On the Accidental Wings of Dragons (Dragons of Eternity Book 1) by Julie Wetzel Read Free Book Online Page A

the door. She paused for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the dim light in the cabin. Everything inside was still. Was he there? Her eyes found her quarry crouched on the floor in the corner, staring at her. He looked just as she remembered. Tall, trim, with twinkling green eyes.
    Unfolding his lanky frame, Darien cocked his head at her. He ran his eyes up and down her naked body. “Carissa?” Setting the book he had been getting on the table, he crossed the room with an easy, flowing gate. “What’s wrong?” He wrapped his long fingers around her shoulders and pulled her fully into the cabin.
    Carissa pulled on Darien’s long robes. “Come; he’s changing.”
    Darien caught her hand and looked at the long scratches on her arms. He pulled in a deep breath. “Have you decided to take a mate?” His voice sounded intrigued.
    A mate! How had he come up with that idea? Reality smacked her yet again. Of course. She was a mess; she smelled of male dragon, sex, and brooding. What other possible conclusion could he have reached? “No, no. Not that.” Carissa shook her head. “It’s just…” How was she supposed to explain this? She needed to get him out to check on Michael. “It’s complicated. Come on.” She pulled on his hand, trying to get the man to move.
    “Carissa, My Lady, what happened?” He pulled her back.
    Great. He was going to want the full story before he moved to help. She should have known; Darien never acted in haste. Fine, he wanted the story, he’d get it.
    “I was kidnapped, thrown in a dungeon, mucked about with magic, and I escaped. Now there is a man out there in the process of changing into a dragon,” Carissa rapid-fired at him. “Now, come on.” She tugged at the immovable man’s hand.
    “You were kidnapped?” Concern filled his face and voice. “Are you hurt? Does your brother know?” Darien’s hands tried to turn her around to check for wounds.
    Carissa pushed them away. “I’m fine,” she snapped and regretted it. Darien didn’t deserve the sharp side of her tongue. Man, she was frazzled. Taking a deep breath, she started again. “I’m sorry.” Her voice was softer this time. “I got a little scraped up rolling down a hill as we escaped, but otherwise, I’m fine. I don’t know if my brother knows; we just got out of there, and I haven’t had the chance to talk to him. There is a man out front, Michael, in the middle of his first brooding.”
    “First brooding?” Darien’s eyes widened. “Why would his mother let him out so close to a brooding? He could hurt himself.”
    “He’s not a child.” Carissa pulled on Darien’s hand. “He’s full-grown.” Darien let her pull him forwards. Finally!
    “Full-grown, and in a first brooding. How is that possible? Brooding starts around five or six.”
    “He’s human. Or was .” That got Darien’s feet really moving.
    “What have you done?”
    “I needed a voice.” Carissa’s answer almost sounded like a whine. When had she started getting whiny? “Given the options, I made the only choice I could see.” She looked over the yard for Michael. He was not where she had left him, but his clothes were. Where the hell had he gone?
    “There are always options.” Darien looked over the mess strung across the yard. “Where’s your friend?”
    Panic rose in her heart. “I don’t know.” He could get into all sorts of trouble out there. He didn’t know the first thing about being a dragon. Her eyes searched the scene. Coat, shoes, pants, shirt, underwear, what’s that white thing? The form was familiar, but the color was wrong. Oh, God, no. Her feet carried her to it. Oh yes, a dragon, no larger than a house cat. Just like her small form, complete with the bony frill and fringed tail, but with little horns. Only, the color was all wrong.
    Her brother was going to kill her.
    Darien stood next to her, looking down at her problem. “Oh, Carissa, what have you done?”
    “I woke up in a warded dungeon racked