By the time they entered the room, he was abreast of Caleb.
Light pouring in through an open window blinded him for a second. When it cleared, he saw Hope stretched out on the bed, her face as pale as the sheet she was covered with. Her dark hair fanned out over the pillow.
He sank into the chair by the bed and gripped her hand. Lacing his fingers with hers, he laid his head back against the chair.
Hope was safe. She was going to be fine.
The tension drained out of his muscles, and exhaustion had his limbs going heavy.
He allowed sleep to pull him under.
26
Hope
Hope awoke to the sensation of a steady warmth seeping into her skin. Half asleep, she traced the source of the heat to her fingers held in Aaron's hand.
He was fast asleep in the chair drawn up next to her bed.
His dark hair flowed to his shoulders, framing a face in which his cheekbones jutted out. Dark shadows under his eyes drew attention to the long black eyelashes that swept down to hide those piercing blue eyes she was coming to know so well.
It was the first time she’d seen him with his defenses down. Yet even in sleep, there was nothing soft about this man.
He was all hard angles and planes.
His body was tensed. He was a soldier, a warrior. A part of him would always be switched on in anticipation of the next threat. His vigilance and his courage had saved her life.
That's when the full impact of what had taken place swept through her mind.
She'd been shot through with a bullet strong enough to penetrate her thick dragon hide, by a marksman skilled enough to find the gap between her scales.
Perhaps it had just been luck, but she doubted it.
The Elysians were skilled warriors, a race driven by their high intelligence levels and their rational mind. Physically, the dragon shifters were superior, but the Elysians had always been at the forefront of technology. This time they had invented a weapon potent enough to harm dragons.
Thoughts of the threat this meant to her and the rest of the dragon shifters had Hope tightening her grasp on the hand that held hers.
A shiver ran down her back.
She raised her gaze back to his face, steeling herself against the onslaught of those vivid blue eyes. Yet nothing had prepared her for the rage she found burning in them.
Silver sparks flaring, jaw hardening, Aaron leaned forward.
She couldn't look away. She was riveted by the depth of emotions she saw in them.
They had crossed a line, but she wasn't sure what that was. No longer could she ignore this male who had swaggered his way into her life.
"You almost died." Aaron's voice cut through the thoughts in her head. His nostrils flared as he thrust his jaw out.
"Why are you angry with me?" When she pulled her hand from his, he let go.
She missed his warmth at once, missed the feel of that steady pulse of his wrist.
"I flew us to safety, didn't I?" She clamped down on the temper that bubbled up inside her.
"Oh?" He leaned forward, close enough for the heat from his body to brush her breasts.
Her nipples puckered at his nearness. She folded her arms over her chest.
Biting her lips, she tried not to show how much his nearness was affecting her.
She had to hold her own against him.
"We rescued Mira and completed our mission. As far as I can see, everything is just fine." Mirroring his aggressive stance, she raised her chin.
His eyes narrowed. "We broke into the home of the leader of a race more powerful than us and took Mira. You put yourself in danger. More than that, you took unnecessary risks."
"Seriously?" Hope gritted her teeth. She wanted to reach over and shake some sense into that stupid, macho head of his. "You forget I am a dragon shifter, stronger than any other species alive. I am more than capable of protecting myself."
"Except you were hurt. You are not as invulnerable as you thought you were. If something had happened to you—" Jumping to his feet, he turned his back to her, rubbing the nape of his neck.
Her head fell back. She gnawed her lower lip.
He'd been worried about her. He'd almost died for her.
Warmth coiled in her belly, creeping up her chest. A feeling of being cherished by him snaked through her. It was so new, so strange…she wasn't sure what to make of it.
"You are strong and brave and a powerful warrior. You are more than capable of fighting your own battles." He turned, his movements jerky.
Hope heard a thread of admiration running through his voice. He understood the audacity of her actions. Even appreciated it.
When he met her gaze, his was intent. "I can't bear to see you in pain. I can't lose you." Aaron ran his hand through his hair, so the thick strands rippled around his face. His fingers shook as he brought them down to his sides to curl them into fists.
The gesture gave away his inner turmoil.
Hope was used to taking care of herself. When she'd heard of Mira having been kidnapped by the Elysians, she hadn't thought twice before going in to rescue her. Hadn't thought about the danger she was putting herself in.
Whatever there was between her and Aaron, it was more than just chemistry. He cared for her.
Her dragon had recognized it right away. The woman she was acknowledged it, too.
"What you did," she swallowed, "it was stupid and dangerous. You shared your psychic energy with me." She lowered her eyes, rubbing the spot above her heart that hurt. "You risked your life to save mine."
She knew where this was headed, had known it since her dragon had flamed without hurting a single hair on Aaron's head, but it had taken the force of his psychic strength supporting her to realize that she needed him, too.
In those hours as they had flown, Aaron had shown the true flame of his spirit.
He had, for that brief time, bared his soul, let her dragon take of his energy to overcome her injuries and keep going.
All that time, he'd been careful not to infiltrate her mind or soul.
It must have been exhausting to hold back, but he'd made sure to not intrude into her emotions. To do so would’ve only formed a deeper psychic bond with her.
With that, Aaron had shown Hope how strong yet sensitive he could be. That he'd give up his very life for her.
The thought had her pulling back from him.
If she gave him a chance, if they formed a mating bond, it was almost certain he would die.
He'd form the bond just because it was so right, with no thought for his own life. But that wasn't something she could bear.
She wanted him, cared for him, and there was no way she was letting this proud warrior take the risk of dying for her.
When she shrank into the sheets and looked away, she hoped he'd take the hint and leave.
Of course, he didn't.
Her chin was gripped and turned to him. The only warning was the heat of his searing breath across her cheek. His lips slanted over hers, and there was nothing gentle about it.
His tongue plunged in, dancing with hers, owning her mouth and plundering it as if she already belonged to him.
Too shocked to hide her response, Hope kissed him right back. Or perhaps it was the fact that they'd almost died that had her resistance crumbling.
Under her fingers, his heart thrummed with a passion that rippled over her skin, the sound of it harsh and reassuring.