Page 23 of Thauglor (Dragonis Academy Year 3.5 #5)
Chapter Eighteen
I watch my mate for several heartbeats more before dropping to one knee.
My muscles flex and stretch with movements that feel foreign after centuries of disuse—a slight ache that reminds me of just how long I’ve been trapped.
I rest my thick forearms on top of my raised knee and spread my massive wings wide.
The stretch of muscles and leather feels as good as it does painful, like waking from the longest sleep imaginable.
“Mate, will you please honor me by allowing me to see your human side?” I lower my head and close my eyes, exposing the vulnerable nape of my neck.
The gesture of submission speaks volumes, and the cool mountain air touches skin that hasn’t felt wind in ages.
I have never lowered myself to anyone in my entire existence.
Through the bond with Klauth, he knows what this level of submission costs me—centuries of pride bent to my knees.
My ears strain and focus on the sound of my mate shifting back to her human form.
The pops and cracks of reshaping bones stay music to my ears after so long without hearing them.
I feel the shift in temperature when my mate comes to stand before me—her warmth cutting through the evening chill like a beacon.
The ancient right of inspection by the female is the worst part of the mating ceremony.
Every muscle in my body tenses under potential scrutiny.
I flex deliberately, letting her see the strength in my shoulders and forearms. My wings have always been larger than most males I’ve ever met, and now I hope that impressive span speaks in my favor.
The crunch of stones before me tells me she’s shifting her weight, examining me from different angles.
There’s movement—I feel it from how the air seems to hold its breath with me.
Per tradition, I keep my eyes closed until either she leaves or touches me.
The creak of leather reaches my ears, then warmth radiates from her body before she makes contact.
The bridge of her nose slides under my jaw, and I inhale sharply.
Her scent floods my senses—jasmine mixed with sea salt and something uniquely hers that makes my head spin.
I feel like I can’t breathe or think straight.
I resist the urge to lunge forward, snatch her up in my arms, and crush her to my chest. Tradition demands I wait for her to speak first.
“Look at me, mate.” Her voice is soft and warm, like an angel descended from the heavens just for me.
My eyes pop open, and I see her with her head tilted to the side, exposing her neck—an unmarked side that makes my mouth water with need.
I want to say something profound, but every time I open my mouth, my voice fails me completely.
Her eyes move to Klauth, and she offers her hand to him for assistance.
Instinct drives me to my feet faster than thought.
I scoop her up and crush her to my chest, burying my face in her hair and breathing her in like she’s the air I need to survive.
“My mate,” I whisper against her scalp, my voice thick with emotion. I’m so happy I could cry.
When she wraps her arms around my neck and rests her head against mine, I’m done for.
Her warmth seeps through my skin and straight into my bones.
I refuse to release her, holding my mate tight to my chest while rumbling softly just for her ears.
The sound vibrates between us like a private conversation.
“We need to fly to my nest,” she whispers near my ear, her lips brushing against sensitive skin there. I shiver in response, my arms tightening around her momentarily before I force myself to loosen my grip.
I lower her to the ground slowly, making sure she makes contact with every inch of my body on the way down.
The friction of her sliding against me sends heat racing through my veins.
I bend down slightly and rumble against her jaw, pressing a kiss to the smooth skin there.
“I need to mark you, mate.” I’m on the edge of losing control, and marking my mate may be the only way to settle the beast clawing at my insides.
She rolls her head to the side with fluid grace, and I notice all the other mate marks scattered across her throat and collarbone.
“You bear many bites, mate,” I rumble as I kiss her throat where I intend to place my mark.
My fingers trace the scars left by her other mates, each touch making my young mate shiver like electricity runs beneath her skin.
“Our mate has built herself a powerful nest. Offensively and defensively, it’s extremely well thought out,” Klauth says as he moves closer.
His footsteps stay barely audible on the soft earth, but all I hear is the thundering of my mate’s heart in perfect rhythm with mine.
Klauth’s hand threads up and into her hair until he can grab one of her horns with possessive familiarity.
“I can taste her power—impressive for one so young. We are lucky,” I murmur, my voice laced with reverence and hunger that makes my throat tight.
Without further warning, I sink my teeth into her throat, and immediately I feel her power—raw and untapped, lingering just under her skin like molten metal waiting to be forged.
Her body arches in my arms as my teeth dig into her flesh, and the taste of her blood carries hints of lightning and storm clouds.
I feel our life essences blend the longer I maintain the connection with her—two souls recognizing each other across centuries of separation.
Carefully, I release her throat and lick the wounds closed, sealing my mark into her skin.
I stare at the evidence of our bond on her neck and smile with satisfaction that tastes like victory.
“You need to bite me as well, mate.” The pitch of my voice drops to something primal as I stare into her eyes. I want her more than I want my next breath, more than I wanted freedom from that cursed shell.
“I do...” Her breath is sultry, carrying a promise that makes my pulse race. The heat in her voice suggests she can’t resist me any more than I can resist her.
I reach up into her hair, replacing Klauth’s grip on our mate with my own possessive hold.
Gently, I give her hair a tug and direct her mouth to my throat on the left side.
Every second she lingers over my skin, my beast roars in my head, demanding she bite us and claim us properly.
The man in me has dreamed of this day since I first understood what mates were meant to be.
The minute her teeth sink into my flesh, my heart soars like it’s taken flight.
I feel her presence settle into my very soul, filling spaces I didn’t know were empty.
There is so much untapped power within our mate that I’m sure even she is unaware of its true scope.
She hovers there, drinking deeply of my vitality like I did hers, and the connection burns between us like forged steel.
Gently, she withdraws her teeth and licks the wound closed. The healing sensation sends shivers down my spine that settle deep in my bones.
As she pulls back, there’s a wicked gleam in her eyes and a smile on her lips that promises trouble of the best kind.
She breaks from our embrace, runs several steps, and shifts into her dragoness.
The transformation is seamless and as fluid as a wyrm dragon would manage—something that should be impossible for someone her age.
I stand in awe for several minutes, taking in the true size of my young mate. She’s heavily armored with scales that catch the fading light like polished metal, and much larger than she should be for her years. The sight of her fills me with pride that burns hotter than dragon fire.
“Come, old friend. It’s time for your mating flight,” Klauth slaps me on the shoulder, and my brain finally engages past the haze of claiming instincts.
We run together toward the cliff edge and shift as we fall off into open air.
It’s been forever since I last flew with my best friend and bond brother, and the familiar rhythm of our wingbeats synchronizing feels like coming home.
Several beats of our wings later, we flank our young mate.
I watch her dragoness regard us as we fall into formation on either side of her—two ancient guardians flanking their queen.
Between Klauth and me, we will burn the continent to ash to protect what’s ours.
She is a blessing and a gift beyond measure, and I will treasure every single day I’m allowed to share breath with her.
The wind beneath our wings carries us toward her nest, toward our future, and I’ve never felt more complete in my entire existence.
Up next Year Four: Queen of the Cursed Egg