Chapter 14
Lisa was so exhausted, she wasn’t in the least bit upset to follow Karla out of the cave instead of going with Verrian.
It had been a long and confusing day, and she still wasn’t sure how she felt about all of it. A sleep would probably help.
Maybe then she’d be able to figure out how she felt, and what was going to happen next. Not that anything was predictable around these dragons. She’d probably be dragged out of sleep by another fight.
All the more reason to rest while she could.
She’d spent enough time with the dragons that she wasn’t particularly surprised to be shown to an almost empty room, save for the pile of furs in the middle. She didn’t even care that there wasn’t a mattress. She’d sleep on the ground right about now.
“Thanks,” she said to Karla.
She expected the woman to leave, but she didn’t.
Lisa turned to look at her, and knew as soon as she saw the tight-lipped expression on her face, that Karla had something to say.
And that she probably wasn’t going to like it.
Lisa bit back a sigh. “What?”
“Are you sure you’re up for this, Lisa?”
Lisa gave a sharp laugh. “Bit late to ask that, isn’t it? I’m well and truly in it now.”
Karla was silent. When Lisa looked up, there was pity in her eyes.
That was the last thing Lisa wanted to see. She hated anyone pitying her.
The expression helped her square her shoulders and glare at Karla. “I can do this just as well as you can.”
Karla’s expression softened. “I chose this, Lisa. I know you didn’t. No one would blame you if you want to find somewhere safe to wait it out.”
Karla hadn’t outright said Lisa was usually selfish and self-centred, she didn’t have to. Lisa knew she was. That didn’t mean the subtle accusation didn’t hurt. Lisa felt tears well up in her eyes.
“I made a choice, same as you,” she said fiercely. “Maybe Verrian and I didn’t swear to love each other, or have a big mating ceremony like you and Taurian did, but that didn’t mean we didn’t choose this. I chose to save Verrian, even though I knew the consequences. You think I did that for myself?”
Karla regarded Lisa thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded. “What you did was very noble. Worthy of being a dragon mate.” She hesitated. “Doing the right thing always pays off in the long run. I know you can do this, Lisa.”
This time, Lisa couldn’t hold back the tears.
Karla’s reply was totally unexpected.
Karla thought she could do this? Lisa wasn’t sure if she meant be a princess, Verrian’s mate, or just hold it together for long enough to get some sleep, but it was touching that Karla had faith in her. No one ever had before.
Well, aside from Verrian.
A tingle up her spine alerted her to her mate’s presence before he entered the room, giving her enough warning to swipe the tears from her eyes.
Verrian’s eyes were searching though, as he scanned her face. “Are you all right?”
Lisa managed a nod. “Of course.”
She could see it in his face. He was looking at her, but his focus wasn’t there. Something else was going on. Her heart started pounding, adrenaline flooding through her. “What is it?” she demanded.
Verrian hesitated only a moment. “I volunteered us to go with Bruce while he wakes my sister, Princess Lyrian. But if you’re too tired, I can go alone.”
As if.
“No, I’m coming,” Lisa said firmly. “Like I’d let you go alone. You’d probably go and get yourself killed, and then where would I be?”
She’d meant it as a joke, a light-hearted tease, but both Verrian and Karla looked far too serious.
“You’d be dead,” Verrian said softly.
“You knew that, did you?” Karla asked, her voice just as gentle. “That’s part of the mate bond. If one of you dies, both of you do.”
Someone must have neglected to mention that bit to her.
She’d thought never feeling the urge to sleep with another man was a big step. It was nothing compared to this.
If Verrian was an ordinary man, it would still make her pause. But he was a dragon. A dragon with a predilection to fighting other dragons. Even if he wasn’t, his clan was at war. He had dangerous enemies.
The chances of him living a long and safe life were slim.
Would she have still made this choice if she’d known?
Lisa couldn’t help feeling glad she hadn’t. No matter how much she might still have wanted to, she would have felt irresponsible and careless to have mated with him anyway, knowing it was putting her life at risk. Yet somehow, she couldn’t make herself regret it after the fact.
Either way, it made no difference now. It wasn’t like she could go back and undo the choice. So she shrugged. “Even more reason for me to come then.”
“Are you sure? I won’t think any less of you if you feel the need to sleep. If your plan has worked, and the humans are distracting Ultrima, this task should not be taxing.”
Verrian’s words in her head were gentle. He really did think she might prefer to stay here.
With a jolt, Lisa realised that a couple of weeks ago, she probably would have.
She remembered how scared she’d been that first time with Karla, going to rescue Taurian. But the memory was dim and distant.
She wasn’t that person anymore. She wasn’t sure if it was loving Verrian, or the mate bond, but she just wasn’t scared.
No, that wasn’t quite true. She was still scared. She’d be stupid not to be, they were going up against an unknown and powerful dragon.
It was just that now, she had something stronger than the fear.
Her feelings for Verrian seemed to block out all the fear. It was still there, but distant enough that she could ignore it.
The tiredness too apparently. Or maybe that was the adrenaline.
“I want to be with you,” Lisa said firmly. “My place is at your side.”
Verrian smiled. “Thank you, my princess. I would be honoured.” He followed up the far too formal words with a kiss that left Lisa breathless.
Karla had said to put aside her personal feelings, but Lisa wasn’t the one who had instigated the kiss. Karla could hardly argue with Verrian choosing to kiss her.
Not that Lisa cared if she did.
Because when his lips were on hers, his dragon voice crooning her name in her head, all her confusion melted away.
She knew she was exactly where she wanted to be.
Together, she and Verrian could do this. They could help wake his sister, and help his clan win this fight.
Then, after all that, maybe they might have some time to be together. To figure out if they had something real here.
The End
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If you haven't already, check out Karla and Taurian's story, beginning with Waking the Dragon.
When his centuries long slumber ends abruptly, dragon prince Taurian finds himself in a whole new world. Now, pursued by an ancient enemy, he finds his survival depends on the human woman whose presence woke him. Despite being irresistibly drawn to the half-naked man she discovered in an ancient chamber, Karla is sure he’s crazy. The sensible thing to do would be to drop him off at the nearest police station. But she soon finds out that dealing with dragons is never that simple.