Page 53 of Claimed by the Savage Dragons

Tor pauses and looks at her. ‘I don’t know,’ he says finally. ‘He’s never had a mate either. But we have to take her back or we’re dead, and then she’s Aziel’s anyway.’

‘This is a fucking nightmare,’ I snarl.

‘Yeah.’

Our human stirs in the bed with a small sound, and before I know it, I’m focusing on her completely, trying to glean whatever I can from this connection I now have with her.

Is she upset? Will she be terrified of me now?

But all I get is sleepy contentment.

You see?my dragon interjects unhelpfully from the shadows of my mind.The female understands better than you do.

I roll my eyes just as Mari’s open and her gaze meets mine.

She blinks and then yawns.

‘It’s time,’ Tor says gently and her expression shutters.

I pick up on her trepidation immediately, and her heart rate increases suddenly.

‘We’ll keep you safe,’ I murmur, trying desperately to allay her fears even though I hold the same ones.

‘We’ll travel for several hours. When we get there, you’ll be unveiled as the Tribute that’s been chosen by Fate. You’ll be brought before Dreythos, the Commander of the Stormriders.’

I take her hand. ‘But Tor and I will already have spoken to him. Told him that you’re ours.’

‘What happens then?’ she whispers.

‘We hope and pray to whatever gods we still believe in that he has listened.’

‘But.’ She sits up. ‘I thought the sex marathon was a sure thing.’

I chuckle in spite of the seriousness of the situation.

‘Sex marathon?’

She blushes and I let out a groan. I already want to taste her, hold her, feel her come apart under my tongue or around my cock even though it’s not been long since I last did.

‘That ensures the others can’t have you,’ Tor explains. ‘But it doesn’t stop him from keeping you from us.’

She sits up straighter. ‘What will happen to me if he does? Keep you from me, I mean?’

My eyes meet Tor’s. I don’t want to lie to her, and I see the same sentiment in his expression.

‘We don’t know,’ I admit, and I feel her anxiety increase.

‘But Drey is fair. Just. He’s not unduly cruel,’ Tor says, coming closer and taking her other hand. ‘You’re ours by scent. There’s nothing he can do about that. The Nesting Law isabsolute. He’ll be obliged to keep you safe, Mari. He won’t hurt you.’

‘Where will you be?’

She doesn’t want to be away from us. My heart soars even though it’s probably just because she’s terrified and she knows us at least a little.

Tor regards me solemnly. ‘At the moment, part of my role in the faction is making sure that trade routes aren’t disrupted, and that our outposts are kept stocked, secure, and in working order. It means that I’m gone sometimes.’

He winces.

‘A lot of the time,’ he amends. ‘But I will be requesting that someone else take over for me and I’ll take my rightful place in the faction. I will be with you. I promise. It just might take a little time.’