Page 46 of Seducing the Dragon
Now, do it now or I’ll make you do it.
STOP. If you take control, you might hurt her.
Never.
“Bram? Are you okay?”
Evie’s voice broke through his thoughts. The split-second distraction allowed him to stash his beast to the back of his mind again. “It’s my dragon. I don’t know how much longer I can keep him back. His usual restraint and logical brain are gone.”
“What can I do to help? Anything?”
He pushed gently against her lower back. “Just keep walking and talking. I’ll have to let him out to shift into my dragon form, so I just need to contain him until we reach the takeoff area.”
“We’re traveling by dragon? How? I somehow doubt you have a saddle or harness I can just strap on and ride you like a giant, flying horse.”
Despite everything going on, he smiled. “Even if I did, I don’t think I’d trust you with the reins.”
She slapped his chest with the back of her hand. “Be serious and tell me.”
His dragon was trying to force his way out again. He gritted his teeth and said, “While carrying a dragon-shifter in human-form is rare, it does happen. Especially when a dragonman or woman is injured. We have a large basket with handles to carry them. You’ll step into the basket and I’ll pick you up with my talons once I’m in the air.”
“A basket? You mean like the ones used for hot air balloons?”
Clever lass.“Yes, it’s very similar. I hope you’re not afraid of heights because this is the fastest way for me to take you to safety.”
Even in the faint light of the moon, he could see her wry look. “Just don’t play tricks and ‘drop me’ so you can catch me again. I’m not a fan of roller coasters, and I may be sick all over your dragonhide.” She frowned. “What color dragon are you, by the way? I’m supposed to mate you, yet I have no idea.”
His inner beast poked out.Let me take over and show her. Words are not enough. I will protect her.
With a growl, he forced his dragon back again and squeezed Evie’s soft sides. Even through her cloak, he could feel the warmth radiating from her body. The touch helped him to focus. “Blue. I reckon you could call it a cerulean blue, which is the best kind.”
Evie’s voice was light. “I don’t know about that. I always fancied the purple ones myself.”
Blue is better. Let me show her.
Stop it. We’re nearly to the takeoff area. Let me explain more to our female so she isn’t afraid of us.
Quickly. There is danger everywhere while we remain here. You may think you can protect her, but a dragon can do it better. I am stronger. This is a fact.
Shut it.“Evie, under normal circumstances, I love when you tease me. But right now, love, I’m close to losing control. Every time you mention how another dragon is better, it drives mine a bit crazier. Until you’re safe, we need to feed his ego. Can you do that?”
She leaned against him and his inner beast’s attempts to break free lessened just a tad. “Then make sure he knows that while it’s a bit selfish of me, I’m glad you’re the one taking me to safety. I know it’s odd considering I only met you the other day, but whenever you’re near, I feel safe.”
The words warmed his heart. “I feel the same way, lass, and once all of this is over, I plan to mate you in front of the entire clan so I never have to let go of you.”
“Bram.”
Squeezing her tightly against his side as they walked, he picked up his pace. It was going to be hard enough to leave her in the morning. He’d best treasure what time he had. After all, he would do whatever it took to rescue wee Murray from the dragonhunters, even if it meant leading a team himself on a raid. There was always a possibility he could die.
Not that he’d mention that to Evie, at least until his dragon was under better control. He needed her to not only tame his dragon, but also to pick apart her brain. If he told her about his plans to rescue Murray, she would argue and be unwilling to do what needed to be done so he could focus.
Luckily, she remained silent during the last few minutes of their walk. They approached the takeoff area and headed for the covered space next to Sid’s surgery-slash-cottage. Once Sid’s staff finished preparing the basket for his female, he’d have to hand over control to his dragon. He only hoped Evie could handle him in dragon form. His beast was in no mood to be polite or restrained.
Evie watchedas the two teenage dragon-shifters finished preparing the large basket for her use. While a bit larger than the type of baskets used for hot air balloons, the rectangular shape was similar. Well, except for the large, metal upright handles attached to the two longest sides of the contraption.
Since Bram hadn’t released her since they’d left Mel and Tristan’s cottage, she snuggled against him. “Are you sure they’ll hold? Your talons are sharp and could rip the basket to pieces with one wrong move.”
Much as his voice had been since leaving the cottage, it was tight with restraint. She wondered how much longer he could control his dragon. “I would never hurt you. Barring a high tech laser cutting through the material, it’ll hold.”
