Page 89 of To Match A Dragon's Fire

But I did have a sexy dragon who looked at me like I’d hung the moon. So… it was worth it.

Sweat pooled in my bra as I fanned my shirt, walking alongside Kieran in silence as I tried to process everything that had happened the past few hours. The prophecy, the marking, the sex…

“It looks like Tony headed that way.” I pointed to the trail where it veered off into fresh tracks through the brush.

Maybe I should’ve worried about him hiking injured all the way into town, but I figured I’d already paid enough to him for one lifetime.

I didn’t want to suffer for my mistakes anymore, so I decided that I wouldn’t.

Over and done.

Kieran grunted. His grip tightened slightly on my hand. And a foreign feeling of possessive need raced through me.

This mate bond thing was going to take some getting used to.

“Why did Bemouth say we needed to nurture the bond?”I asked, using my new telepathic super-power and smiling smugly when I got it right.

“Scientifically speaking?” He stopped walking, giving me a look that had the summer sun heating another ten degrees. “The mate bond in its most primitive form begins a mating dance. I don’t know how it works between a human and a dragon, but the more we connect, the more the bond solidifies. It’ll be a pressing need to strengthen and grow the connection between us for the next few weeks.”

“Connect as in…” My voice trailed off as Kieran nodded. “And what happens if we don’t… um… indulge in this carnal desire?”

He reached out to cup my chin, smirking as he lowered his face to mine. “You’ll turn me into a beast.”

“Don’t tease me with a good time.” I fanned my shirt again, needing some air to cool my skin before I fainted.

Kieran’s brow furrowed as he looked down at me, no doubt seeing the sweat stains form on my shirt. “You’re burning up. Is my venom affecting you?”

I shook my head as I touched my forehead to make sure. “Not this time.”

“Good.” He relaxed. “You’re only able to take my venom because you’re my fated mate. It shouldn’t even bother you after the first time, but I will be able to heal you if needed.”

I dropped my hand to my side, suddenly feeling a little sick. “And what if I wasn’t your mate? Did you just inject me on a hopeful whim to see if I would heal or die?”

“Of course not.” He cocked his head to the side. If he wasn’t so cute, I might’ve slapped him. “I knew I could trust my beast’s instincts. They’ve never led me wrong before.”

I blinked.Well that’s… comforting.

“And what are your beastly instincts saying now?”

“That you’re uncomfortable.” Kieran stepped back, looking over his shoulder at the valley beyond the tree line. “I don’t suppose you’d want a ride.”

“Finally,” I muttered under my breath, blushing when he turned back to me with an eyebrow arched. “Sorry, I just thought you’d never offer. But yes, yes please, I would love to go for a ride.”

∞

There was a good chance I’d underestimated his size. Standing next to the dragon made me feel a lot smaller than I was.

My hands were sweaty and my heart thumped hard in anticipation of the flight.

His horns were golden, like his talons, and they curved above his ears, reflecting the setting sun before they disappeared from view as Kieran lowered his scaly head.

I took a step back, worried he’d miscalculate. His muzzle was the size of a bus. It was too much to focus on all at once from my position on the ground.

I moved closer as he stilled, seeming to make himself a statue for me, and ran my hands over his snout.

“Hey there, big guy,” I kept my voice calm as I pet him, wondering how much of Kieran was still him while he was in this form.

A chuff of warm air blew from his side nostril, drying my sweat-coated skin.

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