Page 8 of Demonic Prince

What the hell? He left his horse tethered to a tree, so he must have wandered off on foot.

God, he really believes the aellurium will keep me from escaping.

I twist my wrists against the rope, chafing my skin but failing to break the bonds. Damn, if only I were stronger. I meander along the beach, farther and farther away. The muscles between my shoulder blades tighten in anticipation, waiting for him to attack. When I look back, I can’t even see the camp.

I’m not waiting for him to come get me.

I run.

My footsteps slap the sand. My hair and cloak billow behind me. Cold wind aches in my lungs and numbs my skin. I push myself harder, loosening the tension in my muscles. I’m bigger and stronger as a dragon, but I’m faster as a woman when I’m on the ground. It’s one of the few advantages of this otherwise weak form.

I veer from the beach into the forest, where I can vanish in the trees. Branches fracture the moonlight into shards. When I lunge into the shadows, spiky weeds stab my tender feet, reminding me how little time I spend in this body.

Wincing, I falter and—

A man lunges from the darkness and tackles me.

I hit the ground hard, skidding across the dirt. He lands on top of me, his body heavy on mine. His ember eyes are burning.

Rook.

My heartbeat hammers in my rib cage. “Fuck.” I struggle to flip him.

“Fuck?” He straddles me and pins my shoulders under his hands. His claws prick my skin. “What the fuck were you thinking?”

“So, you do swear.”

His bared fangs glint in the moonlight. “Only when I’m angry.”

“I ran away. What did you expect?”

“Pyrah.” He drags a measured inhalation through his nose. “The collar is enchanted. I’m the only one who can take it off.”

“Not if I hire a sorceress to break the enchantment.”

“No.”

I can’t tell if he means it’s impossible, or he’s telling me what to do again.

He’s still straddling me, the weight of him on my shoulders and hips. The leather of his armor cools my skin. His scent? Clean sweat and the amber scent of pine sap warmed by the sun. Delicious. I close my eyes and breathe it in as if I’m starved for air. Liquid desire ripples through me before pooling in my belly.

My body’s reaction overwhelms me. I’ve never felt so desperate with need.

Oh.

Oh fuck.

Am I in heat for the first time?

CHAPTERFOUR

It’s the curse of all female dragon shifters. The first heat strikes without warning during adulthood, then once every year afterward. It’s a primal urge to mate, an all-consuming desire that won’t vanish until I’m satisfied.

I need to be claimed.

Bitten.

Fucked.

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