Page 22 of So I Dared a Dragon (The Mating Game #6)

twenty-two

. . .

Aarix

Calista’s body bucked as it prepared for its second climax. I’d always loved this moment when I made her lose control, but in those caverns, I had to be gentle with her. There was no way I could have brought her fully into her power. She would’ve been held prisoner too, and her fate would’ve been so much worse than mine.

She wasn’t a wolf, she wasn’t a dragon. She was all power, and she was all mine.

The orange glow consumed her, and her scream echoed much further than the walls of our cabin. It resonated through the mountain range, a rallying cry for those yearning to be free.

No longer would any coward think they could drop threats and cast spells over her.

“That’s it,” I coaxed her to go further, to give up control to gain her power. Truth be told, I wasn’t sure what was on the other side of this. Electricity intertwined with the oxygen in the room, making us both stronger. “You’re so beautiful like this. So powerful.”

A blanket of cold crimson fire covered her skin. She cried out, and I held her, telling her over and over again it would be okay.

I had no idea if it would be. But Calista couldn’t go on feeling like she didn’t belong anywhere. Like she broke everything she touched. We’d learn how to play with this fire. We’d make it ours.

The flames tamped down, and she slumped against my shoulder, taking deep breaths like she’d gone without. Her hair was damp, her skin was covered with a fine golden soot, and red-golden scales that flowed down the length of her spine.

She grasped my arm and then pulled away from me.

I kissed her forehead. “How are you feeling?”

“Amazing.” She blinked rapidly, like she was coming back from a dream. “And really...weird. What happened?”

“You were absolutely divine.” I was just as overwhelmed as she was. In my endless life, I’d never felt such a strong emotion for another being before. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Gently, I lifted her from the bed. Her body was heavy, like she’d just woken from a long slumber.

Her lips curled into a smile. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Call your fire,” I instructed.

She gave me a quizzical look. “I don’t have fire, Aarix.”

“I hate to think you missed the moment when you were covered in orange flames.”

Her lips parted. “That was real?”

“So real. And so beautiful.” I kissed her again. “Will you try, for me? You can’t get this wrong.”

She took a deep, shaky breath. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Call your fire,” I repeated. “I know, it’s frustrating. But if I tell you what to do, you won’t discover your magic for yourself.”

Lifting her hand, she stared at it. Her fingers shook slightly, but she steeled herself, and that power rose from a place deep inside her. One by one, her fingertips ignited.

“Whoa.” Her eyes were wide, and the flames disappeared. “What else can I do?”

“I can’t wait to find out.” I took her in my arms and spun her around the loft. “Come with me.”

Still holding Calista’s hand, I headed down the stairs, but stopped when she didn’t follow.

“Where are we going?”

“Outside.”

“Aarix, I’m naked,” she said. A very different flush blossomed over her cheeks and chest.

I shrugged. “I don’t see the problem, sunshine.”

“Of course you don’t.” She laughed. “What if Marissa and Bjorn see us?”

Still didn’t see the problem. “They’ll know that this beautiful body belongs to my mate.”

She closed her eyes and sighed. “Now that’s power. I hope I got some of that.”

“There’s only one way to find out.” I hated to see her afraid of something I considered so inconsequential. But times had changed, and I would help her come into her power when she was ready. “You could see what Bibi packed for you.”

“Oh, good idea.” She turned and went over to the bag that had been brought for her. Moments later, she let out a whoop as she pulled out a long, emerald-green satin robe with feather trim and wrapped it around her. “Now I’m ready.”

The air was cold and crisp, which was absolutely perfect.

“I feel like I can touch the stars.” Calista reached up.

“Soon, you’ll be able to.” I didn’t want to make any promises I couldn’t keep. Calista’s confidence was fragile. To bring her into her full power, we’d have to strengthen it. “Want to write in the sky?”

I held up my hand and let flames spill from my fingertips. I still wore the silver talon cones, and they divided the fire, giving it a unique signature. Concentrating on the flame, I channeled it into my pointer finger. One long, tall, strong flame.

“Whoa,” Calista said as I raised my hand over my head, and offered the flame to the sky.

This elevation was the perfect place to teach her to do this. The flame crystalized, becoming solid, as I moved my hand.

“I’m giving the sky an offering,” I explained. I wrote whatever felt right. “These aren’t letters that you would recognize from your alphabet. Instead I’m using runes, calling the ancients, letting them know you arrived.”

“You say that like they’ve been waiting for me.”

Our gazes locked. “They have.”

She stepped closer and tipped her head up to the sky. The flaming runes floated above us.

“Do we wait for them to answer?”

I shook my head. “They respect power and confidence. Trust your instincts. They don’t want you to be like anyone else. They’ve been waiting for your power.”

She lifted her hand in front of her face. Her skin still had a faint golden glow. There was so much power flowing inside her. I wouldn’t tell her that it intimidated me. I’d guarded the Night God, but I’d never trained a goddess.

A flame erupted, and Calista jumped. The power thought she wanted to play, and it rocketed into the sky. She stumbled, like she was having a hard time controlling it. I grasped her hips, gently guiding her, keeping her steady while she explored this unfamiliar skill.

“This is so cool,” she said as she looped the flames, spelling her name in the sky. Then she added the word love, followed by light.

“Excellent choices.” I kissed the top of her head. “Your words are intentions, and they’ll manifest into the fabric of your new world.”

She turned to me. “You keep saying that, but what am I?”

“I think you were a dragon disguised as a wolf. The question is, why was your real identity concealed?”

“And how did I know to find you?” She dropped her gaze, shaking her head. “I’ve always felt different, not like the other wolves. At least, how they talk about it. It never clicked for me. When I’m with you, I feel calm. Even now—I’m still a walking shitstorm, but everything feels right with you. But like you said, why?”

I took her face in my hands and indulged myself in a kiss. This woman, no matter what she was, deserved to be absolutely cherished. “Because you’re the one who can help me free the Rocky Mountain Thunder.”