Page 36 of Charming the Dragon
His dragon merely laughed but said nothing else.
Nathan sighed. “We can stay for half an hour, but then we really should head back. We can always return tomorrow, if you wish.”
She raced to the faint sunspots and looked up. “Yes, maybe in the afternoon, after you investigate the computer system some more. It’s probably our best hope of getting out of here, more so than wandering around like explorers on this side of the lake.”
He grunted. “Perhaps, but we need to look into anything that might get us out of here. I made a vow to you, Hayley, and I will see it through.”
She smiled at him. “Thank you, Nathan. Without you, I’m not sure how I would’ve survived down here.”
“Please tell me you weren’t going to explore the underground areas on your own, looking for records?”
She bit her bottom lip a second before looking away. “Maybe. If you hadn’t agreed to go with me, I might’ve done it. I need to hold up my end of the bargain with Bram.” She stared up at the ceiling again, just as the sunshine blazed down once more. After smiling, she added, “I never realized how much I took the sun for granted. Oh, there’s not a lot of it, even in London. But to not even have the chance of basking in it, well, it’s harder than I thought it’d be.”
He moved closer to her so he could also soak up some sunshine. The warmth made her scent even stronger, and he barely resisted touching her cheek.
Focusing on the openings above, he cleared his throat and said, “For me, being underground has made me appreciate the simple act of shifting. I couldn’t do it for a few hours and all I could think about was wanting to change into my dragon form. I can’t even imagine how tough it must be for someone whose inner dragon was silenced via drugs—like what some of the Dragon Knights did to other dragon-shifters—and possibly lose that gift forever.”
Her face turned toward him, full of concern. “Most of their inner dragons have returned, though, right?”
“Most but not all. It’s definitely a privilege to still have mine. I would say more, but I don’t want my inner beast to get too cocky.”
His dragon sniffed but didn’t say anything.
Hayley laid a hand on his bare arm, and his heart jumped. Not because her hands were cold, but because his every nerve was attuned to her movements, her presence, her being.
Her fingers lightly brushed his skin, probably without realizing it, as she said, “That’s something I have a hard time understanding.”
“What?”
“The two personalities in one mind thing. Once your dragon starts talking to you in childhood, don’t you kind of become one?”
“In a way. It’s hard to explain to a human, but the personalities of the human and the dragon usually have some sort of balance. Oh, there are circumstances when that’s not the case—usually for those with evil intentions—but for the most part, it’s almost as if we’re born to host both.”
“Hmm, it’s still such a foreign concept to me. And yet, I think it’d be nice to always have a friend.”
“I suppose.”
His dragon sniffed.You love me, you bastard.
Of course I do.
Before his beast could reply, Hayley said, “Oh, and before I forget, I liked seeing you in your dragon form. You’re so tall and strong and pretty.”
He frowned. “Pretty?”
“Yes. Dragons are pretty, male or female.”
His inner beast stood a little taller.
Hayley pushed up her glasses. “Even so, it’s nice being able to talk with you again and not have to guess at what you’re saying.”
He smiled. “You did surprisingly well with reading my body language. Your skills from the courtroom must transfer over well for reading dragons.”
She laughed. “I guess so. Although, in general, you’re easier to read than a lot of people I’ve met before.”
“Really? My mum always says the opposite.”
“Maybe with me it’s different because I’m not your parent.”
