Her Mad Dragon (Dragon Guard Series Book 15) Read Free Page A

leave. He finally had to promise to take the
early morning training class of the new Guardsmen just to get them out the
door. Taking out the trash, the mad dragon looked at the cloudless sky and once
again wished he was back on his mountain. Up there, away from civilization, he
could call his dragon and take flight whenever he liked. Flying helped him think,
make sense out of things that simply seemed ludicrous everywhere else. It was
the thing he missed most about being back with a clan. Well, that and his
solitude.
    Deciding to take a walk, Maddox headed for one of the
smaller lakes at the back of the lair. It was quiet enough there for him to
think and as close to the wilderness of his home as he could get for the time
being. Walking through the woods, he listened to the cicadas, the beautiful
song of the nightingale, and the mating call of a male tawny owl. A few minutes
later, the mad dragon actually smiled when he heard the female owl’s reply. In
nature, unlike his world, everything was simple.
      Even the flippin’ birds are havin’ a go at it…
    He replayed his ‘ambush’ from earlier in the evening. Knew
the guys had his best interests at heart but couldn’t shake the feeling that
there was something they weren’t telling him, something he needed to
know. It was possible Calysta had already decided to ignore their mating. She
had been wed before, had a grown daughter and an entire nation of witches to
govern. What the hell would she want with a crazy old dragon like him?
    He knew the mating bond had started. Felt it the first time
they locked eyes. If she was to turn away from him now, it meant that he would
never love another, could never be with another, and would never have children.
It wasn’t that any of that really mattered. For all intents and purposes,
Maddox had given up on the happily ever after dream a very, very long
time ago. 
    Sitting on the far side of the lake, hidden by the shadows
from the half-moon brightly shining on the large oak tree he was leaned
against, the mad dragon watched the ripples in the water as a school of fish
broke the surface to feed on the mosquitos flitting about. It was nice to be
alone, let his thoughts wander, be one with his surroundings. These were the
things he missed after his return to civilization.
    He knew they all thought he was crazy for wanting to be
alone. Dragons were supposed to be in groups. They were supposed to thrive on
the comradery, flourish in the togetherness, work together towards a common
goal, and there had been a time when that was what he believed too, but things
had changed. Friends had died. Missions had failed even when they’d looked like
a win on paper and Maddox had simply had enough.
    The sound of approaching footsteps pulled the mad dragon
from his memories. Shifting to his knees and using the foliage for cover, he
watched and waited. Night blooming jasmine and sage scented the air seconds
before a vision in white broke through the trees. His breath caught in his
throat, his heart beat a profound staccato rhythm in his chest, and his dragon
purred at the sight of Calysta gliding towards the lake and kneeling at its
bank.
    It took all his considerable control to stay put. Both man
and dragon longed to join her. The mating call was at full strength and
demanding that Maddox act upon his impulses. Drawing upon his incredible
strength, he resisted. He had to be sure. Needed to know that she truly wanted
him, would accept him and all his faults. Had to be sure that this whole
calamity was not a figment of his overworked imagination.
    Unaware of his presence, the Priestess took a small satin
pouch from the pocket of her gown. Gently loosening the drawstrings, she poured
a combination of aromatic herbs into the palm of her right hand before laying
the empty sachet on the ground. With just the tips of the fingers of her left
hand, Calysta touched the surface of the water and transferred a few tiny drops
of liquid into the herbs.
    Bowing