Page 15 of The Dragon Queen

"JustlikeIalwaysknewyou'dbe,"Stormbeams.

Mydragonpreens,andoh.ThiswaswhatIalwayswanted--notquitethewayIeverimaginedit,butI'mhere,fullyEmerged,bondedtoStorm.

Teenagemecouldscreamforhappiness.

Fullyadultmeisabitmoresedate,butI'mstilloverthemoon.

Besides--it'snotjustStormI'mmatedto.

"Comeon,beloved,"Malikentreatsme,hissonorousvoiceglidingovermelikewarmsilk.

He'soff,hisdragonswoopingdownintothevalley,andthepredatorinstinctwithinmydragonmindgoesrazorsharp.BeforeIcaneventhinktochasehim,we'redartingthroughtheairinhotpursuit.

Ithoughtmyconnectionstomymateswereintensebefore,buttheythrumthroughmenow,primalinawayInevercouldhaveimagined.Theydon'toverwhelmme,though.

Theymakemestronger.

WithJianyuonmytail,IsoarafterMalik.Stormfliescirclesaroundme--literally,usingcurrentsofairandhisownmagictogivehimselfburstsofspeedthathavemydragonsalivating.He'sapristinespecimenofdeliciousmaledragon,andmyinsidesflarewithwanting.

Ialmostfalterintheskyastheideaoflettingoneofmymatessinktheirclawsintomeeclipsesmyvision.Dragonsdon'tfuckintheirshiftedform,butitdoesn'tmatter.There'saharshneedpulsingthroughmybloodtobetaken,mated,claimed.

Mymatesfeelitwiththesamered-hotflareofdesirethatIdo,thethrobbingwaveofdesirealmoststaggeringinitsintensity.Malikglancesatmeoverhisshoulder,andhisteethgleamwhite.

Dippingovertheriver,hesendsuparushofcoolwaterwithhismagic.Thespraycoolsmysearingscales,waftsofsteamcascadingintotheair.Therefreshingmistbringsmebackmyself--abit.

Ibeatmywingsagainsttheairandsurgeforward,faster,feelingmyownstrengthgathering.MusclesI'veneverusedbeforeflexandripple,andthepowerisintoxicating.

It'snotlikeitwaswiththebracersometimes;thepowerinmynewformdoesn'tscareme.

Maybebecauseit'smine.

JustasI'mabouttocatchupwithMalik,Stormswoopsovertopofme,wrappingmeupinapillowofair.Thewindisasoothingbalmonmyscales,acounterpointtothewayhisdisplayofpowerfanstheflamesofmydesire.Ishiftcoursetofollowhim,sensingtheelementalmagicwithinhisheartandwantingitformyown.

JianyuswoopsoutoftheskybeforeIcanreachmymate,though,andIgrowl,onlytobescoopedupinhistalons.Hespreadshiswingswide,hurtlingustowardthesheerrockofthecliffwherewestarted.

Terrorclawsatme,forallthatIsensetheabsolutesafetyofmymate'sembrace.Mydragonthrills,anddarkpurplesparksflickertolifebehindmyjaws.

Thestonemeltsbeforeus,creatingatunnelthroughtheearth.Webarrelthroughthepassageway,forcedclosebytheconfinesofthespacehe'smade,andIdon'tmind.Hisheatsearsthroughme,ignitingdeepersparksofwantinginthemostanimalpartsofmyreptilianbrain.

Ineedtobepinneddownbysharptalons,mountedandtaken.

Iwanttositastridemylovers,wingsspreadwideastheyfillmewiththeiressence.Iwantthemtobeapartofme--wanttobeartheirwhelpsandsoarwiththemoveravastandendlesssky--

Andwhereisthatevencomingfrom?I'veneverparticularcaredifIhavechildrenornot;formostofmylife,Iassumedafamilywasoutofmygrasp.Iwasareject.Defective.Storm'sdirtysecret.Icouldneverbethemothertohisheirs.

Mydragonroarsasweburstfreefromthestone.

Shedoesn'twanttocarryanyone'sheirs.

Shewantstobreedheirsofherown.

Andthat'sawholeotherminefieldIdon'thavetimetoexplorerightnow.

ThestonetunnelJianyucarvesfromthecliffsideclosesbehindus,butMalikissurgingtowardusanyway. "Areyouinsane?"hebellows.

"Utterlymad,"Jianyuagrees,buthe'stanglinghistailwithmine,ourwingsbrushing,hisdeep,darkeyesblazingstraightintomysoul,andmybodyisignited.

"Hedidn'tbreakyourlittlemountain,"Rafegrowls,swoopinginandwrestlingmefromJianyu'sgrip.

---