Page 43 of Scaled Hearts

“Kelly, please.” I plead with her. “Please stop.”

She doesn’t. She only continues to cry and cry and feel and make us both miserable.

I crawl over to her and put my arms around her to pull her against my body. My cloak envelops us like a cocoon. It shields us from the cold dampness surrounding us. I squeeze her tight in my arms, feeling her body shaking from her sobbing.

“It is alright. They are in a better place now.”

I don’t know what I’m babbling about, but it’s the only thing I can think to say to her at this point. She coughs into my chest, her tears running down my skin while her cheek presses into my pec.

I run my hand down her back and rub gently up her spine. I’ve never had to comfort someone before, so I’m not sure how to do so properly. Feeling this way, at only a fraction of the agony that Kelly feels, is true torture.

I bury my face in her hair, breathing her in while I try to settle her. Humans are such complicated creatures. I’m never sure what the correct way to handle her is, but I know that I don’t like making her upset.

Yesterday was a misstep. My arguing with her was something that I should’ve let go when I saw her first getting upset. But of course, my pride is the usual piece of me that gets in the way. Especially when I feel as if I’ve been put in a vulnerable state.

What I had said before to her was true, though. This is what it means to be mated to a dragon. We are a stubborn and prideful race that are stunted in our emotions to the point that it may potentially harm others in the crossfire.

“I’m sorry.” I whisper in her ear, nuzzling my nose against it. “I’m sorry for saying cruel things to you.”

She hiccups. “Why did you…?”

“Because I was angry and I took it out on you. I don't know how to handle myself when I feel upset like that.”

She turns her face slightly, her shoulders slowly relaxing in my hold.

“You can do this. You can hold me and tell me that it’s going to be alright.”

I frown. “But it isn’t alright. They’re dead. And you’re sad about it.”

“Sometimes it’s nice to hear anyways.”

What a truly strange creature she is.

“Oh.” I lick at her ear lobe, my teeth ache to nibble at it. “Then next time you’re sad, I shall lie to you.”

She lets out a soft laugh. She leans back from my chest and cups my face in her hands. Her eyes are red-rimmed and bloodshot, her cheeks tear-stained.

“Not lie, Angurus. I don’t need that. I just need you to tell me that at the end of the day, no matter what happens, everything is going to be okay.”

I nod, an understanding clicking somewhere in me. If all she needs is a shoulder to cry on when times get tough for her, then I can certainly do that. If she needs me to lift her up when she falls, I would do it without a single moment’s hesitation.

As her mate, I am her support through the raging storms.

I run my hand up her spine again to cup the back of her head, pulling her into a deep and heated kiss.

This woman… this beautiful livewire of a creature that I’ve decided to be my mate… I will protect her. I will do anything to keep her happy and safe.

Kelly moans against me when I plunge my tongue into her mouth. I explore every inch of her, every piece of her that I desire.

She’s mine.

My mate. My human. Mine.

I shift us forward and lay her back down onto the cavern floor. My hips find hers instantly and roll into her at an agonizingly slow pace. I want her. I need her.

I part from her slowly.

“I must stop before I end up claiming you here. We will never find your sister that lotus if we keep going at this rate.”

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