Fire in Her Veins

**Chapter 1: The Awakening** The obsidian amulet pulsed with an inner fire that made Dr. Zephyra Nightwhisper's fingertips tingle with more than mere excitement. She'd spent three years excavating this forgotten temple in the mountains of Valdris, but nothing—not the golden chalices, not the jeweled daggers, not even the perfectly preserved tapestries—had prepared her for this moment. "Extraordinary," she whispered, her breath fogging in the suddenly frigid air of the underground chamber. The temperature had dropped at least twenty degrees since she'd lifted the amulet from its resting place atop the stone altar. "The preservation is impossible. This should have crumbled to dust centuries ago." Her research assistant, Marcus, shifted nervously behind her. "Maybe we should document it first before—" The amulet flared brilliant crimson, and Zephyra gasped as heat shot up her arms like molten gold in her veins. The ancient Draconic symbols carved into the chamber walls began to glow, one by one, casting dancing shadows that seemed almost alive. "Dr. Nightwhisper, something's wrong," Marcus said, backing toward the entrance. "The air feels... electric." Zephyra couldn't have moved if she'd wanted to. Power thrummed through the amulet, through her, awakening something primal deep in her chest. Her scholarly mind catalogued every detail even as her body responded to the raw magic: the way the stone beneath her feet began to vibrate, the ozone scent that filled the air, the sudden pressure that made her ears pop. Thunder rumbled through the mountain, though the sky had been clear when they'd descended that morning. And then the world exploded. Light erupted from every carved symbol simultaneously, blinding and beautiful. The thunder became a roar that shook dust from the ancient ceiling. Marcus screamed something she couldn't hear over the otherworldly sound that was part wind, part wildfire, part something far more dangerous. When the light finally faded, Zephyra found herself on her knees, the amulet clutched against her chest, her heart racing like a hummingbird's wings. The chamber looked exactly as it had moments before, but everything felt different. Charged. Awakened. Marcus was gone. She was alone with the shadows and the lingering scent of smoke and sulfur. "Hello, little scholar." The voice came from everywhere and nowhere, rich as aged whiskey and twice as intoxicating. Zephyra spun, still clutching the amulet, and nearly swallowed her tongue. A man stepped from the shadows near the altar—tall, broad-shouldered, with hair as black as midnight and eyes like molten gold. He wore nothing but leather pants that clung to muscled thighs, his chest bare and marked with intricate tattoos that seemed to move in the flickering light. Power radiated from him in waves that made her skin prickle with awareness. Beautiful. Dangerous. Definitely not human. "Who are you?" she managed, proud that her voice remained steady despite the way her pulse hammered against her throat. His lips curved in a smile that was all predator. "I am Kaedrion Shadowflame, last of the Crimson Wing clan. And you, fascinating creature, have just awakened me from a very long, very unpleasant sleep." Dragon shifter. The knowledge hit her with absolute certainty, though she'd never believed the legends were anything more than metaphor and myth. The golden eyes, the otherworldly beauty, the way heat seemed to shimmer in the air around him—it all made terrible, wonderful sense. "The amulet," she said, looking down at the obsidian stone. "It was binding you." "Clever girl." He moved closer, and she caught his scent—smoke and spice and something indefinably male that made her knees weak. "For seven hundred years, I was trapped in that cursed stone, aware of every moment, every year that passed. Do you know what seven centuries of imprisonment does to a dragon's disposition?" His tone was conversational, almost gentle, but something in his eyes made her take a step back. Her shoulders hit the carved wall behind her. "I imagine it makes one rather... irritated," she said carefully. Kaedrion threw back his head and laughed, a sound like distant thunder. "Irritated. Yes, that's one word for it." His gaze dropped to the amulet in her hands, then traveled slowly up her body—over her dust-covered khaki pants, her practical white button-down shirt, her face that was flushed from more than the underground heat. "Tell me your name, little scholar." "Dr. Zephyra Nightwhisper. I'm an archaeologist from the University of Aethros." "Zephyra." He rolled her name around his tongue like he was tasting fine wine. "Storm wind. How fitting." Another step closer, and now she could feel the heat radiating from his skin. "Do you know why you could touch the amulet when others could not?" Her breath caught. "Others tried?" "Oh yes. Fortune hunters, tomb robbers, even a few scholars over the years. They all tried to claim the pretty bauble." His smile turned sharp. "It killed them, of course. Burned them to ash from the inside out." Horror crawled up her spine. "But I—" "But you have dragon's blood in your veins, don't you, Zephyra? Distant, diluted, but there nonetheless. It calls to me like song to a bird." He reached out slowly, giving her time to flinch away, and touched her cheek with fingertips that were almost too warm. "The question is, what am I going to do with the woman who holds my freedom in her pretty hands?" The way he looked at her—like she was prey and treasure and temptation all wrapped in one—made liquid heat pool low in her belly. This was insane. She was a rational woman of science, and rational women did not get aroused by possibly dangerous mythical creatures, no matter how perfectly sculpted their chests were. "I could kill you," he mused, almost to himself. His thumb traced her lower lip, and she shivered. "It would be the smart thing. The safe thing. You know too much now, and I have... debts to settle." "But you won't," she said, surprised by her own certainty. "No?" His eyebrow arched. "Why not?" "Because you're curious about me. About why I could touch the amulet." She lifted her chin, meeting those molten gold eyes directly. "And because you've been alone for seven hundred years. You're not ready to be alone again." Something flickered across his face—surprise, maybe, or recognition. Then the predatory mask slipped back into place. "Careful, little scholar. Presuming to understand a dragon's mind is dangerous territory." But he stepped back, giving her breathing room, and she knew she'd been right. "What debts?" she asked. His jaw tightened. "That is not your concern." "If you're planning to hurt innocent people—" "Innocent." The word came out like a curse. "There's precious little innocence in this world, Zephyra. The men who imprisoned me, who stole seven centuries of my life—they thought they were protecting the innocent too." The pain in his voice caught her off guard. Whatever he was planning, whoever had wronged him, it cut deep. She found herself wanting to comfort him, which was either compassion or complete stupidity. "What will you do now?" she asked instead. Kaedrion studied her for a long moment, then smiled—and this smile was different. Warmer. More genuine. "Now, fascinating woman, I'm going to show you what it truly means to fly." **Chapter 2: The Dragon's World** Before Zephyra could ask what he meant, Kaedrion was moving. His body blurred and shifted, growing, changing, until a massive dragon filled the chamber. His scales were deep crimson edged with gold, his eyes twin suns in a serpentine head that was both terrible and beautiful. She should have been terrified. Any sane person would have been screaming, running, probably fainting. Instead, she felt only awe and a bone-deep recognition that took her breath away. *Mine,* something whispered in the back of her mind. *He's mine.* The dragon—Kaedrion—lowered his great head until they were eye to eye. When he spoke, his voice resonated through her bones. *Climb onto my back, Zephyra. Unless you prefer to walk down the mountain.* She looked around the chamber, finally noticing what she'd missed in her shock. The entrance had collapsed. Tons of rock blocked what had been their only way out. "My assistant," she said suddenly. "Marcus—is he—?" *Safe. I made sure he was clear before bringing down the tunnel. I have no quarrel with innocents.* Relief flooded through her. "Thank you." *Do not thank me yet. The night is young, and I have not decided what to do with you.* Despite the ominous words, Zephyra found herself approaching the dragon. His scales were warm beneath her palms as she climbed awkwardly onto his back, settling between two ridges that seemed designed to hold a rider. *Hold tight.* She barely had time to grip the ridge in front of her before Kaedrion launched himself upward. Rock and stone exploded around them as he burst through the mountain itself, his powerful wings carrying them into the star-filled night. Flying on dragonback was nothing like she'd imagined from the old stories. It was better. The wind whipped through her hair, the world spread out below them like a glittering tapestry, and between her thighs she could feel the raw power of the creature carrying her through the sky. They flew for what felt like hours, over forests and rivers and sleeping towns, until finally Kaedrion began to descend toward a castle perched on a craggy peak. It looked like something from a fairy tale—all soaring towers and graceful arches—but as they drew closer, Zephyra could see it was partially in ruins. He landed in what had once been a grand courtyard, now overgrown with vines and wild roses. When he shifted back to human form, Zephyra slid down his back and nearly collapsed as her legs remembered how to hold her weight. "Welcome to Shadowmere," Kaedrion said, steadying her with hands that lingered a moment longer than necessary on her waist. "My ancestral home." "It's beautiful," she said honestly. Even in ruins, the castle was magnificent. "It was." His voice carried centuries of loss. "Before they came. Before they decided dragons were too dangerous to exist freely in their precious world." "Who? Who imprisoned you?" Kaedrion turned away, walking toward the main keep. "The Order of the Silver Flame. Self-righteous bastards who believed magic should be controlled, contained, sanitized for human consumption." He pushed open massive oak doors that groaned on ancient hinges. "They're still out there, Zephyra. Still hunting my kind. Still convinced they know better than beings who were old when their ancestors were learning to make fire." She followed him into a great hall that must have been breathtaking in its prime. Now moonlight streamed through broken windows onto cracked marble floors where weeds pushed through the stones. "What did you do?" she asked quietly. "To make them think you needed to be imprisoned?" He stopped so suddenly she nearly walked into his back. When he turned, his eyes were blazing with barely contained fury. "I loved the wrong woman." The simple words hit her like a physical blow. Of course there had been someone else. Someone he'd loved enough to risk everything for. "Tell me," she said. "No." He started walking again. "That story died with her, and some things should stay dead." But as they climbed a winding staircase toward what she assumed were the living quarters, Zephyra caught fragments. A whispered name—Seralynn. A curse muttered in the old tongue. The way his shoulders tensed when moonlight fell across a portrait of a red-haired woman in flowing green robes. The chambers he led her to were in better repair than the rest of the castle, clearly maintained by magic. A fire crackled in the stone fireplace, and the bed was made with rich fabrics that looked impossibly luxurious. "You'll sleep here," Kaedrion said. "The wards will keep you safe." "Safe from what?" His smile was sharp as broken glass. "From me, little scholar. I may find you... intriguing, but I am not a civilized man. Seven hundred years of imprisonment has left me with appetites that would terrify you." Heat flooded her cheeks, but she met his gaze steadily. "You assume I'm easily frightened." "Aren't you?" He moved closer, backing her against the stone wall beside the fireplace. "You should be, Zephyra. I've done things that would give you nightmares. Killed men with my bare hands. Burned entire armies to ash. I am not the hero of your story." His body caged her against the wall, all heat and hard muscle and barely leashed power. She could feel his breath against her lips, could see the flecks of red in his golden eyes. "I never said you were," she whispered. Something in her tone made him go very still. "No?" "Heroes are predictable. Safe. Boring." She reached up and traced one of the tattoos that spiraled across his chest—a dragon in flight, wings spread wide. His skin was fever-hot beneath her fingers. "I've spent my whole life being safe, Kaedrion. Studying the past instead of living in the present. Playing it safe, making sensible choices, never taking risks." His hand came up to cover hers, pressing her palm flat against his chest where his heart hammered like a war drum. "And now?" "Now I'm in a ruined castle with a dragon who could kill me without breaking a sweat, and I've never felt more alive." The confession slipped out before she could stop it. Kaedrion's eyes flared, literally flared, with golden flame. "Dangerous words, little scholar." "Dangerous man," she countered. For a heartbeat, she thought he might kiss her. His head dipped toward hers, his lips a breath away from hers, and every nerve in her body sang with anticipation. Then he stepped back, leaving her cold and aching. "Sleep," he said roughly. "Tomorrow I have debts to collect, and you... you should not be here when I return." He was at the door before she found her voice. "Where will I go?" "Wherever dragons' daughters go to stay safe from monsters like me." And then he was gone, leaving her alone with the fire and the growing certainty that she was in far more danger than he'd ever warned her about. The danger of falling for a man who might never let himself fall in love again. **Chapter 3: Secrets in the Shadows** Zephyra couldn't sleep. She'd tried for hours, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw Kaedrion's face when he'd stepped away from her. The want in his eyes warring with something that looked like fear. Finally, she gave up and began exploring the castle. The wards he'd mentioned seemed to be more like guidelines than barriers—they let her pass through corridors and chambers without resistance, though she could feel them humming in the walls like a barely audible song. Magic had never been her field of study, but she was beginning to think that was a significant oversight in her education. The library drew her like a moth to flame. Three stories of books, scrolls, and magical texts that made her archaeological heart sing with joy. Most were written in languages she couldn't read, but there were enough volumes in the common tongue to keep her busy for years. She was deep in a treatise on dragon genealogy when she heard the footsteps. "Couldn't sleep either?" Kaedrion's voice came from the doorway, rough with exhaustion. She looked up to find him leaning against the frame, still shirtless but now wearing the weariness of whatever he'd been doing since he'd left her. "Your library is remarkable," she said, closing the book carefully. "Some of these texts predate anything in the University archives by centuries." "Knowledge was precious to my people. We were scholars as much as we were warriors." He entered the room, moving with that fluid grace that marked him as something other than human. "Find anything interesting?" She hesitated, then decided honesty was the best policy. "I was researching bloodlines. Trying to understand what you meant about dragon's blood." His eyebrow arched. "And?" "According to this—" She tapped the genealogy text. "—there were several unions between dragons and humans over the millennia. The offspring were usually human in appearance but carried certain... traits." "Such as?" "Resistance to fire and heat. An affinity for magic. And..." She felt her cheeks warm. "An ability to form mate bonds with dragons." Kaedrion went very still. "Mate bonds." "It's probably just legend," she said quickly. "The texts are notoriously unreliable about—" "It's not legend." His voice was quiet, dangerous. "Dragons mate for life, Zephyra. When we find our other half, the bond is absolute. Eternal. Unbreakable." "Is that what happened? With Seralynn?" Pain flickered across his face. "Seralynn was human. Fully human. We loved each other, but there was no bond. No magical connection that would have..." He stopped, running a hand through his dark hair. "It doesn't matter. She's dead." "How?" For a moment, she thought he wouldn't answer. Then he sank into the chair across from her, suddenly looking every one of his centuries. "The Order discovered our relationship. They gave her a choice—betray me or watch her village burn." His laugh was bitter as winter wind. "She was a healer, Zephyra. She couldn't let innocents suffer for her happiness." "She led them to you." "She led them to me. But not for the reasons they thought." His eyes met hers, blazing with old fury. "She had learned about the binding ritual. Planned to trap me in the amulet herself, to save me from their death sentence. A magical prison instead of execution." Zephyra's breath caught. "She loved you enough to imprison you." "For seven hundred years, I hated her for it. Cursed her name, swore I would have my revenge on her memory." He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "But tonight, when I went to the Order's stronghold, when I stood over the descendants of the men who destroyed my life... I realized she was right." "What do you mean?" "I mean I didn't kill them." He sounded almost surprised by his own admission. "I could have. I wanted to. But in the end, I just took back what they'd stolen. Gold, artifacts, things that belonged to my people. I left them alive with a warning to stay out of dragon business." "That doesn't sound like the action of a monster." Kaedrion's smile was self-deprecating. "No. It sounds like the action of a man who's been given a second chance and doesn't want to waste it on revenge." They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, surrounded by the weight of centuries and the whisper of old magic. Finally, Zephyra worked up the courage to ask the question that had been burning in her chest since she'd read about mate bonds. "Kaedrion... when you look at me, what do you see?" His gaze sharpened, focusing on her with an intensity that made her feel exposed and cherished at the same time. "I see a woman who's brave enough to awaken sleeping dragons. Beautiful enough to make me forget seven centuries of pain. Intelligent enough to challenge me, strong enough to stand beside me, and..." He paused, something vulnerable flickering in his expression. "And?" "And I see the other half of my soul." The words hung between them like a bridge neither was quite ready to cross. Zephyra felt something click into place in her chest, a rightness she'd never experienced before. "The mate bond," she whispered. "The mate bond." His voice was rough with want and fear and desperate hope. "If you'll have me, Zephyra. If you're brave enough to bind yourself to a dragon with too much blood on his hands and too many enemies in the world." She stood slowly, her heart hammering against her ribs. This was insane. She'd known him for less than a day. But as she moved toward him, she realized it didn't matter. Some connections transcended time and logic. "I've been waiting my whole life without knowing what I was waiting for," she said, stopping just within reach of his hands. "Now I know." Kaedrion rose to meet her, his eyes blazing with golden fire. "Are you certain? Once the bond is complete, there's no going back. You'll be mine, and I'll be yours, for as long as we both draw breath." Instead of answering with words, Zephyra reached up and pulled his mouth down to hers. **Chapter 4: Fire and Claiming** The moment their lips met, the world exploded into sensation and magic. Kaedrion's kiss was everything she'd imagined and nothing she'd been prepared for—desperate, consuming, flavored with smoke and desire and centuries of loneliness finally finding its end. His hands tangled in her hair, holding her like she might disappear if he let go, and she pressed closer, wanting to crawl inside his skin. "Zephyra," he growled against her mouth, her name a prayer and a curse rolled into one. She could feel something building between them, a power that made her skin tingle and her blood sing. The mate bond, she realized dimly. It was already beginning, called forth by their mutual desire and the dragon magic that recognized its match. "Please," she whispered, not even sure what she was begging for. Kaedrion lifted her easily, carrying her from the library toward his chambers. His room was larger than hers, dominated by a massive bed hung with midnight blue curtains. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting dancing shadows on the stone walls. He set her down beside the bed, his hands framing her face with a gentleness that made her heart ache. "Last chance to run, little scholar. After this, you're mine." "Promise?" she asked, and was rewarded with a smile that transformed his face from beautiful to breathtaking. "Promise," he said, and kissed her again. This time, he held nothing back. His tongue swept into her mouth, claiming and exploring while his hands roamed over her body with increasing urgency. She gasped when he found the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder, his teeth grazing the skin just hard enough to make her arch against him. "So responsive," he murmured, his lips trailing fire down her throat. "So perfect." His fingers found the buttons of her shirt, working them free with surprising dexterity for a man whose hands were shaking with barely controlled desire. When the fabric fell away, revealing her plain white bra, he looked at her like she was crafted from precious metals. "Beautiful," he breathed, his palms cupping her breasts through the cotton. "So fucking beautiful." She reached for his belt, but he caught her hands, bringing them to his lips to kiss each palm. "Not yet. Let me worship you first." He eased her onto the bed, following her down to stretch out beside her. His mouth found her collarbone, pressing kisses along the ridge of bone while his hands worked to remove the rest of her clothes. When she was finally naked beneath him, he pulled back to look at her in the firelight. "Mine," he said, and there was something primal in his voice that made heat pool between her thighs. "Yours," she agreed, and reached for him. They came together with the force of centuries of longing compressed into a single moment. His mouth on her breasts, tongue swirling around her nipples until she cried out. Her hands exploring the hard planes of his chest, tracing scars and tattoos while he shuddered beneath her touch. When he kissed his way down her body, she thought she might die from the pleasure of it. His mouth was everywhere—the curve of her ribs, the hollow of her hip, the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. By the time he finally settled between her legs, she was trembling with need. "Kaedrion, please—" "Shh," he soothed, his breath warm against her most sensitive flesh. "Let me taste you, love. Let me learn what makes you sing." The first touch of his tongue made her arch off the bed, her hands fisting in the dark silk of his hair. He explored her with the same thoroughness he'd probably once applied to battle strategy, learning every sensitive spot, every touch that made her gasp and writhe. When he found the rhythm that made her thighs shake around his head, he stayed there, patient and relentless, until pleasure crashed over her in waves that seemed to go on forever. She was still floating in the aftermath when he kissed his way back up her body, finally settling over her with his weight braced on his forearms. "Are you ready for me?" he asked, his voice strained with the effort of holding back. In answer, she reached between them, wrapping her fingers around the hard length of him. He was bigger than she'd expected, hot as brand in her palm, and when she guided him to her entrance, they both groaned at the first contact. He entered her slowly, giving her time to adjust to his size, his eyes locked on hers as if he could read her soul in her face. When he was finally seated fully inside her, they both went still, overwhelmed by the perfection of the connection. "The bond," Zephyra whispered, feeling the magic building around them like a storm about to break. "The bond," he agreed, and began to move. They found their rhythm quickly, as if they'd been lovers for years instead of hours. Every thrust sent pleasure spiraling through her, every kiss tasted like coming home. She could feel his dragon magic wrapping around them, golden and warm and possessive, claiming her as surely as his body was claiming hers. When her second climax built, it was deeper than the first, starting in her soul and radiating outward until every nerve was singing with ecstasy. Kaedrion followed her over the edge, his release triggering something that felt like lightning in her veins. The mate bond snapped into place with an almost audible click. Suddenly, she could feel everything he was feeling—the overwhelming love, the fierce protectiveness, the soul-deep satisfaction of finally finding his match. And she knew he could feel her emotions too, the wonder and joy and absolute rightness of being exactly where she belonged. "Mine," he growled, his face buried in her neck. "Yours," she gasped, her arms tightening around him. "Always yours." They lay tangled together afterward, her head on his chest, listening to his heart gradually slow to a more normal rhythm. She could still feel the bond humming between them, warm and golden and unbreakable. "No regrets?" he asked quietly, his fingers combing through her hair. "Only one," she said, and felt his body tense beneath her. She lifted her head to meet his suddenly worried gaze. "I regret that we have to wait for the rest of eternity to do that again." His laughter rumbled through his chest, and he rolled them over so she was sprawled on top of him. "Who said anything about waiting?" **Chapter 5: Dawn and Declarations** Zephyra woke to sunlight streaming through tall windows and the delicious ache of muscles well-used. They had indeed not waited—Kaedrion had spent the night proving that dragon stamina was not merely legend, and her body bore the sweet evidence of his thorough attentions. He was still asleep beside her, one arm thrown over her waist in an unconsciously possessive gesture. In sleep, he looked younger, the harsh lines around his eyes softened, the perpetual tension in his shoulders finally relaxed. The mate bond hummed contentedly between them, a warm presence in the back of her mind that felt as natural as breathing. She could sense his dreams—flying over vast landscapes, soaring through clouds with her on his back, coming home to a castle filled with light and laughter instead of shadows and sorrow. "Good morning, my heart," he said without opening his eyes, making her jump. "I thought you were asleep." "Hard to sleep when your mate is staring at you with such intensity." He cracked one golden eye. "Pleasant thoughts, I hope?" "I was thinking about your dreams. About making this place feel like home again." Both eyes opened at that, studying her face with an expression she couldn't quite read. "You want to stay? Here, with me?" "Where else would I go?" She traced patterns on his chest, following the lines of his tattoos. "My life's work was studying the past, but now... now I want to help build a future." Kaedrion caught her hand, bringing it to his lips. "It won't be easy. The Order may be weakened, but they're not gone. And there are others who won't welcome a dragon returning to the world." "Then we'll face them together." She met his gaze steadily. "That's what mates do, right? Face the world as a united front?" "That's what mates do," he agreed, rolling over to pin her beneath him. "Among other things." His mouth found the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder, and she gasped as heat immediately began building between them again. Apparently, the mate bond came with certain... perks. "Kaedrion," she breathed, already arching beneath him. "Say it again," he commanded against her throat. "What?" "My name. Say my name like it belongs to you." "Kaedrion." She sighed as his hands found her breasts. "My dragon. My mate. My love." He lifted his head to look at her, and the expression in his golden eyes made her breath catch. "I love you, Zephyra Nightwhisper. I will love you until the stars burn out and the world grows cold." "I love you too," she whispered, pulling him down for a kiss that tasted like forever. They were interrupted by a commotion in the courtyard below—shouting voices and the sound of horses' hooves on stone. Kaedrion went rigid above her, his head turning toward the window with predatory alertness. "What is it?" Zephyra asked. "Visitors," he said grimly, already reaching for his clothes. "And not the welcome kind, from the sound of it." She dressed quickly while he pulled on leather pants and a black shirt that made him look even more dangerous than usual. By the time they made it to the great hall, the shouting had moved inside the castle. "Kaedrion Shadowflame!" The voice echoed off the stone walls. "We know you're here! Face us, dragon, or we'll burn this ruin down around your ears!" "The Order," Kaedrion said quietly, positioning himself between Zephyra and the main doors. "It seems they didn't appreciate my visit last night." "How many?" "Six. Maybe seven." His eyes began to glow with inner fire. "Stay behind me, love. Whatever happens, stay behind me." The doors burst open, and armed men in silver mail poured into the hall. They moved with military precision, spreading out to surround them, crossbows trained on Kaedrion's chest. The bolts, Zephyra noticed with growing dread, were tipped with what looked like silver. "Dragon-bane," Kaedrion murmured, confirming her fears. "Nasty stuff. Burns like acid, prevents shifting." The leader stepped forward, a grizzled man with cold eyes and the bearing of a career soldier. "Lord Commander Aldric Thorne of the Order of the Silver Flame," he announced. "You are under arrest for theft, destruction of property, and violation of the Draconic Accords." "The Accords that your predecessors wrote without bothering to consult any actual dragons?" Kaedrion's voice was deceptively calm. "How inconvenient for you that I never agreed to their terms." "The terms are non-negotiable. Surrender now, and the woman won't be harmed." Zephyra felt rage spike through the mate bond—not Kaedrion's, but her own. "The woman," she said, stepping out from behind her dragon, "has a name and a voice of her own." Thorne's gaze flicked to her dismissively. "Dr. Nightwhisper, I presume. You've been reported missing. We're here to rescue you." "Rescue me? From what?" "From the monster who's clearly bewitched you." His tone suggested he was speaking to a particularly dim child. "Dragons are masters of mental manipulation. Whatever you think you feel for this creature isn't real." The condescension in his voice made her want to set something on fire—and given her newly awakened dragon heritage, that might actually be possible. "Let me make something very clear, Commander," she said sweetly. "I am a grown woman, perfectly capable of making my own choices. And I choose him." "The bond," one of the other soldiers whispered, his eyes widening. "Sir, look at her eyes." Zephyra didn't need a mirror to know what he was seeing. She could feel the change—her normally brown eyes now flecked with gold, marking her as dragon-bonded. Thorne's expression hardened. "Then you're as much a threat as he is." He raised his hand, and the crossbows shifted to target both of them. "By the authority of the Order, I sentence you both to death." That's when Kaedrion smiled, and the temperature in the hall rose by twenty degrees. "Gentlemen," he said conversationally, "you've made a serious mistake." "What mistake?" Thorne demanded. "You threatened my mate." The