Page 71

Why in the hell would I demand to ride the beast? Her father always said Avalore was too bold and sassy, like her Dominican mother, and that Avalore’s bravado would get her killed one day.

This may be the day.

Even though her knees were knocking, a part of her core assured her that this enormous beast valued strength like the formidable man within it.

The dragon’s odd pupil had the cerulean-blue flame dancing in it.

Seeing it gave her a bit of calm because it reminded her of Liekki even though the damn male had left her with minimal instructions in how to deal with the scaled version of him.

She recalled that Liekki said his dragon had already approved of her and had shared its honeyed fire. It claimed her as its mate even when Liekki resisted the notion.

Even now, the dragon held its position, watching her, but not moving, as if it was waiting for her. She was grateful.

Avalore shored up her spine before taking a tentative step forward. She took another when it remained still, a stance familiar to Liekki's stoic manner.

The alluring, blue dragon grumbled low, its back arched and its wings laid wide and flat against the ground.

She didn’t allow the sound to distract her. Instead, she stretched out her hand and continued forward.

Then the dragon shifted, drew in its wings, and brought its snout around to her.

The two gaps for its nostrils opened and pinched closed as if it scented her. Its sharp teeth peeked through the split of its maw, so near it could snap her in two if it wished.

Thump...Thump. Thump.

Her heart leaped, its rhythm thrown off momentarily, but she choked down any rising nerves. This dragon formed a bond with her, believed her to be its mate, and she needed to lean in on that. Believe it, too.

When she witnessed it moving closer, leaning lower practically with its belly to the ground waiting.

Avalore pressed her hand to the snout. The scales were rough and rugged and felt impenetrable and warm.

So much warmth. That same heat somehow passed from its body to hers, filled her body with calm, and bathed her skin as if she’d been submerged in a bath.

“Fascinating,” she murmured.

Not realizing she’d spoken the words aloud until the dragon made a crackling deep in its throat and huffed out a breath, smoke bursting from its nose.

She smiled at the same smell that surrounded Liekki but was more sulfuric than cinnamon, like a volcano's lava rolled and burned in its belly—acrid but not offensive to her. Avalore felt a comfort in it, protection as if this immense beast would burn down the world for her.

She stroked along the hard scales as she stood there, tracing a pattern around some of them.

It lowered its eyes, rumbling deep, the sound of boulders dragging through the earth.

“Do you understand me?” She didn’t speak Drahk and wasn’t sure how much the dragon understood her language. Avalore walked to the side, dragging her hand beneath its lower muzzle, feeling the short, rounded spikes she could reach without stretching up on her toes.

The dragon didn’t turn its head but tracked her movement with its opened eye. The trunk of its big body flared out wide and contracted as it breathed large gulps.

She repeated the question, “Do you understand—?”

The beast grumbled and swished its spiked tail. The dragon’s long, thick tail dragged over the ground, disturbing the dirt and causing a dust cloud to stir.

Hope filled her chest as she turned and stared up into the eye, the flames now a canary color.

“If you understand me...move your head.”

Avalore didn’t have to wait a beat before the massive head toggled right, then left.

Relief showered over her.

“Will you let me ride you?” She lowered her hand and held her breath, waiting.

The large eye blinked once, then again.

Releasing her pent-up breath, she took in the form before her. She wasn’t sure how she would be able to do it—not only get up there, at a height of about two stories, but also keep herself seated.

This would be easier with Liekki. However, the stubborn man couldn't be in two places at once. It was impossible, particularly in these circumstances.

Then she remembered what Liekki said right before he shifted, something about her backside and horns.

She glanced at its head where the long horns sat up sharp and proud, pointing to the sky.

She figured Liekki wasn’t speaking of those because they were too wide, and she could barely wrap her legs around either of them, let alone her arms.

Avalore followed the line of horns to the ones that ran from the back of its neck and halfway down the spine. Those horns were not as thick, and they sat at a distance she’d be able to get between them—Lord willing she stayed seated.

“I do not know how to mount your back.” Frustrated, she ran her hands through her hair.

She paced back and forth, feeling defeated. There weren’t steps high enough, nothing to aid in her climb. Turning, she looked behind her and thought maybe if she could climb up a tree, she could get the dragon to come to her and perhaps...

As her mind attempted to puzzle out her situation, a shift behind her caused the ground below her feet to tremble greatly. She spread her legs and tightened her core to keep her balance and not topple over.

When she turned, knowing only the enormous beast could cause such disturbance, she was shocked to see the dragon had rolled to its side. Not all the way, but just enough that she could find footholds in its rough, blue scales.

Grateful, she moved closer and wished she had worn boots instead of slip-on shoes with her slacks and blouse. At least the shoes were rubber-soled, giving her some grip.

Taking a breath, she set her mind to it before she stepped forward, placing her hands against two coarse scales where she wedged her fingers to get a good grasp on them.

Locating a lower nodule, she placed her foot there and pushed herself up with a grunt.

Hand, foot, hand, foot...she continued to force herself up the tough skin of the beast's shoulder.

She was never good at climbing. How could she be when having to hoist her curvaceous backend placed her at a disadvantage?

By the time she reached one of the horns at the neck, her fingers were raw, her arms and legs felt like jelly, her lungs burned from the exertion, and sweat rolled down her back.

Her body was at an odd angle, and gravity was trying to pull her down since her lower half was heavier than her upper.

Because of that, it would be too easy for her to slip.

As she grabbed hold of the horn, the dragon aided her in righting herself when it swayed its oversized body to an upright position.

Avalore had to stand on her trembling legs and step through the two horns behind the dragon's broad head. But when she started to slide down and settle between the rough, sharp protrusions, she quickly became aware of how difficult it would be.

Just as Liekki had said, her ass was thick, almost too plump to get down and make a secure seat for herself. Currently, she was only halfway to the base, and if she stayed this high when the beast flew, it would only take a strong gust to unseat her.

The beast began to rise, a rocking motion, its hind legs first, then the front, its tail swishing back and barely missing the trees on either side.

Why did I think this was a good idea? I should have kept my mouth shut and let Liekki’s dragon carry me.

Angry at herself, she wiggled and pressed down, gritting her teeth until she was grunting and pleading with her body until she finally felt the scales against her behind.

She sighed and practically wept.

The dragon must have felt her settled against it because it stood tall and proud, stretching wings wide.

Its wings started to flap. However, instead of taking off at a sharp angle as the orange dragon did, Liekki’s beast used the power of its wings to keep itself level until its beating brought them up, up, up high above the treetops before it tilted subtly enough to bank right and head toward the center of Drahk territory.

Toward mating night with Liekki.

She pressed her chest to the horn and wrapped her arms around it, holding it tight as she squeezed her thighs to grip the hard scales as best she could.

After tonight, she’d commit herself to the dragon-shifter and never be the same if she made it in one piece.

She wanted it. She wanted Liekki.

She wanted to be his for life.

“Oh, Great Spirit, do not allow my boldness to be the thing to cause me to fall to my death.”