And Then There Were Four

Cassie.

Eyes wide, I stared at Silas in shock. "Ride? What do you mean ride-you mean on you?"

Silas slowly unbuttoned his shirt, and as he did, the laughter that left his lips made me flush even more than I had before. I couldn't tear my eyes from the curves of his muscles and the rippled way his abs glimmered against the moonlight. Everything about Silas was hypnotizing. Never had I met a man who acted the way he did. "What are you doing?" I whispered softly, watching him watch me as he undressed.

Something about the moment of him undressing captivated me, making my heart race as the blue-green hue of his eyes took me in as if I was a treasure he desired more than anything.

The moment he removed his pants and stood before me in just his boxers, his eyes flashed a golden red and steam came from his skin. I was nervous and slightly unsure, but with a roar, he shifted, and the beast he became was something I would never forget. Black and red scales encompassed the massive form of the dragon in front of me. He stood taller than a one-story house with golden scales upon its stomach and flecks of gold scattered down its tail.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Slowly, I stood to my feet, making my way across the blanket we had been sitting on towards the beast that loomed in front of me. Never in my life had I ever thought I'd see a dragon, and now that one was standing before me, I was speechless. It wasn't just a dragon. It was Silas.

A man sinfully attractive and yet so different than I had expected.

"Holy shit, Silas... you're a dragon!" I exclaimed, stating the obvious as if I hadn't already known what he was. Making a grunting noise that sounded almost like a scoff, he turned his head towards me and bent low before nudging me with his nose.

He had said he wanted me to ride him, but honestly, I wasn't sure if I wanted to. He was a fucking dragon, and I definitely didn't fly. "Silas-I can't..."

I wasn't given another choice when he nudged me again, and gripping the scales of his face, I was hoisted upon his back with a soft scream leaving my throat in the process.

"Silas!"

My words were useless as he

climbed higher and higher into the sky. The clouds quickly surrounded us as I clung to him for dear life. The last thing I wanted was to fall off` and plummet to my death, even though I was fairly sure he wouldn't letme die. At least, I hoped he wouldn't let me die.

By the time he reached a height he seemed happy with, his flapping became more even, and instead of rising, we soared through the night sky. Asgard loomed below us with dimly lit twinkling lights from the homes where people still lay awake. It was beautiful, and with the wind rushing through my hair and against my skin, I felt free. More free than I ever had, which was a feeling I never wanted to let go of.

As a smile washed over my face, I held out my arms and closed my eyes, trusting Silas would keep me safe. I wasn't sure why I wanted to trust in him, but it felt right, and as we soared through the sky, I couldn't help the satisfied at-home feeling rolling through me. Perhaps through all the evil that has consumed my life up until this point, this was a place I could call home. A place where I could change things.

******

I wasn't sure how much time had

passed by the time we hand landed on the ground, but the moment I slid from Silas and my feet hit the ground, knew something was

Pogl.ne

wrong There was something at t

the space we had once been

laughing in was off, and glancing around the area, I peered into the darkness for its source.

Stepping from the shadows, the red-haired figure of a woman caught my gaze, and staring long enough, I realized it was the school's headmistress, Inanna.

"Change back now," she demanded.

A low growl emanated from the dragon behind me as the snapping of bones resonated through the air. I wasn't sure why she was upset, but from the glare on her face, she didn't seem pleased we had a midnight rendezvous in the sky.