Page 92 of To Spark a Dragon's Love
The cool breeze drifted through the crack in the open window, caressing my face. Beckoning.
I swallowed past my dry throat. “I need to get outside.”
“No,” Malachy growled as he lay me back down beside him. “Sleep now. Everything will be all right.”
Realization dawned on me as I fully woke.
“You don’t think I’m strong enough to do this.” The wind picked up outside the window. Branches scraped against the glass.
“I don’t even think I’m strong enough to do this anymore.” Malachy pressed a kiss to my forehead. “It’s not that. It’s just… I can’t lose you.”
“What if it’s different for me than it was for you?” I tried to sit up, to wiggle out of his hold, but it was so comfortable in his arms.
This was what I always wanted but never had.
The feeling of protection. Being loved and wanted. Being safe. But no one told me the dark side of this, how suffocating it could be.
To love someone so much you couldn’t breathe without them would also mean that sometimes you couldn’t really breathe.
“Malachy, you’re going to have to let me try and do this.” I spoke to him, but my eyes were fixed on the trees outside the window. They swayed, calling.
“I can’t.” His lips moved to his claiming mark and he kissed it there, teeth stilling. “Stay with me.”
“I will,” I promised as his fingers gathered up the hair off the back of my neck. His lips trailed along the exposed flesh, moving to my jaw. “But…”
His hand moved lower as he continued to nip and kiss. Fingers dipped under the waistband of my silk pajama pants. I clenched my thighs together as a moan slipped out when he found me wet and waiting.
“But,” he prompted, spreading my lips as he teased and I arched against his hand, begging with my body for more of his touch.
I forgot what I was going to say.
“Let me heal you,” Malachy whispered in my ear as he tugged my pants lower, exposing me to the moonlight.
The branches continued to tap at the window while I screamed silent whimpers as my mate brought the fever down.
∞
Pounding on the door jerked me awake.
“What time is it?” I groaned.
“Time for you to see some sunlight.” Riley sounded pissed as she threw back the curtains.
Broad daylight filled the room and I frowned as I looked at Malachy. He lay beside me in bed, putting an arm over his face.
How long have we been out?
“Oh good, you’re both clothed,” Riley said. “Go ahead and bring her in.”
“Bring in who?” I squinted toward the open door as a cloud passed over the sun, muting the bright glare. Ember stood behind Harper.
“I brought you sick soup, Mommy.” Harper carried a bowl on a tray full of liquid that sloshed over the edge every few steps.
I sat up quick and reached to take the tray from her hands. “Thanks, baby. But I’m not that sick.” Movement from Riley caught my eye. A quick shake of her head. “Er—I mean, I won’t be that sick once I eat your magic soup.”
I smiled at my daughter before looking at the bowl.
Bits of carrots and apples and cut-up hotdog bobbed with what looked like grass pieces in a broth of warm milk.
