Page 76 of The Mating Claim

“You’re so beautiful,” he said, voice husky andsoft.

Few men ever complimented her looks. None ever admired her dragon form. Lacey was far too pragmatic to preen over hiscompliment.

For a dragon, she muttered in hermind.

Beautiful in any form, his voice spoke in herhead.

Frowning, she looked at him.You can read my thoughts, and I can hearyours.

Of course. I am the Coldfire Wizard. Just one of my manytalents.

Well, is shifting included in those talents? Because I’d like to fly before the next sunset,Drust.

Grinning, he stepped back, iridescent sparks shimmering around him. He shifted into a dragon slightly larger than she – a lovely silver dragon with cobalt-tipped wings. Power radiated from him much like the glow of alamp.

She’d seen him in dragon form before, but this was different. Always it had been a slight threat, a chase after her. This time was purelypleasure.

Need a boost, he spoke into hermind.

Lacey wasn’t too proud to admit she did. Shenodded.

Magick glimmered around her and she found herself floating upward. Extending her wings, she flapped them and caught the breeze, risinghigher.

He joined her and then he headed for the water. Lacey let him take the lead. It had been too long since she’d flown simply forenjoyment.

They soared higher, keeping below the few scattered clouds, dipping now and then to startle flocks of pelicans flying past. The bright yellow sun turned into an orange ball sinking into a rose and gold sky, and then finallyvanished.

Her human half sighed with pure appreciation. Living in Florida certainly had its advantages. Sunsets wereone.

Drust soared above her, and then dove into a freefall, and at the last minute before hitting the water, pulled up, his scales skimming the surface. Lacey grinned, showing rows of dragonteeth.

Showoff.

If you’ve got it, flauntit.

Spreading his wings, he flew upward, circling around her.You try it. You’ve got the strengthnow.

Lacey didn’t feel nearly comfortable enough to try.I’ll watch. You put on the show. Feels good just tofly.

She flew higher, sailing upward, admiring the striations of color in the clouds dotting the horizon. Brilliant pink streaked the sky, the clouds indigo and purple. Only in flying did she feel truly free anduninhibited.

Noworries.

Nofears.

Just living for the moment. As dragon, she could dismiss everything but instinct to fly, fight,hunt.

Breed.

A tingle rushed through her. Sexual awareness heightened in her animal form. She watched Drust in dragon form, remembering the athletic physique of his Skinbody.

The taut muscles andsinew.

The smooth curve of his tightbottom.

The impressive display of his cock andballs.

Arousal flowed through her as Lacey watched Drust perform circles, blowing out puffs of smoke like a skywriting plane. Charmed, she saw he spelled outBeautifulLacey.