Page 98 of Blood of Dragons

I wanted to watch him forever, but I got tired again and slipped back under.

When I woke up the second time, he was awake, staring at me the way I’d been staring at him earlier.

My heart ached to see him there, to feel peace for the first time since we’d been together. I’d never felt safer than I did with him in that little tent, just the two of us.

He looked into my eyes for a while before his hand snaked into my hair, and he pressed a kiss to my forehead.

I could die right then and there…and be totally fine with it.

His lips moved to my neck then my shoulders and then my chest. Kissing me everywhere, worshipping my body like I was a goddess rather than damaged goods, making me feel like a virgin who had never been touched rather than a victim who had been violently raped repeatedly.

His mouth came back to mine, and he kissed me again.

“You slept with me…”

He pulled away slightly and brushed his nose against mine. “Because you’re my woman—and I sleep with my woman.”

An invisible hand grabbed my heart and squeezed, squeezed it so hard it burst. “Talon.” My hand cupped his face and felt the prickle of his shadow, saw the gold burn in his eyes like starlight.

His mouth moved to mine, and he kissed me hard as he rolled on top of me, his muscular legs separating mine. He tilted his hips, and his cock slid right into my folds, finding my entrance all on its own. He sank inside me as he kissed me, as he claimed my body in the name of his land. “Baby…”

When I woke up again, he was gone.

Judging by the light outside the tent, it was almost sunset. We’d spent the previous night making love and napping throughout the day. We drank water from his canteen but had no sustenance. I suspected his hunger had gotten the best of him and he’d left to satisfy his needs.

I dressed then stepped out of the tent.

The fire was going, and meat was cooking over the open flame. He was in his uniform and armor again, standing there and looking up at the stars above, his eyes focused on one spot in particular.

I approached him, my arms immediately crossing over my chest when I felt the cold.

He spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, so quiet I wasn’t sure if I actually heard it. “Forgive me.”

I stilled at his words, staring at the side of his face as he continued to look at the stars.

He finally looked away and turned to the fire, and that was when he noticed me. His eyes stilled and turned guarded momentarily, like everything we’d just shared was a distant memory. But then they softened, and he came toward me, his hand sliding into my hair as he dipped his head to kiss me.

My face rested against his chest, and I closed my eyes.

His lips brushed my forehead. “Are you hungry?”

I nodded.

“I found some things for you.” He opened his pack and displayed the fruits and vegetables he found in the wild. “I remember you got tired of the carnivorous diet pretty quickly.”

“Thank you.”

We sat together by the campfire, and he removed the meat from the spit and plated it for me before he did his own. Like old times, we sat together and ate in comfortable silence, the brilliant stars over our heads.

“Have you spoken to Khazmuda?” I asked.

“He’s close by.” He took another bite and chewed.

We fell back into silence, and once I was done with my meat, I munched on the berries he’d harvested for me.

He finished first then stared at me from across the campfire, arms on his knees, his cape returned to his uniform.

It made me realize we hadn’t really talked since he’d come to the forest. It’d been a couple of sentences here and there, but mostly kisses and heavy stares. Now that we’d come to this moment, I didn’t know what to say.