Page 11 of Testing The Waters

Crushing leaves between my jaws, I gulp them down while glaring at Kylie. She got bored and began tossing pebbles into the lake. I want to be with her again and the dragon is eating so fast it’s making my gut hurt.

I can’t believe the damn beast dared to walk up that close, but at least he remained dignified apart from when he licked her face.Mates. Only with them do we act like fools, and I wonder if she’ll ever accept just how deeply she belongs to me.

I’m tied to her. Bonded, but I want her to feel what I feel. Valkyries have fated ones and for them it’s possible to have more than one. Aggression rips in me because I’ll kill anyone who tries to lay a claim on her.

The claiming will be done by me and nobody will be able to erase it.

She’s going to wear the Draugar brand and she’ll wear it proudly.

The dragon shudders at the thought, getting excited. I try to make him calm down but he has noticed that Kylie is now attempting to befriend a squirrel. Jealousy rips him up from the inside and I feel a flash of panic.

Fuck, this is not good...

I try to rein him in, but he ignores me. He wants his mate, and he’ll fight both the damn squirrel and me if we stand in the way. Leaving the trees, he stomps across the ground, causing the packrat to scram and Kylie gasps when she sees him coming.

A flicker of nervousness flares in her eyes and she gets up, her knees suddenly wobbling. Her jaw trembles when the dragon coils himself around her, caging her and pulling her close. I can feel his heart pound and his pulse runs. Kylie pants, twirling in circles and her hands slide over the dragon’s scales.

The touch entices him and I feel his gigantic head prickle. He delights in this but he’s keeping her captive.

She hasn’t realized it yet, thinks this is just a game but he’s not allowing me to shift. I’ve tried several times and each time, I get pushed out of the way and I grit my teeth. He won’t hurt her but a possessive dragon is never a good thing.

Especially if his mate hasn’t yet been claimed.

“Your colors are striking,” Kylie rasps, sliding her palms along the silvery parts and the dragon’s heart swells with satisfaction. He’s so smug that she gave him a compliment and not me, that I feel like smacking him in the face. He tightens the hold around Kylie and there’s a flicker of nervousness in her eyes.

I roar inwardly, fighting with the dragon to let me shift but he’s absorbed by her. Enthralled. She has put a spell on him and I can’t get him to snap out of it.

Kylie squirms, giving him a couple of urgent pets. “Okay, big guy, this has been fun but you have to let go now.”

Agreed.

“No,” Kylie drawls patiently as if she’s talking to a toddler, “I didn’t say hold me tighter, I said it’s time to let go now.” She lets out an exasperated sigh when he refuses and mutters, “Fine, have it your way.”

And just like that, she shifts into a swan, slipping out of his grip and sliding across the obsidian lake.

I stare at her in awe.

Forgot Valkyries could do that and the dragon is just as dumbfounded. I take the chance to shift and stare over the water. Kylie swims in circles while scolding me prettily with her eyes. The corners of my lips twitch. Her swan even has curved lashes...

“Sorry about that,” I rasp and the swan ruffles her feathers, swimming toward the shore and Kylie shifts. She’s a more elegant shifter than I am, smooth and soundless.

She flicks her hair back as she slowly walks up to me. “You do know how to keep your dragon in check, right?”

My throat strains. “Absolutely.”

A grin lights up her face. “Not trying to bust your balls, but I was feeling pretty claustrophobic...”

Trailing off, she looks to the side and pales. I follow her gaze and freeze when I notice the mortal standing there. He has seen her. She must’ve forgotten to turn herself invisible to the mortal realm, when she shifted.

The blond backpacker stares at her as if his wet dream just came true, but he’s staring at what’s mine.

Anger makes my head thrash from side to side. I want to tear this mortal’s heart out, and the dragon is going on a demented rampage inside of me.

My vision fades and I let out a cobra like hiss.

Kylie whimpers in panic and the mortal raises his hand.

“Don’t be scared,” he pleads, “you’re the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. Are you even real...?”

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