Dragon Awakened(34)

She moved away from him, overwhelmed by his heat, and, damn, the hunger for him. Her Dragon wanted his Dragon bad. Focus on me, not him, silly beast.

She lifted her hand again, this time ready for the shift in weight. “I’m a friggin’ Dragon.”

His chuckle was soft and low. “Indeed you are.”

Another wave of energy hit her, and it was exactly as he’d described, like holding on to one of those bronco things in a country bar. She felt the energy of the Dragon, separate and yet connected to her. She raced around the room, a wild freedom soaring through her.

Then it hit her. She also felt complete. The emptiness she’d suffered from most of her life was gone. It had been her Dragon, hungry and waiting within her. The power! She inhaled it with her soul. She was strong, and magnificent, and everything Cyn said she was. She caught sight of her reflection, the elegant lines of her body, the spikes along her back and the regality of her face. Orbs schmorbs. She’d much rather be Dragon.

She turned to look at her tail, circling to watch it slide behind her. With her will, she flicked it. Wiggled the tip. Then she allowed herself to meet Cyn’s eyes, taking him in in a whole new way. No, her Dragon was taking him in, soaking in his beauty, responding to his power.

“Focus on learning, Ruby.” He nodded toward the far, blank wall. “Try to Breathe your fire at the circle in the middle.”

“Circle?” She squinted and saw the tiniest speck.

No problem. She inhaled and Breathed out. One small spark eked out and then died.

He laughed. She shot him a—well, she thought it was a dirty look—and faced the speck again. Breathed again. A few more sparks came out.

Cyn stepped up beside her and shot a stream of smoke right to the target like an arrow. He looked at her, a blatant challenge.

She faced the speck and spit again. “It’s harder than it looks.”

“Your Breath is your most valuable weapon. Try again.”

She focused on the speck again. This time a stream of sparks shot almost all the way to the wall.

“Good job. Keep at it until you hit it.”

The power that rushed through her very soul was intoxicating. She blew out again, hitting the wall but nowhere near the target.

Power.

Finally. But hungry.

The thought surprised her because it wasn’t hers. The idea of an independent entity inside her startled her, even though Cyn had warned her.

This time her Dragon blew out the spikes and hit the target.

“Ruby, your Dragon is taking over. Remember, use your will.”

She heard Cyn’s voice from what seemed like far away, even though she saw him from the corner of her eye.

“Ruby, come back to human. Now. I remember how seductive the Dragon can be when you’re not used to it. Come back.”

She shook her head, only it wasn’t her doing the shaking. She’d lost control. Seductive, yes, and scary and exhilarating, all at once. Her Dragon did not want to obey Cyn, and it sure as hell wasn’t going to listen to her. It ran, dragging her along with it.

“Damn it,” Cyn muttered somewhere behind her. “Back,” he ordered. “Now!”

Her Dragon dodged him like a playful puppy. Panic prickled at the edges of her soul. What if she couldn’t regain control?

Cyn slammed her to the floor, pressing his weight down on her. Her Dragon body struggled, whapping him with her tail, hard enough to knock him off balance. She leaped to her feet and ran, turning in time to see him unleash a cloud of black mist that shot right at her. She felt her body fly to the side, hitting the wall. And then nothing.





Chapter 10



Cyn watched Ruby morph from Dragon back to woman, her body sprawled on the floor. She’d landed on her side, hair spread wildly all around her. He knelt down next to her and checked her pulse. Racing, no surprise.

His fingers remained at her neck, because for some reason he couldn’t pull them away. She was out cold. He tapped her cheek. “Ruby. Wake up. No time for slacking.”

She murmured but didn’t begin to revive. He allowed his gaze to drift over her shoulder, her waist, where he saw the outer edge of her new brand. He continued to the curve of her hip and toned legs. She wasn’t a child, much as he’d like to see her that way. Should see her that way. He had no right to look at her and feel a stirring anywhere.

There wasn’t much that aroused him anymore, though he did enjoy the sensual pleasures of life. Right now his body had decided that the sight of her was one of those pleasures. He stood, cursing softly, and dressed.

Ruby flexed her fingers, then opened her eyes the very moment he pulled on his pants. Her gaze went right to him, and she came back to herself in that moment. Flames danced in her eyes now, even as they widened with embarrassment. She sat up and pulled her bent knees close to her, tucking in her feet for as much modesty as she was going to get.