Page 10 of The Dragon’s Stone Hearted Mate (Mori’s Mementos #1)

“MINE!” The statue cried out in a growl and bit my shoulder.

My fist drew back to punch him but I stopped when his scent wrapped around my head.

What the actual fuck? Everything inside me hardened, starting with my dick.

He smelled so good. So familiar. So bloody mine.

A statue? My mate was a fucking statue? Was this some cosmic joke?

I was out there watching my brother die on the streets of Moonscale London and my true-mate was stuck at some boo-hoo summer camp as a bloody statue?

“Do you want the head of the lynx?” The statue asked a few minutes later after he drained the clear magical fluid from the claiming gland that lived on my stomach.

Every alpha and omega was born with one that only filled up with a magical clear fluid once they smelled their true-mate.

Scent was the most important sense for a shifter.

We relied on it for everything, including recognizing mates we chose in the Other World either before life or between lives.

Not everyone met their true-mate but those who did rarely complained about the process.

The clear magical fluid that my mate had lapped up from my claiming gland had shown him enough about my life to catch him up to speed.

Well, theoretically catch him up to speed anyway.

The magic had a mind of its own and decided what were the most important memories to share.

Whether or not it hit its target was wildly up for debate.

“It’s complicated,” I frowned.

“I saw that but still....” he said. “If you want her head, I’ll take it.”

“They’ll be no taking of heads at Camp Air!” Sherry finally found her voice.

“That rabbit is annoying,” he whispered.

“I heard that!”

“Well, you have really big ears. So I’m not surprised,” he chuckled.

I almost told him to be nice but what was nice after being stone inside a stone for all those years.

“Found a broom and dustpan!” Cutter announced, returning up the path. “Hey, gargoyle man!”

“Hey, lion!” My mate called back to him.

“How did you know?” Sherry asked, following Cutter inside Cabin Three.

I didn’t hear his answer but figured it wasn’t any of my business anyway.

Cutter had some sort of magic to him that attracted ghosts who attacked him.

I figured anyone like that probably had their fair share of secrets and senses and it wasn’t my place to poke around and ask questions.

Besides, as the reality of my mate straddled over me settled into my brain, I only really had one question I needed an answer to straight away.

“What’s your name?”

“You may call me Rho. It’s a nickname but I believe it suits the purpose for which you inquire.”

“How long have you been a statue?” I asked.

“Time is a strange phenomenon. I think it was not even invented until after your last departure from me. I could be wrong but I don’t remember such concepts from the time before.”

“So a long time?” I asked, my heart aching for him.

“Do not feel grief upon my behalf,” he shook his head, his shoulder length hair swaying in the breeze as he moved. “I was content except that you were not here. I did not realize it would take you so long to get back to me.”

“I… uh..” I tried to find the words.

“You forgot, huh? You were always forgetful,” he chuckled and tossed his head back.

His torso glistened in the dancing light from the bonfire. He looked as chiseled as the stone I once assumed he was carved from. I traced the lines of his abs and chest with my eyes as if I could memorize him and never lose him again.

“I think reincarnation had something to do with that,” I finally managed to say.

“It is okay, my dragon. All is forgiven. You found me at the camp of crying people.”

“That’s not a bad name for this place,” I admitted, laying back in the grass with my hands resting on his knees.

Part of me wanted to roll him over and sink my teeth into his claiming gland.

I wanted to know what secrets he hid about lives I couldn’t recall.

The other part of me never wanted this moment to end.

Everyone would have an endless list of question and I wasn’t sure how long I’d have with Rho before he turned back to stone.

Every atom inside me ached at the thought.

I’d only just gotten him back and already my mind turned to our inevitable departure from each other.

“Dragons think too much,” Rho said, stretching out on top of me as if I’d always been his favorite pillow. “Later will come. Later is unpredictable that much is certain but now is now. You cannot live every second at once. So, perhaps only worry about this second and the one that follows?”

“You’re already reading my thoughts,” I teased him.

“You are a dragon, not a book. Our mating link was meant to understand the depths of the wells of emotions inside of each other. Otherwise, they would be pointless. Our link did not always require a bite but our magic too has evolved with the times. As for when I will be a statue again? I think I have a choice now – to come and go from the stone as I wish as long as we are connected. I think in my sorrow I return to my most primordial elements when you are not around.”

“See, you worry about the future too,” I pointed out.

“I do no such thing,” Rho shook his head. “I wait because I know you’ll always come back to me. We may not control the tides of life and death but we can ride them together.”

“If you keep talking like that, I’m going to kiss you,” I said, itching to slide my hands further up his legs.

“If you do not kiss me, perhaps I will turn back to stone right here and trap you for eternity. The rabbit will then have a reason to fear me!”

Taking hold of his horns, I pulled him down into a gentle kiss.

Rho’s lips were softer than I expected. He was tender and his mouth gave way when I slipped my tongue into it.

He sighed against my lips, his hands resting on my chest over my nipples as our tongues danced between our mouths.

I lost myself to kissing him. Casual sexual encounters had chased away grief but kissing Rho chased away everything and everyone except him and I.

I could’ve kissed him forever if Cutter hadn’t come back outside to announce that he’d cleaned up my mess.

“Try not to burn alive any more ghosts,” he said very matter-of-factly.

“It’s such a pain to clean up. Sherry’s going back to her cabin.

I think she needs a therapist. She’s certain that Pinky is haunted or that she’s seeing things.

I sent a text to my therapist because I don’t know that she can run the camp right now. Your stoney mate broke her brain.”

“I did no such thing!” Rho protested, shifting his position on top of me and making me bite the inside of my cheek to keep from moaning as he rubbed against my hard dick inside my pants. “Her brain is still inside her little bunny skull! Had I broken it, everyone would know!”

“Dude, he takes things literally,” Cutter laughed.

“It’s okay. Though, I’m going to bed. I don’t care if you mate inside the cabin but just know I’m going to be there.

Though, maybe if you do mate inside, you’ll scare off the ghosts with all the grunting.

They’ll think I’m already haunted tonight or something. ”

I opened my mouth to speak but Cutter was already back inside Cabin Three before I got a single word out.

Rho laughed, burying his face in the crook of my neck and I held onto him as the truth sunk a little deeper into my soul.

The rest of my life was still on fire but I’d met my true-mate.

He was right here in my arms. I didn’t know for how long or what would separate us in the future but for now, we were together.