by Hope Hart
I gulp. The more I learn about this dragon, the more scared I become. “Does he have any weaknesses?”
Javir snorts. “He’s a dragon, lady.”
I narrow my eyes as Beth makes a warning sound low in her throat, and Javir sighs.
“Some say that he can turn into a man and if you stab him with a nix-tipped spear while he is transformed, he will die. Others say that if you cut off his tail, he will be driven mad with rage.”
I mull over that. Nix is similar to gold. The intricate designs on most of my dresses have been made with a mixture of nix and some other metal, which allows it to be woven into a thread.
I blow out a breath. “And you think he lives in those mountains?” I gesture at the map, and Javir nods. It makes sense when I study the map. If the dragon loses his scales when he’s flying, or when he lands to hunt, there’s a clear pattern that points to the mountains.
“The dragon likes shiny things,” Javir says. “Maybe if you took some nix and jewels, you could distract him. That way, he might not kill you as soon as he sees you.”
Dexar
“So, Your Majesty, it seems as if you owe me a favor.”
I hold back a grin as I raise my eyebrow, taking another bite of my food. As surprised as I was to learn about Zarix’s impending mating, I’m more than a little curious about the type of favor Alexis could want.
I swallow. “And what favor could this possibly be?”
Alexis grins, eyeing me over her cup. Earlier, she asked to try my noptri, and the expression on her face after she finished coughing and gagging was enough to make me roar with laughter.
Yari bustles in before refilling our cups, and Alexis waits until she has gone before she sits back in her seat, narrowing her eyes at me.
“I know where the dragon is,” she says, suddenly serious. “For my favor, I want to travel to the dragon’s territory and see if I can find any signs of Charlie.”
My heart pounds in my chest at the thought of her getting close to the dragon.
“It’s suicide,” I snap, and she tilts her head.
“You’ve said that before. I don’t think it is. From everything I’ve learned, Dragix is capable of critical thought. I don’t think he’d kill us without provocation.”
“Going anywhere near his lair will be seen as provocation,” I growl, getting to my feet.
Alexis simply watches me pace. “I’m not saying I want to walk up to a sleeping dragon and pull its tail. Give me some credit. I simply want to see if there’s any sign of Charlie.” She sighs. “Look, Dexar, we’re all trying to find Ivy and Charlie. When you made that bargain with me, you took me out of the game. These women are counting on us. They want to go home.”
“And do you want to go home?”
She’s silent, and I grit my teeth.
“You have never told me what is so special about your planet,” I say. “Why are you so eager to return? Do you have a lover waiting for you?”
I’m gratified by the look of surprise on her face, but it doesn’t help my mood. Last night, Alexis curled up against me, falling straight to sleep. Lying next to the beautiful female without tumbling her was torture of the worst kind, and it took many hours before I could finally fall asleep.
“No,” she says finally. “I don’t have a lover waiting for me.”
“So what is it? What is so important there?”
She stares at me as if I’ve suddenly become insane, and I fight back a growl.
“I have friends that I miss and a career that I love.”
“What is this ‘career’?” There is no translation, and Alexis raises her eyebrow as I attempt the word.
“It means I had a purpose. Something I trained at for many years, that I was paid to do. It made me feel happy and fulfilled.”
I wave my hand. “You could have the same on this planet.”
She shakes her head, and a look of longing crosses her face. I should not have reminded her of this career. Already, I can see her thinking about it fondly.
“You obviously can’t be reasoned with right now,” she says. “We can continue this discussion later.”
I fight back a snarl as Alexis turns, walking out of the kradi. She leaves her papers on the table, and I fight back the urge to tear them to pieces.
Instead, I follow her.
She glances back at me warily but continues to walk down the corridors. She has obviously memorized one of the exit routes, and she throws me a triumphant look over her shoulder as she walks out into the sun.
I glower at her as she stalks toward the kradi she now uses for her “research.” I have been good to her. I have given her everything she could possibly want in this tribe. And yet she still wants to leave.
“Qatai.”
“What?”
Brix looks taken aback by my snarl, and I sigh.
“I apologize. I have had an argument with Alexis. She was attempting to convince me to let her go near Dragix’s territory.”
Brix’s eyes widen, and he turns. We both watch as Alexis approaches her kradi, flicking me one last burning glance over her shoulder.
The ground shakes and heat fills the air as the kradi explodes.
I’m running as flames shoot from the kradi, the air thick with smoke.
I can’t see Alexis. I can’t see her.
I roar her name, shoving people out of my way.
A guard attempts to stop my approach, and I punch him in the gut, pushing him to the ground.
I catch a glimpse of her long blonde hair, standing out like a lantern. She’s alive. She’s alive and crawling into the kradi.
She must be confused. Brix appears, throwing a water-soaked blanket to me. I catch it and move to Alexis, attempting to wrap it around her.
She coughs. “Stop,” she orders.
“You’re going the wrong way.”
“My map,” she chokes out, still fighting me. “Just let me grab my map.”
I take the blanket and wrap it around my head, and water soaks me as Brix appears with more guards, all of them attempting to put out the flames with buckets of water.
I lunge into the tent, ignoring the scream that rips from Alexis’s throat.
Chapter Ten
Alexis
My teeth are still chattering with shock as I sit next to Dexar. He’s surrounded by healers, and somehow, he’s incredibly, furiously alive.
My map is now clutched in my hand.
I think I was in shock. I definitely wasn’t thinking straight, risking my life for a piece of paper. If I’d taken a moment to think, I would’ve left it, but Dexar jumped into action, running into the kradi as if he were about to save a living, breathing person.
Dexar has burns on his lower legs. He wrapped a blanket around his head and shoulders, and he was wearing shoes, but he leaped through the flames, grabbing the map before cutting his way out of the opposite side of the kradi.
Dexar groans in pain, and I reach for his hand.
“Why’d you do it?”
He squeezes my hand. “You wanted it.”
“I don’t understand you.”
He shifts, obviously in pain as a healer cuts away the legs of his pants.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, and he meets my eyes.
“You should be,” he says bad-temperedly, a growl leaving his throat as one of the healers slathers a particularly nasty-smelling paste on his leg.
I chew my lip, and Dexar sighs, pulling my hand closer. He glances at Elliz, and she tilts her head at the other healers, moving away with them.
“What were you thinking?” he asks. “Again, you could’ve died.”
I frown at him. “Trying to go in for the map was a bad call, I’ll give you that. But it’s not my fault that someone tried to kill me. Oh my God. Someone tried to kill me. Again.” I feel the blood drain from my face, and Dexar squeezes my hand.
“I agree,” he growls, and the expression on his face is frightening. “You are the only one who uses that kradi, and if yo
u had entered a moment earlier, I have little doubt that you would be dead now.”
I lean over and shove my head between my knees, holding back the urge to vomit.
“Why would someone want to kill me?” My voice is muffled, and Dexar takes a moment to reply.
“I will find out,” he promises. “My warriors are examining the kradi and surrounding area and talking to all witnesses. For now, you will stay with me. I mean it, Alexis. No exceptions.”
I raise my head. “Okay,” I say meekly. If I’ve got a target on my back, I’m not going to do anything dumb. I’ll practically glue myself to Dexar if it means I’m not going to get blown up.
I lean down again and push my head back between my knees.
Elliz’s soft voice breaks the tense moment. “The burns are not as bad as they first looked, qatai. This salve will remove the pain and prevent infection, and you should avoid getting the bandages wet. You should also rest for the next few days.”
I lift my head again as Dexar nods, releasing my hand as he gets to his feet. I can tell by the mutinous look on his face that he has no intention of resting.
Elliz and I share a long look, and I nod at her.
She smiles. “Are you okay, Alexis?”
The healers have already treated my scrapes and cuts. I was thrown free of the kradi, and it was my own damn fault that I almost singed off my eyebrows trying to get back into it.
I clear my throat. “Actually,” I say, “I don’t feel very well.”
Dexar tenses beside me, his eyes flying to mine, and Elliz nods.
“That’s perfectly normal,” she says, her face serious, but I can see merriment in her eyes. “It would be a good idea for you to rest too.”
I glance around. “I don’t want to stay here.”
“You may return to your rooms if you like.”
I nod, glancing at Dexar from beneath my lashes.
“I will return with you,” he says, and I hide a smile. The urge to smile leaves me when he takes a step. His face is blank, but I swear I can feel his pain, and my gut twists with guilt.
“I’m really sorry,” I say again, and he reaches for my hand, helping me to my feet.
“You can make it up to me,” he says with a lecherous grin, and Elliz suddenly goes deaf and blind, busying herself with scooping salve into a wooden jar. Then she reaches for a bottle of liquid.
She hands them both to Dexar but addresses me. “The salve needs to be applied twice a day and the pain tonic taken when needed,” she says, and I nod. Dexar narrows his eyes at her, obviously unhappy with this turn of events, and he guides me toward the door.
Guards immediately surround us, and I flinch back.
“Relax, Alexis. They’ll escort us back to our rooms.”
Brix is silent as the grave as he follows us, and I glance over at where the remains of my kradi lie in the ashes. I was so mad at Dexar this morning that I left my notes on the table. With the map in my hand, I’m only down a few pieces of paper and some scribbled thoughts.
I still can’t believe he went in and grabbed that map for me.
Dexar is coolly logical. He has no heir, and if he were to die, his people would have no qatai. And yet he risked his life for this stupid map and me.
“Bring me any information you can in the morning,” Dexar orders Brix.
Brix nods. “We will find out who did this, qatai.”
Dexar must be in excruciating pain, but he never limps, just walks slowly and steadily to his rooms. Our rooms now.
“To bed,” I tell him, and he grins at me, waggling his eyebrows. Finally, he quits the macho act and gives into a wince as he makes his way through his rooms.
He strips off his clothes, and I pull back the blankets, trying my best not to look.
“Since you feel so unwell, you will lie with me,” he says, and I flick my gaze to his.
I sigh. “You saw through that, huh?”
I guess it was obvious that Elliz and I were just trying to get him back here to rest.
Dexar gives me a slow nod, and I climb in beside him. He immediately hauls me close.
“Be careful!” I yelp.
“I can no longer feel any pain,” he says. “The salve has done its job.”
“Well, you were still burned,” I mutter. “You need to make sure you don’t do any further damage.”
Dexar’s voice is low and pleased. “Were you worried about me, Lexi?”
I feel my cheeks redden. “Of course I was,” I snap.
The dimple appears in his cheek once again, and I stare, fascinated.
Dexar’s grin widens. “I know what will make me feel better,” he murmurs, his gaze dropping to my mouth.
I blow out a breath. “You’re meant to be resting. That means no hanky-panky.”
“Kiss me, Lexi,” he orders. I sigh, giving in and leaning over him as I push my hair out of the way. He allows me to lead this kiss, and I tease him, brushing over his mouth once, twice, and then nibbling at his lower lip.
“Alexis,” he groans roughly.
I smile against his lips, and he buries his hand in my hair, pulling me down as he takes my mouth.
Had I thought he was allowing me to lead? Dexar conquers my mouth, and I moan against him, goose bumps breaking out along my arms. He rolls me on top of him, and I squeak, instinctively straddling him as I fight not to brush my feet against his poor burnt lower legs.
“Dexar,” I begin, and he ignores me, deepening our kiss as he positions me where he wants me. He’s hard and hot, and my heart races as he pulls me even closer until he’s nestled between my thighs. I gasp at the feel of him, tantalizingly close to my pussy.
He breaks the kiss, moving to run his lips along my neck, nipping and stroking. I arch, rubbing against his cock, and he groans out a rough curse.
Obviously, I’m not the only one affected.
“Take your dress off,” he murmurs.
“No way,” I say, slapping at his hands as he moves to untie my dress. I push back, and he stares at me, his eyes hot, jaw tight, and one eyebrow raised in an expression that clearly says “you gotta be kidding me.”
“Absolutely not,” I scowl at him. “You heard the healers. You’re supposed to be resting.”
He narrows his eyes. “Alexis,” he says seriously, “do you want me?”
I flick a glance down to where I’m straddling him. It takes every ounce of my self-control not to grind against him like a hussy.
“You know I do,” I say. There’s no point denying it.
His eyes flare hotter. “I want you too. What do I have to do to make this happen?” His mouth twists. “You have the qatai of the largest Braxian tribe begging you, female. Is that what you need?”
I scowl at him. “Don’t get pissy with me. I don’t want the qatai. I want Dexar.” His eyes widen slightly, and I continue, biting out the words. “And I don’t want our first time to involve you wincing in pain.”
He considers this. “What if I let you ride me?”
I laugh. “Oh, would you allow me to ride you, Your Majesty? I knew you were the type to not do any of the work in bed.”
He grins at me. “I like that you tease me,” he says suddenly, frowning slightly as if surprised. “No one else would dare.”
I snort and open my mouth, but he already has his hands beneath my butt, and my mouth drops open as he raises me until I’m positioned over his head.
I turn bright red, and he winks at me. “Remove the dress and ride my face, Lexi.”
“Uh…”
“I’ll make it good for you,” he promises.
I’m not an idiot. I lose the dress.
I’m still wrestling the dress over my head when he pulls me close until I’m straddling his face. Then he feasts on me. I gasp out a curse as he strokes the flat of his tongue along my slit, then uses the point of it to dance mercilessly over my clit. He alternates between stroking and sucking, holding me in place as I grind down, breathless now as I reach for release.
> “Please, Dexar,” I groan, and he hums against me in approval, the vibration making my thighs shake as I inch closer. My hips rock, and he reaches up, tweaking my nipple just as he sucks firmly at my clit, pushing a finger deep inside me.
I shatter into a million pieces, the pleasure going on and on. I’m gasping, slumped over him, but he wastes no time, pulling me back down until I’m positioned over his cock.
Dexar leans up, his mouth closing on my breast as he plays with my nipple. Just like that, I’m desperate again, and his laugh is low and rough as I moan.
I slide my hands up his chest, running my fingers over the blue-green scales that cover his shoulders and upper arms. They’re obviously sensitive because Dexar is no longer laughing, his jaw clenched as his hands tighten where they’re clamped on my butt.
His hand slides down, skilled fingers driving my pleasure higher, and I writhe, desperate to feel him inside me. Then he reaches down, and I sigh. Finally.
The thick length of him stretches me as he thrusts inside me, and it’s his turn to groan as I clench around him. I lean on his chest, my hands keeping me steady as I ride him, lost in pleasure. Dexar stares at me, and I feel suddenly vulnerable. But the awe in his eyes is like a drug, stealing my inhibitions.
I squeeze around him, and he growls. I laugh, suddenly desperate to see this arrogant king lose control.
He narrows his eyes at me, and then he grins, sliding his hand down to where we’re joined. My head falls back, and I groan, almost losing my balance as he strokes my clit.
I’m shaking, gasping, my hips moving with quick snaps as he uses his other hand to pull me down, his hips rising as we chase our pleasure together.
I climax, shuddering, my teeth clenched as I squeeze around his length. Dexar pulls me down for one last thrust, emptying himself into me, and I collapse on his chest, panting.
So much for “I will not sleep with the tribe king.” Way to hold out, Alexis.
