Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 93267 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93267 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
A low, rumbling purr crawled up his throat and Salem chuckled, which only made him happier. His mate was curled up with him and he was happy. With his eyes still closed, Gregori reached out and dragged one of the many blankets close, placing it around Salem so he stayed warm. While his large body and wings might shield him from the wind, he still needed blankets to stay warm. The other option was magic, but right now, Gregori was just too tired to summon any magic up. He couldn’t even keep his eyes open.
“Here I thought all dragons were giant lizards, but it turns out you’re really just overgrown, scaly cats.”
Gregori cracked one eye open to gaze at Salem’s happy face. There was relief there, but the worry remained. Salem was worried about him. He couldn’t quite remember why or bring himself to care. He just wanted to remain there with his mate forever.
Salem’s hand drifted across his muzzle, stroking his scales in one gentle caress after another. “I don’t know about the other dragons, but you really are amazing. I can’t imagine any other dragon being as impressive as you are.”
Gregori’s purr grew even louder. He was starting to sound like an outboard motor on a speedboat.
He was still wallowing in the joy of having his mate with him when he sensed the approach of another dragon.
His tail tightened around them, and he tipped his nose toward the sky, sniffing the air. The dragon kindly approached from upwind, and the breeze carried the scent of home. Coconut oil, sunbaked sand, and mage magic. A Valerii dragon drew close. His muscles relaxed and he rested his head on the roof, ready to go back to sleep. No one from the Valerii Clan would dare to threaten his mate. If anything, they could help him keep Salem warm and safe.
Cries of wonder and joy filled the rooftop while Salem sighed. “Thank fucking god.”
The heavy thud of the dragon landing on the roof didn’t even stir Gregori. It was only with a great deal of reluctance that he allowed Salem to crawl out from where he had cuddled against his large body.
“Sam!”
“Salem? What the fuck? Are you throwing a party out here?”
“Fuck you! They came to help me. How the hell else was I going to get Gregori on the roof? He was unconscious and extremely heavy.”
“Well, it looks like you not only got him on the roof but shifted. It’s a great start.”
Gregori’s eyes flicked open at the sound of Sora’s voice as he climbed down off Dimitri. It wasn’t a surprise to find Dimitri here with his mate, but they brought Sora as well? Away from his mate and his twins? Gregori must have scared his clan pretty damn bad.
“But it’s not enough. We need to get him in the air,” Sora continued.
Long talons scraped on stone, followed by the slither of a long tail as Dimitri walked over. The other dragon sniffed him for a second and then nudged him with his nose, trying to get him to climb to his feet, but all Gregori could do was lift his wing to cover his head. His entire body ached, and he was so damned tired. It’d taken all he had just to shift into his dragon form.
“Up. Get up,” Dimitri growled. “Come fly with me.”
Gregori grunted and raised his wing to search for Salem again. He didn’t want to leave his mate. Once again, he stretched out his tail and wrapped it around Salem’s waist, pulling him in close. His beloved mate yelped in surprise, clinging to the appendage as he was hoisted into the air.
“Well, that settles it,” Sora muttered. “Sam, help me get the saddle off Dimitri. We’ll put it on Gregori so Salem can ride him.”
“What?” Salem shrieked, his voice spiking so high it became piercing to even Gregori’s ears. “Is this a good idea? I mean, he’s exhausted right now.”
“It’s an excellent idea,” Sam chimed in. “He clearly won’t go anywhere without you, and flying with your mate is a wonderful bonding experience.”
“But—”
“Plus, Dimitri will be there every moment to make sure you and Gregori remain safe,” Sora added.
For the first time, Gregori raised his head and looked around at the people gathered on the roof. He smiled weakly at Dimitri, who lightly butted heads with him, seeming almost relieved to be there.
But he quickly turned his attention to his mate. “Fly?”
There was no missing the fear on Salem’s pale face, but a spark of definite interest lit his eyes. “Are you strong enough to carry me? Because hell yeah, I’d love to go flying with you.”
Gregori didn’t hesitate another second. He released Salem from his tail and, with effort, pushed to his feet so Sam and Sora could more easily get the saddle on him. As soon as they were done, Sam pulled off his riding harness and gave his brother some quick instructions on how to ride on a dragon’s back. It mostly amounted to hang on and trust the dragon to know what he’s doing.