Chapter 17

17

Akai

I waltzed into Danon's home office without knocking, walked right up to his desk, and crossed my arms.

He turned in his chair, eyebrows raised. "What's going on?"

"You need to shift now. It's time for me to meet your dragon."

Danon shut his eyes as if pained. "Why now?"

"It's just time. I feel it. The egg feels it. And there's a voice far away that keeps insisting."

"You can hear Dani?"

"Dani?"

"That's his name. My dragon."

"Like a nickname of yours." I licked my lips. "Dani. I love it."

"He named himself when I was fifteen."

"Was that the first time you shifted?"

Danon nodded, mouth tight.

"You're not forthcoming. What's wrong? I know you said you like to shift in private, but it's only me. No fair hiding from me anymore, right? You proved that when you shaved."

"Everything you are saying is right," Danon said, staring at his lap.

I leaned my hand on his shoulder. "I'm carrying your egg. Your child. What's wrong? Why are you holding back from me?"

"I'm not." He stretched out his long legs. "At least, I'm not meaning to."

"Then let's go. You need a break anyway. You've been working in here for hours. Let's go for a walk around the yard. Or is there another specific place you like to shift and fly where there's more room?"

"No. I don't need more room."

I grabbed his hand to pull him from the chair. "Come on, then. It's time. Doesn't Dani think so, too?"

"Yes. Unfortunately. Yes, he does."

I dragged Danon out of his office and down the hall. When we got to the patio, he stopped.

I turned. "What is it?"

"I need to undress."

"Oh yeah. Right." I let go of his hand.

As he disrobed, I took each piece of clothing from him, folded it neatly and placed it on the patio table.

"Just so you know," he said. "Dani's different. I want to prepare you."

"I know that much. You've never said more. He can't be too big and fierce, or we'd be somewhere with more room."

"You're right. He's not big. He's not fierce at all. You don't have to worry about that."

I rubbed my hands together. "I can't wait to meet him."

Danon's smile barely curved the sides of his mouth. "He's looking forward to meeting you, too."

"But you don't look happy."

"I am happy, Akai." Now naked, he pulled me to him and kissed me right on the mouth. "It just may be a shock to see him for the first time."

I couldn't believe he was being so mysterious. No matter what his dragon looked like, he was part of Danon. I would love him.

Danon still hesitated. "Dani doesn't really get along with other dragons. He prefers to fly alone. He doesn't want to fly with our flight."

"But why?"

"As I said, he is—different."

"You keep saying that but won't give details."

Danon stroked my hair, then stood back. "You'll see."

My eyes went wide as Danon walked to the little grassy hill in the yard. He stood lean and tall, muscles delineated. A few strands of his black hair blew around him in a breeze.

Something was happening. I took a step closer to the edge of the patio. It looked like a faint pink cloud surrounded Danon. Then there was a sparkle and a soft pop accompanied by a cotton candy scent. I'd never seen any shift like it before.

I blinked. Then blinked again.

Standing before me on the grass was a dragon. A real dragon. But—in miniature. He was bright pink and purple with bulging blue eyes. With his head up, he was still shorter than I was. Not even five feet tall.

"Dani?"

The dragon opened his mouth and gave a short snort. Little sparks came out. Then he turned his head and looked right at me. His wings unfurled and his front left foot slowly lifted as if to say, "Hi." His talons were pink as if freshly wet with nail polish.

He looked so unreal, and so cute. The colors of his scales were bright and shiny. When he tilted his head, I saw intelligence in his eyes.

"Hi, Dani. I'm glad to finally meet you." I held up my hand in a little wave.

I took a step forward. "I have to say it. You are really beautiful." And not what I expected. At all.

Dragons were big, right? And scary and covered with spikes. They breathed fire. Some had wingspans the size of houses.

Dani's spikes ran down his back and on his four legs. They were dark purple with pink tips that curved. They weren't sharp at all. As he puffed out his chest, the armored scales flexed all down his sides and back in a beautiful ripple. The spike on the end of his tail was a pink triangle with soft points.

To think I had once thought Danon was a mean, old dragon, craggy and snaggle toothed and old. How wrong I was.

Immediately, I fell in love.

Letting out a huge laugh, I ran over to him. "Dani, can I touch you? Your scales are so shiny. So pretty."

Dani lowered his head, and I petted the top of it. My palm went over the first spike, which wasn't sharp at all.

He was cool to the touch, which I expected from a reptilian. I ran my hand down his neck which he arched for me.

"You're wonderful." I kept going, walking around him, noticing places where the blues and pinks ran together on his armor like a watercolor. The armor was smooth as glass. He would look extraordinary in flight with the full sunlight glinting off him.

I thought about what Danon told me. Dani preferred to fly alone. Now I understood. Larger dragons might intimidate him. He might not be able to keep up with their speed. It could be frustrating, or worse, demoralizing.

"Dani, I would love to see you fly."

He unfurled his wings all the way. The leathery webbing was all shades of pink underneath, purple on top. His short legs moved, little pink talons cutting into the grass. He ran toward the fence, then rose into the air, gliding in a circle a few feet above me. His mouth opened. He let out a Ping-Pong ball-sized coil of fire, then roared. Or, rather, he purred. That's what it sounded like.

I clapped my hands. "Dani, that's wonderful. You make me wish I could fly!"

For about five minutes, the little dragon few around the yard. He never left the fence line. I ran on the grass underneath him, laughing and encouraging him onward.

When he landed, he came up to me. I stood very still as he sniffed me all over. His eyes blinked as he looked at me, and I noticed little black lashes. He was so pretty. So cute. Probably everything Danon detested, especially when young and trying to fit in. How terrible to be embarrassed by your own dragon. How terrible for Dani, too, to feel a sense of not fitting in. Of rejection. Of shame.

No one ever deserved that. What mean people humans could be sometimes.

I now realized Danon understood my set-omega status better than I thought. He knew what it was like to be apart from his pack, his flight, and feel like an outcast. He hid himself from those who didn't know his dragon was small and kept it a secret. At least Danon wasn't sold off. He was still respected. But he was forced into a mating with me. His flight master had felt it was necessary, which had to have majorly pissed Danon off.

How we both got here sucked. But now I had no regrets. I was carrying Danon/Dani's egg. It had only been a little over a week, but this baby inside me was part of me. And I had fallen in love with Danon. I couldn't help it. I would never wish to go back now.

When Dani stuck his snout against my backside, I jumped. Then laughed.

"Yes, I have your baby. Safe and sound. And when I lay our egg I'll make a safe and secure nest for him."

Dani lifted his head up and snorted. Little firefly sparks came out his nostrils. They somersaulted and quickly burned out.

I sat down on the grass and Dani sat next to me. What a picture we must've made, side by side like that. I leaned into his cool, smooth armor.

"Thank you, Dani, for meeting me. I feel more complete now."

The dragon huffed, more fireflies forming a little cloud that dissipated.

I could tell when it changed. The warmth against my shoulder. Pliant human skin. In seconds, it was Danon sitting next to me, the sunlight bronzing his skin.

"Well?" he asked.

"You were there behind his eyes," I said.

"It's distant, but yes."

"Dani's wonderful. I already love him. Thank you for trusting me enough now to introduce us."

"Were you surprised?"

"Yes. But only because you never hinted once. I wouldn't have cared what size Dani is. He is sweet and loving and kind and will be a fantastic dragon daddy."

Danon bowed his head. "I used to be ashamed."

I nodded. "Me, too. When I found out I couldn't shift, my life fell to pieces."

"Maybe I still was ashamed when I met you. But you've changed that for me, Akai."

"I have?"

Danon nodded.

"How?"

"Because you accepted me. And now you love me. And I've never had that before. It's life altering. Thank you."

My cheeks heated. I turned my face to the sky and let the breeze cool them. "I could say the same."

Danon spoke low. "Dragons come in all shapes and sizes, just like people. Though usually, dragons are size large. Dani just happens to be size extra small. It doesn't mean he's any less intelligent than the others. It doesn't mean he's not a prime specimen."

"It doesn't quite match the human you," I said. "But his heart is your heart. That's what matters."

"I'm glad you two liked each other."

"I adore him."

Danon tilted his head. "He just said much the same about you."

My grin stretched so wide it nearly hurt my cheeks.

I now knew the big, deep, dark secret that Danon had been hiding. All along he was a little pink dragon with a big heart.