Page 14 of Shifting the Flame
What he didn't say was how much it would pain him to shift among his people while his mate remained earthbound. The thought of Danica watching from below while he soared with his kind created an unexpected ache in his chest.
Some human mates developed the ability to shift after the mating bond was fully formed. The stories were rare but persistent—humans with latent shifter genes activated by their mate's magic, or those who somehow absorbed their mate's ability through their bond.
Asher caught himself mid-thought. What was he thinking? He'd known this woman less than a day. Fated mate or not, he wasn't about to rush headlong into mating rituals with someone he'd just met.
His dragon disagreed vehemently, scratching beneath his skin with impatience.Mine, it insisted.Now.
"You went somewhere else just then," Danica observed, tilting her head. "Dragon thoughts?"
Asher turned to the stove, firing up the cast iron skillet with a flick of his wrist. "Just wondering if you'd want to see the night shifting ceremony. It's usually just for clutch members, but as our festival planner, you might like to watch it."
FIVE
DANICA
Asher had turned to the stove and fired up the cast iron skillet for their steaks. The crisp white of his button-down shirt contrasted with his tanned skin, his sleeves rolled up high to expose his muscular arms. The top two buttons remained undone, offering glimpses of his chest that Danica found herself repeatedly drawn to.
When Asher had asked if she wanted to watch the night shifting ceremony at the festival, a thrill had shot through her body. She'd heard about shifters her entire life—they weren't exactly a secret in New Orleans—but she'd never actually witnessed a transformation. The thought of seeing Asher become something so powerful and primal made her heart race.
"I would absolutely love to see that," she replied, leaning forward on her elbows. "I've never seen someone shift before. What's it like? Does it hurt?"
Asher turned away from the stove completely, facing her with an intensity that made her breath catch. The black granite island between them suddenly felt like an unwelcome barrier.
"It's like..." he searched for words, "releasing something that's always there under your skin. It doesn't hurt—it feels like finally stretching after being cramped too long."
Danica couldn't help but smile at how animated he became when talking about his dragon side. The stiff, formal mayor from this morning had transformed into someone passionate and engaging. The awkwardness from their first meeting had melted away, replaced by a comfortable rhythm that felt strangely familiar.
"And you're actually flying? Not just, I don't know, hovering a few feet off the ground?"
Asher laughed, a deep rumble that did funny things to her insides. "We're talking a wingspan wider than this kitchen. We fly—high and fast."
"That sounds..." Danica struggled to find the right word. Exciting? Terrifying? Sexy? "Exhilarating."
"It is." His eyes locked onto hers, seeming to penetrate straight through her careful exterior. "Most humans never get to see us do it. But you're different."
The air between them charged with something electric. Danica uncrossed her legs, suddenly feeling too warm in her dress.
"Different how?" she challenged.
Asher leaned across the island, closing some of the distance between them. "You don't back down. From anything. I can respect that."
Coming from him—this powerful alpha who commanded an entire community—the compliment felt momentous. Danica felt her cheeks warm.
"Is backing down something people do around you often?" she teased.
"Always," he admitted without hesitation. "It gets boring."
A thin tendril of smoke curled up behind him, but Asher seemed oblivious, thoroughly engrossed in their conversation.
"Um, Asher?"
"That's why this is..." he continued, gesturing between them, "refreshing."
"Asher, the steaks?—"
"What?" He followed her gaze over his shoulder. "Shit!"
He whirled around to find both ribeyes engulfed in flames. In a single fluid motion, he grabbed the skillet handle and moved it off the heat, then slammed a lid over it to smother the fire.
