Page 15

She also showed him the fire pit in her back yard, and the hot tub.

In general I avoid water, but with your fire roaring, I would fulfill that fantasy of me taking you in your tub of hot water.

“You... you saw that too?”

He chuckled and sent her back the image of a fantasy of his own, where he took her next to that fire pit on a soft blanket, under the stars, their skin hot from more than the flames.

It took him only a few moments to scan the area and find her home. He didn't fly her as high as he should have to avoid the prying eyes of humans, but he flew as fast as he could so anyone looking would see nothing more than a red blip. He'd likely get in trouble tomorrow and have to ask the Gold dragons with their love of tech to plant a story about some kind of migratory birds in the area.

Once they landed at Nataly's home, MacKay shifted quickly and carried her over to the fire pit. He blew out a quick stream of dragon fire, igniting the logs she laid out for them. “Now let me fuck your properly here in front of the fire.”

Nataly narrowed her eyes at the flames, held her fingers out, and they fizzled away. “As much as that sounds like fun, I have neighbors. So let's take this inside.”

She took his hand and led him into her home. Once they were inside, he picked her up and carried her down the one hallway that must lead to the bedrooms.

“Holy smokes, what are you doing? Don't you dare drop me. I'm not exactly light as a feather.”

“Sweet mate, do you not think I’m strong enough? Why even have supernatural strength if not to be able to carry you like the queen that you are. I assure you, you are not heavy. Thick, curvy, and plump in all the ways that turn me the fuck on.”

She blinked up at him as if no one had ever told her how delicious her body was. Anyone who didn't know the beauty of a gorgeous plus body like hers was a damn fool.

Before she could protest any more, he found her bedroom and set her down on the soft bedding, then crawled up and over her. They made love, their souls dancing together again and again. He would very happily never leave this room if they could help it.

MacKay lay beside Nataly, the gentle rise and fall of her chest syncing with his own breaths. The air was still thick with the remnants of their shared passion, but now it was time for revelations, truths that ran deeper than the heat of the moment.

He wrapped his hand around his soul shard dangling on the cord around his neck. It once again glowed with a red light so bright, they might as well have been on the surface of the sun.

Nataly rolled to her side and stroked the skin on his chest, staring at the crystal. “What is that and why is it shining so bright?”

He lifted the necklace over his head and felt a strange sensation in his chest. He'd never been without the shard since he'd gotten it from the witch the day he received the ability to shift into a dragon. Contained within was a part of his soul and a part of the First Dragon's. It was what gave him the ability to shift between his two forms.

It also had brought him to his mate.

It belonged to her.

“This is a shard of my soul.” He locked gazes with her and slipped the cord over her head. “It is more than just a token. It's a bond, a connection that ties our souls together. You're not just someone I'm attracted to, you’re my soulmate, truly and deeply.”

As the crystal settled against her skin between her breasts, right over her heart, the light flashed bright and then settled into a soft, warm glow.

Nataly's eyes widened slightly, a mix of awe and understanding dawning in them. She reached out, her fingers tracing the contours of his face gently. Her voice was a whisper filled with wonder yet grounded in the reality of their profound connection. “MacKay, that's... it's overwhelming, but in a good way. Our souls, forever joined?”

“Yes,” he affirmed, his hand covering hers on his face. “It means that we're bound, beyond just emotions or physicality. Our spirits, our very essences, are intertwined. Forever.”

Nataly smiled, a warm, genuine smile that reached her eyes. “I felt something powerful between us, something that went beyond the physical. It's like a part of me knew, even before you said it.”

He kissed her softly and pulled her tight into his arms. “I know it's fate that's brought us together. But for me it’s about us, here and now, choosing each other.”

She nestled closer to him, her head finding the crook of his shoulder. “Then here and now, I choose you, MacKay. And whatever comes with that.”

MacKay wrapped his arms around her, feeling a sense of completeness that he'd never known before. This was more than a fiery passion or a battle side by side; it was a union of souls, a shared destiny unfolding.

“I choose you too, Nataly. Always,” he murmured, and they lay there in the quiet aftermath, basking in the newfound depth of their bond.

He would revel in this bond, this love, and the joining of their souls and bodies tonight.

Because tomorrow, they were going to have to face hell. Literally.

NATALY