Finding The Red Dragon

Dragon's Blood

"Why did we leave?!" The beast yelled in Ray's head. "Because we were scaring her! She is human and does not understand our ways. We cannot just grab her and claim her." "We could." "No. She is our mate, and we will treat her with respect and patience." "How long will we wait?" "Until she is ready." "I cannot wait!" The beast roared in his head as he lashed to get out.

"I will not take her without her offering. You know the rules. We cannot claim one that does not want to be claimed." "She does! She loves me!" "She loves you. She does not love me." Ray felt pain again as he processed this thought. She only loved the dragon.

"Then let me out. I can love her." "And what about bonding? And mating? You will kill her!" "I can bond her to us." "Again, it might kill her!" "She lived with our blood before." "That was different. We saved her, and it was risky. You could have killed her." "She lived. And now, I smell my blood in her every time we are near. All dragons do. She is already ours."

"Ragnar, we have to give her time. She is delicate. Treat her like you did those flowers. She is fragile. When we do claim her, it will be forever." "Claim her soon. I am restless. I need my mate. I need to breed." Ragnar was pacing in his head.

"Ok, dragon just hold on. We are not breeding her. We will care for her and love her, then we will discuss family." "You deny me everything!" "Because you are not thinking clearly. And you denied me for many years, so let me be in charge, you idiot."

His dragon huffed and it made Ray smile. He knew Ella liked that, and the purring. He would have to do that for her when they were together again. He would do all the things she loved. He would build her a massive garden, then the house of her dreams. His tiny house would not do for her, or their family, and he silently hoped she would agree to children. He and the dragon did agree on that.

He was almost to the door when he heard Sal call his name. "Is she ok?" Ray turned and almost ran to Sal. "She is fine. She is with Liv, and for now, has stopped crying. She was mad at me, so you owe me." Sal was teasing him, but Ray knew, he did owe him.

"I owe you my life my friend. You brought me my mate. The one I have searched centuries for. You found her." "We did, and that makes me happier than you can imagine. She will come around, just give her a little time. She is worried and scared, as she is not sure what all this means. Remember, she is human, and although she has formed a bond with your dragon, she has not connected the two yet. You did right by telling her today. Any longer and she may not have ever forgiven you."

"She figured it out." Ray admitted. "She is smart like that." "Too smart." Ray chuckled. "Her face was so beautiful when she realized it. I could see it, she was so happy. I wish she were that happy now. It is tearing me up that she is hurting." Ray wanted to run back to her as he looked up at the house.

"She will be happy again. Ray, she loves Ragnar so much, even I can see that. And soon, when she figures out you are the same, she will love you too." "I hope so." Ray shook his head in disgust. "I know she will. Women are tough." Sal patted his friend's shoulder.

"So, you and Nessa huh? When were you going to tell me?" Ray asked. "After you told Ella how you felt." Sal smiled. "You knew Nessa was your mate, but you were going to let her be with me?"

"No. I was going to find some way for you to fall for Petra." Sal laughed. "She is a mean one." Ray shivered. "I have heard." Sal laughed again at his friends face.

"Did you also hear she was with Erik?" Ray asked. "Yes." "They were banging by the pool the last two nights." Ray rolled his eyes, which made Sal chuckle. Ella got to him too with that.