Page 66 of Fire Dragon
She kissed him again, then drew back. “Ask away.”
“Will you marry me?”
Her brows rose. Good. He’d surprised her. Hell, he’d surprised himself. But being her husband and a father to their baby was everything he wanted.
Her expression softened. “Of course, I will. But are you sure?”
He nodded and kissed her. “I love you, Emma. So much.”
“Well, to be perfectly honest, I’ve been crazy about you since we made love a year ago and hot for you for months before that. I love you, too. You’re okay with everything then? About me battling?”
He’d never felt more certain. “I am, no matter what happens today. No regrets. No recriminations.”
She smiled again. “Then let’s go kick some dragon butt and afterward we can celebrate in your bed for as long as you want.”
“Loving the sound of that.”
She leaned into him and he held her tight. Once more, he got lost in kissing her, delving into the softness of her mouth and feeling her tongue exchange all kinds of ideas with his.
~ ~ ~
Without Liam’s energy shield, the grit of the Konbrack wind would have torn Emma to shreds. As it was, she still felt the sting. If anything went wrong, she would be in big trouble.
Liam flew a few dozen yards above the Mud Flats and some twenty miles east of Blue Lake South. The area, thank God, was unpopulated in this part of the valley. It was all reeds, scattered shallow lakes that tended to dry out and turn into sticky sections of tan mud, then miles of cracked earth when the sun grew bright once more. Then the rains would come, and the process repeated. A few long-legged birds with sharp pointed bills worked the earth.
Santos’s voice hit the group com. “The Magi squadron is ten miles out from your position and moving fast. We’re guessing the weapon is supported by the central dragon since the remaining dragons form a diamond pattern front and back as well as above and below.”
This made complete sense to Emma. The good news? Only one weapon.
“There’s more. The radar shows a second squadron moving in from the southeast, though at least five miles distant. No doubt a support team.”
Emma stretched her vision as far as she could, through the heavy, sand-laden wind.
Do you see them?Liam asked, his telepathy directed only toward her.
I do, about the size of a pea on the horizon.You should as well.She’d already completed the mind-capture so that as a dragon-rider, she was one with Liam.
This Konbrack grit is making it tough. Give me a sec.He shifted in the air several times, flying higher, then lower. The wind was strong, but his energy flowed out and around them both.
Even so, she lowered her second eyelids, the ones that would protect her vision no matter what came at them, whether fire or sharp objects, anything short of a bullet. Evolution was a good thing. Liam’s shift to dragon, however, didn’t include the same level of eye protection.
The Magi squadron kept on coming. They’d moved from pea-size to a sizeable turkey-sized lump and closing fast.
I see ‘em.
Good.She was relieved. Liam would need her second-sight to navigate the battle.
Konbracks were rare and no one liked to be out in them.
She held the modified rocket launcher balanced on her hip and secured in place with her kinetic ability. She only had one shot and she would make it count. In her other hand, she held a pistol.
Liam telepathically called out the group orders.Logan, Aidan and Rone, I want your teams on the southern half. Noah, Elijah and Mason, take the north. Divide the upper and lower dragons between you. These are my last group orders. The rest will come through Emma.
Emma heard each ascent, a systematic response practiced through years of battling together.The seven dragons had worked together for decades. They’d fought big battles and minor ones. They knew each other’s habits and preferences. They would all be communicating telepathically, first with each other then their teams.
Each team had fire dragons taking the lead because they’d be able to manage the amplified fire. The other dragons would have to peel away swiftly to avoid getting burned and possibly forced into a shift midair back to human form. This was always a danger since shifting from such a massive form to the compact arrangement of a human, wasn’t a simple process. When forced through collision or the weaponry of battle it could result in unconsciousness, a terrible fall and death.
Emma’s vision tunneled down to the tight formation of the oncoming Magi. She could see a dragon-rider on top of only one dragon and supporting what had to be the formidable weapon that had cost so many lives.This is a first. A dragon-rider.
