The Protector (Fire's Edge #4) - Abigail Owen Page 0,1

Given that their kind were born almost exclusively male, most females they ran across were turned mates.

“I am the sister he’s damn lucky to have. Lyndi. And I’m the nice one.”

Her husky, sinfully lush voice filled Levi’s head, and his dragon pitched forward, like a horse chomping at the bit, surging as though needing to go to her. He jerked himself upright. Just a small bobble, but enough to get a side-eye from Deep and Finn.

Like a blasted rookie.

“Welcome to you both,” Deep said. “We’re happy to have another member. My mate, Calla, is at our temporary camp, but I have no doubt she will be elated to have another woman around.”

Every dragon in the line relaxed, postures easing forward as they spread out more. This wasn’t a threat but more hands to share the work. Deep had been requesting more men from the kings since the team had first been formed. In theory, like the enforcer teams in the African and Australian dragon shifter colonies, the Huracáns should consist of two members from each of the clans, twelve in all.

But they never had. There were just the five of them—Levi, Finn, Rune, Titus, and Deep…and Calla, their mother hen.

Finally, Drake and his sister approached. As they moved nearer, the wind changed, and Levi got slammed with several senses all at once as his dragon focused on the female with an inexplicable intensity. Glorious, with garnet scales so dark they turned near black at the edges. Delicate, yet no doubt deadly if she was a Chandali. Her scent—smoke and cut grass and sunshine, like springtime—wafted toward him on the wind and his dragon went fucking wild.

Claim.

Levi tried to haul himself back even as the dragon did his best to shoot forward, instinct shouting at him to pin her down and be damned to anyone who tried to take her from him. The human side of him slipped deeper with each passing second, almost as though he was seeing the scene happen from down a tunnel that grew longer and longer.

In desperation, Levi wrested back control and yanked his wings in tight to drop to the ground as fast as he could. The second his back feet touched dirt, he shifted just to contain the beast. From the ground, he watched, even as his dragon roared in his head and pushed against his insides to be released.

Seven hells.

He waited, tethering his animal to his humanity as tightly as he dared. What was wrong with him? Dragons’ mates were found among human women who showed dragon sign, not among female-born shifters who were already dragons themselves. A dragon and his mate’s soul-deep connection was forged in fire when he turned her. Every dragon prayed and waited for the day he’d meet his mate, a craving that went deeper than every other instinct they were born with. His dragon was making no sense, wanting to claim this woman. They wouldn’t be able to bond if he tried it.

“Are you the only new recruit for us?” Deep asked.

At least Levi could still listen to the discussion, even if he couldn’t join the conversation now that he was human.

“You should expect two green and two white dragons in the near future.”

His dragon focused on the fact that Lyndi had been the one to answer. Drake didn’t talk much apparently.

“I’m surprised the High King allowed you to join your brother here,” Titus commented.

“I didn’t ask.” A decided smirk lilted in her voice.

If Levi wasn’t so hell-bent on keeping his dragon contained, he would’ve grinned. Technically she didn’t need permission to go anywhere. As long as one retained the king’s mark on the back of the right hand on the fleshy part between thumb and forefinger, a sign of loyalty and belonging to a clan, one was free to come and go and dwell wherever, though most stayed near the place of their birth. But as a female-born, and especially as a relative of the High King, things were different for her. There would be…expectations. She would be considered a political prize, and an advantageous mating would no doubt be arranged for her at some point.

Lyndi Chandali was either incredibly brave or damn stupid.

“Let us land and greet each other properly,” Deep offered.

Levi grunted as his dragon surged again. Still needing distance, he stumbled inside the cavern he’d just drilled a hole into, seeking calm in the cooler interior out of sight of the others.

After several minutes, he spotted the group through the entrance, all shifted and