Page 24 of Captured By the Dragon Warlord
“What is this connection?” I ask, wondering why Kerra never mentioned anything about the Sarkarnii being able to hear thoughts. “How does it work?”
“I’m not sure,” Dexx growls. “I have not rutted before.”
Okay, so there’s something I’m going to have to unpack very carefully, but perhaps not today. It’s clear Dexx hasn’t a clue about how the whole mating thing works, and neither do I. He’s a warlord, he’s just lost two warriors to what was, essentially, an industrial accident, and he thinks he’s got to dothingswith me in order to cure his entire crew from the need to be dragons for twelve hours a day.
None of it is my problem.
Except…
“Perhaps if I did things the hoo-man way?” he suggests, sliding out his legs and allowing his arms to drop by his side. He rolls his head to look at me. “Get you a date?” he suggests. “I can’t stop my rut, but I can do what you want me to do.”
The rut. Whatever he thinks it is, I know from what Kerra told us, an unrequited rut can result in a Sarkarnii male going mad. It happened to Darax’s brother, Deus, who has disappeared entirely.
No pressure then.
Thing is, even after what he did, I don’t dislike Dexx. Not now I sort of know him a little.
Maybe this is worth a shot. And it’s not like I have anywhere else I need to be. And given he decided to steal me, use me, and lie to me, perhaps I can also have a bit of fun.
“Fine,” I say, and Dexx visibly relaxes. “But let’s get the rules clear.”
“Rules?” he rasps. “There are rules?”
“I’m sure you’ve never followed a rule in your life, but if you want to rut for me, then you’re going to have to follow them.”
DEXX
Ilook down to where we are joined. The whole thing feels very, very strange. It’s not something I’ve done before. Not just because I haven’t rutted for a female but in all my interactions with them. This is not the Sarkarnii way.
Scarlett’s hand is curled up in mine, her fingers laced through my calloused fingers.
I can’t deny, it also feels…good.
Although the fact we’re walking together, through theSteel Jewelto the dining hall, through hallways filled with warriors, makes the whole thing somewhat odd.
I think I’m growling more than ever.
“Do you need to growl so much?” Scarlett asks.
“Was it one of the rules?” I sigh.
There were a lot of rules. This one about the hand thing doesn’t seem to mean anything, although Scarlett seems happy about it.
“No.” She inclines her head, exposing her long neck and some of her soft skin. “It wasn’t, but perhaps keep it to a minimum?”
A warrior walks past, stares at our hands, and causes a fresh gush of smoke from me along with a low snarl.
“Not going to be possible,” I say through gritted teeth.
I attempt to concentrate on her neck and skin, working out the best place for my claiming bite, if and when she decides to let me claim her.
I feel it may be a long way off.
We reach the dining hall. It’s relatively empty, and I lift a silent thanks to the ancestors, who presumably are laughing their wings off at my current predicament.
If I’d been honest from the start with Scarlett, there might be more mating and fewerrules.
So, this is entirely my fault. Especially as, despite my earlier confusion, I am most definitely in rut for her. I can’t seem to stop my hips from flicking, my desire to shed is ramping up to a peak, and as for my cock, it hasn’t stopped throbbing since Scarlett started outlining therules.
