Page 61 of Dragon My Crazy

“Let ‘er rip!” yelled Flame.

“Goodbye, Samuel.” I launched my final fireball directed at the has-been who’d plagued my life.

Flame’s loudly proclaimed, “Yee-haw!” only made the scene more surreal.

I was panting when I looked back at Emmett. He was in his half-shifted form now, the form I liked best on him: human body, a mix of hair waving in the wind and shining dragon scales, a tail,and horns and wings. But it was what he held in his arms that had me gasping out loud.

A human baby, a little singed but no worse for wear, with the most gorgeous green eyes.

“Melly!” I stepped toward them, but found that I’d used up all the adrenaline in my body. I stumbled, but Emmett was moving already, and very soon he had both of us in his arms.

“I was right,” Emmett said in a tone of awe. “She wouldn’t shift because she didn’t feel safe. It was Leroy.”

“Leroy?”

“He made plans in her playroom, thinking she wouldn’t understand. A normal child wouldn’t, not at her age, but she’s a dragon. A part of her understood. Cassian and the ifrits warned me, and I installed cameras in the playroom. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. I should have. I wouldneverhave given you to him. Never! You have to believe me.”

He was holding onto me now like he was afraid I would leave.

“Because I’m your mate.” It wasn’t a question but a statement.

“Yes. Because you are my mate. I have no doubts about it now. Please forgive me for not telling you sooner.” He cupped my cheek with one hand while cradling Melly with the other.

“There’s nothing to forgive.”

There was a clearing of a throat, and Cassian appeared right next to us. “Hate to break up all this sappy shit, but we have to go. Two fire ifrits, dragon fire, and magical fireballs… the forest is burning. The town is sending in their fire crew now to hold it at bay until the fire rangers can get in. They’re going to sell it as a natural forest fire. It’s the right time of year. We need to be gone by then.”

“What about the third guy?” I asked. “And Luella and her mother?”

They were gone. And in their place, a slight shimmering from a closed portal spell.

“Shit. But two out of three ain’t bad,” Cassian mused. “Still, we need to go.”

Emmett grunted in agreement. We couldn’t be here if we wanted the excuse to stick. He handed Melly—who was much smaller and lighter as a human—over to me, and then scooped us both up into his arms.

And then with a leap, we were in the air and flying toward the castle.

Chapter 28

Emmett

Mellywasfinallyasleep.She was back in her tiny dragon form, curled into a tight ball in her little nest inside the castle. She’d had a long day, and she was exhausted.

Every time I looked at her, I thought of how she’d tried so hard to protect Elana, and damn if that didn’t make my chest ache with a confusing mixture of pride and fear. I tucked the blankets around her, watching the steady rise and fall of her sides.

She was safe now. Both of them were. And my dragon could finally rest.

I turned to Elana, who was leaning against the wall next to the nest, looking every bit as tired as she probably felt.

I reached out and cupped her face in my hands. “Are you okay?”

Lighting her ex-husband on fire was a big deal, even if he’d deserved it. I wondered if I should’ve stepped in and dealt the final blow myself. But she’d been so magnificent in her rage that I’d just stood there and stared, falling in love all over again. And plus, it hadn’t looked like she needed my help, so I’d let her do the honors.

Now, I wasn’t so sure.

“I can’t believe it’s over,” she said, her voice soft so as not to wake Melly.

“You did good,” I said. And I meant it.