Page 24 of The Exiled Dragon

I wanted her to wiggle in another way, with pleasure I would always promise to give. “I was thinking,” she spoke again. Gods, what was she going to tell me now? Her plans to leave? “Once my ankle is better, do you think it would be okay if I stayed here with you?” Her fingers clenched my braids. My heart stopped, but my breathing picked up.

Odessa wants to stay? Feeling my beast rolling his eyes in my body was new. My heart turned over several times before my grip lessened on her body.

“Prince Charming, don’t leave me hanging here,” she whispered into my chest. Odessa wasn’t trying to look up at me any longer. Were we really afraid of each other this much? I grunted, moving back so my eyes could adjust. I could see her perfectly round face in the dark, each tangle in her hair, each lash near her amethyst eyes.

“Yes,” my Dragon spoke for me.

“Really?” Her sleepy eyes gleamed at me. Half my face curled into a smile, letting out a little squeal as she nuzzled back into my chest. “Thank you. I promise I’ll help with everything. Wash the furs, cook dinner…” She yawned. Odessa continued to talk, turning into mumbles and from mumbles to random words until she fell asleep. This time I followed her. I wrapped my body around her to not only keep her warm and safe but to let her body know she was mine and I wasn’t about to give her up. The last thing I remember was my Dragon’s tail wrapping around her leg while we drifted asleep.

Chapter Seventeen

Creed

Iwokeupearly.My Dragon was restless for the plans I had for Odessa today. I would travel tomorrow, and who knows what Adam had in store for me or how long I would stay. Was it just a meeting to talk about my downfalls of the tribe? How much of a failure was I to protect our family when I was surveying the portal to our world that day? That my Dragon should have known there was a danger to be had in our own tribe? These little talks have happened before, and it will not be the last.

My Dragon let the smoke blow through my nostrils. Waving away the white smoke, I prepared the last bit of my surprise. Odessa gave me the ultimate gift last night, wanting to stay in my cave. She didn’t say for how long or if she planned to stay forever, but she was staying. I had more time with her for her to heal, not just her outward scars but her internal ones.

Odessa stirred in the furs; her little moans while stretching her body were doing something to me. My body reacted to her in ways I didn’t fully understand, having never spent time with the opposite sex besides Amora, and I never saw her as anything more than just a sister. No, Odessa made my scales feel like fire crackling across them.

It disappointed me when she wouldn’t take her clothes off to bathe. Not only did I want to see the extent of her healing scars and wounds, but in all honesty I wanted to see how beautiful she was. Her kind must not openly bathe in front of each other, or maybe she found my own body hideous. She was just too stunned to want to take off her clothes. My Dragon growled in disagreement again until Odessa’s back arched in the sheets for a moment, then sat up.

“I’m sorry! I overslept, didn’t I?” Standing at the now large worktable I had erected in our cave, I shook my head. Picking her up out of the nest, I put her down gently. Odessa bore weight on her ankle and walked normally.

“Look at that! I guess the stinky stuff works.” She giggled as she walked to the back of the cave. Once she arrived back in the main area, I handed her the scrap of leather I had been working on. It was a note, the longest I had ever written, and it took me ages to write, explaining to her my plans for leaving. Once she read the first part of my note, her lip stuck out, forming a larger bottom lip. Fists tightening, my body reacted heatedly. Why did I want it in my mouth so much?

“Where are you going?” The graceful voice sounded so broken-hearted, that it pulled me out of my trance. Tapping the leather with my finger again, she looked down to finish reading.

“A tribe? There are more of you?!” Her eyes widened. “Can I come!?” I shook my head again and tapped down back at the leathers. She was certainly feeling better.

“Too dangerous,” she read. “Wait.” Her eyebrows furrowed. “Why don’t you live with them in a tribe instead of this cave?” My chest rose heavily, my Dragon expressing his anger.

“It’s okay!” Odessa petted my chest. “Big ‘ole Dragon doesn’t have to tell me anything. Just go to your meeting and come back safe!” She beamed back at me without an ounce of judgment. Immediately, my forehead went to hers, clinging to her sides with my hands around her shoulders. My Dragon instantly sang, being recognized. Odessa laughed again and went back to reading.

“You are taking me out!” She jumped, almost dropping the leather. “Wait? Is it safe?” Her voice became a whisper, and I threw my head back and laughed. My Dragon even blew smoke at the large emotion he felt. Does she not think I could protect her?

Taking my vest off, I showed her my genuine power. My black scales rippled across my chest, my body armor shining before the torches of the cave. My arms went to flex, showing her my muscles. Now she cannot ask if it is safe because I would protect her, me, and my Dragon.

Odessa’s eyes grew wide with admiration, along with that red tint to her cheeks. “I guess you don’t need a button,” she drawled. Her finger went to touch my chest but paused halfway. Stepping forward, I had her feel the scales beneath her fingertips. “It’s so weird. For me, I tingle when I touch you. Right now, it tingles the most. Do Dragons do that?” I shrugged my shoulders, unsure how to answer her question because I felt it too and did not know why.

Visiting with Amora would be a top priority, and it would be difficult with Adam present. My hidden note was written and put away securely, praying Amora could read English.

“Is this my surprise? Because this is pretty cool.” Shaking my head, my scales rippled back into my body. Today was going to be special because I was going to show her what she asked me since she knew about who I really am. My Dragon.

Odessa was my beautiful flower, and all beautiful flowers needed sun. My cloak she was to wear was full of my scent. I often used it going into markets to hide my face and not draw attention to myself. It will engulf her entire body, leaving nothing but the smell of my Dragon and his smoke. No Vampire could smell through that.

Odessa

Creed dressed me up like we were going into a blizzard. He stood before me, observing the cloak he put on my body. With the heat coming off him, I couldn’t imagine him ever using it. I shrugged my shoulders and agreed to wear it. I used my arms to wrap it around my body and just smiled sweetly, saying thank you.

Creed held his hand out, lacing his large fingers into my tiny ones, almost stretching the heckers out of them. But I liked it too much to stop. Once I saw the light at the end of the cave, my eyes closed halfway, and my hand shielded my eyes. It was so bright I forgot what the sun or suns even looked like.

Looking in the distance, the grass was deep green, and the birds sang in the trees. Frost had covered the grass, but it didn’t take away from the healthy, rich life it gave out. “I haven’t had time to look at nature since coming here. I was too busy running. Are we going on a hike?” Creed squinted an eye. Must not be a term he was familiar with. “A walk?” Nodding, he pulled my arm. I didn’t watch what direction we were going, completely trusting the Dragon man beside me.

He led me down a slight slope. We were heading down the mountain in the same direction I had come from. My heart banged in my chest, my palms becoming sweaty. Prince Charming wouldn’t take me back. He liked me. He said I could stay. The terrible fear that one of those Vampires sitting at the bottom waiting for me still frightened me.

Creed’s thumb ran over my knuckles. His eyes softened when he realized I was having a mild panic attack. He used his free arm to flex his biceps, and I burst into a fit of laughter. Right, right, he was there to protect me. Doi!

Fluffy flew past us, running down the slow decline in the mountain, his tail waving around, gaining his balance. Then he came to an abrupt stop, rolling around with another animal. Guess we didn’t feed him this morning.

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