Page 18 of Smoke and Moon

Liekki was too perceptive not to sense the situation at hand, and most likely, he could smell the heady sulfuric scent Aodh’s dragon was putting out.The beast was staking its claim to all.

Now that Aodh had returned and seen him in place guarding Kai’s sister, it was more than likely Liekki would order sentries to stand guard at the two entrances at the bottom of the stairs.They wouldn’t allow anyone but Tana or Liekki to pass.

Aodh walked into their suite and shut the door behind them.He patted Kai firmly on her ass to rouse her, the jostling having lulled her to sleep.

She looked up, then around, taking in their new surroundings.“Wow.”

When she met his gaze, he said, “Kai...it’s time.”

~YH~

“How is this supposed to work?”

Aodh stood before her by the door to their suite, slipped his hands around hers, and squeezed firmly.“Breathe, little flame.”

The touch of Aodh’s strong hands on hers stopped her from wringing them.Kai thought she was doing an excellent job of hiding her nervousness about meeting Aodh’s dragon, but apparently, how she felt was evident.

She inhaled slowly and offered him a smile, but the twitching at the corners of her mouth let him know it was weak.“I’m good.”

He cocked a brow but didn’t disagree with her.“You are.”

Linking his hand in one of hers, he tugged her behind him as he moved toward the center of the front room.

She followed him without resistance but couldn’t help but glance at the couch as they passed it.Her knees felt a little liquid after the mind-blowing sex she had with Aodh in the forest and the speed of his movements back to the building.Aodh hadn’t even broken a sweat or appeared to strain as he carried not only his heavy-ass sword but her and all her curves—he’d done it with ease.Now that she knew her sister was safe and protected back in the Thunder and the hum of great sex was in her body, the rhythmic pace of Aodh’s light jog shockingly lulled her to sleep.

It had taken her and Eilidh over an hour to get to the meeting grounds, and Kai’s arms burned the entire way as she did more dragging of the impressive sword than carrying it on her shoulder where it had weighed her down.She wasn’t sure how long it took Aodh to get them back.

Once they were standing close to the spacious center, away from the couch, he stopped and faced her.“This is the best place for you to stand.”

Kai glanced around.The couch was too far to dart behind quickly, the dining room table seemed even further, and to make it to the closet would be possible only if she could move in a puff of black smoke like the two pale ones on the council.

“You will be alright, Kai.”Aodh cupped her cheek.

Staring up at the wall of a man before her, she met his gaze.“What if he decides he doesn’t like me?Doesn’t think I’m good enough to claim?”

There was a beat before Aodh responded, and a brief shadow crossed his turquoise-opal eyes as if she pondered the results of that possibility, but he blinked, and it was gone.“Trust me, little flame, when I say my dragon is eager to meet you.”

She licked her lips.“And you will still be here?”

“I’ll be right here with you.He is me.”

“Can I talk to you...him—?”Confused, Kai cut off her own words.

He shook his head.“No.Our beasts do not speak.Not in the way you would think.But he can communicate, and eventually, you will learn to understand it.”

“Okay.”Kai’s mind raced with many questions about the dragon, but she felt she was running out of time to ask.

“This is only the first meet.”

Aodh slipped his hand around her neck and pulled her into him.His kiss was powerful but brief.

Kai inhaled the smoked-cinnamon aroma that clung to Aodh and let it calm her racing heart.She reminded herself that the dragon would be the man she cared about.The man with whom she was falling in love.

Regardless of her anxiety, she was also ready to meet his beast.If she had to go through the dragon to be Aodh’s mate, she would brave it.After breathing deep, she stepped back and tipped up her chin.She met Aodh’s eyes.“Let’s do this.”

A small cerulean-violet flame, a combination of joy and lust, danced briefly in his gaze as he offered her a broad smile.

His confidence in her made Kai’s heart swell with pride.Having him believe in her did something to Kai.She wanted to prove to him that she could be the woman he needed by his side.He didn’t need someone like the fierce, lissome Ninki, and he’d have her.Her father was a military man, a soldier, and that same intrepidness ran in her blood.

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