Page 75 of To Ignite a Dragon's Desire

Sacrilege is what they’d say.

I waited for Earth to voice her disapproval, ready to fly at a moment’s notice if anything happened to my mate.

All was quiet and still.

Kieran clasped my shoulder and gave it a gentle shake. “You know, I’ve missed our conversations. If this is all that comes from it, I’m glad we’re speaking again.”

Old age has turned him soft. I chuckled to myself.

No. It was a pretty girl that did that.

“It’s good to visit with you again, cousin.” I winced as Riley fell to her butt, then felt pride as she stood, brushing off her backside.

“Make sure to come around more. We’ll have a dinner.” Kieran released my shoulder. “But first, go be with your mate before she gives us all a heart attack.”

∞

My dragon wings tucked into my side as the shadows dispersed. I pulled on the pair of pants I’d dropped from my talons before landing. My skin was dragon-scale thick, but goat head thorns sucked and I preferred to keep them out of more delicate places.

I perched on the ledge of a boulder, extending my hand.

Sweaty, chest-heaving, and beautiful, Riley looked at my hand before grasping it and pulling herself up to the peak.

“I’m surprised you let me get all the way up here alone,” she huffed, but there was no real anger in her tone.

I sat down on the boulder and let my feet hang off the side, looking out over the world as the sun set on the mountains behind us, and waited for Riley to catch her breath.

“You’re capable of doing things without me,” I spoke softly, letting the wind carry my words.

She heard them anyway.

Her words came back to me just as soft and a little broken, “Did I kill him?”

My throat tightened at the sound of her fear. I didn’t care what anyone said. If you had half a heart, it always cracked a bit when you took another life.

“No,” I said. “But I did when I ate him.”

“You…” her little gag made me chuckle, “ate him?”

“My dragon did.” I leaned closer so our shoulders brushed as the wind picked up her hair and blew it around. There was a lump on her scalp.

I tightened my fists, staying steady.

I should’ve taken smaller bites.

“I told Ember that dragons eat people.” Her fingers brushed against my hand.

I relaxed my fist as her fingers laced through mine, feeling relief at being able to hold her hand at such lofty heights.

“How did he taste?” she asked.

“Nasty.” I shivered. “We don’t make a habit of eating humans. Especially the bitter ones. I’ll have heartburn for weeks.”

The way Riley smiled filled my chest with warmth. Her face was more vibrant and alive than the setting sun that cast her in an ethereal glow.

“This is so strange.” She shook her head. “I never imagined I’d end up here.”

“I’ll say,” I teased. “I didn’t take you for a free climber.”

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