Ryn

Chapter Seven

Blood for blood. If one dragonling may kill another in noncombat, whether with claws or poison, the fallen's next of kin may take up arms against the offender. Once they murder in unfair battle, their life is forfeit, as is their next of kin should they fall before revenge can be enacted.

This is Our Law.

~ From the Dragonling Grimoire

I opened my eyes, wrapped in warmth. The blankets were fluffy and the mattress was soft, but that wasn't what was so wonderful. Pressed against my back was my mate. Solid and real, not the hallucinations I had been experiencing ever since my eggs-

Actually, that was too painful to think about.

Humming, I rolled over to see my mate's face for the first time.

And promptly screamed, pulling away from him. I was close to the edge of the bed so I fell off in a tangle of limbs and blankets.

My mate's eyes flew open and he shot up. "Anita?! What's wrong?" He scanned the room, an ever-diligent mate trying to protect me.

I recognized the fyn immediately and my blood ran cold. Ebony-colored eyes that shone with brilliance and matching coal-colored hair. Strong features, long lashes, a shirtless body hard yet lean with muscles.

And that fucking scar.

Dmitri Ralov.

He was the cousin or whatever of Kirill Ralov, the damned bastard that murdered my children. I kicked off the blankets and shifted, wanting to feel the strength and power of my drake side.

"What the hell?" I snarled, allowing curls of fire to lick my teeth in an attempt to look more menacing. "You! You- when- how- why the hell was I the only one naked?" My mind blanked out on the last few words as my mouth stumbled in an attempt to keep up with my racing thoughts.

Dmitri shifted too, but he nervously swayed on his feet and eyed me. He was only a little larger than me, but scars covered his shoulders and muzzle. He'd been in plenty of fights before. "Ani, let's talk. Calm down and-"

"Calm down? Calm down?!" I roared and lunged at Dmitri, biting his shoulder. My teeth clicked off his scales, but I was too angry to think straight enough to actually cause him harm. "You abandoned me, then let your fucking prick of a cousin attack my eggs and shatter them!"

Dmitri turned his shoulder to take the brunt of my blows before curling his neck around to lick my cheek. I returned the gesture with a sharp nip to his nose. "Ani, I'm sorry. Just let me explain-"

I snarled and slammed my snout into Dmitri's jaw to shut him up. "Explain what? That you had something more important than me? Than our eggs?" Slashing my claws at his face and shoulders every few heartbeats, I continued my assault on him viciously.

Dmitri must have gotten irritated by my attacks. He snarled and shoulder-slammed me. His sheer size and weight caused me to reel backward and slam into the wall. Even though all the breath was knocked out of me and one of my ankles bent painfully under my body, the worst pain came from the simple fact that my mate had done it.

Dmitri looked just as horrified. "Ani, I'm sorry." He stepped closer, maybe to comfort me, then stepped back. "I'm... sorry." He repeated. His eyes held regret, like he wanted to tell me more but simply couldn't think of anything to say.

I scrambled up to my feet and shifted back to my human form. Crossing my arms, I lifted my chin and tried to retain some dignity.