Page 45 of Princess Seeks Dragon

“Doesn’t that hurt you?” I demand. It looks like it would.

“It’s not painful so much as it is time-consuming. Scales are like chain mail and, as such, don’t like to be removed. Talons are strong, but not as clever as fingers,” he says. Graham holds up one of his front feet (hands?), and I can see that they have opposable thumbs, one claw pointing out to the side. “I could pull from my face and neck, I suppose.”

“But you don’t. Because...”

He sighs. “Tomorrow, I will have cuts wherever the scales were taken. I don’t need to go into work and attract attention.”

“What if I pull just a few so you don’t hurt yourself so much? How many do you need?”

Graham flicks his tail tip over an empty mason jar. “That should do it. There are some in the grass we can retrieve, of course, but I imagine I’ll still need another thirty.”

“Thirty cuts on your skin? How big?” I ask, horrified.

“Small. Paper cuts. Think of it as nicks from shaving,” he says with a lazy swing of his neck, the dragon equivalent of shrugging, I guess.

“You’d cut yourself for a potion or something that will protect me? Why? I thought I had this thing for that.” I hold up the amulet, guilt running rampant. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself for me! That’s not right.”

A cloud of smoke, stronger and more noticeable than the faint whiffs I caught yesterday, flows from Graham’s fist-sized nostrils. “I didn’t know you’d pick up my amulet yesterday,” he confesses.

“Oh. So... Wait, this wasn’t part of the plan? I mean, I know I picked it up by accident, but if it’s strong protection, I thought... Wouldn’t you have given this to me anyway?” I ask, eyebrows drawing together.

Another wave of smoke. A heavy noise that makes me lean on his haunch for support. “Would you like the truth?”

“Always.” I chew anxiously on my lip, waiting.

“That amulet is very strong protection. I wouldn’t have offered it to you right away, though. You see... You see, a dragon’s amulet is rare. There is usually only one for each member of the family, and they’re not usually shared. They are taken off when someone is dying and handed to another family member. If a clan expands more rapidly than expected or there are none available, a new one can be made if there is still treasure left in the clan’s horde.”

My eyebrows must be hitting my hairline by now. “Whoa. So I grabbed the equivalent of the crown jewels?”

“A bit.”

“Then why won’t you let me give it back? Are you putting yourself at risk?”

Graham is silent for a moment. “You won’t be angry with me?”

“I hope not. Even if I am, you could barbecue me, couldn’t you?” I cross my arms and hope my voice sounds playful enough to conceal my worry.

“Kane amulets are protected from theft. They can be given as a gift from one heart with pure intentions to another. When you took it up, it was because you genuinely believed it was for you—and when I took it off, subconsciously I must have been hoping someone special would take it up.”

“Aww, honey. That’s sweet. You’re an awesome boyfriend, scales and all. Why would I be mad at that?” I blush, realizing that’s the second time I’ve called him boyfriend—once in my head and once out loud.

“It’s a bit more serious than that, Angela. I called my brother once I realized you were wearing the amulet like it was made for you—and he said it very well could be.”

Graham suddenly seems to shrivel under my touch, and in seconds, the sexy human I first saw is standing naked beside me in the dark, hand cupping my cheek, small streaks of crimson like cat scratches all down his side. “My amulet is intended for my mate.”

---