Jaguin's Love: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 8 by S.E. Smith Page A

to be escorted everywhere.
    “I agree,” Sara retorted, elbowing Jaguin when his hand tightened on her hip. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”
    “Okay,” Melina replied with a happy grin.
    Sara pulled away from Jaguin and stepped around Melina, Cree, and Calo. She could feel Jaguin right behind her as she headed toward the door. A wave of warmth flooded her when she heard Melina’s soft comment to the two men standing protectively near her.
    “It is so nice to have other women close to my age here. I missed that when I was in the mining asteroid,” Melina murmured.
    She didn’t hear the men’s response. She would have to ask Melina what she meant about the mining asteroid. It was a clear reminder that when she thought she and Emma had experienced a horrible episode in their life, there were others who had lived through things that were just as bad or worse. Carmen almost died, something happened to the other young woman, and she knew Audrey had a story behind her presence here as well.
    She and Emma were so wrapped up in what happened to them, that it was easy to forget to focus on the good that came from their rescue. Unlike Emma, though, Sara was not a captive as long, did not witness as much of the cruelty, and did not have a family she cared for back home. Her family had not spoken to her since she left over ten years ago.
    “Sara,” Jaguin’s voice drew her out of her own thoughts.
    “Oh,” she muttered, startled. “Sorry.”
    Jaguin gave her that lopsided grin she found endearing. She turned toward him, realizing they were already standing in front of the lift. At that moment, he looked like a little boy who was about to be told he wasn’t going to get his favorite toy.
    “I was hoping when you pressed your lips to mine…,” he started to say before his voice died.
    Sara tried to hide her smile, but failed. Her gaze softened when she saw his crestfallen expression. The humor of the situation wasn’t lost on her, or the fact that if they hadn’t been interrupted, their time together would have ended much differently. Raising her hand, she laid it on his chest.
    “I enjoyed it,” Sara said, not making any excuses. “I’m attracted to you, but I need to take this slowly. So much has happened….” For a moment, her gaze lowered to his chest where her hand rested as she thought about that fact. “Now, finding out what could happen if we… I’m not ready for this yet.”
    Jaguin raised his hand and covered hers, pressing it against his chest. She lifted her gaze and locked with his. His eyes had lost their twinkle of amusement and he stared back at her with an intense, serious expression.
    “The change can only happen if I share my Dragon Fire with you. It would be very difficult to come together with you and not do so, but it is possible as long as I do not lose control of my dragon. The human male… Did he….?” Jaguin pressed his lips together.
    Sara knew what he was asking and shook her head. “No, Cuello wasn’t sexually interested in us. He wanted to hurt us in a different way…” Sara’s voice broke and she looked away. “I’d better get back to my room and check on Emma.”
    Jaguin released a deep sigh and nodded. “I will escort you,” he said, reaching around her to wave his hand in front of the lift control. “But, I warn you, my dragon and I will not give up.”
    Sara giggled when she saw his symbiot trotting down the corridor toward them in the shape of the jaguar. It was holding another stuffed sloth in its mouth. Shaking her head, she stepped into the lift.
    “Neither will Honey,” she chuckled.
    “Honey?” Jaguin asked with a confused frown, turning to look at where she was staring. “You have named my symbiot Honey?”
    “Unless you have a better name for it,” she said.
    Sara watched as Jaguin gave his symbiot a skeptical look. It stared up at him with a sharp-tooth grin, the sloth hanging by one foot from its mouth. The combination of the two, powerful