His strong arm squeezes me tighter, pulling me closer, shielding me from the worst of the onslaught.
My head spins, dizzy from the relentless flurry of movement. One beast latches onto his leg, gnashing its teeth against his armor.
“Get off, you prick!” I scream, lashing out with kicks into the monster’s head, but I think I’m doing more damage to my big toe than its rock-hard skull.
Dracoth must hear my struggle, pivoting sharply with a grunt, driving his claws into the monster’s ribs. The life fades in its eyes instantly, and I can’t help but feel a surge of joy watching it die.
That’s what you get for hurting my foot!
Dracoth spins, shaking free some remaining monsters clinging to him like overgrown pests.
“Kill them, Dracoth! Tear their heads off!” I shout over the slaughter, manic laughter tearing from my lungs, seeing the growing uncertainty in the beasts’ eyes, and it thrills me—mybonded murder mountain, making them suffer for me.
The beasts still latched onto Dracoth, growl and tear at him, but it’s like watching puppies gnaw on a dragon—my red dragon.He’s unstoppable, immovable. Admiration swells in my chest as Dracoth slashes them with ruthless precision, their blood and entrails coating his long claws while their dying whimpers fade into the wind.
Oh my God, this is hot.
Instinctively, I reach into the realm of our bond, feeling my soul blazing with excitement, searching for something—anything to tap into. But there’s only a lacking—one aspect of a whole. The disappointment almost robs me of my laughter, wishing I could help Dracoth by crushing these creatures in my barriers—to teach them a lesson, to prove my worth.
The surviving beasts—only half as many now—hesitate, no longer eager to throw themselves at him. Their growls turn to whines as they scrape their claws across the ice, unsure. I sneer at them, daring them to try again, longing to see my Dracoth rip them into shreds.
With a fierce snarl, Dracoth lunges forward, sending the remaining creatures scurrying back into the snowdrifts.
How disappointing.
“Are you hurt?” Dracoth’s voice rumbles, drawing me from my manic thoughts. He lowers me to cooling green-bloody snow, the cold biting through my fur-lined shoes.
No, his heat!
His hands, massive and firm, prod and check me over like a ragdoll in a washing machine.
“I’m fine, I’m fine!” I protest, swatting at his hands—though it’s like trying to push away boulders. Then I gasp, noticing streams of green blood oozing between gaps in his armor.
“Wait,you’rethe one who’s hurt!” I exclaim, yanking at my clothes to tear off fabric, unsure what I’m doing but feeling compelled to help, mimicking scenes from those terrible action movies Michael made me watch.
Dracoth engulfs my hand, halting me, the heat from his body like a ray of sunshine on a Mediterranean cruise. His red eyes lock onto mine—hard, unyielding. Pure Dracoth.
“I’ll live,” he growls.
Ugh, he’s such a meathead.
“Yeah, but why live like Swiss cheese?” I insist, frowning.
He probably doesn’t even know what Swiss cheese is.
I attempt to wrench my hand free to resume some attempt to help him, but he holds me firm in his ironclad grip, peering down at me with an intense look in his eyes. My heart skips a beat, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. My eyes flick to his full red lips—suddenly drawn to them like me to a warm cup of rich mocha on a freezing day.
A little kiss wouldn’t hurt, right?
I peek up through my eyelashes, feeling a flush of heat rise in me, mixing with the waves of warmth radiating from his massive frame. Standing on tiptoe, inching closer to his towering face, excitement spreads throughout my entire body, realizing I want him—want him badly. Maybe I always have—but now he’s here, my bonded mate, so close.
Dracoth leans down, and my heart soars. His excitement hums through our bond. Now just inches away, taking forever.
Fuck, he’s so tall!
I brace for the inevitable, expecting some juicy Dracoth lip action that’ll melt the snow around us—but then I feel a sudden churning uncertainty erupting from his side of the bond.
And just like that, Dracoth straightens abruptly, striding away like he’s in danger of missing a flight.
