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.
I won’t let you fall.
“Sure, sure,” I mutter, and check my waist harness one more time, just in case. If I fall, I’ll still be strapped to him, more or less. It’s a totally jury-rigged set-up, but I figure we can perfect this over time.
And then I frown to myself, because why am I thinking long term? My goal is to get back to Fort Dallas and my sister Amy. But then Kael’s big foreleg wraps around me oh-so-gently, and he pulls me in to nuzzle me with his big snout. You can do this, my mate.
I stroke his nose, feeling a rush of affection for him. “Thank you for the vote of confidence.”
He gives me a hot whuff against my neck, which is the dragon-form equivalent of a kiss, I suppose. And it makes me smile wistfully. When had anyone (other than Amy or Sasha) been so totally focused and devoted to my happiness and care? Even with Amy and Sasha, it’s not the same. We look after each other because we’re family, and that’s what family does.
With Kael, it’s different. So many things are.
I’m torn once more, but now’s not the time to worry about it. I need to quit stalling and get things moving. So I let him pull me closer, and I use his leg to clamber onto his back, sliding into the saddle rather messily. I wiggle into place, gripping the handlebars, and then begin to tie down additional Velcro straps to my legs that I rigged for ‘just in case.’ Being on Kael’s back is broader and a bit wobblier than I expected, and it’s making me even more nervous than before. He’s not used to having a rider. What if he forgets I’m back here?
I won’t forget, he vows. And if you fall, I will catch you. No harm will come to you, my Claudia. I would die first.
Somehow, I know that is the truth. I reach out and stroke a hand along the scales of his neck, and I can feel the heat through them. “I know. I’m just a little worried, that’s all. I’m sure it’ll be fine with time.” I put my hands back on the handlebars and suck in a deep breath. “Okay, let’s give this a whirl.”