Page 42 of Wild Flame

Without a word, he took my candle from me and placed both of them back in the holders on the small stand.

Then he took a step closer and leaned slowly down.

Warm lips caressed mine. Seeking. Asking. I stood frozen for several heartbeats as his mouth moved over mine. I couldn’t wrap my mind around it.

Malik was kissing me.Malik. Was. Kissing. Me.

His tongue traced the seam of my lips. His honey voice filled with equal parts command and need as he murmured, “Open for me.”

And I stopped thinking at all.

For the first time, a crack fractured that wall inside me. Maybe I was still riding the high of the decision I had just come to, or maybe it was the heady taste of him, but I decided not to fight it. Not to battle this pull I felt toward this man before me.

“Malik . . .” The whispered plea left me in a rush. He took the word for what it was. A surrender.

My hands pressed to his chest as our mouths met and he claimed me. I felt hesitant and unsure, but then his hand cupped the back of my neck, pulling me closer. My mouth parted and his lips slanted over mine with a low growl. Then his fingers moved into my hair, massaging my scalp as his lips and tongue coaxed and teased.

I had never felt such a stirring in my body before, this poundingneedall centered around the man who drank from my lips as if he would die without my taste. It was intoxicating and terrifying all at once.

I never wanted it to end.

His hands fell to grip my waist and tightened as he pulled back. I could see that the restraint cost him. His eyes were like ink and full of molten need as he stared down at me. His panting breath ghosted tantalizingly across my lips. “Siren,” he murmured, his voice huskier than I had ever heard it. “I wanted to—”

His words were cut off as a dragon’s shriek split the night and both of us looked up. There were all kinds of noises coming from the crowded street not far from us, including a few dragons in their minor forms, but this was different. This was the cry of a much larger dragon in its natural form, and it was close.

I could make out nothing in the night sky above, but that was not surprising, considering all the light from the nearby flames.

“What—” I began.

Then I heard the screams.

“Warrior save us! We’re being attacked!”

“Dragon fire!” another yelled.

Without hesitation, Malik grabbed my hand and we both darted back down the alley toward the main road. Azrun and our guards fell into step in front and behind us.

When we made it to the street, my eyes were drawn towards the distant screams, and horror filled me at what I saw.

Further down the street, people who moments ago had been laughing and celebrating, were now rushing toward us, desperately trying to escape from a massive dragon flying low overhead as it let loose a breath of dragon flame.

My mind refused to comprehend it. A dragon was flying this way, breathing fire, and destroying everything in its wake. A black and yellow dragon . . . with a rider on its back.

“Move!” Malik roared. At the same moment, he yanked me towards a stone archway. We managed to reach it and crouched down, Malik’s body covering mine before the dragon was on topof us. The guards pressed close. I doubted it would be enough. Very little could withstand dragon fire.

But the pain I expected didn’t come. Instead, I heard gasps all around and the sound of toppling stone.

I opened my eyes and glanced up to see giant crimson wings spread out above us. I realized Azrun had transformed to his natural size, a building partially caving in to make way for his enormous bulk. His impressive wingspan covered the length of nearly an entire block, his dragonscales protecting everyone underneath from the flames.

Azrun lowered his wings and looked down at Malik with a rumbling growl in his throat. Malik stared back, and I could tell they were communicating mind to mind.

The attacking dragon had disappeared into the night. No doubt wheeling back around for another pass over the city.

Malik turned to the guards surrounding us. “Go! Get her somewhere safe and stay there,” he ordered.

“My prince,” the Zehvitian warriors all replied before bowing slightly. Even my guards nodded. One of the warriors handed Malik one of their sai blades as he turned toward Azrun.

“Malik, wait!” I cried, grasping his arm. He halted, turning back to me. I was shocked he had actually stopped and hadn’t dismissed me outright. “The dragon—the rider . . . did you see?”

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