Page 4 of Bound by Fire and Scales (The Dragons of Earis #1)

A blood contract?

“That’s…” I stared at him, meeting his clear green eyes and felt uncertain. As a human with not an ounce of magic in my blood, I had never used blood contracts. But I knew what they were and how they bound the people together for life. Mages mostly used blood contracts to bind their slaves to them forever. The thought of being bound by blood to a dragon, even one like him, made my chest tighten. Could I really trust him? “You don’t need to do that.”

“I insist,” he said, his tone grave. “If something happens to me before the end of our agreement, this will guarantee that one of my men repays my debt to you. It’s for your protection, Sabrina.”

I let out a shaky laugh, trying to deflect the tension. “What, are you in danger? Too many enemies lurking behind your back, oh mighty dragon?”

His expression didn’t waver. He stared at me with stone cold eyes, unamused. “This isn’t a joke, Sabrina; we may have peace now, but it’s fragile, and you never know when a new conflict might arise.” I searched his face, studying every hard line and shadow, looking for something that might betray his true intentions.

His sharp jawline caught the faint glow of the sunlight that entered the room, and the way his serious green eyes bore into me made my chest tighten. His seriousness only added to his allure. He was the most handsome alpha I had ever laid eyes on. And it wasn’t just his utterly mouth-watering physique. There was also this undeniable pull between us. Something about him soothed the restless yearning of my inner omega.

I hated how fuzzy he made me feel just by looking at him. Hated how his messy red hair fell perfectly into place, almost as if he had styled it in that way on purpose, how his massive arms bulged under that shirt of his made my fingers itch to trace the contours of his broad shoulders and to feel the warmth of his skin. My cheeks warmed as I forced my gaze back to his eyes. Damn him for looking this good while talking about life and death like it was just another day. I cleared my throat, trying to pull myself together. I was already here; I had already accepted to help him with this crazy plan. Why not just go with the blood contract?

“Alright.” I shrugged, feigning indifference even though I was sure he could sense how drawn I was to him. “I’ll do the blood contract, fine. But don’t we need a mage for that? Blood contracts require magic, after all.”

He shot me a silent, almost wounded look, his pride visibly stung. “Dragons have their own magic.”

“I had no idea dragons could use magic, too. I thought it was all fire and smoke?” I half-teased, but his sharp gaze pinned me in place, frustration flashing in his eyes before he rolled them in exasperation.

“You really need to learn more about my kind if you’re going to be my mate.” I shrugged. It wasn’t my fault I didn’t know before today, I’d had no plans to get tangled up with dragons. Especially since his species were so secretive. “We can use magic, but it’s not like the magic mages use. We’re born with elemental power, it’s in our blood. Mages have to learn and practice their craft. For us, magic is instinctual. It’s part of who we are.”

I nodded slowly, trying to wrap my head around it. I couldn’t even imagine how it must feel to have all this power coursing through your veins from birth. Zephyr stepped closer, towering over me, his intense gaze locking with mine as his massive hands came to rest on my shoulders, holding me in place. “Are you certain you want to go through with this? You can still back out now, and we’ll go our separate ways.”

A flicker of doubt passed across his expression, and I began to understand just how seriously he took everything. It was strange that someone so intense could make me trust him almost instantly. But for the first time in my life, my inner omega felt truly safe being near an alpha. I smirked down at him; I had already made up my mind.

“What? First, you practically begged me to do this and now you're asking if I want to back down? Nope, Zephyr, you’re not weaseling out of paying me that easily.”

His green eyes locked onto mine, searching for something in my eyes, before he gave a small nod. Those eyes of his, they were gorgeous, a shade so vivid I could lose myself in them and never care to find my way back.

“You know how this works?” he asked, and I scrambled to remember what I knew about blood contracts. The basics came to mind: every participant had to share their blood with the others. But beyond that? I was clueless.

“I know there’s blood involved,” I said, my tone lighter than it should have been.

His expression hardened instantly, his trademark glare cutting through the air between us. I couldn’t help it and I giggled, the sound slipping out before I could stop it. His eyes narrowed, sharp as blades, and I knew I was testing his patience. He wanted me to take this seriously. But honestly? He was already doing that for both of us.

“We don’t do it like the mages, if that’s what you think.” I wasn’t, but I didn’t bother correcting him. Truthfully, I had no idea how the mages performed their blood contracts either. “We don’t offer mortal sacrifices to bind the contracts. Well, not since the last century.”

Oh. That was...comforting. Sort of.

“Please, don’t be scared.” He didn’t give me a chance to question why I might be. When I looked back at him, his hands had already begun to change, the fingers elongating, the tips sharpening into black claws that looked like they could tear through steel. I couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped me as I looked up at his face. Red scales now covered parts of his skin, glinting faintly in the light. I stumbled back, my heart hammering wildly in my chest.

“Z-Zephyr… your face!” I stammered, my voice trembling.

He lifted his gaze to meet mine, his clear green eyes unchanged. “It’s okay,” he said, unfazed. “I just shifted partially into my dragon form.” My breath hitched and I couldn’t look away as he dragged the tip of one sharp claw across the skin of his palm, drawing a fine line of deep red blood.

“Now Sabrina, give me your hand.”

His voice was rough and commanding. I swallowed hard and quickly obeyed, offering my left hand. A soft gasp escaped my lips as I felt his warm, solid grip taking my hand into his, holding mine with the palm up. His hand was so large that mine seemed to vanish within it. He slowly traced his fingertips across my palm and I felt how rough and calloused his fingers were. Those were the hands of a man who had fought countless battles. My gaze faltered, and for a brief moment, I wondered how those fingers would feel against me. How would those claws feel against my skin?

“I’ll need to make a cut on your palm first.” Our gazes locked, and I became aware of how close we were. His face was only inches from mine, his warm breath brushing against my skin, sending an involuntary shiver through me. “Is that alright with you, Sabrina?” he asked, his tone surprisingly gentle. I blinked, surprised that he would even bother asking for my permission in a moment like this.

“Yeah… Sure…” I said, suddenly feeling breathless.

Slowly, he took his time, grazing his claws against my skin, and I couldn’t help but gasp, my lips slightly parted as I watched him cut into my skin, his claws cold yet somehow soothing against the heat of my flesh. The sensation was sharp, and I felt the sting as my blood, vivid and red, surged through the cut. My gaze lifted, meeting his, and the way Zephyr’s green eyes had darkened sent an electric shiver racing down my spine. His woody and dark spicy scent made my head spin. There was something oddly intimate about all of this. His touch, the way his eyes never left mine as he drew the thin line of blood from my palm.

“Now, the only thing left are the binding words.” His voice was rough and low in a way that made my knees tremble. My heartbeat throbbed in my ears, my eyes glued to him as I watched him lift his cut palm to place it up against mine. He clasped our hands together, and an embarrassing moan left my lips when I felt his blood against mine. His darkened gaze snapped back at me, going from my eyes to my mouth, and I trembled under his gaze. “By blood, we bind ourselves to one another, under the sacred moons, protectors of all dragons. I call upon them to witness to seal this bond, tying the lifeblood coursing through our veins. Let this vow claim the life of any who dare break it. Until both uphold their names and their oath, this binding shall remain eternal.”

Then, he took my hand and raised it to his lips. My breath hitched, and my eyes widened as his mouth brushed against my skin, his warm breath sending a shiver straight to my core. “From this moment forward Sabrina, we're bound by blood,” he said, his green eyes meeting mine.

Before I could respond, his tongue dragged slowly across the cut on my palm. I gasped, a small moan escaping my lips as the heat of his tongue trailed over the wound, sending a deliciously sinful shiver down my spine. My face burned, but my body betrayed me as I pressed my thighs together, desperate for some relief from that deep ache I hadn’t felt in so long.

When he finally released my hand, he turned it so I could see. The cut was gone, healed completely, as if it had never been there at all.

“H-how?” I managed, my voice shaky.

His lips curved into a slow, knowing smirk, half amusement, half something else… “Dragon saliva has healing properties.” His tone was casual, though the heat in his eyes betrayed him. “I couldn’t leave my mate with a scar. That would be improper for an alpha.”

He spoke as though what he’d done was nothing, as though he couldn’t very well smell the thick scent of my arousal now clinging to the air between us.

???

We left the inn in a tense, awkward silence.

After reacting in such an embarrassing way when we sealed the blood contract, I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. I had no idea what had come over me, but when his sharp claws grazed my skin, my mind became dazed. I knew that a blood contract could influence its participants to develop strong feelings toward those they shared blood with. That was why the mages used this kind of magic to trick people into becoming their slaves for life.

I never expected to have such an intense reaction just from touching his blood. And when he licked my hand... my skin flushed hot all over again, as the memory of his tongue against my skin, lapping at the cut on my palm, sent a shiver down my spine. The way his eyes had burned with raw hunger had left me breathless. Now, looking at his composed and serious face, I wondered if he had felt the same spark I did when our hands touched. Was it possible I had imagined the pull between us? Or had the years of taking suppressants and skipping my heat finally begun to mess with my mind and I was now throwing myself at the first alpha that treated me half decently?

“Ready?”

Zephyr’s deep voice pulled me from my drifting thoughts as he approached. His towering figure made me take a step back to meet his gaze. We had ventured deep into the forest, far from the guild or any nearby village. Around us, the trees stretched high, their thick branches forming a canopy that filtered the sunlight into soft, golden beams. The air was cool and rich with the scent of damp earth and moss. The quiet rustle of the wind through the trees was the only sound, as if the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting.

“Yeah, I’m ready,” I said, forcing a casual shrug, doing my best to act like his presence wasn’t messing with my inner omega, tempting me to submit to him. “I’m not exactly thrilled about this trip,” I said, thinking about how exhausting it would be to travel for days. I had always found traveling bothersome.

Zephyr raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into what I was sure was meant to be a smirk. “I didn’t think you would be. I guess most humans wouldn’t.”

I tilted my head, not understanding what he was implying. “You make it sound like we’re going into battle, not heading to your clan’s island.”

“It might feel like a battle by the time we get there,” he said, voice low, though there was a hint of amusement in his tone. “Especially for you.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Instead of answering, Zephyr looked up at the sky, scanning it like he was checking the weather, before shifting his attention back to me. “We’re going to the Fire Island. The only way there is by flying.”

The moment he said the word flying , I felt my entire body stiffen. “Flying? You mean—” I gestured to the sky, frowning. “On a dragon? ”

Zephyr nodded, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “On my back.”

I stood there, mouth agape, shock coursing through me. How had I not seen this coming? Of course, he’d want to shift into his dragon form for this. “Are you serious?”

“Completely.”

“No way.” I shook my head, crossing my arms again, digging in my heels. “What if I fall? Nope. I’m not riding on a dragon’s back!”

His clear green eyes flashed with something close to amusement, but I didn’t care. The idea of soaring through the air like a leaf in the wind, clinging to a dragon? Not happening.

“There must be another way,” I insisted. “A boat, a portal, anything .”

He sighed, though it was more of a low rumble, like he was trying to hold back his frustration. “Sabrina, the Fire Island can’t be reached by boat or portals. We have protective spells in place to prevent any unwanted surprises. The only way there is by flying.”

I crossed my arms tighter, refusing to budge. “I’m not doing it.”

Zephyr stepped closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over me, and his voice dropped, firm but not unkind. “It’s impossible to get there by any other means. I wouldn’t suggest this if there was another way.”

I met his gaze, refusing to let myself be intimidated, even though he was staring at me like I was some stubborn child. I wasn’t scared of heights—not really—but the thought of being that close to him? That was another story.

“There’s no other way?” I asked again, my voice softer now, as I tried to find some loophole, some crack in his insistence.

“No. Unless you want to walk across the ocean.”

I swallowed hard, thinking back to when he partially shifted back, how his face had darkened and the red scales spread all over his skin. I wondered what he would look like in his full form.

“Fine. But don’t think for one second that I’m going to enjoy this.”

A small, satisfied smile tugged at the corner of Zephyr’s mouth, and it took everything in me not to glare at him. “I didn’t expect you to,” he said calmly, and then added, with just a hint of teasing in his tone. “I’m just glad you’re being reasonable.”

I rolled my eyes. “You won’t be saying that when I’m holding on for dear life and screaming in your ear.”

“I’m sure I can deal with it.” His smile faded into something more serious. “But don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

It was the way he said it, so quietly, that made something shift inside me. Despite how much I wanted to brush off his words, I could tell he meant it. Every time he looked at me with those intense green eyes and assured me I was safe with him, I found myself trusting him more and more without hesitation. He was slowly making me do something that I never thought I would do: Trust an alpha.

He stepped forward, his broad back now facing me. “Have you ever seen a dragon before?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder.

I took a moment to appreciate how striking he was, how strong and massive he looked under the sunlight streaming through the trees, casting a warm glow on his dark red hair making it shine like the blood that now bonded us. Everything had been happening so quickly since we met, that my brain only now registered that this man standing before me was, without a doubt, a dragon.

I shook my head, my voice barely a whisper. “I’ve never seen a dragon before.”

He turned slightly, locking his gaze with mine. “Whatever you do, don’t run from me,” he said, his voice low and edged with warning. “If you run, I’ll be forced to chase you. Dragons can’t resist a good chase.”

I swallowed hard, nodding, though my mind couldn’t stop picturing a massive dragon burning down these woods after me. I’d be dead in seconds.

“But don’t worry,” he added, his tone softening. “I won’t hurt you, Sabrina.”

“You just said you might chase me, and now you’re claiming you won’t hurt me? How does that make any sense, Zephyr?”

He sighed, his expression turning serious, almost predatory. “It’s because you’re an omega.”

My breath hitched, heat rising to my cheeks as his words sank in. Oh. Right. Even with suppressants to hide my scent from alphas, there was nothing a pill could do against an omega physically running from an alpha. It messed with the primitive instincts of any alpha.

He nodded. “If you run, my dragon instincts will want to claim you.”

“I won’t run,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. He studied me for a moment before giving a satisfied nod. I watched as Zephyr took a step forward, giving more distance between us. He rolled his shoulders before the transformation began. His body shimmered with a fiery, intense glow that grew around us to the point that it was blinding me. I stepped back, shielding my eyes as I continued to watch, and within moments, he transformed before me. No longer a man, he stood as a massive, magnificent dragon.

My breath caught in my lungs, as I stared wide-eyed. He was breathtakingly beautiful. His scales shimmered in rich, deep shades of crimson, reminiscent of freshly spilled blood. With wings that spread out like black storm clouds and were large enough to throw a shadow on the ground. His roar reverberated like a thunderclap, making the neighboring trees fall to the earth with its force.

It was my first time seeing a dragon, and I couldn’t believe how breathtaking he was. Zephyr, in his dragon form, demanded respect and radiated an undeniable, majestic power, just like in his human form. But even as I told myself he wouldn’t hurt me, a small, terrified part of me couldn’t ignore the power in his green eyes and how he could reduce me to ashes with just a single breath.

It was just a dragon. A massive, powerful, dangerous dragon… and I was going to be riding him through the sky. Ye ah, no big deal.

Zephyr lowered his body to the ground, his pale green eyes watching me with a patience that was somehow more infuriating than if he’d been mocking me. “Well?” His voice rumbled through my mind, the sound of it vibrating along my spine, making me shiver. “Are you ready?”

I hesitated for a moment longer, then stepped forward. “Let’s just get this over with.”

Climbing onto his back was easier than I expected, his scales were surprisingly smooth, and the ridges along his spine gave me something solid to hold on to. I settled into place, my hands gripping tight as I prepared myself for what was about to happen.

“Hold on,” Zephyr said, and before I could say anything else, his wings spread out, revealing the deep red and black colors of his scales, and I gasped at their size, stretching out to probably around one hundred and fifty feet. I let out a small scream when I felt his body lifting off the ground. The world dropped away beneath us, the ground becoming a blur as we rose higher and higher into the sky. My heart pounded in my chest, and for a moment, all I could do was cling to him, my breath catching in my throat.

But as we soared higher, the wind rushing past us and the world spreading out below, something shifted. The fear didn’t vanish, but it faded. My heartbeat thrummed in my ears as I saw the clouds parting, and suddenly, the view was breathtaking. Zephyr’s voice rumbled in my mind again, softer this time. “Not so bad, is it?”

I held on tighter to him, the heat of his massive body radiating against me. I couldn’t help but smile, my heartbeat pounding in my ears, the wind rasping against my face with his speed. I had to admit, flying wasn’t as scary as I’d first thought. It was freeing. Up here, it was just us—the rush of air, the steady beat of his wings, and the wild exhilaration coursing through me. And I felt truly alive for the first time in life.

“We’re approaching the barrier.” Zephyr’s voice echoed and I looked ahead, my heart beating faster in my chest.

My eyes found it. The barrier. It shimmered softly in the distance, golden, with sparkling specks cascading from magic, falling from skies to the ocean. There it was, something I had only heard about in stories, something most people would never dream of witnessing. Yet here I was, facing the mythical barrier that separated the dragon territories from the rest of Earis.

“What if it doesn’t accept me?” I shouted into the wind, hoping Zephyr could hear me through the rush of air. He rumbled in response, a puff of smoke escaping his nostrils.

“It will. You’re with me. Only dragons and those accompanied by dragons are allowed to pass.” Still, I couldn’t help but hold my breath as Zephyr surged toward the barrier. A part of me feared the magic would sense I didn’t belong, that I wasn’t worthy of entering the dragons’ territories. But Zephyr broke through in an instant, the barrier parting around us effortlessly, and nothing happened.

“Hells yeah!” I screamed, thrusting my fist into the sky. Memories of all the times I’d been overlooked for being an omega and deemed not strong enough flashed through my mind. Those people would never set foot where I was now. I had made it to a place no living human had ever been before—the territories of the Dragons of Earis.

As we broke through the skies, the jagged peaks of land emerged beneath us, sharp and unwelcoming. Zephyr’s powerful wings beat steadily as we descended, and I clung to him, his heat seeping through my skin, acting as a layer of protection from the wind. The clouds gave way to a patch of land, an island. Even surrounded by the ocean, the landscape below was harsh and barren, with cracks in the ground emitting steam in places, as if the earth itself were alive.

In the center of the island, a lava waterfall cascaded down the rocks, its fiery lava tumbling, pooling into a bubbling lake that encircled a village. The village stood resilient against the seething heat. Far ahead, a fortress loomed like a dark sentinel against the horizon. This was Zephyr’s home. And now, mine, at least for a while.

I swallowed hard as we landed, his claws sinking into the ashen ground with a low rumble. The second I slid off his back, my legs wobbled. I steadied myself, quickly brushing off the momentary weakness of the ride. In a flash, Zephyr shifted back into his human form. I half expected him to be naked like most shifters, but I guess dragons shifted back with their clothes still intact. His messy dark red hair, tousled by the wind, and his pale green eyes locked with mine. Back in his human form, I now couldn’t unsee his dragon hidden behind his eyes.

“Welcome to the Fire Island,” he said with a proud expression on his face, showing how much he cared about this place. I looked ahead and realized we had landed closer to the ocean, the dark sand stretching before us like a shadowy blanket, contrasting sharply with the foamy white waves that crashed against the shore. I looked up to the sky to see the shadows of two or three dragons flying over the island, closer enough to the earth so that I could see that they were far smaller than Zephyr was.

“They’re just children, that’s why they’re smaller,” Zephyr said, noticing where my gaze had turned. “This is how most dragon children play.” My eyes widened as I watched the young dragons soar across the sky, their wings slicing through the air, drawing closer to the village. We were far from the village now, the quaint houses fading into the background as the salty breeze carried the scent of brine. The path ahead was littered with smooth, black stones, leading us toward the looming fortress that stood sentinel against the horizon.

“Everyone in my clan needs to think that this is real.” Zephyr’s eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze sweeping the island as if looking for anyone who might be listening. He stepped closer, his gaze darkening as the space between us shrank. “They need to believe it. We need to make them believe it.”

I nodded as he continued. “You can trust Kislav. He’s the only one who knows the truth.”

“And who exactly is Kislav?”

Zephyr’s expression softened, though his eyes remained serious. “My second-in-command. He’s been with me through everything.”

“So, he knows about our little arrangement? ”

“Yes. If you need help or someone to vouch for you, it’ll be him.”

I nodded, though a surge of anxiety churned in my stomach. “Okay, but what if someone else finds out, Zephyr?”

“If the rest of the clan finds out… if the council knows I paid you to pretend to be my mate, to give me an heir…” He trailed off, his jaw tightening. Obviously he hadn’t thought through all the consequences of our deal. “They’d see it as a sign I’m not fit to lead.”

A rush of anxiety coursed through my body, while I thought about all and everything that could go wrong with his plan. “Alright, so we lie to everyone, and pretend we’re mated. But for how long, Zephyr? What will happen if I just disappear after giving birth to your child?”

“I’ll handle it when the time comes,” he said firmly, his voice clipped.

Great. Let’s think it through when the kid is born. It was clear that, like me, the dragon was just as lost.

I shifted uneasily. “Fine.” I squared my shoulders, deciding that for now, it wouldn’t help if I panicked. “But are you not forgetting something?”

He raised an eyebrow, his arms crossed as he leaned back, clearly waiting for me to elaborate. I rolled my eyes at him, unable to suppress a grin. “You’re not very good at this alpha-with-a-mate thing, are you?”

He groaned in response, the sound a mix of frustration and amusement, and I could see him wrestling with his patience. It was a delightful game, watching him struggle to maintain his composure as the mighty dragon leader he was. I loved the feeling of challenging him, of teasing him, enjoying every moment of watching him lose his cool.

“Look, big dragon ,” I continued, my tone playful but serious. “There are two essential elements we’re missing for mates: a claim mark and scenting. We barely smell like each other; nobody is going to believe we’re mates.”

Scenting was the most basic way of claiming someone as yours. It could be done by simply rubbing against the partner’s scent. And if we wanted to convince someone that we were mates, we had to at least carry each other scents.

As my words hung in the air, realization swept across his face. “I can explain to the council that we’re not ready for the claiming mark,” he said after a long pause, his voice thoughtful but tinged with uncertainty. “But the scenting…”

I let out a low whistle; the sound escaping my lips before I could stop it. It was painfully clear that Zephyr hadn’t thought this plan through as thoroughly as he should have. “You really are bad at this, huh?” I teased, my tone light, but I was beginning to question if this would really work.

He shifted, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his posture. “I told you I don’t have time for these kinds of relationships. Sure, I might be an alpha, but not all alphas blindly follow their impulses. That part of me is hidden and controlled. So yes, I’ll admit that I’m ignorant when it comes to the rituals surrounding a mating bond.”

I could see a flicker of frustration in his eyes and I felt pity seeing him this lost.

“Look,” I said, my voice softening, “I get it. This isn’t exactly the easiest situation for either of us. But if we’re going to convince your clan that this is real, we need to do this. Scenting each other is as important as a claiming bite. It’s part of what makes us... us.” I stepped closer, daring to reach out and touch his hand.

His hand flinched at my contact, almost as if he wasn’t used to other people touching him to this kind of proximity. That was new to me too. I usually was the person who avoided physical touch. I sensed a shift in the power dynamic between us. For the first time in my life as an omega, I was the one in control, guiding the situation in my favor.

I took his hand and guided it toward my neck, rubbing it gently around my scent glands, inviting him to bask into it. As my skin brushed against the rough pad of his fingers, I felt a rush of warmth spread through me, the same pull I felt earlier when we were sealing the contract. His breath caught at the same time as mine, and I could see the surprise and something deeper flicker in his green eyes.

“See?” I whispered, my heart racing as I held his gaze. “ Was it so bad? Now, do me so we can smell like each other.”

He hesitated, his fingers lingering on my neck, tracing the delicate curve as if testing the waters of this newfound intimacy. “I—” he started, his voice low and tentative. He seemed unsure of what to do next.

“Stop holding back, Zephyr.” I urged, suddenly feeling breathless. “Just do it. You don’t have to fight this.” Slowly, he nodded, the look in his green eyes shifting from uncertainty to a darker one that made my heart pound.

He leaned in closer and I felt a shiver run down my spine when he brushed the tip of his nose against my neck and stopped. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, his breath warm against my skin and I felt dizzy as his scent wrapped around my whole being, and it was everything all at once: warm, sweet, smoke and spice.

A soft gasp escaped from my lips when I felt his firm mouth touching my skin, slowly mouthing on the sensitive spot on my neck. I licked my dry lips, wanting… wanting what, exactly? I could barely think and my trembling hands travelled to his chest, trying to find a support for my dizzy head. I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the growing heat between my thighs.

My heart raced in my chest, and just as quickly as it had begun, it was over.

“Is that enough?” he asked, quickly regaining his composure as he stepped back, leaving my body aflame with longing for more of him.

I nodded, attempting to mask my disappointment.

Zephyr turned away from me, fixing his gaze on the fortress ahead, his expression hardening once more. He was back in business mode. “Kislav will meet us inside.”

I nodded, following as he led the way up the stone path toward the massive gates. The fortress was all jagged stone and sharp edges, as if it had been carved straight from the mountainside. It was cold, dark, and unwelcoming and I wondered if the dragons would be like that too.

Before we reached the village, he stopped and turned to me, his face unreadable and voice low. “Remember, Sabrina. From the moment we step inside my clan territory, you're min e . My mate . There can’t be any hesitation. No slip-ups.”

I held his gaze, forcing myself to stay calm, though my pulse was racing. “I understand. I’ll do my part.”

He reached out then, his hand gently cupping my chin, tilting my face up so that I couldn’t look anywhere but into his green eyes. “Good,” he whispered. “Because if you don’t, everything I’m building here will fall apart. And I can’t let that happen.”

For a moment, we stood like that, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him. “I need you to focus, Sabrina.” I blinked, my entire face heating up in realization. He was trying to make me focus because he could likely smell my arousal, how my body reacted from a brief touch of his. This was so embarrassing.

I nodded, looking away. And that must have been enough for him because without another word, he dropped his hand and turned back, walking towards the village, leaving me to follow behind.

As I walked alongside him and the closer we got to the village, I noticed the air becoming thick with the scent of sulfur and smoke. The village was nestled at the edge of a shimmering lava lake, its surface rippling with molten orange and red, reflecting the fiery glow of the sun overhead. The houses, constructed from dark stone and wood, stood against the harshness of their surroundings. Their roofs were sloped and sturdy, designed to withstand the occasional ashfall from the nearby mountains. Small gardens adorned the yards, with hardy plants that somehow thrived in the extreme heat, their vibrant greens a striking contrast to the surrounding desolation.

As we grew closer, the sounds of life grew louder—children’s laughter, the chatter of villagers going about their day, and the distant clanging of metal as craftsmen honed their trade. The villagers moved about with an air of confidence and ease, as if the fiery landscape was merely an extension of their home. They navigated the uneven terrain with practiced grace, carrying out their daily tasks without so much as a glance at the molten flow nearby .

Maybe, because they’re dragons, the flames didn’t intimidate them; instead, they seemed to thrive in its presence, drawing strength from the very environment that could so easily consume an unprepared outsider like me. As we drew closer to the fortress, I noticed the gazes of the clan members upon us. Their eyes bore into me, sizing me up, judging me.

If Zephyr noticed it, he didn’t show. He moved with the confidence of a leader, pulling me into his world without looking back. I forced myself to walk beside him, to hold my head high, even though I felt like an imposter. Because that’s what I was. A mere human. An outsider. A pretender.

I saw how some of the clan members—particularly the older ones—attempting to maintain their distance from Zephyr as we approached, fear clear in their eyes. What could possibly provoke such a reaction from them? I glanced up at Zephyr, but his face remained stoic, looking ahead. I frowned, not sure what to think of anything.

I had stepped into the world of the dragons of Earis and I had no other choice but to learn how to live with them. Or I would get myself burned.