flashed in her mind. She tried not to picture him gripping those, skin covered with a sheen of sweat, as he used them to propel his hips and–
“Sandra?” He’d approached her while she’d been lost in fantasies. “Are you sure you want to leave?” Like magic, the sparkle was back in his eyes again.
“No.” It came out as a whisper.
“Good,” he whispered back. “Now, stand back while I shift.”
“I thought you wanted me to stay?” She blinked and scrambled back inside as a glow surrounded Koishi.
“I do, but only when you’re absolutely sure it’s what you want.” Huge wings grew from the light and loomed over her, followed by the rest of Ishi’s red-scaled body. Fangs the length of her arms protruded from his mouth as he crouched on the ledge, gesturing for her to draw closer with his claws.
All thoughts of staying disappeared. It took all her courage to take the first step toward him. This was Koishi in Ishi form. They were the same person. Would Koishi eat her?
Maybe.
She might have misunderstood the hunger in his gaze as a sexual invitation. He could have been measuring her pounds of flesh instead.
“Closer.” He hooked a claw around her waist and pulled her in. “I won’t bite.”
A tight band constricted around her chest as his red eye hovered close to her face. “Are you taking me home?”
“Of course. I don’t keep prisoners. It’s too much work.”
“Urgle?”
“Has nowhere else to go except the grave. I give him purpose.”
She nodded. “And he gives you company.”
His eyes narrowed and his claw tightened around her body. “I don’t require companionship.”
Should she argue with him? That would border on suicidal. But he was wrong. Everyone needed friends, and from what little she knew of Koishi, he was isolated from both worlds. He called Urgle his pet. What other use was a pet except for company?
“Okay.” She squeaked out her response as he settled his chin by her feet. “It’s kind of you to take care of him, though.”
“I’ve grown too merciful for a gatekeeper. If the others ever found out they’d–” He closed his eyes for a moment. “Never mind what they’d do to me. I will send Urgle back home after I deliver you to the hotel.”
“That’s not what I meant.” This glimpse of Koishi’s life showed her his gentler side. Something she could relate to. A common bond they could share. If he destroyed it, then what hope could he have of finding human friendship? She rested her hand on the bridge of his nose, the scales smooth and hard under her touch. Heat radiated from him, warming the air around her. “There’s nothing wrong with being kind.”
He snorted. “It’s a weakness. Good warriors have few flaws and great ones have none. As a guardian I am expected to be great. If the others ever found out about Urgle…” He shuddered down to the tip of his tail. “The ridicule alone would kill me.” With a slight nudge, he urged her hand along his scales. “That feels nice.”
She couldn’t resist the urge to slide her other hand over his eye ridge. “You’re much harder than you appear.”
“You better believe it.” He sighed and leaned into her. “Scratch.”
Never in a thousand years would she have guessed that one day she’d be standing on a ledge off a volcano scratching a dragon’s itch. She giggled.
A low pleasant rumble came from his chest. “That’s nice. It’s been awhile since I’ve had anyone touch my hide. It could use a good scraping and an oiling.” He gave her a sideways glance. “But not tonight. Let’s fly, Sandra.” When he said “fly” it held the wistful tone of a long-lost lover.
Her stomach clenched as she gazed over the edge at the tiny lights below. “There has got to be a way I can climb down.”
“I’m insulted you’d think I’d make it that easy to travel to and from here.” He rose to his feet, releasing his grip on her.
She retreated toward the exit, but bumped her backside
“Sandra?” He’d approached her while she’d been lost in fantasies. “Are you sure you want to leave?” Like magic, the sparkle was back in his eyes again.
“No.” It came out as a whisper.
“Good,” he whispered back. “Now, stand back while I shift.”
“I thought you wanted me to stay?” She blinked and scrambled back inside as a glow surrounded Koishi.
“I do, but only when you’re absolutely sure it’s what you want.” Huge wings grew from the light and loomed over her, followed by the rest of Ishi’s red-scaled body. Fangs the length of her arms protruded from his mouth as he crouched on the ledge, gesturing for her to draw closer with his claws.
All thoughts of staying disappeared. It took all her courage to take the first step toward him. This was Koishi in Ishi form. They were the same person. Would Koishi eat her?
Maybe.
She might have misunderstood the hunger in his gaze as a sexual invitation. He could have been measuring her pounds of flesh instead.
“Closer.” He hooked a claw around her waist and pulled her in. “I won’t bite.”
A tight band constricted around her chest as his red eye hovered close to her face. “Are you taking me home?”
“Of course. I don’t keep prisoners. It’s too much work.”
“Urgle?”
“Has nowhere else to go except the grave. I give him purpose.”
She nodded. “And he gives you company.”
His eyes narrowed and his claw tightened around her body. “I don’t require companionship.”
Should she argue with him? That would border on suicidal. But he was wrong. Everyone needed friends, and from what little she knew of Koishi, he was isolated from both worlds. He called Urgle his pet. What other use was a pet except for company?
“Okay.” She squeaked out her response as he settled his chin by her feet. “It’s kind of you to take care of him, though.”
“I’ve grown too merciful for a gatekeeper. If the others ever found out they’d–” He closed his eyes for a moment. “Never mind what they’d do to me. I will send Urgle back home after I deliver you to the hotel.”
“That’s not what I meant.” This glimpse of Koishi’s life showed her his gentler side. Something she could relate to. A common bond they could share. If he destroyed it, then what hope could he have of finding human friendship? She rested her hand on the bridge of his nose, the scales smooth and hard under her touch. Heat radiated from him, warming the air around her. “There’s nothing wrong with being kind.”
He snorted. “It’s a weakness. Good warriors have few flaws and great ones have none. As a guardian I am expected to be great. If the others ever found out about Urgle…” He shuddered down to the tip of his tail. “The ridicule alone would kill me.” With a slight nudge, he urged her hand along his scales. “That feels nice.”
She couldn’t resist the urge to slide her other hand over his eye ridge. “You’re much harder than you appear.”
“You better believe it.” He sighed and leaned into her. “Scratch.”
Never in a thousand years would she have guessed that one day she’d be standing on a ledge off a volcano scratching a dragon’s itch. She giggled.
A low pleasant rumble came from his chest. “That’s nice. It’s been awhile since I’ve had anyone touch my hide. It could use a good scraping and an oiling.” He gave her a sideways glance. “But not tonight. Let’s fly, Sandra.” When he said “fly” it held the wistful tone of a long-lost lover.
Her stomach clenched as she gazed over the edge at the tiny lights below. “There has got to be a way I can climb down.”
“I’m insulted you’d think I’d make it that easy to travel to and from here.” He rose to his feet, releasing his grip on her.
She retreated toward the exit, but bumped her backside
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