The forest filled out quickly below the tree line. Niva followed Kinyi and the other unmated females down the mountain where the tall trees reached toward the sky, competing for the sun’s attention. Scurrying creatures hid in the underbrush, surprising Niva when they ventured too close.

“Why aren’t they afraid of us?”

“We’ve lived here a long time, and the smaller creatures know we don’t hunt them,” Kinyi replied over her shoulder before pulling out her bow and reaching for an arrow.

When Kinyi had suggested Niva tag along on a hunt with the other unmated females of the hive, Niva had jumped at the opportunity. After their last encounter in the hot springs, staying within the same six-mile radius of Zayd felt impossible. That kiss and the feel of his skin and the way his hands on her had made her heart pound… it was all too much. She had to get away, even if it was just for a few hours.

Ahead of them, hanging from a low-lying limb, was the elusive Skax bird they had been sent out into the woods to hunt. It had white and yellow feathers with soft red under feathers the Draqons used for stuffing beds and pillows. The bird provided not only meat, but their thick hide could be used for riding leathers.

And they were so damn annoying that the Draqons made a sport of hunting them to keep their fertile numbers manageable. Kinyi had said it was a good learning experience for Niva and an opportunity to put her bow practice to use.

Kinyi aimed her bow and pulled back her arm, keeping the bird squarely in her sights. When she released the string, her arrow whizzed through the air faster than Niva could track. With a thwack, the arrow connected straight with the bird’s breast and it fell to the forest floor in a flurry of yellow and red feathers.

“One down,” Kinyi said with a wicked grin. “Two million to go.”

“Good shot, Kinyi,” one of the other unmated females said. Niva had noticed they never gave up the chance to compliment their fight instructor and unspoken leader.

“Are the Skax shifters?” Niva asked as Kinyi inspected her kill.

She strung it to a thick leather cord and draped it over her shoulder before answering. “Of course not. They’re nothing but vermin.”

“But aren’t they dangerous?” Niva couldn’t help but think of Grace’s warning about never being alone with a roost of Skax nearby.

“That’s half the fun!” Kinyi laughed, and the other women joined in. Niva’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Clearly, you’ve never hunted before.”

Niva turned away from Kinyi, ignoring the insult. She scanned the higher branches for any signs of color. She’d gotten used to Kinyi’s quick temper and rapidly changing emotions. One minute Niva was sure the two of them were the closest of friends, and the next she thought the temperamental Draqon would put her on the spit if Niva asked one more question.

It had been a little over three weeks since she’d arrived at the hive, and while not everyone accepted her, she’d found life with the Draqons more than pleasant. She loved training with Grace and had come to be a regular part of the dinner preparation team. She brought new ideas from her life on Earth and a different way of combining the available flavors thanks to her time with the Vilkas. She enjoyed teaching the others and getting a chance to join in the activity as an equal. With each day that passed, she slowly felt more accepted, like the Draqons had reluctantly begun to admit to themselves that she wasn’t going anywhere.

Except for Zayd.

She knew she shouldn’t have kissed him, but he’d responded, and she was certain it hadn’t been a mistake. But the ache in her heart over Gerrit lessened each day, and she wasn’t interested in replacing it by pining over the Draqon leader who clearly had some kind of split personality disorder.

But that didn’t negate the fact that it had been one hell of a kiss. Just the memory of their bodies pressed together and the heat from his chest against her breast filled her with a desire so wanton that it was probably good he’d been avoiding her, because she might have thrown herself at him again just to feel a fraction of what that kissed had done to her.

In the distance, a low-lying berry-covered brush rustled. A flash of yellow disappeared behind it. Niva gestured to the other women that she was going to explore it. Nodding, Kinyi waved her off before leading the group in the other direction.

It was dangerous to go off alone. Niva knew not to stray too far from the group, especially since she hadn’t grown up exploring these mountains, but if she could contribute to the hunt just a little bit, it would be one more way to prove that she belonged here. Even though she was human, she wanted to show the others that she could still bring value to the community. In the woods, she wasn’t nearly as surefooted as the others. As she walked, branches cracked under her feet and leaves rustled. She was sure the others could tell where she was without even trying because she made so much noise. But as she crept forward, she spotted a large white and yellow bird with the telltale red coloring peeking out beneath its tail.

Slowly, carefully, she pulled an arrow from the leather quiver at her back and notched it on the string of the training bow Kinyi had given her. It wouldn’t be much use for a long, accurate shot, but the Skax wasn’t far away.

If she could claim this prize, it would certainly be a literal feather in her cap. She wondered if she would be allowed to keep one of the long yellow feathers the Skax sprouted from the top of its head. It would be nice to decorate her dwelling with something of her own.

Arm quivering, she pulled back on the bowstring, raising the sight until she was locked squarely onto the bird’s chest, just like she’d done countless times before at the shooting range. She took a deep breath, and as she released it, she took her shot.

The arrow skittered to the right and dropped far too short. With an indignant squawk, the Skax shot out of the tree and disappeared.

“Shit,” Niva muttered. She retrieved her arrow and turned back.

She returned to the place where she’d left the other women, certain she recognized the clearing where Kinyi had nodded her approval of Niva going after the kill alone. But now, looking around and finding it completely empty, Niva wasn’t so sure. She started off in the direction Kinyi had gone and walked for a few minutes, pausing every now and then to listen, but it soon became clear she was lost.

“Kinyi,” she whispered as loudly as she dared. She didn’t want to scare off the other women’s kills. “Kinyi!”

Kinyi didn’t respond, and Niva couldn’t hear anything in the woods around her. That wasn’t a surprise though; the others were stealthy and capable in the woods. They were skilled hunters with a lifetime of experience Niva could never match. But what if something had happened to them? Or what if they had left her?

Fear seized Niva’s heart, and she felt a tremble spread through her body.

They wouldn’t. They were her friends.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. If she was alone, there was no way she’d find her way back to the hive. And while she didn’t think the others would leave her out here on purpose, she wasn’t sure they would notice she was missing soon enough to come rescue her. And she really didn’t want to be someone who needed to be rescued.

She tried to shake the thought from her mind, widening her search for Kinyi and the others. They couldn’t just leave her. She reached down to her small bag for the flask of water and found it almost empty. No water, no food, no sense of direction.

She was fucked.

The longer she searched in ever-widening circles and kept calling Kinyi’s name louder and louder, the more she became convinced that Kinyi and the others had left her behind on purpose. There was no other explanation. They couldn’t have gone that far in the few minutes she’d left them, and they couldn’t have missed her shouting Kinyi’s name. They’d left her.

Her initial shock wore off and fury took its place. But even the anger didn’t last long as her understanding of her situation set in. She had no food or water. After all her backtracking and turning around, she didn’t even have a clear understanding of which direction would take her back to the hive. If she climbed a tree to see the mountain range, she wasn’t entirely certain she would recognize which one housed the hive or that she would remember how to get back to the underground tunnels.

It felt like every movement she made echoed through the forest. The sky above was hidden from view, but light filtered down through the tall trees and the broad, spindly branches. All manner of animals and birds scurried along above her. She wondered if the story she’d heard about the Katu were true and if they would come this far in their search for fresh meat.

Niva shivered, the idea of being eaten alive more horrifying than starving to death. If she’d been left here to her own devices, she could at least try to survive.

With each step she took, the trembling in her arms grew and her bow felt heavier. The harsh light of the noontime sun faded, and shadows tilted across the forest, creating a false sense of darkness. It wasn’t night, but Niva couldn’t help but shiver as she thought about being out here alone, without the warmth of hot springs to keep her warm. Would anyone even realize she was missing? If they did, would they bother to come looking for her?

Niva lifted her bow, ready to throw in on the ground, when she saw it.

Straight ahead, a massive female Skax hung from a tree. Its broad wings spread out and its head tilted up so beady black eyes stared directly at her. The creature didn’t fly away, unafraid. It just blinked back at Niva like it didn’t have a care in the world.

Fear prickled along her arms as she pulled an arrow from her pack and notched it. Straining her shoulder and back muscles to bring the bow taut, she pulled the string back as far as she could. When the bird let out a loud screech, she shot off the first arrow, but it veered wide to the right, striking a tree and skittering along the ground.

The bird screeched again, and Niva quickly reached for another arrow, her fingers trembling. She was going to do everything she could to fight. But instead of the giant bird fleeing, a dozen of the tiny white birds swooped down from the trees around her. They had mostly white feathers with an orange tint near their tails.

Baby Skaxes.

The small birds rushed her, nipping at her arms and face with sharp talons and beaks. She couldn’t get a good look as she ducked and swatted at their tiny bodies, but she was sure their beaks were filled with razor-sharp teeth. Fluttering around her head, they sliced into her flesh so easily, making a joke out of the protective leather she wore. The dozen birds flew back up, circled their mother, and then prepared to strike again.

There was no way she could shoot them all. Even if she had enough arrows, the mother would get to her first. So, she did the next best thing: she screamed, dropped her bow, and ran.

She raced through the forest, not caring which direction she went as she stumbled over rocks and roots. “Kinyi!” she screamed as loud as she could, her voice cracking from the force and fear.

Surely the women were just hiding. Once they heard her fear, they would come out and kill the Skax flying behind her and diving at her flesh every time they got close enough.

As her thoughts spun, the birds cried louder, chasing after her. One came close, snapping at her hair and digging into her shoulder, with its talons ripping a long gash in her flesh.

She stumbled to her knees. And the birds—incited by the scent of blood—came at her in an unorganized frenzy. Above them, the giant Skax hovered in the air, calling out with loud screeching sounds. The noise alone was enough to make Niva’s head pound. But the pain was nothing as the birds made another pass, scratching and biting at her, forcing her back up to her feet.

She ran through the trees and into a clearing. She searched for shelter, but there was only a hill on the other side of the clearing. There was no rescue coming, no help around the next corner. She was out here alone.

Perhaps on the other side of the hill, she’d find a cave or something that would provide protection until she could catch her breath.

She ran in a straight line across the clearing, pumping her legs and whipping her hands above her head to smack any of the birds that got close enough to reach. When she approached the top of the hill, she screeched to a halt.

It was a cliff.

And the birds were directly behind her.

The mama Skax loomed in the sky, watching as her babies hunted their first meal. Niva could almost see the pride glowing in the giant Skax’s eyes as the tiny birds circled, snapping at the air and trapping her in place as she backed toward the cliff edge.

Even though she had no bow to shoot it, she pulled an arrow from her quiver and swung it around, trying to intimidate the birds by appearing larger and more capable than she really was. But they knew just as well as she did that she was screwed.

Together, they dove, aiming for her eyes. Niva screamed and dropped to her knees, wrapping her hands around her head.

Overhead, a roar assaulted her ears like a sonic boom.

She glanced up. A massive red and orange Draqon dove straight for the ground, its massive wings tucked against its sides, smoke trailing from its flared nostrils. At the last second, it pulled up and snatched the giant Skax in its jaw, shaking his head once and throwing the bird to the side. As the Draqon landed a few feet away from Niva, the babies scattered. Without their mother there to protect and guide them, they disappeared back into the trees.

When it was certain the Skax were gone, the Draqon turned to her and stepped closer, smoke pumping from its nostrils, scales moving independently. The creature was fearsome.

Niva stood from the edge and took a tentative step toward the Draqon as its tremendous size loomed over her, making her crane her neck back to see it clearly. If she hadn’t been living with the Draqons for the last few weeks, she would have been tempted to jump right off the cliff just to avoid the creature. As it was, she stared into his eyes and noticed that the right side of its face was missing the usual tiny delicate scales. Instead, gray flesh puckered and pulled.

“Zayd?” She reached out a hand.

Snorting, the Draqon lowered its head almost all the way to the ground before looking back up at her. It was a comical attempt to look nonthreatening.

“You came.”

The Draqon stared at her without blinking. A puff of smoke surrounded his face before disappearing into the air.

Niva reached out a hand as Zayd crept closer. He butted his massive forehead against her outstretched palm, and Niva felt the contours of the scales on his head. She stroked along his forehead, feeling the curvature of each scale and how they were layered over one another. Surprising her, his scales were warm and fluttered beneath her palm with each breath he took. They were smooth, glass-like, and comforting in their solid strength.

“You’re amazing,” she breathed out, marveling as she ran her hand back and forth over his head.

Zayd closed his eyes for a moment and leaned into her touch, letting out a deep exhale.

She stared at him, relishing the intimacy. “You’re a lot easier to talk to this way. Maybe it’s because you can’t talk back.”

He snorted.

“Will you lead me home?”

Zayd opened his eyes and pulled his head back. For a moment, she worried he was going to leave her there, but then he gestured with his head toward his back and her eyes grew wide. She felt like they were going to bug out of her head as she wrapped her head around the meaning of the gesture.

“You want me to ride you?”

Zayd snorted at her with a puff of smoke, and if she’d had any doubt that it was him, his look of frustrated annoyance made it absolutely clear. He gestured again with a sharp jerk of his chin and then stepped forward and brought his face near hers. His head alone was almost the size of her entire body, so when he pushed her to the side, urging her to climb onto his back, she nearly fell over.

She walked around his body, keeping one hand on his scales, feeling as they rippled beneath her touch. Each one was a unique blend of orange, red, gold, and yellow that gleamed iridescently in the sun. When she reached his back, the Draqon lay down on his stomach so she could climb up on him.

“Sorry,” she called as she dug her feet into his side, trying to get a grip so she could climb up and straddle his back. She held on to the scales and pulled as if she was climbing a rock face, but he didn’t seem to mind. He hardly moved at all. When she was in place, a tremble went through him, and she rested both hands on his back, stroking the scales to soothe him. He snorted loudly before spreading his wings.

Sitting astride a Draqon was like magic. It was out of some kind of daydream. But it was better than she had ever imagined. When he flapped his wings, the ground fell away and he lifted into the air.

She tensed her thighs to hold on to him while keeping her hips soft the way Grace had instructed her on the ice. As he climbed into the air, she held on to the thicker scales on his back and leaned down close against his body. Currents of air threaded through her hair, pushing the strands back. Goose bumps prickled down her skin, and her spine tingled with joy.

They swooped up over the tree line, and below her, Niva could see for miles. The green of the forest, the snow-capped mountains, and the blue sky, unlike anything she’d seen on Earth, spread out before her. The world was filled with light and beauty and colors and magic.

As she relaxed, she found herself moving with Zayd, leaning in the direction he turned so she didn’t upset his center of balance. Anticipating which direction he’d go in was instinctual. It was almost as if they were connected and she could read his mind before he made a move. Together they flew over the trees to the mountains. She recognized the shape of the mountain sides that surrounded the hive.

Zayd flew at an angle, tilting her sideways, but she maintained her balance easily. Over the mountaintops, the air grew colder, but when she huddled down next to the Draqon’s scales, they radiated the warmth of the sun back up against her. Despite the frigid air flowing over her body, the sun and Zayd kept her comfortably warm.

He moved and shifted his body. The muscles beneath her rubbed up against her core. Falling from this height would mean instant death, but she couldn’t help the tingle of excitement from riding his body and feeling him grind up against the apex of her sensitive flesh.

Zayd trembled again and the feeling of his muscles bunching and moving beneath her sent a spark through her body, and she wished he hadn’t pulled away when she’d kissed him. What she wouldn’t give to climb off his back as a Draqon and then onto his lap as a man. Moisture from her desire slickened her core, and she shifted on his back to alleviate some of the aches.

Zayd let out a huff, and a puff of smoke rose from his nostrils.

He turned his head to look at her, his black eyes wide, open, and vulnerable.

Shoving her desire aside, Niva smiled and stroked his scales again.

When they approached the Draqon mountain, Zayd let out another booming roar. He circled above the hive as if trying to draw as much attention as possible. He beat his massive wings, climbing high into the sky, and took a wider pass over the fields and springs in the upper areas of the Draqons’ hive.

Below them, people pointed and waved, some hooted and ran along beneath them. Seeing their leader flying must have been exhilarating. But it couldn’t be unique. What had everyone in such a tizzy?

I don’t take riders. Zayd’s voice flashed through her mind when she remembered how Kinyi had asked him to let her give an example of riding a mate on the first day of her training.

But he’d come to save her, and after stopping the Skax from pushing her off the edge, he’d let her ride him.

She stroked his scales again and leaned down, wrapping her arms around as much of his body as she could and pressing her front against his muscular back.

Zayd shifted his direction, plummeting straight toward the hive at a sharp incline.

Trusting him completely, Niva clutched his scales and kept her body close to his, like they were one body, one skin for the air to rush over, one mind with a destination ahead.

When Zayd reached the hive, he roared, the sound coursing up through her body. She shuddered at the power of it. Flapping his wings and sending a rush of air against everyone near them, he set down with a loud, booming roar.

Everyone stared at them, and Niva had never felt more alive.