I am Dragon (Dragon Fires Rising Book 2) Marc Secchia (most read books .TXT) 📖

Aria’s side in a deliberate display of strutting male arrogance, which he doubted any of these Dragonesses had ever seen in their lives, he pointed a fore talon at Charielle, and purred, I’m calling you out, Dragoness. Let’s settle this, you and me. Single combat.

Aria gasped, Dragon, no!

Single combat? You fool, we don’t fight gentle males. They’re too valuable.

She’ll murder you! Dragon –

Listen to my little Aria, foreigner. Listen to her song. Leave while you still have wings upon your back.

Alright, brothers. They had taught him a thing or two about how to speak. He sneered, Why, are you only brave when you have a few hundred Dragonesses to back you up, Charielle Seaspray? Tell you what, I’ll make you beg for mercy. When you do, you will give your word to allow Aria free choice.

No deal, she grinned.

Afraid? How many others would you like to die with you? Five? Ten? I’ll fight as many of this miserable bunch as you want – as many as it takes to fire your courage like a true Dragoness!

A volley of snarls greeted his insults, punctuated by Aria’s plea, Dragon, what are you doing? Are you mad?

No, Aria. Do you trust me?

I … she shook her muzzle slowly, but said, I do.

The flat sincerity in her voice rocked him. She did? What had this Dragoness ever seen in him? Why did she treat him so well?

A mystery for another time.

Strengthening his voice, Dragon roared, I say Isles Dragonesses are fireless fools, bereft of honour and lacking true leadership! No Dragon or Dragoness should be forced into making an oath. It is not right. We are creatures of the suns and of the winds, free to fly where we please. Our loyalty is given for honour; the deeds of our paws are best shaped by the true and pure fires that rage in our hearts. I say this Charielle Seaspray has forgotten her fires. I flew across the oceans to the Vaylarn Archipelago in search of the greatest warriors of our age. What a shocking disappointment you are.

No reply; just that toothy, pugnacious smile from the Dragoness. Her audience shifted closer, bellies low to the ground, waiting on her signal.

Raising his right wing, he draped it over Aria’s shoulders in an intimate, lingering gesture. I intend for Ariamyrielle Seaspray to become –

He missed the moment Charielle moved. So quick was she, the copper Dragoness was already in the air, sending a brutal tail-whip in his direction, before his right paw even twitched off the ground. He twisted his head to lessen the impact at the same time as he managed with an awkward swipe to partially block the blow with his upraised paw, breaking her momentum. That paw went numb. She spun off in pursuit of likely her real target, his left wing. Aiming to disable him from the start.

Dragon flamed her backside in passing.

The action was not at all planned. As she ripped past along his flank, her wing’s razor edge opened a long cut, but then she shrieked in agony as the pain bit deep, completely missing her wing strike. The Dragoness, rear end aflame, hurtled into the watching circle of her warriors where she sat inelegantly and then rolled on the black sand, snuffing out the blaze.

Gnashing his fangs, he roared, GRRRAAAOOORRRGGGH!!

No fires. He had to save those. This was the battle challenge of an adult male Dragon, full-throated and deafening.

Two Dragonesses came at him from the corner of his vision. Dragon began to swing about, but Aria was far faster, rolling smoothly over his back to smash into them with a blistering series of kicks, punches and bites. He set another female backside – a very fetching set of green haunches – afire with a reflexive burst of flame. Screaming, the Dragoness rocketed off to splash down in the pond in a great spray of water and steam.

I AM DRAGON!!

His triumphal bellow set them on the back paw. No doubt these Dragons had seen white fires before, but only ever in the ocean. They were not without courage, facing him as a massed group standing shoulder to shoulder, but he wondered briefly if there was not something primal about the unique power of white flame and bellicose thundering that gave them pause. A second’s hesitation. In that moment, he spat a fine stream of fire out from between his fangs, shaping the flow with his tongue and lips. He did not aim to hurt or maim, but directed the fire as close to their forepaws as he dared, blistering the sand and creating a sweep of volcanic glass from the extreme heat.

The bulging eyes that greeted this feat were a sight to behold. Utter disbelief. Only he knew that his breath weapon was not half as invincible as it must look just now. Quick. Change … something. Anything!

Placing his wing once more over Aria’s shoulders, a draconic statement of possessiveness, he said, Ariamyrielle Seaspray, will –

I choose you! she bugled sweetly. Oh Dragon, I choose … you! This is my song!

Joy detonated inside his chest. For the longest time, he could not remember how to breathe. Were his hearts even beating? Then came the pang of self-doubt, the acidic voice that told him he could never deserve a creature like her. What was he even thinking?

He blurted out, Do you … uh, really? What?

Shall I twist your wing off to prove my point? Nothing could make me happier.

Was that the thought of twisting off his wing, or … chuckling softly at himself, he dared to nuzzle her cheek. Her scale scent was tropical flowers. Heady stuff! He replied, Me happier, too much. Uh, I mean – what did I just say?

She whispered, Dragon, you’re so –

Enough of this! ENOUGH! Charielle Seaspray staggered toward them, clearly in significant pain.