Page 61 of The Dragon King
I watched him watch the fire, the flames dancing in his empty eyes. “How do you use the diamonds?”
He was quiet for a long time, as if he didn’t want to continue the conversation he’d introduced. “As long as you’re in contact with the diamonds, you’ll drain them. I intended to place them into my armor to distribute the weight. I’ll do the same with you.”
“You should have all the diamonds?—”
“This battle is important to me, but your life is more important. I’m not sure if you’ll even be included in the battle, to be honest.”
“Why wouldn’t I? You asked me to help you.”
“And you have.”
“You trained me with the sword. You told me I had the gift. You told me you needed me in battle.”
“That was before…”
“Before what?”
He stared at the fire and let the silence simmer. His answer never came. “The black diamonds are rare. So rare that I’ve only found a few chunks and pieces. The piece that you and your friend discovered is the biggest one I’ve come across.”
“If you don’t want me in the battle, then it doesn’t make sense for me to wear them.”
“But you’ll be close, and I want you to be unstoppable if you need to be.”
“I’d rather fight for your family and the dragons who are imprisoned by those fiends?—”
“You’re more important than both of those things.”
“I don’t think so.” I loved Khazmuda and Inferno with my whole heart. I knew if I met those other dragons who were imprisoned, I would love them too. “My life isn’t more important than theirs.”
“It is to me.” He turned to look at me again, his eyes back to their signature intensity. “My family is dead, and getting yourself killed won’t bring them back. I want the dragons to be free too, but not at the expense of the most important person in my life.”
My heart tightened into a fist and squeezed so hard it hurt. I felt my soul slip away into his grasp. Felt my entire being fuse with his just the way I fused with Inferno. The connection was beyondwords, beyond anything I’d experienced. My body moved before my mind realized it, and my fingers were deep in his hair with my aching mouth on his. I kissed him with a fire that burned hotter than the one he’d built in front of us.
He rolled me onto my back on the sand, snatching the reins out of my hand so he could take the lead. He held his body over mine as he caressed my mouth with his, giving my bottom lip a gentle bite before he turned his head and kissed me, before he pulled away and brushed my nose with his and went in for another white-hot kiss.
The sand was still warm from being exposed to the sun all day, and I sank into its softness as he held himself over me, kissing me as the flames heated his back, his hands tugging at my bottoms to get me free.
We were visible in the light of the flames to anyone who watched, but Talon dropped the front of his trousers and positioned himself between my open thighs, sliding into place like a key in a lock, and then he sank, his dick invading a land he had already claimed in his name. His hand was back in my hair, and he kissed me as he rocked into me, silencing our moans with the passion of our lips.
Chapter 11
Talon
When I woke up the next morning, Calista was still dead asleep. She didn’t wake up when I left the bed, but she turned over and got wrapped in the sheets, hogging all the covers.
I dressed in the clothes I found in the dresser, a short-sleeved cotton shirt and trousers, and walked down the pier until I found a sloop I could handle on my own. Fishing gear was already inside it, and I set off over the clear water and made it past the break in the reef.
Khazmuda’s powerful voice sounded in my mind.Good morning.
Where did you sleep?
Inferno showed me his favorite beach. We slept there together.
Sounds nice.
What are you doing? I can feel your mind recede like you’re moving at a distance.
I almost didn’t say out of fear of his reaction.Fishing.