and I could be sure she’s okay, that she wants this claim as badly as I do.

I don’t understand how she could have already given birth, how Finley could be caring for our baby, our daughter, when I’m certain it hasn’t been more than a week since she went missing.

I have so many questions, and none I’ll have answers to until I have Brianna, whole, back in my arms. Back in my bed. And, it seems, the only way to make sure I do that is to cause her more pain.

“I’m so sorry, mate. I promise, I will worship your body, chase away all memories of pain, as soon as you wake up.” I press another kiss to her lips before I shift her shirt down off her shoulder and let my teeth extend.

My dragon wants to rub all over her, to taste her as she comes for us, to make her scream my name in pleasure, in need. And it would be all too easy to let him, with how tenuous my hold still is on the beast, even having my mate here in my arms.

But I can’t do that. I can’t hurt her more, and I can’t expect her to even want me until she’s healed from everything she’s suffered since she left.

Instead, I focus on the things I can do.

Holding her hand.

Breathing in her scent as I lean close.

Tasting her skin, just before I bite down and let the magic of our mating flow between us, giving her my dragon’s strength, my dragon’s healing ability.

I just hope that I’m not unintentionally giving her my dragon’s craze at the same time or killing her with my claim.

Brianna gasps, tensing in my arms, and it’s almost enough to break the biting hold I have on her. Every dragon I know has made their claim during sex, at the height of passion, of need, of connection with their mate, so I’m not even entirely certain my claim will take, if we’re not connected that way.

If it doesn’t, I’ll claim her again. And again. As many times as it takes to make sure she heals, to make sure I get to keep her.

“Declan.” My name on her lips is barely a whisper, and I slowly pull away from her neck to look down at her.

The puncture wounds I made are already healing, and as she flutters her eyes open, I feel her consciousness fill my mind, twisting and entwining with my own.

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