Page 7 of Never Flirt with a Dragon

“I don’t know, my phone’s in my bra. Probably Viola.”

“Answer it.”

“I’m not answering the phone when you could drop me!” My voice came out a little shrill, even in my mind.

“I would never hurt you.” His growl was ferocious.

“I don’t know you well enough to believe that.”

He snarled, but gave up on arguing with me.

Since he was the one who had started talking to me, and seemed to want me to trust him, I pressed for information.

“What happened back there? Where are you taking me?”

“You ignited heat.”

Heat?

What the hell was that?

“August’s eyes burned like this when he and Elodie had a tentative mate bond.”

“Is that what he called it?”

“Yes?”

Jasper scoffed. “Then a tentative mate bond is created when a male dragon sends his female into heat for the first time. My fire is in your veins right now, and will burn hotter until we’ve either satisfied it by sealing the bond, or fought it until it breaks.”

What?

“I’m so confused.”

“Nature is taking control of me. I can barely think right now. I need you to call Elodie. Get August to meet us at Mate Mountain.”

“Mate Mountain? Is that where we’re going?”

“Yes. Call her. You’re safe on my back, always.”

With that, his wings cut through the air, propelling us forward faster.

I squeezed my eyes shut against the rush of wind.

After I took a few steadying breaths, I finally peeled one of my hands off Jasper’s scales. It trembled as I worked my phone out of my bra. There was sweat on the screen, but I ignored it as I held onto the thing for dear life.

Slowly, I typed the code with my thumb, hit the right button, and lifted it to my ear. Jasper didn’t slow down, so the wind was insanely loud.

“Hey! What’s up? Did someone realize we snuck out?” Elodie’s voice was cheerful. “Why does it sound like you’ve got a blow-drier on?”

Happy—she’d been so happy since she and August got together for good.

Were they mated? I couldn’t remember if I’d ever asked her that. I was pretty sure they were, even though I was hazy on how they had sealed the bond after it broke for a while.

“Jasper says he’s in heat. Or we’re in heat. He’s taking me to Mate Mountain I think?” I had to yell into the phone, pretty sure she wouldn’t hear me over the noise otherwise.

“What?” Elodie screeched.

“I don’t know!” I screeched back. “Help me!”

---