Page 19 of Emerald Waves
Goddess above, thank you for this wonderful man and a second chance at life.
It was still dark outside, but once my mind was up, so was I. As quietly as I could, I slid from Caro’s warm embrace and immediately regretted it. But sliding back beside him would likely wake the sleeping angel. Funny to call a fierce protector such a gentile name, but as I watched him sleep it was the one word that came to mind other than…
Love.
His words were true, once a dragon accepted their mate there was no turning back. Insta love is what the romance novels on the living room shelves would deem what we have. Would he think less of me as a historian for reading such musings?
He will love us no matter our faults.
Yes, dragon, I’m certain you’re correct.Though I still had my doubts. Was it possible for a mate to one day wake from the honeymoon period and wonder how they got shackled to such a loser as I?
I dressed to go downstairs and gather the most precious pieces of my horde to move to Caro’s. But first detoured up to the roof, quickly assessing the damage from my dragon’s rescue. All of which had been repaired as good as new, the scent of fresh paint barely noticeable.
How would I remain worthy of his care and compassion?
Don’t go there. We are not our past and letting it dictate our present or future would be to our detriment.
Too right you are, dragon.But how does one break this habit?
“Now where did I put that?” There was a document on mating I’d come across when Alex and Ionus were curious about their own journey, but none of it referred to the protectorsthemselves. I’d planned to double check that and start a journal of my own depicting what each mate to the five of them felt throughout the bonding process. Nothing sexual would be noted, just the exchange of magic and those sorts of pertinent learnings.
Oh, and talk to Alex about his pregnancy and egg laying. “Yes, yes, must do that.”
“Must do what?”
“Eeep!” I grabbed my chest as though that would slow my heartrate. “You scared the bezesus out of me.”
Caro smiled and I wondered if I’d ever seen him do that before. Such a beautifully entrancing expression.
“You okay? You zoned out on me.”
“Oh, erm, uh huh.”
“Right,” he grinned again. Had I not been seated I’d likely have swooned and fell to the floor. Again. “Here are a cup of coffee and a reheated breakfast that came with our order last night. I’m assuming you hadn’t yet eaten?” An assuming brow cocked, already knowing the answer.
“You assume correctly. My mind ran wild with all the information I wanted to document from last night.”
“I sincerely hope our sex life won’t be in a Dragon 101 course?”
“Oh my, oh no, no, no.” I shook my head. The thought alone sent my anxiety wild. “Not the intimate parts of mating but the bond and magical exchanges. Nothing’s been documented about the protectors, and this is very important for future generations, nieces and nephews, anyone….” Caro’s lips hushed my incessant rambles. “Um, sorry.”
“No need to apologize, but it is good to know how easily I can get you back on track.” I took a sip of coffee to keep from spouting off more nonsense. “My brothers are on their way with the vans to begin the moving process.” Caro glanced around. “Is anything ready to go.”
“Shoot, that’s what I actually came down here for and got sidetracked.” Story of my life. “Let me gather them.”
“Emerson, I don’t mean to alarm you but aren’t you the slightest bit concerned we’re not still in bed riding out your heat?”
That familiar record scratch humans spoke of, well, I just experienced it for the first time.
“Shit.”
“Shit indeed,” Caro grinned and kissed the top of my head. “I’ll start packing.” Dare I say he was elated at the prospect of my being with egg and only one day into our relationship?
Dear Goddess, what the hell have we done? The poor entity would surely tire of my calling out to her as much as I was.
There should be more documentation on heats and how to control them. Actually, there was, but until you lived through your first one with your mate, well, I guess you haven’t really lived.
Either that or the protectors only fired fully loaded eggs and shot no blanks into their mates.
