Page 8 of Ruling in Flames (Reborn 5)
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MAYA
“Mon lapin, wake up.”
I let out a soft hum as the accented voice tickled my ears, nuzzling into the rough, warm hand against my cheek, loving the texture and comfort it brought. I knew who was trying to wake me up, especially because of the nickname—despite having only heard it once or twice now—but I couldn’t for the life of me conjure a name to the front of my mind. Instead I simply enjoyed being wrapped up in his electric magic that ran against my skin in small bolts of energy.
“Wake up, Maya.”
“I can’t,” I sighed, squeezing my eyes shut further. “I’m too tired.”
I really was. In fact, my whole body felt sore and achy, like I’d run several miles, and I was seriously hoping that wasn’t the case. I was finding that traditional exercise wasn’t something that appealed to me… Well, unless Croy wanted to go on a run and he was shirtless—it was possible I would enjoy that.
Although he usually went in the morning…so never mind.
A soft worried noise left the individual’s throat as I raised my hand to wrap around his, running my thumb against his wrist in what I hoped was a comforting move. I could feel this odd bond running between us, nearly luminescent in nature and wrapping around my other bonds protectively. It wasn’t a natural bond, but it felt natural to us, and it was as powerful as my mating bonds. This was something special between us…between Azrael and me.
Azrael.
“I’m right here,” he promised, his voice sounding pained as my fingers slid up his forearm, only stopping as I felt smooth skin. Something was missing…something I had noticed before.
His scars.My eyes slowly opened and I met his gaze, eyes wide with so many emotions.
“They’re gone,” I whispered.
His throat worked nervously. “You noticed them.”
I blushed in embarrassment, wondering if I shouldn’t have said anything. “I did.”
“They are gone,” he murmured, brushing a piece of my hair away from my face. I let out a soft, pleased sound at him touching me—something that had him pausing, a confused expression filling his face. “Sorry, I shouldn’t be—”
“Don’t be sorry.” My tongue darted out on my lips as I interrupted him, his eyes following the action. “I should be sorry—I got you killed.”
He blinked before chuckling, his tone tainted with tension and a bit of distress. “Yes, well, I’m not exactly positive that’s the case—I don’t know where we are.”
I knew, though. I knew exactly what was going on, and I remembered everything I had been told despite feeling more than slightly disoriented.
Turning my head from where I was laid out in the grass, I looked around and realized we were in a different landscape than before. Now we were in a forested region with massive trees that appeared to stretch towards the sky infinitely. “Are we near the barrier from before?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted, sounding thoroughly upset at the concept, his wings ruffling softly behind him. “When you disappeared, we waited for you, and when your magic blasted out”—it hadn’t been my magic, but I didn’t correct him—“we got separated, and the space around us changed.”
I looked around, confirming that my dragon mate was nowhere in sight. “We have to find Anani.”
“I don’t know when we got separated,” Azrael grunted. “Before you get up, let me make sure you’re okay first. You’ve been unconscious twice today already.”
I nodded, and he gently helped me sit up from where I was laying. Instead of moving away from him, I leaned into him. I probably should’ve been angry withMr. I Put Kittens In Danger,but it was difficult to feel that way when he had literally sacrificed his life for us. Even if we were both somehow still alive.
“How are you going to make sure I’m okay? With healing magic, like before?” I asked curiously, remembering the way he had sheltered me in his wings after being injured so badly. Was it too much to hope that he would wrap me up in them again?
He nodded, and I inhaled as I felt his magic run over me, loving the sensation against my skin. I couldn’t hold his gaze, though, feeling flushed and a little awkward at this level of intimacy. My fingers itched to reach out and touch his feathers. I wish I could tell you I had the control to keep myself from doing it, but my fingers went forward and brushed against the feathers. They seemed so delicate—at least the onyx ones. The silver were slightly thicker and more dangerous with their sharp edges.
I found myself envious, wishing I could have my wings out constantly like he did. I bet that felt amazing. My back twitched as I wondered if that was even possible.
A feral growl came from Azrael’s throat, and I moved my gaze up to find him looking at me with so much intensity that it had my entire body freezing up. A flash of heat ran over my skin as I swallowed nervously. His eyes tracked the movement, and I almost leaned back, but I couldn’t find it in me to leave the aura of his energy—he had a gravitational force that was nearly impossible to ignore.
“Sorry,” I whispered. “They’re just so beautiful.”
His eyes flashed black as he moved forward, causing me to lean back until I was lying flat and he was over me, his eyes running over my face before moving to my shoulders. “I bet your feathers are equally as beautiful,mon lapin.”
