Page 102 of Total Eclipse of the Moon
It nodded and held out its wrist that had a foot-long cut deep through the scales into the flesh. As she moved closer, she noticed the lesion oozed a terrible-smelling greenish gunk. The dragon said, "I was stung."
"By what?"
"Does it matter? It’s not from this world."
She shook her head. "Guess not."
With a few shaky breaths for courage, she took the steps needed to close the distance to them. Before touching, she asked, "Is it okay for me to touch you?"
The dragon inclined its huge head once.
Her hand over the lesion and closed her eyes. She envisioned the cut to be sealed. The warmth of power gearing up spread through her. Only when she felt the energy dissipate did she know her part in this was done. And only then did she open her eyes.
The dragon removed its arm from her touch and massaged its wrist. Its words still came out stilted. "Appreciation. You good at this. My cousin say nice things about you."
"I’ve never helped an ice dragon before."
"Cousin isn’t an ice dragon." The dragon tilted its head to stare at her with only one eye. "Why you are upset? Perhaps we fix problem as a token?"
"I’m fine. It’s personal."
"A matter of hurt heart, then?" It blinked slowly, mesmerizing her with its swirling multicolored irises. Was it trying to hypnotize her? "Tell me of it."
"No offense, but we don’t know each other. I’m not sure I want to be discussing my problems with a dragon I met a few minutes ago. I don’t know your name."
"I’m Ximor." Its head shot upward to look beyond her. The scales around its head rose up like hackles on a dog.
She whirled around. Something was moving fast along the shore. She squinted into the dark, seeing no more than a blur. Shane? She couldn’t make sense of him here, surging toward her. Moments later he had her in his arms. She buried her face in him to smell. God, he smelled so good. His shoulders were just as wide as she recalled, dwarfing her and engulfing her. And his embrace just as wonderful.
He shook as he held her, fine tremors racking his body. His gaze was frantic. "Why are these dragons here? Are you leaving? Are you okay? Did you get hurt lifting the curse? What did you have to give up to be here right now? I’m sorry for whatever I said. What happened?"
As far as romantic reunions went, it wasn’t all that. But it was something.
Growling noises rose in the background. Before she could point out Shane was a friend to Ximor, Baku transformed to his dragon self and growled back. There was a rapid exchange between dragons, and all noises ceased.
She said, "You shouldn’t be down here. These ice dragons can be dangerous. Why are you here?"
"Because I love you and I won’t let them take you away." He remained focused on her, as if blocking out everything else around them.
"I wasn’t going to leave." That was the truth. "I thought about it. You acted like you didn’t want me. But I’m done running from things."
"Whatever I said or did, forget it. Maybe I was dreaming. Definitely confused. There’s not a moment of my life I wouldn’t want you here. I thought you died. When I woke up for real just now, I wasn’t sure how I was going to keep going. This is all a shock. You’re alive and is that…" Shane’s mouth fell open as he took in Baku. "What in the name of all that’s holy?"
"You look weird seeing you from this side," Baku said, now in his dragon form.
He released her and backed up fast until he tripped and landed with his butt on the grassy shoal. "Who are you? Baku?" Shane scrambled up, not that it was graceful, and he wobbled twice. "You’re not allowed back in my head. I don’t want to fight you, but I will."
Baku ambled forward and chuffed him in the shoulder. "Proud you survived, idiot. More so that you love her and aren’t pussy enough to deny it any longer."
Shane backed away. "You are not allowed back inside me. You hop back in here and this time I will off myself. I’m making my life with Madeline and you don’t get to be that kind of part of it."
"I have a new job." Baku held up a finger as if to put his conversation with Shane on pause. He faced the other dragons. "I think her work is done and now she has her personal matter to attend to. Dragon stone, please, and go." Baku wiggled his fingers as he held out his hand.
Ximor bowed his head and handed him a stone. "Thank you." Moments later all the dragons disappeared.
Baku transformed back to the cat and deposited the stone at her feet.
Shane blinked. His gaze remained fixated on the small furry beast now sitting on top of Madeline’s feet. "Is he… How is he nowthat?"
