Defiant Dragon by Kassanna Page B
Authors: Kassanna
too, she will help you negotiate a fair sum for whatever it is you seek.” She held his gaze.
“Thank you for your consideration. I will make a call to ensure monies are readily available for bank transfer. Once my mate and I are changed, we will be prepared to leave. Your hospitality is greatly appreciated.” He bowed, straightened, grabbed River’s hand, and turned to depart.
“Blue dragon?” Her lisp was more pronounced. He spun to look at the old mermaid as she leaned forward, sending more water splashing to the floor. “You never named your tribe.”
Without pause he spoke, “Tarasque.”
Air whistled next to him as River sucked in a breath. She yanked at her hand and he held fast. He could almost hear the wheels spinning in River’s head. He’d named Drago’s clan as his own, and technically they were his adopted family, but he harbored no loyalty to those dragons. His true people were the Rafi. He’d offered his allegiance to Kirill, only to have the black dragon scoff that if he fucked up, he would disappear. Yeah, he didn’t doubt for one minute the sincerity of that promise. He shook his head. River snatched her hand free and stomped ahead of him.
“Trouble in paradise, lizard?” The Ajumma chuckled.
He shrugged. “Mating pains are to be expected.” Jax nodded and headed for the door.
Hyori trotted up to him with, his bag clutched in her palm. “You wanted this?” She thrust the duffel into his hands and backed away.
Slinging the strap across his shoulder, he tracked River.
* * * *
Of all the fucked up things she could have done. River opened her mouth to scream and snapped her jaws shut. “Motherfucker,” she grunted as she slammed into the door and stalked outside. Her mate belonged to the same clan as Drago, yet he’d failed to mention that fact. All this time, she worried over her father being held against his will, and the way Drago was trying to hunt her down. She believed she’d finally found an ally. Her mate, the rat bastard, hadn’t once mentioned that he was in that fucking animal’s tribe.
Pain tore through the center of her chest. She needed air, but it hurt to breath. Beyond the wharf, she could hear the serene sound of waves licking the shore. A swim, getting lost beneath the surface of the sea where she could be alone with her thoughts, that’s what she wanted. She looked up, the sun was approaching its zenith. That gave her more than enough time for a swim to clear her head. They wouldn’t be able to fly until the cover of darkness. She trotted toward the stairs, quickly making her way to the beach beneath the pier.
Firm fingers wrapped around her biceps before she could sink her foot into the sand. She glanced down, following the hand they were attached to up the arm and finally into the penetrating blue gaze of Jax’s eyes. She wrenched her arm free and hopped down. The bright pink flip-flops she wore disappeared as grains of sand covered her feet. River ignored her mate, raised her head and looked at the water ahead of her. Cuss words drifted to her on the breeze from behind in Jax’s deep baritone voice. The sun’s rays dappled the dark sand, cutting through the cracks in the planks above her. Foam-topped waves crested and crashed against the boulders, supporting the pylons that held up the portion of the dock that extended into the inlet. She took in the serene scene in front of her and sucked the salt air deep into her lungs.
Calmness replaced her anger. So close to the water, she could think with clarity. A mating could not be reversed, but she belonged in the ocean and his kind ruled the skies. The claiming was complete and she would never find solace with another man, but she wouldn’t have to worry about possible betrayal either. All she had to do was amble into the water and he would never catch her.
Jax kept up with her. “It’s not what you think.” She jumped when Jax wrapped his arms around.
“I wasn’t sure about us this morning and
“Thank you for your consideration. I will make a call to ensure monies are readily available for bank transfer. Once my mate and I are changed, we will be prepared to leave. Your hospitality is greatly appreciated.” He bowed, straightened, grabbed River’s hand, and turned to depart.
“Blue dragon?” Her lisp was more pronounced. He spun to look at the old mermaid as she leaned forward, sending more water splashing to the floor. “You never named your tribe.”
Without pause he spoke, “Tarasque.”
Air whistled next to him as River sucked in a breath. She yanked at her hand and he held fast. He could almost hear the wheels spinning in River’s head. He’d named Drago’s clan as his own, and technically they were his adopted family, but he harbored no loyalty to those dragons. His true people were the Rafi. He’d offered his allegiance to Kirill, only to have the black dragon scoff that if he fucked up, he would disappear. Yeah, he didn’t doubt for one minute the sincerity of that promise. He shook his head. River snatched her hand free and stomped ahead of him.
“Trouble in paradise, lizard?” The Ajumma chuckled.
He shrugged. “Mating pains are to be expected.” Jax nodded and headed for the door.
Hyori trotted up to him with, his bag clutched in her palm. “You wanted this?” She thrust the duffel into his hands and backed away.
Slinging the strap across his shoulder, he tracked River.
* * * *
Of all the fucked up things she could have done. River opened her mouth to scream and snapped her jaws shut. “Motherfucker,” she grunted as she slammed into the door and stalked outside. Her mate belonged to the same clan as Drago, yet he’d failed to mention that fact. All this time, she worried over her father being held against his will, and the way Drago was trying to hunt her down. She believed she’d finally found an ally. Her mate, the rat bastard, hadn’t once mentioned that he was in that fucking animal’s tribe.
Pain tore through the center of her chest. She needed air, but it hurt to breath. Beyond the wharf, she could hear the serene sound of waves licking the shore. A swim, getting lost beneath the surface of the sea where she could be alone with her thoughts, that’s what she wanted. She looked up, the sun was approaching its zenith. That gave her more than enough time for a swim to clear her head. They wouldn’t be able to fly until the cover of darkness. She trotted toward the stairs, quickly making her way to the beach beneath the pier.
Firm fingers wrapped around her biceps before she could sink her foot into the sand. She glanced down, following the hand they were attached to up the arm and finally into the penetrating blue gaze of Jax’s eyes. She wrenched her arm free and hopped down. The bright pink flip-flops she wore disappeared as grains of sand covered her feet. River ignored her mate, raised her head and looked at the water ahead of her. Cuss words drifted to her on the breeze from behind in Jax’s deep baritone voice. The sun’s rays dappled the dark sand, cutting through the cracks in the planks above her. Foam-topped waves crested and crashed against the boulders, supporting the pylons that held up the portion of the dock that extended into the inlet. She took in the serene scene in front of her and sucked the salt air deep into her lungs.
Calmness replaced her anger. So close to the water, she could think with clarity. A mating could not be reversed, but she belonged in the ocean and his kind ruled the skies. The claiming was complete and she would never find solace with another man, but she wouldn’t have to worry about possible betrayal either. All she had to do was amble into the water and he would never catch her.
Jax kept up with her. “It’s not what you think.” She jumped when Jax wrapped his arms around.
“I wasn’t sure about us this morning and