Page 11 of Rhadan

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I am glad I am immune.”

His breath warmed her lips. “As am I. Except for my childhood friends, I have never gotten to learn about someone. To not have them throw themselves at me.”

“What about before your power formed? What was childhood like?”

“My brothers and I learned to walk, hunt, and fly together. We had many adventures, and those days sustained me when I thought I would experience nothing like it again. It was a wondrous time.”

She smiled. “Sounds fun. You said non-druids could have mental shields. I wasn’t aware of that.”

“They are rare, but they occur in the human population. Usually, those who possess extrasensory gifts.”

She leaned forward. His stories were interesting, and she was enjoying the tales of young dragons. “Like what?”

“I met a woman years ago with low-level telekinesis and another who was psychic.”

“Wow.” She winked. “Did you get your fortune read?”

“It wasn’t my intention, but she was older and stumbled. I caught her before she fell, and she told me my future was wrought with peril and that my natural talents would not help me in the fight for my life.”

“She knew you were a dragon?”

Rhadan cleared his throat. “No. She thought I was a man of... importance.”

Her eyes widened. “Really?”

“You sound surprised.”

“I guess I shouldn’t be. The girls said you were good-looking. Alana said you were next-level gorgeous, whatever that means.”

Rhadan chuckled. “Alana has a flair for words and since she was able to outwit me during our first encounter, I have much respect for the little fox.”

Tempest chuckled. “She loves that nickname.”

“I know.”

Tempest was quiet for some time. “You never used your power on a human?”

The air vibrated with anger before he answered. “Yes, once. It ended in her destruction.”

“Her?”

He grunted. “My wife.”

CHAPTER 7

Rhadan swallowed the lump in his throat. He was the only dragon to get married without a druid mate. The shame and embarrassment were overwhelming. He had felt he had no choice at the time, but he had always wondered if he could have handled things differently. Now he had to explain his stupidity to his mate.

Tempest blinked several times, as if she hadn’t heard him correctly. “You were married?”

“A long time ago. She was human.”

“But she wasn’t your mate.”

“No.”

“Then she was not immortal,” she whispered.

“No Elia, died a long time ago.”

---