Page 20 of The Lost Princess

Unless it wouldn’t work.

“Fine, heal the hard way, you hard-headed brute.”

Dragon Man rolled onto his side, pulling me down close to him. He tucked me against his front, obviously pleased I’d stopped fighting. His pelvis pushed against my lower back, a firm appendage poking me, not subtle at all. I tried not to blush and failed.

“Listen, you can’t manhandle me at all hours. This is going to have to change.” I twisted around in his arms, wanting to see if speaking to him face to face mattered.

He wasn’t expecting my abrupt movement, and one of his claws nicked the side of my wrist. I hissed in pain, immediately bringing it up to my mouth.

He made a strangled noise in his throat.

“It’s fine, just a small cut. See?” I held my wrist up to his face for inspection so he could in fact see it was nothing serious.

Instead of being reassured, all the muscles in his body went rigid against me. His dark eyes locked on my neck, and he stared at my throat with an odd look of concentration.

My instincts were screaming at me, but they made no sense with my logical mind. I took a deep breath, deciding to just go with what felt right. It had worked so far, after all.

“Do … do you want this?” I whispered, feeling like an absolute idiot as I held my bleeding wrist in front of him.

His lips caught my skin in response, firmly sealing around my wrist andsucking. The sensation sent a bolt of pleasure straight to my core, and I gasped.

Dragon Man’s hold on me turned into a vice grip. He took me to the ground, pinning my wrist against my neck as he acted like a dying man trying to wring the last few drops from a water pump.

Except the water was my blood and the pump my wrist.

There was a sharp pinch and then the blood flowed freely. Dully, I realized he must have bitten me harder. A pulling sensation stretched from my wrist to my hand, then up my arm, and all the way to my chest.

I blinked, suddenly woozy and tired. He was taking a lot; perhaps too much.

My sudden limpness shook him out of his funk, and he released my wrist, his tongue wrapping around the skin and healing the cut he’d made. Fine. Not like I’d wanted to see it, anyway.

His arms lowered me back down to the furs, his eyes more clear and focused then I’d seen them yet. The confusion and frustration that usually marred his gaze was gone, replaced with extreme concern and slight horror. He sliced a small cut above his forearm and offered it to me. At least this time, I knew what it was meant for.

Reluctantly, I took a small mouthful, and immediately the dizziness cleared. It was so strange that our blood worked on each other, but not ourselves. I wished I could ask him about it.

I sighed, suddenly exhausted. I snuggled into the furs, staring up at the cracks in the cave ceiling. A few stars twinkled here and there, reminding me that there was in fact life outside of this cave, outside of my dragon man. I turned to the side. He was watching me, gaze slightly downcast.

“Come here, big guy. We won’t be able to fix everything in one night.” I patted the furs next to me, and he slowly wrapped himself around me. He yawned, fangs flashing as a long, black tongue stuck out of his mouth.

I wondered at the sudden shift in his behavior. Earlier, he couldn’t wait to jump my bones, but now he was acting a bit skittish. Deciding to take my own advice about not being able to solve everything immediately, I turned toward him and tucked my head against his shoulder. He was nice and warm.

He coughed once, but it wasn’t wet or hacking anymore. His wings hung from his back, completely unmarred.

Had my blood done that? Extraordinary. I wanted to examine the wing further, but my tiredness was getting the better of me. I gathered the furs around my bottom and a few for my shoulders, and nuzzled further into him.

Tomorrow I’d make sure we were both feeling better. Then … well, then I’d need to try and get back to my father. I imagined the first person who saw me enter town. The woman would shout with joy and run straight through the city announcing I had returned. Halfway to the castle, guards and my father would meet me, unable to wait. The guards would lift me onto their soldiers and carry me home. Everyone would be cheering, and children would wave.

Dragon Man’s arm went around my shoulder, tentative and unsure. The sudden movement snapped me out of my fantasy. I smiled up at him reassuringly.

“N-Nasi,” a dark, rough voice rumbled.

I blinked. Was I hallucinating, or had he just said something?

“Excuse me?” I asked, suddenly alert.

Dragon Man drew back a little from me, pointing one claw toward my chest. “K-Kaid. Kai. Kaida.”

I stared in astonishment as he gestured to himself. “Nasi.”

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