Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“Yeah, I’m okay. Got lost in thought,” Dimitri mumbled while pushing to his feet. His gaze snagged on Sam’s face as the archeologist continued to stare at him with heavy skepticism furrowing his brow and pulling his lips into a frown.
The urge to gather Sam close was almost overwhelming, but Dimitri busied his hands by brushing the dirt and forest detritus off his clothes. At least he didn’t need a fully functioning brain to know that announcing his ‘good news’ to Sam was the world’s worst idea. That had to be the fastest way to send the man screaming away from him.
No, this would require careful thought and planning. He needed to woo the mage, win his affection and convince him that they were absolutely fated to be together.
How the fuck was he supposed to do that?
He flashed Sam a smile that felt crooked, as if his brain was still trying to remember how to work this body it was attached to. “I’m good. Let’s go.”
Sam nodded once. “Sure. I’d like to get in a couple more miles before we’re forced to make camp.”
Dimitri moved into the lead, continuing to stomp and slash through the thick brush while watching for anything that might want to take a bite out of Sam. The natural predators—and the not-so-natural magical predators—could sense that he and the others were dragons. They’d steer clear, but that didn’t mean Sam wasn’t a tempting delectable they wanted to make a grab for if the dragons weren’t vigilant.
However, he’d not traveled more than a handful of meters before Sam was seizing him from behind and violently jerking him backward.
“Watch out!”
Sam’s shout nearly stopped Dimitri’s heart. He stumbled under the force of Sam’s pull and tripped on a fallen branch. As he fell, he twisted his body, wrapping his arms about Sam to pull the smaller man on top of him so that Dimitri’s own sturdy frame could absorb the brunt of the impact.
Chaotic noise exploded around them as Vasily, Luka, and Gregori rushed to their side. Hands pulled at Sam, helping him to his feet, while Dimitri had to fight the urge to kick them away. No one was allowed to touch Sam but him.
Oh, this was bad.
He needed to get a handle on himself. They weren’t trying to steal his mage, right? Right?
Vasily grabbed his hand and hauled him up the second Sam was on his feet. “What the hell happened?”
“Booby trap,” Sam answered.
“What?” Dimitri screeched. He wanted to smack himself. He was far too distracted with thoughts of Sam and mates. He should be concentrating on his job, which was to keep the mage safe.
“Shit. He’s right.” Gregori moved cautiously in front of them, his body bent forward and his eyes narrowed.
Dimitri followed behind Gregori with Sam right beside him. He wanted to snatch Sam up and jerk the inquisitive man behind him, but he couldn’t do that. Sam was brave and intelligent. Dimitri couldn’t keep trying to stand between him and every little thing. That being said, he still had a hand extended toward the mage, prepared to pull him close should anything happen.
“Look, you can see the way the vines and plants are growing isn’t natural.” Sam pointed up to where the plants were stretched at odd angles across their path. He thought things had been unnaturally flat recently, as if they’d stumbled across an old road.
Muscles tensed and anxiety crawled like fire ants across his flesh as he watched Sam pick up a stick and carefully move around some of the leaves and brush near the ground.
Why was his mate determined to find danger?
This was a mage thing. Definitely a mage thing. It was as if they were born to seek out and poke at dangerous things. He’d seen it with Valerii mages, and he’d witnessed it in spades with the Burkhard mages.
“I don’t understand why there’s a trap set here,” Gregori murmured as he also searched the area. Dimitri was considerably less worried about the dragon. Gregori was an expert at tricks, traps, explosions, and other protective security measures.
“That is weird,” Luka agreed.
Sam glanced over his shoulder at Dimitri, a grin spread across his lips. His excitement was a palpable thing, and Dimitri’s heart rolled over in his chest. Yeah, he’d do anything for that smile. Even let Sam wander closer to the booby trap.
“A booby trap usually means there’s something of value close by. Something somebody wants to protect.”
“But is that somebody the Sousa?” Dimitri asked.
Sam was quick to shake his head. “Not a chance.”
“How can you be sure?” Vasily asked.
“According to Evora, the dragons didn’t notice that the Sousa and the Tupã dragons were missing until the end of the Dragon Wars. That was more than five hundred years ago. This booby trap is not five centuries old,” Sam explained.
“Yep. He’s right.” Gregori edged closer. “It’s old, but not that old. Looks maybe seventy, eighty years old.”