Page 19

Metal creaked, the sound ominous in the silence that followed Kaspian's declaration.

We soon learned it wasn't just a declaration—it was a battle cry. The General stepped back as my alien lover bulged, his body shifting. Nails lengthened into claws, scales replaced skin, and muscles reformed. Kaspian lowered his head as steel links as thick as my fingers popped open. When he looked up, his eyes were glowing and his teeth bared. He was still a man, but just barely.

It was the most awesome thing I'd ever seen.

Gunfire came seconds after Kas leveled that vicious stare at the General. I cried out as the bullets hit. But only a few wounded him. Those that hit scales, bounced off and struck other targets. People shouted, hit by friendly fire.

I just whispered, “Holy shit.”

Kaspian kept growing—no haze to conceal his bulging form. It was a little gross, but I couldn't look away. Especially when his chest expelled the bullets that had struck their mark. They hit the floor, the tiny plinks drowned out by gunfire. Even as his wounded skin healed, impenetrable scales covered it. Chains broke, pinging off the walls, and Kaspian fell forward onto his talons.

Ms. Shin pulled the General's gun from its holster and aimed it at my head. “Stop! Cease or I'll—”

A single claw the size of my forearm and growing, flicked out, cutting off her words and her head. It wasn't exactly tearing out her throat, but it was close enough. Kas had kept his promise.

“Holy fuck!” I gaped at the body and head falling to the floor separately.

People ran for the door, the soldiers elbowing aside the scientists in their haste to escape. Even the General got shoved aside, his old ass falling right onto Shin's corpse. He cried out and tried to push himself up. But by then, it was too late.

Kaspian had gone dragon—little D, big body. Oh, that sounded insulting. You know what I mean.

That dragon body, although fully formed, kept growing and growing. Walls crumbled to dust in seconds, the supporting metal foundations bent like blades of grass. The whole building shook as a dragon exploded from it like a baby bird breaking free of its shell. I should have been worried. Terrified, even. But as Kaspian transformed, he closed a massive talon around me and protected me from the debris.

I found myself lifted off the floor in a cage of claws, and I had never been happier in all my life. It was as if my very cells sang to be closer to Kas. Shit, maybe they did. He had changed me. My fucking DNA. And I wasn't sure what that meant yet. Beyond being immortal. But at that moment, I didn't give a fuck.

Kas crawled up from the wreckage, cradling me to his glossy chest as floor after floor gave way. It all collapsed around him, leaving him to scramble over the pile that had once been a military compound. I realized then that he hadn't shown me his full dragon form in my yard. He'd gotten big, but not like this. Kas had held back for me. He had even blurred the transformation so I wouldn't be scared.

He wasn't holding back anymore.

“Kaspian! Are you all right?” I shouted, still bound to that metal chair.

Kas lifted me and brought his head down, meeting me halfway. “I am well, Mate. Are you hurt?”

“No, I'm—”

A boom came. Fire exploded behind Kas. Smoke enveloped us.

Oddly enough, the smoke and heat didn't bother me. I coughed a little, but that was all. Then I craned my neck to see what they were shooting at us. “Was that a fucking rocket?”

Another one hit, along with a barrage of bullets that pinged away. Scales were better than steel.

“They think to use fire against me.” Kas swiveled his long neck to look at the line of military vehicles that had assembled and the soldiers scrambling like ants around them. “Fools.”

“Kas, we've got to get out of here. But I don't know where we can go. Especially with you in this body.”

He looked down at me. “I must protect you.” His stare wavered. “But I don't know this world.” He lifted his head and roared. “Take us home! Great God and Goddess, hear me! Help your son protect his mate.”

“Kas, your gods can't hear you here.”

Kaspian looked back at me. “You're right. Not here.”

Kas drew himself together, gathering on his haunches, then shot upward into the sky. People shouted and rockets boomed around us as we ascended. With swings of his tail, Kas batted away anything that got too close. Even restrained and rising rapidly, I felt no fear. I knew Kas would protect me.

Mate. He had called me his mate. That had to mean something, right? Of course, it did. He said it was stronger than a marriage. So, we were married now? Shit, I couldn't focus. But I knew I was safe with him.

Wind hit my face, and I had to close my eyes, but I heard a great whooshing sound and assumed it was Kaspian's wings. We weren't just ascending anymore. We were flying.

I knew this was both good and bad. It was the quickest escape for us, but it also made us a giant target that could be seen for miles. There would be no hiding the dragon alien now. And nowhere for us to run.

“Fuck.” I opened my eyes to see the ground dropping away. He was still gaining altitude. “Kas! Where are we going?”

“To the Realm of the Gods!”

“Oh, fuck. Oh. Fuck! Kas, no! I won't be able to breathe up there. Astronauts have to go in rockets and wear suits to give them oxygen. Kas! Kaspian, stop! You're going to kill me!”

“You will be fine, Mate. I promise.” He kept flying, higher and higher.

The air got thin and cold. I shivered, but I could still breathe. For the moment. “Kas! I'll freeze to death!”

Flames erupted from his noble head and heat wafted back to me. I sighed in relief, but it was short-lived. Another blast followed a few minutes later. Then another. How long could he keep that up? How high could he fly?

“Hear me, Great Dragon Gods!” Kaspian roared. “It is I, King Kaspian of Aravult. I am lost. Stranded on another world. Help me! Show me the way home!”

Nothing happened. Although it did get colder.

“Ensarena! I have my mate with me. Do not give him to me only to let us perish here. Please, Goddess! Lead us home!”

I curled up, shivering. Up was death, but down was war. There was nothing for us but the in-between and that couldn't last long. I had spent five wondrous days with a magical man, and I felt forever changed by it. Changed by him. Maybe that was all I got. And maybe that was okay.

Light seeped through my eyelids. I opened them to see a swath of glowing blue above us. It widened. Shimmered. Kaspian roared and flew straight for it. As I gaped at the scene of a city poised insanely above us, upside-down, Kaspian flew through the tear in the sky and into another sky entirely.