Chapter 65: Sierra

The following morning, in my wolf form, I charge through the forest at breakneck speed. An angry dragon is one thing-a dragon without hope quite another. I escaped the cabin yesterday as soon as I could. I didn't want to love Sarn, though it may be impossible not to. I'm now running to try to take the spunk out of my wolf who wants the dragon in our bed. I want him there too, but it's easier to deny if my wolf is tired. So I run.
In front of me there's a thick copse of trees and I make a sudden turn and leap over a broken tree branch. I'm not expecting to run into the dragon out here, but that's exactly what happens. My claws dig into the pine needles and earth, but I can't stop in time and literally knock Sarn off his feet. I roll away and shift to human at the same time. "I'm sorry," I say as I try to help him stand. He brushes away my hands and gains his feet on his own. His stunned look turns into a smirk as his eyes run over my naked form. Crap, this is the last thing I need.
"I'm afraid to ask why you're running so fast that you could break your neck or someone else's-case in point, mine," he says as the smirk grows larger. He examines me from head to toe with a slow, warm gaze that seems to be growing hotter the longer he stares.
He's wearing sweatpants without a shirt. I glance down and see his feet are bare too. "I'm out for a morning run. What's your excuse?" I snap back a little more harshly than I intend. He always seems to throw me for a loop in some way or another. Usually I'm calm and collected. But whenever I'm around him, my thoughts scatter. I noticed it while working the nightclub. I spilled so many drinks when he walked near the bar that I had to offer to replace the shattered glasses. The female cocktail waitresses gave me knowing looks. They knew exactly why I was unsettled in his presence. The man is gorgeous.
Right now I want to run my fingers over his rippled abs just for the hell of it. I've seen plenty of six-pack abs, but Sarn's is an eight-pack that puts most men to shame. Even after the gallons of alcohol he has consumed this past year, there isn't an ounce of extra flesh on him.
I realize he's staring back at me and he knows I've been lusting on his body the same way he has mine. I shift my eyes away because I can't handle his powerful gaze with those stunning violet eyes. The color does things to my insides. Things that friends shouldn't feel.
"I was thinking about shifting," he says, which startles me.
My gaze jerks back to his. "Into a dragon?" Please, please, please say yes.
A genuine smile replaces his smirk. "My platypus form isn't very useful out of the water."
I can't believe he's teasing me. I want to see his dragon more than I want my next breath. And not just any dragon. I want my purple dragon. "At least a platypus is soft and cuddly." I respond like an idiot because I'm so enthralled with him.
His eyes sparkle in the sunlight and light amethyst streaks through the deep violet. His teeth flash with another smile and small laugh lines show around his lips. It actually hurts to think that this sad, sad man has laughed a lot during his many lifetimes. With his brides. And that thought makes me jealous which also makes me completely reprehensible. To love and lose that love again and again is heartbreaking. I shouldn't feel jealous about his tragic life.
I put these crazy thoughts aside. "Show me," I whisper almost afraid he will deny me this.
Now the smirk returns. "There's a good chance your beastkind blood will heat up to the point of exploding if you see my amazing dragon physique."
An actual giggle escapes me. "Modesty doesn't suit you." My heart is pumping so fast with the excitement of seeing something no one on earth has seen. Dmitri told me he doesn't know of anyone, including himself, who has seen a dragon in their true form.
Sarn's hands go to his waistband and he shoves his pants down. His cock is growing, which seems to be its natural state whenever I see it. Is it because of me or is the man just turned on by women in general? I know which way I want it.
When he's naked, he grabs my hand, leads me to a large clearing, and releases me at the tree line. "Last chance. Once you see this I'll ruin all other men for you."
He already has. He winks one beautiful violet eye and it completely seals the deal. I want him so fucking bad. "I'll chance it. Dragons are fantasy and I actually think everyone's been pulling my leg for over a year now."
The smirk comes back. "In your dreams, sweet wolf."
My dreams have all been about him since the day he stumbled through the bar a year ago. I had no idea who he was. I even noticed my brother gape as we both watched the most gorgeous man alive fall down in a drunken stupor. It was six in the morning and we'd come in early to help with inventory. Dmitri easily picked him up and carried him downstairs to the living quarters. When I inquired about the strange man to Dmitri, he told me about dragons. A few weeks later, he told Roland because the crazy idiot was close to challenging Sarn. My brother did not like the interest I took in the disturbed dragon. And truly I couldn't care less. Roland needed to worry more about his own love life and worry less about mine.
Now, I watch in anticipation as Sarn walks to the center of the clearing. He looks to the sky and his magic builds quickly. It isn't the same as mine. This is violent and wild. Hot and steamy. The entire clearing explodes into light with his shift. I almost fall to my knees when his dragon's body fills the large, empty space. Beastkind shift to about double our human size. We are no comparison to Sarn. He stands at least thirty feet high. His mouth and jaws are bigger than my entire body. His wings unfurl and scrape the trees on either side of him. Fifty feet of pure exquisite beauty. He was right. No one will ever measure up. And the color of his scales. They ripple with different shades of purple that catch the sun just like his eyes. His violet pupils are much larger and their color more vibrant. I stand in absolute awe unable to move as my heart almost beats from my chest.