Page 23 of Emerald Waves (Primordial Protectors #2)

I could hear the giggles in his thoughts and knew he thought that I was being silly, but I couldn’t have cared less because I loved being silly with him.

For once, I didn’t feel like I should be ashamed of that or have to hide it from my brothers.

I’d done too much of that, and Mattias had been right to call me on it.

Maybe we were all hiding something.

I knew Ionus had been, before Alex tumbled into our lives.

He’d been losing hope, which for a protector was a very dangerous thing.

I would always love my new brother for saving my oldest one.

In the future I’d make sure he knew I’d always be there for him if he needed me.

No more reclusive Caro. No more slinking off to one of my islands to brood and submerge myself in the deep.

I’d invite them with me next time and we could bring our mates and the little ones too. Let them sink their claws into the sand and their snouts in shimmering seawater, we all needed a bit of vacation time.

Do you just want us to redecorate the rooms you wrecked, or gut the whole house and start over, because I’d love a round bed, if we’re talking about a complete remodel here?

Complete remodel. None of it was me and I’m definitely not attached to it.

Didn’t think you were. You always seemed a little sad when we were in there. Everywhere but your horde, that is.

Because that’s been more of a home than the rest of it. I only began sleeping in the bed when you came to live with me.

Well then, we’ll just have to create a space you want to be in because I like falling asleep with your arms around me.

How else am I going to make sure you don’t get portaled somewhere.

Oh, you’re starting with that already?

Too soon?

You could have waited at least half a day.

I’ll remember that for next time.

Suuurrre you will.

He groaned as I was finally able to withdraw from him and ease my weight off his back. I would definitely be on the receiving end of a landscaping bill from Ionus when he saw what we’d done to the pitch. I wouldn’t say we’d wrecked it, but we had seriously ruffled the once pristine grass.

With the sun warming our scales, we lay basking in the feel of one another, my tongue occasionally tickling his neck when I flicked it out to taste him.

Do you know what would feel positively amazing?

His question startled me, drawing me back from the post-orgasmic haze I’d been floating in.

What’s that?

A fountain, like the giant ones the ancient Greek’s had. Big enough for the two of us to lay in as the water sprays us.

Have you discovered that you have an affinity for water after your little adventure?

It was a big adventure, thank you very much, and it was amazing, but I didn’t get to see any of the ocean, not the way you do, anyway.

I would like to change that, though. And I want to learn how to swim.

I want to be able to visit Aris and learn how to be a part of the life he’s found with the Merdragons, and I’d like for him to be able to come here and visit with us.

Seeing him and knowing that there is a chance that more of my friends could be alive somewhere means the world to me.

I squeezed him in response, while his joy wrapped around us, like a living thing.

You accepting me as your mate was more than I’d ever hoped for, and yet in such a short time, you’ve already given me more. A home, my dragon, a family, an adventure, and now a cherished old friend. I can’t believe I got so lucky.

I’ll help you become comfortable in the water, and I’ll help you in any way I can with finding the others.

Kai is right, we do need to be careful about how to go about it, but we won’t stop until we get answers.

I think we might need a second desk in the horde.

I can carve out a bit of stone from the center.

You’ll still be able to see Trooper’s tank while you work, but we’ll be able to work together, our desks face to face.

A warm, rumbly sensation, almost like a purr, surged out of him.

I’d like that. I think I’d also like to go in now. As thick as my dragon’s hide is, this ground is hard.

All ground is hard, unless it’s quicksand.

Movies always made it seem like that was going to be a way bigger issue than it turned out to be, my archivist muttered .

Or at least, the classic Hollywood features always did.

Those are some of my favorite eras. Especially when movies were still in black and white.

Those old Tarzan movies, quicksand. Any movie about a shipwreck, quicksand.

Screaming damsel in distress on some jungle covered island, quicksand, spider, or snake.

Yet I’ve never seen any quicksand? Have you seen quicksand?

I bet you have, with a beach like the one we were portaled to today.

You know a lot of spots like those, don’t you?

A few.

Then you are taking me on a tropical vacation, Emerson declared. I think I deserve one after the shock of getting portaled to an amazing undersea kingdom with Merdragons and an old friend.

You’re going to milk that for a while, aren’t you?

Perhaps.

We were laughing as we returned to our human forms. I helped him up and tugged him against my chest, hugging him as a warm wind flowed around us.

It was only when I caught sight of the curtains on the window that I realized just which side of the pitch we’d landed on. Shit. We’d missed our lawn completely and landed on Ionus’. There would definitely be a bill coming now.

Oops.

I should have expected Alex to poke his head out of his house as we were on our way to ours, his words making Emerson’s cheeks flush.

“Fuck in front of someone else’s house next time or you get to explain to the dragonets what games you two are playing.”

Oh shit!

Gripping Emerson’s hand, I took off for our door, sprinting the rest of the way before Alex, or worse, Odem decided to give us shit for what we’d done.

Like he’d wait to get inside if he had a mate as awesome as mine. Ionus didn’t. A tree or two had already been sacrificed to a late-night tryst between him and Alex. I’d be sure to remind them of that the next time I saw them too.

On Friday.

Or a week from Monday.

Yeah, a week from Monday sounded much, much better to me.