21

Kalli's POV

He pulled me outside and dragged me about a mile to where a lake was. He dropped me on the ground and flipped me over. He took out a knife and slashed the back of my calves. It stung really bad and I knew he cut the muscle so that I was incapacitated. He shifted into a small dragon and grabbed me with his talons. He flew up into the sky and hovered over the water. I was given no warning before he let go of me and I plummeted to the water. I didn't scream and just felt the water shatter my back and I passed out.

Zicko's POV

I was flying as fast as I could to get to Kalli. I got help from one of the neutral clans and asked them to track her scent. I had finally located her and now I could not even feel her in my head anymore. I tried to contact her but there was nothing. I finally reached the Apophis land and was desperately searching for my mate. My eyes locked on a small dragon hovering over a lake. I increased my speed as I saw a body being dropped into the water. I felt my heart stop and I barreled into the dragon. It roared in surprise and before it could recover I severed his head from his body and dived towards the water. I pulled up just before I hit and shifted to go after the body I saw. I look around in the murky water for any sign of struggle when I heard a faint heartbeat off to my right. I look to the bottom and see her listlessly sinking further down. I reach down and grasp her hand. I shoot back up to the surface with her limp body. I swim to the bank and lay her down.

"Kalli. Please wake up. I need to know if I can move you. Please wake up."

She barely moves in response but I keep trying to wake her up. She finally opens her eyes and I sigh in relief.

"Thank you for finding me. I love you Zicko." She says.

My eyes widen and I know I have a huge smile on my face. I laugh and rest my forehead rest on hers. I love you too. But right now I need to mend our hearts from this traumatic experience. I lean down and kiss her softly on the lips. She smiled when I pulled away. I pulled her to me and she crushed me into her embrace.

"I don't want to hurt you and you need to tell me where they hurt you." I say.

I try to pull back but she won't let me.

"Don't leave me. Please, Zicko I just want you to hold me."

I put my head over hers and wrap her protectively in my arms. To have her here after five days of loneliness calmed down Opirien and myself. We had been restless and my inner self that I kept hidden was still very close to the surface. I pull back and tell her that I am going to take her to Amkay so he can bring her back to our nest while I clean up the Apophis tribe. When we came in I took out almost all of the men but left the ones who begged for mercy and promised to sign a treaty. I never went after women or children but made sure they knew what would happen to their tribe. They gave up the members who forced them into the shady acts but I feel like some of them were hiding some of them. When I found Amkay he was waiting with a truck the villagers had given him. I laid her out in the backseat and told Amkay to wait for me before looking over her injuries. I didn't want the others to see the shape she was in before I could assess her.

Kalli's POV

When I wake up Zicko is standing at the foot of my bed and he has a concerned look on his face.

"Oh good you're up. So I had a chance to look over the damage and most of it is fixable but I'm worried about your calves. In order to heal them I need to give you my power. But the only way I can do that is if we complete our mating, which I'm sure you will be apprehensive about."

"What is a mating bond? Is it like some marriage ceremony?"

He laughs and shakes his head.

"No."

He comes next to me and whispers what it really is. I blush crimson and he laughs even harder at my reaction.

"What if I said yes? Would you be willing to do it?"

He looked taken aback. I really did want to complete the mating bond even if it meant losing my virginity. He was someone I loved and trusted and even though I didn't know him very long something told me I was supposed to be with him forever.

"Are you sure this is something you are willing to give up? I don't want to pressure you into something like this. And don't get me wrong but I would love to spend the rest of my life with you, I just want you to be sure you feel the same."

He looks worried and I motion for him to come closer. He does and I grab his shirt to bring him closer.

"I will always want to be with you, I can't be any more sure than I am right now. Please be my forever and always Zicko."

He smiles and gives me a passionate kiss. Before things get too heated, my friends walk in to see how I am doing.

"We missed you so much. I'm glad you are back." says Lina.

Mattea stands back at the entrance of the doorway with tears in her eyes. I give her a small smile and hope that she isn't too shaken by what happened.

"What's next?" I ask.