Page 40 of Storm of Blood and Shadow

I laugh again, because I’m standing. Onhuman legs. I’m touching the stone with human fingers, and I can feel the variegated texture of the rock, the slight clamminess of itssurface. The breeze from the sea pours over my new skin, brisk and cool, raising tiny bumps all over me.

Tears collect in my eyes, and I let myself shed them silently, even as I smile.

This is beautiful. This is incredible. I’ve always loved human bodies, and now I have one.

I focus on Jessiva as she stands in the entrance of the cave, watching me. She’s poised unconsciously, gracefully. Every glorious curve and angle of her body is so precious to my heart that I want to roar with the joy of witnessing her perfection. Her scarlet braid drapes her shoulder, its end a spiral curl. I can touch it now, that beautiful hair. I’ll be able to feel it—to feelher. I’ll be able to do all the wonderful things she can do.

An impulsive question leaves my lips. “Will you teach me to dance?”

12

Of all the possibilities in the world, I could never have conceived of this.

The sleek black dragon who stole me from my home is standing before me in human form, his brown eyes alight, asking me to teach him to dance.

He can barely stand. He hasn’t even walked yet.

Sweet dragon, whispers my heart.Darling dragon…But I cut that line of thinking short. I can’t get attached. Every time I’ve allowed myself to start hoping for love and a futurewith someone, he has grown bored of me and moved on—or demanded something of me that I wasn’t willing to give.

“We have a saying among humans,” I tell Varex. “You have to walk before you can run. And you should also learn to walk before you dance.”

He takes a moment to ponder that. “I suppose you’re right. But this is all very exciting, isn’t it?”

“Aren’t you worried that you might be a human forever?” I glance at the ledge and the ocean beyond. “If this is permanent, you and I might starve to death in here. Which will be anything but exciting.”

His expression turns introspective, and he leans against the cave wall, looking at his hands. “I don’t think the change is permanent. My dragon body and my void magic still exist, but it’s as if they are on the other side of a wall. I can sense them, but they’re locked away.”

“I suppose that’s some comfort.” With a sigh, I collect the food he brought and plop down near the cave mouth, staring into the blue and lavender dusk.

As I begin to eat, I hear Varex shuffling around behind me. I think he’s trying to walk, but I don’t watch, because I don’t want to embarrass him. Eventually he makes his way to me and sits down carefully, copying my posture.

I look at him sidelong, chewing a piece of roasted wild carrot. A warm smile spreads across his face as he surveys me, like he’s perceiving me on a whole new level.

“May I?” he asks, reaching for the carrot.

I hand it over, and he bites into it. His brows furrow in concentration as he chews. It’s cute, and I smile in spite of myself.

“These are much softer after being cooked,” he comments. “I like the alteration in texture and flavor. Imagine how many things I’ll be able to taste now! Can I learn to cook?”

“Easy.” I laugh a little. “This isn’t necessarily a good thing, you being human. Like I said, how will you fly us out of here? How will you take me back to the mainland? Why did the sorceress do this? What does she— Varex, what are you doing?”

He has shifted his body to face me and he’s leaning in, his breath fluttering across my lips. “Something I’ve seen humans do.”

“While they were naked and you were spying on them?” I try to sound harsh, but my voice comes out mild and breathless.

“Yes.” His lips graze mine. “Open your mouth, darling.”

A helpless thrill runs over me, and I do as he asks.

“Pretty little teeth,” he whispers. “Everything about you is perfect.”

I know for a fact that while my upper teeth are decent, my lower teeth are quite crooked, including one snaggletooth that has always made me feel self-conscious. I start to comment on it, to tell him I’mnotperfect, but he puts out his tongue and slides it between my lips.

He isn’t even kissing me yet. He’s barely touching my lips with his, and somehow that makes the questing entrance of his tongue into my mouth even more erotic. A tingling heat flares between my legs as I touch his tongue with the tip of mine.

He presses in, confirming the kiss, sealing it. It’s a short kiss, not nearly enough. He leans back, and I’m left there, flushed and needy, mouth open.

Varex grins. “You liked it.”

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