Page 23 of Cage Me

Cage wasn't touching anyone. Azynsa was though. And there it was. Kur-Jara's problem, the reason he hadn't already tried to take what he wanted from them, what had him so worked up. The woman Azynsa had wanted so badly to save was also important to Kur-Jara. Was she his mate?

Jett’s strained voice filtered into Cage's head. “His daughter.”

What the fuck?

The Black Dragon family tree was sprouting branches all over the place.

Now that was something to negotiate with.

“Why don't we make a deal? Your girl there, for mine.”

Both Kur-Jara and Azynsa shouted “no” at the same time.

Cage didn't know what Azynsa's connection was with Kur-Jara's daughter, but he would have to override whatever it was for her safety and freedom.

“Don't you even think about it,” she whispered from behind him.

He'd lost his edge if everybody could tell what he was thinking. Fine, on to plan B.

He'd been there when Jakob and Ciara had mated. Both Jakob and Ky had reported that when they first met their mates, their soul shards had glowed, and they had come into more power. Of course, Cage’s own mating was all screwed up because he didn't have his soul shard. He had to believe that the results of the process would produce similar effects.

First Dragon, let this work. Because if it didn't, he was only going to piss Kur-Jara off more and not be able to defend himself or Azynsa.

“Sorry, asshole. You're not getting anyone's soul today.”

Cage pivoted and pulled Azynsa to him. “Forgive me.”

He pushed her hair aside and sunk his teeth into the soft flesh at her neck. Her hands went to his shoulders and gripped him tight. She arched into him, the same way he hoped she would someday soon when he was buried deep inside of her. She moaned low and dug her fingernails into his skin. She tasted of salt and sweet golden honey.

In his mind he thought, “You belong to me and I belong to you. Forever.”

A flash of light exploded from the shard at her throat, but only the two of them felt its power.

He released Azynsa’s collarbone from his bite and saw pearlescent golden scales ripple across her skin. They traveled along her body, upper arms, and through her fingers onto his shoulders.

She jerked her hand away and scowled at him. Then, she slapped him. There was a litany of unspoken words in her eyes.

He nodded, accepting her rebuke and said, “That's my girl.”

He would apologize for her lack of consent in this plan for the rest of his days. Which made him smile, because he knew now they were going to have many days together. She was his mate, and he was hers.

That changed something deep inside of him and the parts that were missing, that he'd given away for nothing more than sex, were now returned.

The scales solidified and hardened on Cage's skin. With each one he felt a pulse of power pushing into his core. Hot wind swirled throughout the cavern, whipping through Azynsa's hair. The wind and the power warmed him like sunshine from the inside out, and with a roar he shifted into a great Gold Dragon.

Chapter Six

Chp 6 – Flipping Your Fins

Cage as a dragon was terrifyingly magnificent.

He spread his wings wide and a full-blown tornado whooshed out of them, tossing the demon dragons across the cavern and splatting into walls.

“Grab the girl and go.”

Kur-Jara shifted into the Black Dragon and spat a stream of fire toward Cage. He screeched like a giant baby-ass demon dragon when his flames were wrapped up by the tornado and extinguished.

“Not without you.” There was no way she could leave him here to sacrifice himself while she got away. That would be too much déjà vu all over again. The Black Dragon was not that much different from a gang leader and Cage was definitely here to serve and protect.

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