Page 37 of Dallas

Voices rang out from inside the cave, and moments later we saw Owen, Leslie, Isla and the other witches running out to greet us. The witches threw their arms about Callie and marveled at how well she’d healed, while Owen patted my neck.You did well, his dragon told mine, and I inclined my head in thanks.

“What happened down there?” Leslie called up to Hecate, who was still holding on tight. She hadn’t moved a muscle since we’d reached the peak.

“Too much to explain all at once,” she admitted, finally sliding free. I realized I was disappointed when she did—for a moment, I thought we might fly together. I could feel how much she wanted to do it.

Yet the moment passed as even more familiar faces—and some unknown to me—approached from inside the cave. Cash, Miles, Gate, their mates. Martina, Mary’s daughter, took Gate’s hand as they greeted us.

“Come. You two look as though you need a shower,” Cash offered, gesturing to Hecate and Callie. “Something to eat and drink, too, I would imagine.”

Callie joined Iris and Electra, the three of them chattering happily as the group made their way back into the cave and through what I imagined would be a long tunnel taking them down to the living quarters. Just as our cave had been designed.

Hecate, however, stayed behind. She held out my clothes. “You’ll need these.” Placing them on the ground at her feet, she turned around—but did not move to join the others, who had already all but disappeared.

She had something to say. I could sense it even after I shifted back to my human body, even once my senses dulled compared to those of the dragon.

I kept a wary eye on her as I dressed, then announced when I’d finished. “You can turn around now.”

She did. And when she did, she was beaming. “You did this for us.”

“Did what?”

“You know what. You took a tremendous risk for our sake. Mine, Callie’s. You didn’t have to do that.”

I hooked my thumbs into my pockets. “I did it to get us out of that cave, and to have this entire nightmare over with. Nothing more.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her smile didn’t fade. “That’s not true. See? It works both ways. How does it feel, knowing I can sense your thoughts just as you can sense mine?”

“It doesn’t thrill me, to be honest.”

“At least you’re being honest.” When I rolled my eyes skyward, she held her hands out palm-first. “All right, no more teasing. It’s only that… now… something is different…”

I watched as she struggled to get the words out. It would have been fitting, after all she’d put me through, to let her continue to struggle. To watch as embarrassment colored her cheeks.

But I loved her. She was mine, all of her, even the bits that drove me to the brink of insanity. She would always be mine. I would always take risks for her sake.

I took a step closer, aware that I was still mud-streaked and likely stank like—well, like a creature which had just spent hours exerting itself. She did not pull back.

“So you know I did it for you,” I whispered, which seemed to break through her indecision over what to say.

“Yes! Yes, I know you did.” She leaned in, placing tentative hands on my chest.

“And how does that make you feel?” I asked, watching in wonder as everything fell into place. I could feel it. There were no longer any barriers between us. Like the clouds which had finally broken, leaving the sun shining through, broke apart between us, too.

“Like… you must truly care about me.” She bit her lip as soon as she said it, still uncertain.

“How can you doubt it?” I cupped her cheek in my palm, and she leaned into my touch. “I acted out of hurt, I admit, but never for a moment did it take away from my caring for you. From my loving you.”

“You love me?” she whispered, her eyes widening, darting over my face. Her pulse quickened.

I ran my hand down her throat and felt the way it raced.

“I do. Not just because of my dragon, either. I love how you love. Fiercely, deeply. I love how protective you are of those fortunate enough to be loved by you. I love that you even tried to protect your mother by making it seem as though you held me back from sharing my blood because you hated me and my kind.”

“I couldn’t start a war.”

“I know that now. I wish you had let me in sooner. I wish you had never shielded yourself at all, because you happen to be someone I cannot live without.”

A tear sparkled on her cheek, one which I wiped away with my thumb. “You were so good to her,” she breathed. “So gentle and kind. Generous, too. And you risked yourself for our sake. How can I not love you?”

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