Page 45 of To Touch A Dragon
It grows worse as silence falls. I swallow thickly, wishing I didn’t wonder at the thoughts running through their heads.
Then my grandfather continues, mortifying me further. “Will your children be human?”
“Yes,” Kaos states so matter-of-factly my eyes jump to him.
“Would you breed with other females of our tribe?”
My heart dies at the question.
Kaos growls and bares his teeth, startling some of the elders out of their seats. “Never!”
Pernis smiles. “Good.”
Astonished, I stare at my grandfather, his soft eyes meet mine.
“I accept you as one of us, Kaos,” he says as I gape.
Kaos’s growling stops.
“I accept you as a member of our tribe,” Father declares next.
They turn to Oled.
“I will not accept you until you prove your worth,” Oled fumes. He storms to the door and exits without a backward glance. Aida is distantly related to Oled, and yet I see their similarities.Kaos will prove his worth,I muse, relief already flooding my senses. Real, comforting relief.He will prove it in spades.
Father and Grandfather are approaching us as I look away from the door.
“Welcome to Shell Rock, dragon,” Esteus says. “Tulia!” he shouts. My half-sister stumbles into the main room from where she hid listening from behind one of the hide walls. Several more come out behind her—women of the tribe, whispering and eyeing my male.
“Yes?” she asks, smiling at me.
“Gather everyone who isn’t already… eavesdropping.” He laughs, looking to the crowd of women. “We have a celebration to prepare for!”
That evening, and through the night, we celebrated, sharing stories and endless questions. There’s more laughter assailing the air than I have heard from my people in years. Even Kaos is affected by it.
Yet my mirth grows with every second. Hope, so much hope—and love—fills me.This happiness is all I’ve ever wanted,I realize. This future for my people. They lost the last of their hope with me when Leith left, and a little bit of courage. But fate—the red comet in the sky—smiles upon me. It has returned our future.
Looking at my people, I see myself in them, sense them like I’ve never done before. Kaos meets my gaze over the fire, where he is pinned between Father and Grandfather, smoldering at me. A strange sight to see with him between my sires.
But Tulia, Nell, and my other half-sisters whisk me away before I can go to him.
They adorn me in a dress of white seashells and abalone shards. They weave shells into my hair, crown me with the colors of the ocean reefs, and drape me in netted cord jewelry. They keep going until my long hair is heavy with the gifts of the ocean and every curve of my body is emphasized by a nearly-revealing mating gown.
And when they are done—once food was cooked and drinks were prepared—they present me tohim.
Kaos rises slowly to his feet, eyes glittering with awe of his own. I stare back at him mesmerized, never once imagining I’d be here, in this place, presented to a male that was all mine.
Mine,I think, as the lust in his eyes deepens, as they trail over every inch of my body, feasting.
He’s wearing several adornments too, a hide cape draped over his neck, and to my surprise… several predator bones are sewn into his long hair, holding it back from his face. I feast too.
My mouth waters.
He closes the distance and kisses me, pulling me into his arms and searing my lips with his hungry ones. It’s not how the ritual is supposed to go, but he’s not a human, not really. To me, he will always be my dragon.
My dragon.
My. Dragon.
Mine.
Our people cheer as he lifts me into his arms and carries me off into the night, his mouth still on mine. To our home. Where our journey truly begins, and the kissing never ends.
