Page 6 of Rejected By Dragons

"Bullshit." I cross the space to her and curl my hands around her shoulders. I have to stop myself from grabbing her too tightly, from hurting her when all I want to do is keep her safe.

Guilt churns deep in the pit of my stomach.

Hurting her, when all I want to do is keep her safe. That's basically all I ever seem to do.

The reasons I had for texting her today fly out of my head. I wanted to see her, of course. Needed to touch her and feel her soft body against mine. But I needed to talk to her, too--to warn her.

The only thing I can focus on right now is what my asshole brother and his friends did.

"This is not nothing," I growl.

She swabs at her eyes and lets out a dark ghost of a laugh. "It's nothing new."

My heart squeezes. I'll never understand why everybody in this town seems to love torturing her so much. Can't they see she's special?

Or is that exactly why they do it? Ember practically gives off light, she burns so bright. She's different, though. Ever since she appeared out of nowhere a decade ago or so, she's stuck out. Part of it was just who she was. Beautiful and strong and worldly in a way that nobody around here could ever hope to be. It was how she acted, too, though. She dared to question people. And for that, she's still paying the price.

Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her in. I kiss the top of her head and clench my eyes shut tight. "I'm so sorry they do this to you. If I could..."

"You can't."

It kills me to hear her say it like that, so matter of fact. Even though we both know it's the truth.

Ember's been an outcast since the moment she arrived, and I've been drawn to her for exactly that long. I couldn't let on--at least not publicly. My brother Fury is the Air Dragon King's heir, and he announced open season on her within days of her showing up. I had to seek her out when no one was around. We met up in the library, when only old Mrs. Grady was around to notice us bonding over books and stories, doing our homework together and just...talking. Even then, I could tell her things I couldn't share with anyone else. My hopes for the future, my conflicts with my brother and my father. I couldn't tell her everything, but she knew more about my fears than any other person on this planet.

It started out innocently. Then slowly, a handful of years ago, something between us changed. She started blushing whenever we got close. It wasn't as if I hadn't known she was a knock-out, but around the time she should have had her first Emergence, the sight of her sent me over the edge. Even after what happened, her spell on me remained. When my own dragon came to me, the fire of passion became too much to resist.

One night, my possessive instincts--and my hormones--got the best of me. I pressed my mouth to hers. Not only did she let me, but she pulled me in, wrapped her arms and legs around me and tackled me onto the floor. Our clothes melted away beneath the flames of our need. Nothing has ever felt so right as sinking into her for the very first time.

And now here we are. It feels impossible to be separated from her, but I'm captured by my own golden cage.

Fury may be the heir, but I'm right behind him in line for the throne. Our father has expectations.

He also has a temper that puts the Fire Dragons to shame.

Not that anyone would dare to say that to his face.

I hold her tighter, breathing in the scent of her hair. "One day... My brother..."

But it's useless. How many times have I tried to convince Fury not to take his bullshit out on Ember? I can't draw too much attention to what she means to me, so I've had to couch my language. Argue for the fair treatment of every dragon in the Air Kingdom.

It all falls on unhearing ears.

Ember pulls back. Her eyes are clearer now. "One day, your brother will be king."

"Fuck." I wish that she were wrong.

Putting her hand to my cheek, she shines a small, sad smile at me. "Maybe then we can finally just run away together?"

For half a second, the fantasy grips me. Somewhere far away, we could be free. We could find a little place in the mountains and disappear. Live our lives without fear, no need to sneak around or lie. I could kiss her anytime I wanted.

I could do a whole lot more than kissing, too.

Even as I'm tempted to get lost in the idea, reality forces itself onto me.

I have responsibilities here. I can't keep Ember safe, but there are others who rely on me. I can't turn my back on them.

"Ember..."

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