Page 64 of Tamed By Air (The Nature Hunters Academy 4)

“Are you my jailer?” Osiris asked the dragon, Kimba, who stood before him. They’d brought him to a cave at the bottom of a massive mountain. He’d managed to use his power to manifest some of his own things from the underworld. Osiris wasn’t sure how he’d been able to do this, considering his position was apparently still up in the air. But he’d brought himself a chair and a bed. Then he’d placed hellfire in a rock firepit that would never go out or need wood to keep burning. It would do for now. At the present, winter ruled over the dragon realm, and he found it a welcome break from the heat he was so accustomed to.

“You came here of your own free will,” she said. “I am not your jailor, and you are not a prisoner.”

“Has anyone else been given such a nice comfortable cave in which to sit and rot?” Osiris unbuttoned his suit jacket and took a seat in the chair, crossing one leg over the other. He attempted to look nonchalant, but he suspected his frazzled nerves showed clearly on his face.

“Everyone has been provided places to rest. It has been a bit of an exhausting day, what with that fun little battle we had against the demons earlier.”

“I’d offer you a seat, but you’re, well, you…” He motioned to her massive body. “And I don’t seem to have an extra chair.”

“I do not require your hospitality, Osiris,” she said. Her voice was even, though her eyes held sadness. “I simply want to talk.”

“What could you possibly have to say to me?” He wanted her to leave. Something about Kimba unsettled him, and he disliked it greatly. “I am no friend to the dragons.”

“You are no friend to anyone,” she said. “That must be a lonely existence.”

He snorted. “Are you some sort of dragon therapist? Are you going to try to understand me, help me get in touch with my emotions, or try to get me to admit all of my wrongs and embrace my guilt?”

She tilted her head, as if she needed to see him from a different angle. “You are a shadow of the man you once were. I will not lie and say that I can forget all of your transgressions. But I hope I can move past it. Deep down”—she paused—“way, way, way down, you’re a good man. Even though you don’t remember.”

Osiris wanted to lash out at her. He wanted to tell her to take a hike and take her opinion of him with her. But he refused to lose control in front of the dragon. Lack of control equated to weakness, and he loathed weakness. “I think you have me confused with someone else.”

“I cannot lie, Osiris. No dragon can.”

He curled his lip back. “There are ways around lies that still hold truth. Believe me, I know. Lies are my specialty. Now, if you don’t mind, I would like some of that rest you mentioned.” He motioned with his hand for her to leave. “I trust you know the way out. If not, it’s that big, gaping hole behind you.”

“I will leave when I am done talking to you.” She watched him, her gaze challenging.

Osiris stood slowly and straightened his jacket. He pulled on the ends of his sleeves beneath the suit. “Do not mistake my calm demeanor for kindness, dragon. I have no qualms about forcing you to leave. I hold loyalty to none, least of all the ones who opened the damn gate to hell and released my demons into the human realm.”

“Once upon a time, I had your loyalty. I had your everything.” Kimba’s voice was soft and filled with pain.

He started to speak but shut his mouth when her form shimmered and blurred. Osiris blinked several times, attempting to clear his eyesight, but she continued to shimmer, her body morphing. A bright light engulfed her, so bright he had to shield his eyes. When the light faded, he saw that the massive dragon was gone, and in its place stood a woman—a beautiful woman. She had long, white hair. Her face was smooth, free of any wrinkle or blemish. Her cheeks held a rosy glow, and her mouth formed a perfect bow. Large, pale blue eyes stared at him with something akin to desire, but the look was almost completely overshadowed by pain. She was petite, the top of her head only reaching Osiris’s shoulder. Frankly, she took his breath away. He’d never heard of a dragon being able to shape shift. There had to be some powerful witch magic in this.

“Who are you?” He felt an incredible pull to run to her, to touch her and see if she was actually real. But he forced his feet to stay planted.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I am Kimba, the light queen of the soul elementals, the fifth element lost to the memories of our people.” She paused, her brow furrowing. The woman looked hesitant to continue, but after a few seconds, her chin rose and she said, “And I am your mate.”

* * *

“Shelly.”Ra watched his soul bonded wander around the cave, looking at the simple furniture and necessities the dragons had provided to them. She’d been avoiding him since their dragon host had left them to rest. He could feel Shelly’s anxiety through their bond, though she’d done a good job keeping it under wraps while they’d been in the Devil’s Heart and around their friends.

“Hmm?” she answered absently, examining the blanket on the bed as if it was the finest cloth she’d ever laid eyes on.

“Come here,” he said from where he sat in one of two chairs provided. His voice was deep with the need he felt down to his bones. He needed her close. He didn’t want to push her, but if she kept herself away from him, then he would most definitely push.

Shelly slowly turned to face him. Her hands released the blanket, and she clasped them and began twisting her fingers. Her eyes dropped as she chewed on her bottom lip. “Ra.” She said his name so gently, with so much longing, that his own breath caught in his throat.

“I felt you,” he said, hoping he could reassure her that nothing had changed between them. “When you called out to me, I felt it, and I couldn’t do anything to help you. It was worse than when I traveled through the seven levels of hell to get to you. At least then I knew I was making progress. I was doingsomethingto help you. But”—he shook his head and balled his fists in his lap—“this time, I was just spinning my wheels. I had no clue how to make progress to get closer to you. It was the worst feeling I’ve ever experienced.”

“I don’t feel I deserve that loyalty, Ra.” She shook her head. “Not now. Not after I actually felt… I don’t know what I felt. But it wasnotokay.”

He held his hand out to her. “Look at me.” She raised her beautiful face to him. “Come here.” Still, she didn’t move. “Mery, you don’t get to decide for me how I feel about you or what you think you deserve from me. Those choices are for me alone. Now, please, put me out of my misery and come let me hold you. I just needyou.”

Tears streaked down her face, but she finally walked toward him. Ra let out the breath he’d been holding. He didn’t know what he would do if she didn’t allow his touch. He was starved for her, to feel the warmth of her flesh against his, to have her scent fill his lungs. And when he finally convinced Shelly he held nothing against her, he would have her taste again as well.

As soon as she was close enough, he reached out and snagged her around the waist and pulled her down onto his lap. Shelly gasped and sat stiffly as he wrapped both arms around her. Ra pressed his face in between her shoulder and neck and nuzzled his nose against her skin, breathing deep. He fisted her shirt in his hands, wishing the material was gone. The man wanted all of her pressed against him. He needed the intimacy between them that belonged only to each other.

“I love you, Shelly Nasir,” he whispered, his lips brushing against her neck. “There’s nothing I won’t do to keep you safe.” His gut twisted as he remembered his deal with Viscious. He wasn’t fool enough to think the dark fire king would let him off the hook, regardless of the fact that Ra hadn’t used his help to get into hell. Viscious would come, eventually, and he’d attempt to kill Ra or, worse, his Shelly.

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