Page 56 of There's Something About Dragons
“Sushi picnic?” he suggests. “Or we could get Korean barbecue.”
I debate for a split-second before deciding. “Both! This is a celebration.”
His clothes are destroyed, so he squeezes into my baggiest sweats and biggest T-shirt. They look like a crop-top and skin-tight leggings on him, but it’s enough to get us across the park to the food carts. Zed, Radar, and I order a takeaway feast that we spread out on a blanket in the grass.
After we stuff ourselves, we watch the clouds drift across the blue expanse above. I lie on top of Zed like a mattress and Radar snuggles into the curve of his tail. It’s peaceful and warm and perfect.
We still have a lot of things to figure out, like where to live and what Zed’s going to do about his business, but I know we’ll make a good life together…even if it’s not exactly like typical dragon couples.
“Will you take me flying some time?” I ask, old insecurities pricking at me as I stare up at the sky.
“Any time. You’d trust me to carry you?” The softness in his voice tells me everything I need to know. That I’m the mate he’s been dreaming of, the same way I’ve always only wanted him. That he wants everything with me, always.
I nod. “I know you’d never let me go.”
He fishes in the pocket of his borrowed sweatpants, extracting something that he passes to me. It’s a small box tied up with a red ribbon. “Your alokoi gift,” he explains. “Thankfully I didn’t swallow it this morning.”
I giggle as I unwrap it, knowing what therealgift was. Inside the box is a delicate chain bracelet with a gold dachshund charm. I gasp when I notice the tiny, glittering gems that make up its eyes. “This is so perfect! I love it.”
“I thought it was appropriate. Radar is kind of our matchmaker, isn’t he?” Zed grins as he helps me fasten it around my wrist.
“And now we’re a family.” I turn my face up to his, squinting into the sun. “Wait, what do you want most? I should get you an alokoi gift, too.”
His breath whooshes out in a puff of smoke. “You’ve already given it to me. Your forgiveness. Your trust in me even though I’ve been a neglectful mate. I don’t want anything else from you.”
“Nothing?” I tease, reaching to squeeze his cock through his borrowed pants.
He growls and rolls us over so he’s on top of me, though he’s careful not to disturb Radar’s nap. “I think you’ve given that to me, too, alokoi. Although I’m happy to receive that gift again. And again, and again…”
Epilogue – One Year Later
Zed’s Feral Form
Mate.
She’s so small and soft in my claws. A tiny weight. I hoist her to my back so she can straddle my spine right above my wings. I can feel the heat of her folds through my scales, which Ienjoy very much. I would like to do a lot of things to those folds and the holes they hide.
You’re too big. Don’t forget you could hurt her,Zed says inside me. Words, words, words. He always has words.
I would never hurt her. I would bite off my own tail before I’d do that.
I prefer to carry my mate, but today I must carry her animal friend. Radar is my friend, too. We both enjoy the same things: fresh meat, interesting smells, andher.
He climbs into my hands with only a little coaxing. He’s not afraid to fly with me. He likes the wind flapping his ears.
I push off from the ground, stretching my wings to lift us high and then higher above the forest. My mate’s little limbs squeeze my neck as I wheel to give her a good view of the trees, the river, and the ocean beyond. She likes to see everything, and so I try and show her the whole world.
Stop showing off, Zed complains.She’s getting tired.
Words, words. My mate loves it. I can feel her heart jump and zip with excitement. Sometimes I wonder if she has a dragon inside that just can’t come out. Today, maybe I’ll find out.
I turn toward the sea, heading for the cliffs I scouted earlier. Above a small bay, there’s a cliffside cave big enough for a dragon’s den. I swept it out with my tail to make it ready for her and filled it with nesting material. My mate is so soft, she needs a soft nest. It took a lot of material because it’s big enough for me, too.
I made another, smaller nest for our animal friend. He is old and requires a lot of rest. My mate and I will not be resting in our nest, though.
Zed is talking words again, but I’m not listening. I focus on landing gently on the ledge that leads to the cave. My mate slides down off my back, gasping when she sees what I’ve prepared for us.
“This is amazing! Where did you get all this?” she asks me.
