Page 129 of Clash of Storms
"Did I kill it?" Tormund's chest heaved as he peered into the murky depths.
She could sense Sirius's attention locking upon the other man as if he saw a threat.
"He's one of ours,"she told him. "He fought beside Haakon at Krafla, and he was supposed to be helping Elin rescue your brother."
"You can't kill it with an axe," Sirius told him in disgust, then sent to her, "Mortals."
"God damn it!" The enormous Norwegian rattled his fists at the retreating wyrm. "What is it going to take to slay a monster?"
"Is he mad?" Sirius demanded of her.
"Maybe."
"I'm not bloody mad." Tormund subsided with a curse. "Haakon has earned the name Dragonsbane for killing three dragons. I intend to forge my own name."
Sirius stared at him incredulously. "He is mad. What does he want to be called? Wyrmkiller?"
"It's a male thing,"Malin replied, bending low to nudge him.
"It's a human thing,"he corrected. His attention settled on her, and Sirius stroked her softer underbelly."You shifted,"he whispered."Sweet Goddess, you shifted. I knew you could do it."
"I just needed the right motivation.Here, lean on me."
"I can stand,"he told her, sounding almost affronted.
"There you go again, playing the dominant male. Let me hover,"she told him.
He used her to haul himself to his feet. His right boot was a mess, and blood spilled from it."Give me a moment."
"It seems Jörmungandr doesn't want to be friends with you."
"Ungrateful bastard. I gave it my best shot."Hot gold sparks cascaded off him as he flickered through forms, before reassembling in his own."That's better."
Malin hovered over him, her heart still pounding. He'd suffered so much. The queen had hurt him badly, and the battle with Roar had nearly killed him. She'd come so close to losing him, she could barely stand it. Malin whuffled softly, trying to curl her wing over him as he leaned on her, and nearly stabbed him in the back of the head with her dew claw.
Sirius laughed, knocking her wing aside."Look at you, you needy female."He threw his arms around her neck, and she could sense the relief cascading through the bond."I thought I told you to go with Freyja."
"I couldn't stand it. I needed to know you were safe."
"I knew it. You're besotted."
She could feel the fierce bite of a territorial possessiveness she'd never felt before. It was worse in his form."Is this what it feels like?"
She opened herself so he could feel hungry drive to protect him, to claim him, to make him hers.
"Oh, Malin."His touch brushed across her mind like a stroke."You're mating with me."
He sounded delighted.
"What do I look like?"She tried to turn her head to catch a glimpse of her russet scales. The underside of her wings was the softest of golds, like dawn shimmering through the sky.
"Beautiful,"Sirius breathed, his hands stroking over her chest. "You're so beautiful. So perfect."
A part of her wanted to preen, but she was viciously aware they were still within striking range of the water.
"Pet me later,"she told him."We're not done yet. Rurik's not coming. He's fighting your father. Freyja's beside herself. Something about Stellan cheating. He's winning."
"Sweet, Malin. The second I have you naked in my arms, I'm going to do more than pet you. We're going to see this bond through to its end. But yes...."He turned to look to the horizon."We're not done yet. I have a queen to kill."
