Page 15 of Real Scale Blazer
“Of course,” Malek said, his tone dry as ancient parchment. “We wouldn’t want Dr. Quinn to find our hospitality... lacking.”
ELEVEN
Kai ignored Darian’s poorly concealed snort of amusement as he strode from the hall. His long legs carried him swiftly through the palace corridors, dragon instincts tracking Quinn’s location by scent and sound. The closer he got, the stronger her presence became—a magnetic pull he couldn’t ignore if he tried.
He rounded a corner just as another tremor struck, more powerful than the last. The scene before him stopped him in his tracks.
Quinn stood amidst scattered scientific equipment, her dark hair escaping its practical bun in wild tendrils that framed her face. She wore Earth clothing—cargo pants with multiple pockets and a fitted black top that hugged curves he definitely shouldn’t notice. A compass pendant swung from a leather cord at her throat, catching the light with each emphatic gesture she made.
Her cheeks flushed with irritation as she faced off against two palace guards who’d apparently tried to help with her equipment. The sight of her—all five feet four inches of stubborn defiance—squaring off against two burly dragon shifter guards struck something deep in Kai’s chest.
“Look,” she was saying, hands on her hips, “I appreciate the thought, but I’ve carried heavier gear through Icelandic glaciers. I don’t need—” The tremor caught her mid-sentence, sending her stumbling.
Kai moved without thinking, crossing the space between them in three long strides. His hands found her waist, steadying her against his chest as debris rained down around them. The contact sent a jolt through his system—like touching a live wire, but pleasant. Intoxicating. His dragon roared to life, recognizing their mate even if she didn’t yet acknowledge the bond.
Her scent enveloped him, stronger now with her pressed against him. He could feel her quick heartbeat, hear the slight catch in her breath. The urge to pull her closer, to bury his face in her neck and breathe her in nearly overwhelmed his centuries of careful control.
“Do all dragons come with a built-in earthquake alarm,” she quipped, tilting her head back to look at him, “or am I just lucky?”
The unexpected humor in her voice caught him off guard. He found himself fighting back a smile, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through his chest. “I’m unfamiliar with Earth’s ‘earthquake alarms,’ but no. Dragons do not typically ‘come with’ them.”
Her laugh, short and genuine, with a slight snort at the end, did something strange to his insides. In nine hundred years, he’d never heard a sound quite like it. His dragon practically purred with satisfaction—they’d made their mate laugh.
“Well, your timing is impressive.” She started to step back, then swayed as another tremor rolled through the palace. His hands tightened instinctively on her waist. “Though I’m starting to think your planet doesn’t like me very much.”
“On the contrary.” The words slipped out before he could stop them. “The land responds to your presence.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Responds tomypresence? What exactly are you implying, Your Majesty?”
The title held a hint of mockery, but he found he didn’t mind. From her lips, it sounded almost... playful. Dangerous territory. He needed to focus.
“The instability in our land,” he began carefully, watching her expression, “stems from an imbalance in ancestral magic. My magic, specifically. Without a fated mate?—”
“Whoa, back up.” She did step away then, and this time he let her go, though everything in him protested the distance. “Fated mate? Is that some kind of dragon shifter matchmaking program? Because I signed up for a geological survey, not a dating service.”
Her eyes narrowed suddenly, and he found himself fascinated by the way they sparked with indignation. “Did Gerri put you up to this? Because if this is some elaborate setup?—”
“I assure you, Dr. Quinn,” he interrupted, noting how her proper title made her eye twitch slightly, “this is not a ‘setup.’ The connection between a dragon shifter and their fated mate is deeply rooted in our culture and history. The land’s stability depends on?—”
“On finding you a girlfriend?” She crossed her arms, and he definitely didn’t notice how the movement emphasized her curves. “Look, I get that you have some kind of magical crisis going on, but I’m here to study the seismic activity from a scientific perspective. That’s it.”
Another tremor shook the palace, stronger than the previous ones. The crystal walls groaned, a sound that raised the hair on the back of Kai’s neck. Without warning, a section of the ceiling above them cracked. His dragon senses registered the danger a split second before disaster struck.
TWELVE
Kai moved instinctively, pulling Quinn against him and spinning them both away from the falling debris. His dragon surged close to the surface, protective instincts flaring at the threat to his mate. A growl rumbled in his chest as crystal shards rained down where they’d been standing moments before.
They ended up pressed against a wall, his body caging hers. Her hands gripped his shirt, and he could feel her heart racing. The position brought their faces inches apart. This close, he could see flecks of gold in her brown eyes, count each quick breath that passed her slightly parted lips. His dragon memorized every detail, filing away the specific shade of pink that colored her cheeks, the exact pattern of her quickened pulse.
“I can handle myself,” she murmured, but her voice lacked its usual sharp edge.
“I’m aware.” His came out as more of a growl than actual words. His dragon pushed against his control, demanding he close the remaining distance between them, claim what it knew was theirs. The scent of her—minerals and determination nowmixed with a hint of attraction she probably didn’t even realize she was broadcasting—made his head spin.
For a moment, neither moved. He watched her eyes drop to his mouth, then snap back up. A flush crept up her neck, and the sight sent a surge of satisfaction through him. She might deny their connection with words, but her body recognized its mate. His dragon preened at the evidence.
A minor tremor broke the moment. Quinn cleared her throat, pushing gently against his chest. He stepped back immediately, though it physically pained him to do so. The loss of contact left him cold despite the warmth of the palace.
“Right. Well.” She smoothed her clothes with hands that trembled slightly. “Thanks for the... catch. But I should get back to my actual work. You know, the scientific kind.”