Page 55 of The Black Dragon

“Maybeif I had grieved, and released all my anger, I wouldn’t have turned against the one woman whose heart allowed her to see me as I truly am. I’m sorry for what I said, Ariel. I’m sorry for walking away and leaving you alone and not giving you a chance to explain about the dragon cave and why the Mages knew aboutit.”

Ariel closed her eyes. His thumb was calloused and yet each caress of herskin felt like lamb’s wool because he touched her with such care. He’d been like that in bed her first time as well, before passion claimed themboth.

Her eyes flew open. “It’s too late for apologies, Justin. Leave me alone. This is my special time with mymother.”

Hurt flickered in his gaze before it became hooded. “All right. Just tell me where the keyis.”

For a momentshe didn’t know what he meant, then it struck her. Of course. He hadn’t returned out of feelings or concern for her. Only for his own selfishneeds.

She laughed, the sound hollow. “All you care about is yourself, Justin. The key is inside the house. Feel free to search for it. Say hi to my father while you’re there. Maybe the two of you can go out fordrinks.”

“I can’t. I need youto go with me.” He touched her arm and her skin tingled, remembering his slow, passionate strokes as they’d made love. “I’ll fly you to a ledge close to the cave, far away from the Drogmire. But you must go withme.”

“Why? You don’t need me.” Ariel stood and blew out the candle. What was the point anyway, having a birthday party for a dead woman? It wassilly.

“I do need you, inmore ways than you know,” he saidquietly.

Anger boiled and frothed inside her. “That’s crap, Justin and we knowit!”

Never had she hit another person in her life, but she had to lash out. Ariel drew back her hand to strikehim.

“Your fingers,” he said, his gazewide.

Something was dreadfully wrong. She stared at her fingers. Instead of smooth skin, scales had eruptedthere, and webbing formed between eachdigit.

“I’ve seen this once before - in a dragon shifter who struggled to make the first change into a dragon. It can happen.” Justin’s expression turned solemn. “It’s more common in half-breeds.”

Her heart raced. She could barely move, barely think at his nextwords.

“This means only one thing, little bird. You have dragon blood inyou, just likeme.”