Page 61 of Claimed by the Savage Dragons

I’ll make up my own mind about the humans here. After what I’ve seen of the dragons since I arrived, though, I think I’d have made up my mind about them pretty wholeheartedly if I hadn’t already. Brax and Tor really are the outliers where the giant reptiles are concerned.

I’m not sure about their commander though. He seems fair, but he doesn’t like humans, that’s for sure.

‘We should show her the other thing,’ Brax says and Tor nods.

‘Other thing?’ I ask.

‘For if one of ourbrethrenforgets to follow the law,’ he explains.

Tor nods again. ‘It’s a weakness when we’re in our human forms. A pressure point on every dragon of the Stormriders. Any of us can be incapacitated if it’s pressed for longer than five seconds. It starves our brain of oxygen. After half a minute, we’re dead.’

‘It’s that easy, huh?’ I whisper incredulously.

His face is solemn as he takes my hand. ‘It’s a closely guarded secret, Mari. No humans know about it. None but you. And, yes, if you catch the dragon by surprise, it really is that easy.’

They’re really going to show me how to kill them? Me from a few days ago would have used this information to escape. I’d have killed them without a second thought.

I shake my head a little as Brax turns his back on us, shucking his shirt and bending down so I can see his bare back.

‘We barely know each other,’ I say quietly. ‘How do you know I won’t just teach this to all the other humans here, or use it against you?’

‘Because we trust you. Our dragons trust you, Mari.’

‘I don’t understand,’ I whisper.

Neither of them say any more about it, but I get the distinct impression that there is more to know.

Tor presses my hand to Brax’s back, and I shiver, feeling that connection we have intensify exponentially. He tenses and I know he’s experiencing it too.

‘Feel for the first vertebrae on the spine from the base of the skull.’

I do as he says, touching the first ridge on the back of Brax’s neck.

‘Move down to the fifth.’

My fingers descend slowly, and I count until I get to it.

‘Good,’ he purrs. ‘Now, on the left, there’s a small ridge. Find it.’

‘I feel it,’ I say, lightly brushing my hands over the spot.

‘Press it hard.’

My fingers leave his skin immediately and my eyes fly to his, but he only nods in encouragement.

‘It’s okay, Mari,’ Brax says, looking over his shoulder at me. ‘Practice makes perfect.’ He grins. ‘Just no longer than a few seconds, okay?’ he mutters with a wink.

‘Okay,’ I breathe, finding the spot again without any prompts from Tor.

‘Very good,’ Tor says, and I try not to bask in his praise.

I push on the ridge gently.

‘Harder,’ Tor growls. ‘Your life might depend on knowing this, Mari.’

I jab my finger hard into the ridge and at first I think I must be doing it wrong, but then Brax’s legs buckle.

I gasp. ‘Brax!’