The stream of his thoughts is interrupted, and I hear him give another low roar, this one more distant, followed by the female’s bellow of response.
Kael? I ask, worried. Are you okay? A tinge of madness creeps into my mind, and I worry that he’s losing control. I don’t like how quiet he is, or the scattered thoughts that are leaking through. It’s like her madness is infecting him. Focus on me, big guy. I’m here. Your Claudia.
My mate. I remember. Thank you. There is warmth and love in his thoughts, and they feel stronger than before.
I relax. I’m here for you, I tell him, though it feels a little silly to tell a big scary dragon that as I huddle in a closet.
She scents my mate on my skin, even though she cannot hear you in my thoughts. A pause then. She is leaving. She will leave my territory to me and seek out other males.
I breathe a sigh of relief, then feel guilty. The red is heading toward Fort Dallas, if the siren is any indication. I can’t chase her off from here to go there. Is she going to the city? Can you direct her away?
Her mind is not there, my mate. I cannot do anything except chase her away from my nest. She does not grasp anything other than I am a claimed male and she must search elsewhere for a mate. After a long moment, I feel a thump as the building rocks and Kael’s large form lands back on the roof. I open the closet door a peep and, daring, scuttle to the next door to peek at the skies. There’s a flash of golden wing, and then a moment later, Kael jumps down from the roof in his naked human glory.
He holds a hand out to me. Come. We have much to do.
I leave the safety of my hidey-hole and step forward, nervous. “Much to do?”
There are other males in the area. It will be safer for you if they imprint your scent. They will know you are claimed and off limits. It will be easier if I am at your side to communicate. Human skin does not hold the mating scent nearly as well. You lose the scent of my skin upon yours after a few days, and it is not safe.
That makes me nervous all over again. How do I get the, um, mating scent on me again? Not a bite, I hope.
His eyes swirl black. I must fill you with my seed.
My eyes narrow. Well, isn’t that just convenient. And if I say no?
He caresses my cheek in a possessive gesture. That is why we are going to go to them. My scent upon you is still faint, but it is there. Soon it will be gone unless you accept me again. This way, we ensure your safety.
I give him a skeptical look and cross my arms over my chest. Sounds like a scam to me. A way to get into my metaphorical panties. ‘Marking’ me and making me safe. Sounds like a dragon tall-tale to me.
It is not a lie. I do not wish for you to lose my scent. I do not want another male to think he can steal you.
A flash of memory creeps into my head, of Kael fighting the other golden dragon and calmly ripping its throat out. “Are you going to have to fight again?”
No. They will smell me on you and be curious, but they will not fight. The other did not smell my claim on you and thought to steal you from me before I could have the chance. Kael’s eyes flare with black emotion. I would not put you in danger, my Claudia.
“All right,” I tell him reluctantly. “Let’s get this over with.”
He leans down to brush his lips over mine, then just as quickly transforms into his dragon form. I’m startled at the impulsive caress and at the pleasurable response it incites despite my tormented thoughts. “What was that for?”
I simply wanted to do so.
If Kael’s hard to read in human form, he’s impossible in dragon form. I eye him a moment longer, then groan in dismay when his massive, clawed foot reaches for me.
He immediately pauses. Are you in pain?
“No.” I step into his outstretched claws, trusting him. “But I hate riding with you like this. It scares me. I don’t feel safe.”
I have no other way to carry you, my mate. And I would never drop you.
“I know. But too bad you don’t come with a saddle.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, an idea forms. “Actually…” I step out of his claws again and move along his side, running a hand lightly down the gleaming scales of his flank. The muscles of his back dip in at the shoulders, but there’s a relatively flat area that would work. “Can you spread your wings for me?”
He does so immediately with a great, leathery flap, extending his wings outward despite the confined interior of the building. As soon as he does, I run a hand along his scales again, feeling the muscles underneath, and gaze up at the spot between his wings. The place I could put a saddle is still fixed despite the unfurling of his great wings. If I set one there, it wouldn’t jostle off the moment he takes flight.
Your hand feels good, he tells me, his thoughts a low purr.
I give his hide a light smack. “Cool it. I’m trying to think.” I consider him for a moment longer and then run a caressing, persuasive hand over his scales. “Would you wear a harness if I made one?”
Would it please you? Then I would.
I smile sadly, wishing I wasn’t so torn. All he wants is to please me. How can I possibly stay mad at that? And yet, his pleasure in being constantly around me means that I’m permanently exiled from Fort Dallas.
And as long as I’m with him, Amy will suffer.
No matter what I choose—Kael or Amy, I end up losing. The thought’s a miserable one.
CLAUDIA
“You’re squirming,” I tell Kael, and bat a hand at his massive golden shoulder. “Hold still.”
The dragon gives an annoyed grunt, but he does go still. I tighten the massive leather straps crisscrossing his scales, cinch them as hard as I can, and then test them one more time. “Too tight?”
Never.
“Okay, good.” I give the straps one last pat, then step back and admire my handiwork. “Not bad, I think.”
It’s taken most of a day to come up with a harness. I’d sketched out a few ideas on a scrap piece of paper and then gone back and forth, climbing on Kael’s back to determine just how everything should hang. From there, it was a matter of finding an old stable and a saddle that had held together fairly well. From there, we’d rejiggered several of the straps, added ropes and cordage, and the end result was a riding saddle perched squarely between Kael’s shoulders and harnessed in. I even put a saddle blanket underneath the saddle itself, in case it chafed his skin. Scales. Whatever. I have reins of a sort, too. Well, they’re mostly bike handlebars, since I wouldn’t put a bit on him and I want something to hold on to. The nice thing about our telepathic link is that I can guide him with a thought instead of tugging on reins like he’s a horse.
Then there’s nothing else to fuss with. I bite my fingernails then glance over at him. “We ready to do this?”
Of course.
His confidence isn’t helping, though, because he’s always confident. “If I fall off, you’ll catch me, right?” I tighten the bungee harness at my waist and make sure the carabiner is hooked to the ropes crisscrossing Kael’s large body.