Page 78 of Dragon Blood

He nodded, his mouth a breath from hers.

“Is this okay? Here?”

The deep uncertainty in her voice, the vulnerability in her eyes, melted the remains of his anger, allowing his own heart to pound in his chest for new reasons that had nothing to do with the recent strain of his run.

She meant it.

Now.

“Here is perfect. You are perfect,” he whispered against her exhale, pulling her closer still.

She gasped, drawing his essence into herself as her hands kneaded his shoulders and nape.

He’d never, in all their time together, seen her so deeply exposed and raw. The final facet.

The moment branded on his memory.

Finally, he allowed his fingers to drift over her flesh, tracing the tattoos adorning her body, some centuries old, others fresh and bright. Astred was her own artfully crafted treasure map. Body art had never been of interest to Kai, except for the curiosity it invoked in Astred’s designs.

His gaze fell to the tropical flowers gracing her shoulder and biceps and he noticed the addition of tiger eyes peeking out from the shadows of the foliage.

“When did that happen?” He slid his thumb over the image.

“After you asked me for forever,” she swallowed, leaving the explanation there.

He nodded. She didn’t need to say more.

“You’re sure about this?”

She turned her face so that her eyes were level with his. “I’m sure aboutus.”

“There’s no failsafe, Astred.”

“I know, damnit.” The vestiges of her uncertainty fell away, decision made.

He smiled as he dipped his head to claim her lips, whispering as he hardened against her belly, “There’s my dragoness.”

She sighed, rubbing against him, igniting them both.

Chapter 24

AstredmetKai’sdarkeyes, illuminated by the morning sun rising over the ridge, giving them depths she’d never fathomed before.

In that moment, she saw all three facets of his soul: the rich dark chocolate she loved, the steely stare of his dragon and the sky blue of this tiger, layered behind the iris, shifting and swirling as their magics reached for one another.

Astred shivered in Kai’s embrace.

She’d done it, made the biggest decision of her life.

The throne wasn’t a decision. It was a duty—a destiny.

Now they just had to complete the ritual where they bound themselves in eternal promise.

‘Just us. All five of us…’her dragon purred.‘I like my soft kitty as well as my steely dragon.’

Astred chuckled low in her throat.

“What is it?” Kai smiled back at her, brushing tendrils of her hair from her face.

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