Talakai glared at him.I was Guild. We do not strangle on a whim. Although I may make an exception...
I looked up at the Dragon and saw what my connection to him should have told me—he was wound tight too. Incredibly controlled, every inch lethal—but he’d not been trained for combat as part of a team. More to glide silently in and wreak havoc all on his own.
He wasn’t in his element with this caper, and as team leader, I should have respected that. As his mate, I should have done much more. I wrapped a hand around his arm and squeezed.You are part of our team. And well suited to what we will be doing.
His eyes glimmered at me.Controlling every aspect of a job is part of what has kept me alive.He reached out to touch my jaw, the fingertips unbelievably gentle.Now I have others that mean more to me than my own life. And I have no control over any of this.
With every moment I spent with Talakai, I exposed more of the sick depths of what Xumi had done to him. His entire life hinged on control. Hers, and his.Matt is right. We have time for a walk. And I could really use one.
One corner of his mouth twitched.Why walk when we can fly?And his wings sprang free.
Give me the horn, Angel,Matt said.
It felt odd handing it over. My skin beneath it cooled immediately. I put Trix on her leash and gave it to Mari. Who tied it around her ankle, but had the dog lie down beside her.
Matt tucked the horn beneath his cloak.I’ll keep it safe.
I know you will.I trailed my fingers along his arm and then turned back to Talakai. Who was now a beast.
Moments later, the Dragon’s neck scales were warm beneath me as we soared into the clouds.
I have something to show you,he rumbled through my mind.
Have you spent much time in this realm?We weren’t far from the town housing the Richin market, so he’d been here before.
Oh, yes. It is quite beautiful.
Not something I’d expect an assassin Dragon to say, but then, Talakai wasn’t your average assassin Dragon. His energy had relaxed a little now that we were in the air.
When I commented on it, he hesitated. And then said,My beast wants to fly you well away from this mess.
I reached down to stroke his neck.We have to save Sebastian.
I know. And we will.He sent a pulse along the link, and within it, I sensed his commitment. To save our Bellati. And to protect me.
I will protect you too,I stated, and he snorted. Right before he banked so abruptly that I had to grab his neck spikes.
His amusement rippled through the link as he folded his wings and dropped. I gasped as he conducted a series of rollercoaster maneuvers in the sky, but although he dipped and dove, I never felt like I’d fall off. It became a game—to see if he could think up maneuvers so fast that I couldn’t pick up on them through our mental link.
He was fast. But so was I. Being linked with him was as close to having my own wings as I’d ever come.
I sensed a pulse of sadness from him at that.I would have liked to sink my teeth in your throat, and carry you to the stars.The words dropped like a promise in my mind.
I laughed.Only Dragons would find such a thing romantic.
Well, I have something that might be better than yanking you around by the throat. Hold on.
He dove again, and this time, didn’t brake as the ground rushed toward us. The wind whipped through my hair and drove tears from my eyes. Finally, with a crackle like thunder, his indigo wings spread wide, leveling us off only feet above the forest.
Something glimmered in the last rays of the dying sun—a river, winding through the trees. Not swirling, but rushing, with white water crashing around rocks.
I eyed it with distrust. Rivers and I didn’t have the best track record to date. As Talakai carried us over it, mist danced along my skin. The river dropped away so suddenly my stomach followed it—a stunning cascade of water falling a few thousand feet to a churning pool below.
I clutched his neck spikes as Talakai dove. The pool looked a little active for swimming, and I said so.
He snorted a laugh.I have only recently discovered the merits of swimming.
Is there a place we can land?
