Page 49

As if that was a signal, Lachlan turned and paced away.

Oh…wow. His ass would put a Greek statue to shame. Two taut, round globes with sexy little indents that made my mouth water. I was so fixated on his backside, his shift took me by surprise. He poofed to a cloud of smoke, twisted into a tight column, and then burst into a golden dragon the size of a small mountain.

Wonder filled me as I took in his golden scales and glittering eyes, which gleamed like liquid metal. Like Alec, he had a crown of black spikes on his head and a row of horns marching from the top of his spine all the way to the tip of his tail. His face was reptilian, with an elongated snout and a mouth full of multiple rows of serrated teeth.

Without warning, Alec scooped me into his arms and carried me toward Lachlan.

“Hey!” I batted at Alec’s chest, which was like swatting a boulder. “What are you—”

“Trust me, lass, when it comes to riding a dragon, you shouldn’t think overmuch about it. It’s like learning to ride a bike. Best to just get on and go.”

“That is not how people learn to ride a bike!”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Is it no’?”

“No, it’s no’,” I said, mimicking his accent. “It’s—” I squawked as he tossed me into the air, then grunted when Lachlan caught me on his wing. Before I could catch my breath, the wing soared above the courtyard like a construction crane. Then it tipped, and I slid onto Lachlan’s broad back. The whole thing happened so fast I didn’t have time to scream or worry about falling.

A column of smoke swished into the air beside me, then shivered and took Alec’s dragon form. The beast bared razor-sharp teeth at me in what I supposed was meant to pass for a smile. Alec’s deep voice flowed into my head.

See? Easier than ridin’ a bike. Just don’t let go.

My heart pounded as I surveyed one of the horns protruding from the top of Lachlan’s golden head.

Wrap your hand around it, he said in my mind. You won’t hurt me.

I bit my lip at the innuendo, then gasped when his back shook underneath me. “Behave yourself,” I murmured, tracing my fingertips over one of his shimmering gold scales. They were more comfortable than they looked—like running my hand over a fine leather coat. If not for the horns and the fact that I was twenty feet in the air, I might have thought I sat in a luxury car with heated seats.

A great gust of wind tossed my hair, and then Alec launched himself into the night sky, his body shooting past like a rocket. Lachlan’s back dipped beneath me as he drew a deep breath.

Then the world dropped out from under me.

For a second, I couldn’t breathe. I clung to his horns for dear life as wind blasted my face and a jet engine roared in my ears. It was like takeoff in an airplane, only the plane didn’t have a roof or seat belts. We shot into the air, climbing and climbing, Lachlan’s wings flapping like two massive sails. They were banded with deep crimson, which made the gold even more breathtaking. Clouds streaked past my face. My hair grew damp, and cold air bit at my skin.

Just as the ascent became unbearable, Lachlan snapped his wings out straight. The roaring stopped, and we seemed to float, suspended in the sky like a blimp over a sports stadium. I dared to look down and my eyes went wide.

Lights dotted the Scottish countryside, which glowed a rich green even in the middle of the night. Church spires rose among the towns. Here and there, a castle perched on a rugged hillside or the edge of a rocky precipice. And everywhere there was water. Lochs of all sizes shimmered with moonlight, as though a giant had made footprints and then filled them with stars. Clouds drifted past like tufts of cotton candy. Every few minutes, Lachlan’s wings gently beat the air, sending a whoosh of wind twisting around me. The temperature was chilly, but his body was warm. Like cupping my hands around a mug of hot chocolate on a snowy day.

Alec swooped into view, then settled in the air beside us. He gave me another terrifying smile, his teeth like stalactites in a cave. Fancy a race? Before I could reply, he plastered his wings against his body and streaked forward, leaving Lachlan and me in the dust.

Lachlan’s voice rumbled in my head, the timbre rich with disapproval. Show off. Don’t worry, lass, we don’t have to chase him.

Ahead of us, Alec looped through the sky, his body twisting sinuously. He stopped, wings flapping, and looked over his shoulder. Through the mental connection came the faint sound of a chicken clucking.

I gripped Lachlan’s horns tightly and patted his back. “Whatever happens, just promise you’ll catch me if I fall off.”

I had time to register him chuckling in my head. Then wind tore through my hair as he shot forward. We flew past Alec, which was how I learned dragons look absolutely ridiculous with a shocked expression on their faces.

My laughter was lost to the wind as we sped through the air, the ground below going blurry. Alec flew forward, his horned tail swishing. Lachlan dipped us sharply to the left, ducking under Alec’s body. Obviously expecting to find us on the right, Alec did a double-take, his spiky head swiveling back and forth like a cartoon character.

Lachlan and I laughed together. Alec spun away, dropped back, and released a burst of flame perilously close to Lachlan’s tail.

And then the race was truly on.

We dipped and soared. Spun and twirled. My fear melted away as we streaked through the sky, and I laughed as Lachlan did barrel rolls like a fighter plane. It was so much fun I lost track of time, and before I knew it the land beneath us glowed with millions of lights.

London.

The guys ceased their play, and Alec’s voice entered my head. We have to fly a bit higher, lass. Someone might spot us.