Page 11 of Tease Me

The demon dragon screeched and dove away from the angry orchard and straight at Fleur.

“Fleur, no.” Steele yelled and found his last bit of strength. He ran and jumped, collided with the demon dragon in mid-air, rolling to the ground at Fleur’s feet. Steele lifted his legs and double barrel kicked the demon away from Fleur.

The demon dragon moved back only a little and lashed out at Steele. It was much bigger than he was now and easily threw him into the entrance where the women stood. The beast had torn his human flesh, ripping his chest open.

He slid down the door and onto his back leaving a streak of blood behind him. He’d happily give his life, his short 150 years, to have saved Fleur.

But there would be no dying this day. Until the final demon dragon was defeated, he would protect Fleur.

For reasons he could not explain he only focus was to make sure she was unharmed. He didn’t understand the feelings driving him to keep her safe, he only obeyed them with all of his might.

He couldn’t feel any pain. His limbs wouldn’t work, no matter how his mind yelled at them to get up, to defend Fleur. He swallowed and blood bubbled from his lips.

He heard the crack of bones as the remaining women shifted. Before his next ragged breath, they’d ripped the demon dragon’s throat out. It dissolved into smoke, dropping the soul shard.

Fleur snagged it from the ground. The night lit up even brighter than before, turning the dark into a brilliant green day. He felt the shard’s power skim over his soul, and a new knowledge flowed through him.

His beautiful Fleur.

All he could do was stare up at the beauty that was his true mate.

His true mate.

A gift from the First Dragon.

She knelt beside him, pushed his tattered clothing aside, and assessed his wounds. “Dear Gods of Olympus. You’re bleeding everywhere.”

He tried to smile, to soothe her from the coming pain. “I’m sorry, little flower. Please forgive me.”

She ripped his shirt, pressing the bundle of cloth over the bloodiest of his wounds. “For bleeding? I don’t think you can help that.” She wiped her arm across her forehead, pushing the hair out of her eyes, but leaving a streak of his blood. “Don’t worry, help will be here soon. Selena called her family. The Troika men and the enforcers will be here any minute.”

Mine. His dragon clawed from inside, needing to claim his mate, needing to be reassured she hadn’t been harmed or tainted by the demon dragons.

But even the power of the most feral, animalistic part of his being withered. Some piece of him he hadn’t even known existed until tonight, was missing.

“No, little flower. For leaving you when we’ve only come together.”

He expected tears from her, but he got narrowed eyes glaring down at him instead. “Oh no you don’t.”

He hadn’t even properly claimed, her, hadn’t marked her as his. One final kiss from her would have to be enough, but his lips and tongue weren’t working.

No, damn it. He couldn’t leave her. She was his to love and protect. The very depths of his core screamed out, reaching for her.

His vision faded, tunneling until all he saw was her pretty face.

How could he protect her from the demon dragons, from anything in her world that might hurt her, if he died? First Dragon, hear his plea. Don’t let him leave her alone and in danger.

The tunnel tightened to only her eyes, glowing for him, and finally darkness.

CHAPTER FOUR

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