Dragon Blood (Completed)

Lavender's Request

Chapter 26

Zane went to seek out Ryder so he could question him about his possible involvement with the talon gas, but Ryder had left the castle on an errand for their father. Instead, he decided to run his new theory by Lavender.

When he entered her room, he couldn't help but notice that she looked radiant. Her hair was shining, and she had on shimmery makeup that made her skin glow. She wore a long sleek dress that caressed her skin the way he wanted to do with his hands. He was so distracted, he forgot his original purpose for finding her.

"You are gorgeous," he said, wrapping his arms around her. The fabric was soft against his hands and bare arms. He bent down a bit to breathe in her scent, as she was wearing a perfume he loved. He moved to kiss her, but she turned her face so his lips landed awkwardly on her cheek. "What's wrong?"

"Where have you been?" she asked, moving away from him.

"The suiters showed up today. I was sitting in on the initial interviews they had with Paige."

"I should have known you were with her. So what? Did she send you away again? Is that why you decided to grace me with your presence?"

"Lavender, I'm thoroughly disappointed in you," he chided.

"Me?" she was offended, but he didn't care.

"Yes, Paige is scared. Can't you see that? She's been a dragon for less than two weeks, and in that time, she's been poisoned, and now she's being forced into the Desma with a stranger, just to save her life. Can't you show her an ounce of compassion?"

"Of course I feel sorry for the girl, we all do. That doesn't mean it falls on your shoulders to be her personal guide through the big bad realm. Besides, you may not think of her in inappropriate ways, but don't you think all this attention you are showing her is going to confuse her? She's going to develop the wrong kind of feelings for you."

"She thinks of me like a brother. She told me today that sometimes I remind her of Regan." Zane walked up close to Lavender so he could put his hands on her cheeks, then drove them up into her thick hair, his thumbs tracing her porcelain jaw. "Why must I keep declaring my love to you?" He kissed her, not waiting for an answer.

She returned his kiss with more enthusiasm than she'd shown him in days. For a moment, his life was perfect again. He wasn't concerned about the realm or the awful things that Balaan was doing. He wasn't concerned that his brother might have committed a crime, targeting the queen of a neighboring kingdom. He didn't have a new friend whose life was hanging in the balance.

All that mattered was that he was connecting with the dragon he loved. She was here, in his arms, kissing him like she was with her body pressed tight against his.

"Take me home, Zane," Lavender panted when Zane removed his lips from her mouth to kiss her neck, and started to pull on the thin delicate ties that laced up her back—the only thing holding the dress to her beautiful body. He knew the figure he yearned to see unencumbered lurked just under the veil of fine material.

"Sure."

"Tomorrow," she purred, pulling his shirt over his head. His muscles rippled under her touch as her long fingers rubbed over his abdomen and up his chest. He finally succeeded in loosening her dress enough that it was falling off her shoulders. Just one little tug and it would be a pool of purple at her feet.

As soon as she felt him grip the fabric, she reached up to stop him.

"You know we're supposed to wait."