Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
I can feel him wheel into the air quickly, narrowly missing the spray that the skunk lets out. The stink permeates the air and I feel through his mind how awful it is. He immediately heads for the nearest lake to dunk himself. Nothing got on him, but he just wants to get away from the smell. I…guess those are not good eating. His response is sheepish.
I will never, ever know, I admit with a giggle. The stink’s too awful. Look for deer or a cow if you’re hungry. If you can’t find anything, just come back. We’ll make them feed us at the fort.
We will eat first, Jurik says stubbornly. I will not eat anything a Salorian offers.
Fine, you pain in the ass. I smile as I send the thought, though. I might have found the only person on Earth slightly more stubborn than I am. We’re going to be an…interesting pairing.
A good one, Jurik sends back. You will challenge me and I will challenge you. We will stay strong and sharp that way…and I will enjoy conquering you each time.
Even though Jurik is miles away, I still blush and heat up at the thought.
32
RACHEL
Jurik makes sure that I’m fed, all right. He brings a deer, cuts slices out with his claws, roasts them, and then makes sure to feed me bite by bite, his eyes gleaming with enjoyment every time I chew. It’s a little disconcerting, but it makes him happy…and the food is delicious. I’m a sucker for a bit of fresh meat, it seems.
Once I’m done eating, I pack my bag with as much stuff as I can carry. A few T-shirts, a hairbrush, and several magazines I found stacked in one of the rooms. There’s no crossword and no sewing materials like my friends requested, but they’ll be excited just the same.
When I’m ready to go, I shoulder my pack and move out to the front yard, highly aware of the marks on my neck and the sex smell that seems to float around me like a cloud.
You smell incredible, Jurik says, wrapping his arms around me from behind and nipping at my ear playfully. I can feel his amusement at my startled squeak, and then he releases me, takes a step back, and shifts into what he calls his “battle-form.” He snatches me into his claws, and I swallow my surprise, determined not to scream like a little girl. I’ll get used to being dragged around by a dragon someday.
I would never hurt you, Jurik reassures me, his enormous head lowering to nudge mine.
I know.
Nor would I drop you.
Now, why would you even bring that up? I’m going to be thinking about you dropping me.
I can feel a flash of his playful amusement, and he launches himself into the air with me clutched against his chest. His powerful wings beat hard, and we’re in the air, gaining altitude, and my fear at being jostled is gone the moment the houses underneath us spread out like toys. I might not like the take-off, but I love flying. I love the freedom it makes me feel like I have, even if it’s just borrowed freedom.
Not borrowed, Jurik reassures me. My wings are your wings. I will go nowhere without you. My strength is yours. My claws are yours. And…my cock is most certainly yours.
I snort at that, and I can feel the rumble of laughter in his chest. “I had no idea all this sass was hiding behind those gold scales all this time.” Now that Jurik is “himself” again, he’s incorrigible. The playfulness that he hinted at all this time is in full effect, and it’s charming and silly and ridiculous and makes me realize just how much I don’t know about him.
Anything you wish to know, I will share, he tells me easily. We have a lifetime to learn each other.
“Yeah, well, I hope it doesn’t take that long.” I peer over his claws as we fly across the glittering lake. “Speaking of long, how long until we get to the fort?”
Not long enough, he teases, letting a hint of sourness into his tone. He’s still not thrilled we’re going there, but he’s doing it for me.
I send a mental wave of thoughts to let him know just how much I appreciate that.
I watch the world below as Jurik flies. We make good time, and it isn’t long before I start to see familiar buildings. He can fly over everything, whereas my bike has to wind through streets and between abandoned cars. We’re going to get to Fort Dallas so quickly that it makes my head spin. I think of how easy it’ll be to do scavenging runs, how far we can go, all the things we can bring back to the fort to improve life…is this what Azar has in mind when he wants women to bond with dragons?