Page 41 of Dragon My Crazy

I fumbled with my dress, but I was so tired, and my fingers wouldn’t listen. Frustrated, I attacked the zipper.

“Hey, it’s okay. Let me do it. You just relax. Let me take care of you.”

I wished I had some snarky remark about not needing anyone’s help, but there wasn’t anything left in me. So I surrendered and let Emmett get me into the tub, wash me, dry me, and finally get me into the warmest bed I’d ever been in.

The last time I’d felt this fatigued was decades ago, when I was still with Samuel, and he’d drained my magic too much. And this was exactly what had happened today.

The spells might not have been difficult, but I didn’t know how to control my magic, so I’d expended way too much. I thought of the asshole goblin exploding again. He’d gotten so hot, there weren’t even pieces of him left. He just exploded, and pieces turned to ash in seconds.

“I’m going to go grab you some food. You stay here.”

I yawned and nodded. Then I closed my eyes, and I was asleep.

Chapter 18

Elana

Iwokeinthestrange bed, with a dry throat and a headache. But it wasn’t the silk sheets that surprised me the most; it was the fact that Emmett was in the bed with me, wrapped around the cocoon of the pillows and blankets in his dragon form.

His body was massive, coiled around me like a living fortress, his bronze scales shimmering in the glow of the lanterns hanging from the ceiling. They shifted between a warm coppery-bronze and deep gold, with veins of chartreuse running through themlike molten metal. The scales along his spine were larger, ridged like armor, while those on his belly were smoother and more delicate.

His wings were folded neatly at his sides, and his claws dug slightly into the giant mattress. Heat radiated off him, reminding me very much of how Melantha’s egg had felt when I’d cared for it.

I found myself reaching out, my fingers brushing against the warm, smooth scales of his side. He let out a low, rumbling breath, and his body shifted. Emmett’s golden eyes snapped open, locking onto mine. In an instant, his massive dragon form shrank, scales melting into skin until he was human again. Well, almost human. He stayed in a half-shifted form, a breathtaking union of man and beast.

Muscles rippled beneath a scattering of bronze scales that caught the light like molten metal. Leathery wings arched from his back, their shadowed membranes stretched between clawed fingers. Curved horns jutted from his temples, smooth and dark under my grip. His tail flicked behind him.

The magic that preserved some of his clothing left him in nothing but black boxers, the fabric clinging to the hard lines of his body. His hair was tousled from sleep.

“You’re awake.”

I tried to speak, but my throat was raw, my mouth dry as sandpaper. No sound came out. My head throbbed too.

Emmett didn’t hesitate. He reached for a massive, crystal tumbler filled with water on the nightstand and pressed it into my hands. I drank greedily, the cool liquid soothing my throat.

It was only now that I saw just how ridiculously large the bed was. This was most definitely custom-made. It was carved from dark, polished wood with swirling patterns that reminded me of flames and scales. The mattress was deep, layered with feather-stuffed pillows and a lightweight duvet.

The room was just as imposing as the bed. The walls were made of the same dark stone as the rest of the castle, but here, they were softened by tapestries depicting dragons in flight, their embroidered scales catching the light. A massive fireplace dominated one wall. There was a sitting area near the window, with a plush couch and a low table. The floor was covered in thick rugs, their patterns echoing the same dragon motifs as the tapestries.

There was also a balcony. The doors were open just a crack, letting in a cool breeze that carried the scent of the forest beyond the castle walls.

I carefully climbed out of the bed, my legs unsteady. The memories of yesterday hit me all at once: the attack, the chaos, how Emmett had shielded me.

“You okay?”

“I’m… I’m good.” Or at least I thought I was. “Where’s the bathroom?”

“It’s that door there.”

I made my way to the bathroom, passing by an open door that led out to the rest of his personal suite. Curious, I glanced out and saw all manner of things, like a giant model of a ship, and a painter’s easel.

I did my business, grateful to find a toilet made for a human and not a dragon. I splashed water on my face. The woman in the mirror had dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was a tangled mess. I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to tame it, but it was no use.

When I stepped back into the room, Emmett was gone. I was going to go find him, but a breeze carrying the scent of jasmine from outside had me heading to the balcony instead. The view overlooking the valley was breathtaking.

The sound of Emmett’s footsteps made me turn. He carried a massive wooden platter piled high with food. My stomach growled despite my lingering headache.

The steak was seared to perfection, edges charred just right. Golden potatoes, crisp and rosemary-dusted, flanked one side, while mushrooms sat on the other. There was also a chunk of dark rye bread and soft, whipped butter waiting in a small dish. It definitely was a bit heavy for breakfast fare, but I was so hungry, I didn’t care.