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it。 He had been so careful； not being too possessive of her pany but he had let the others know that he intended this green to be his。 He had been marshaling his strength whenever possible； knowing how tired other dragons were。 But he was Golanth！ Of Benden Weyr！ Sired by Mnementh！ Hatched of Ramoth。 Worthy of that noble pairing！
She tucked her wings along her back； diving obliquely。 He followed quickly。 Did she realize how close she was to the ground？ Oh； she did and swooped up again； proudly； head reaching for the low clouds that scudded over the foothills。
She'd play that game； would she？ With one quick glance around him to see if any challengers had entered the chase； he swept after her。 Sun sparkled off her brilliant skin between clouds and he pursued her； wondering if she knew that he could see her so clearly。
She turned on one wing tip and； knowing these skies better than she did； he did the same and soared through the narrow pass。 If she thought he'd fall for that wily trick； she hadn't his measure。 Soon she would。
She rose above the filmy cloudbank； heading toward the thinner air； then almost tumbled back down。 He followed this maneuver effortlessly。 She raced forward； rolling slowly as if caressed by the chill air。 He nearly overshot her but didn't； so she failed with that ploy。 She ducked； dodged； and fell surface…ward again； pulling up with the most graceful and powerful of movements he had yet seen in a green。 Oh； she was a prize； this one！ How he loved her！ And she had chosen him！
Clouds again and he shadowed her progress through them by the glow of her reddened eyes。 Then； just as she let him get very close； to evade him at the last moment； he gave his wings a sudden massive stroke and reached for her； making the catch； pulling her to him； connecting。 Wings entwined and beating together； they flew suspended and； because he was a bronze and cleverer than she had thought him； their flight was horizontal to the ground and he could extend this passion for a long； long time。 He did； sweeping them both carefully over the great inland sea where the thermals caressed their gleaming hides。
F'lessan was back in his body and Tai's was his。 They were both panting from the exertion of a marvelously extended flight。 He felt both triumphant and drained。 He hadn't felt such repletion in a long while。 She lay limply beneath him； eyes closed； head to one side； curls of sweaty hair concealing her face。 He hadn't the strength…nor； to be candid； the wish…to release her； to leave her body。 Considerate of her； he shifted。 For all the pleasure he had enjoyed with other women； this encounter really was different。 He couldn't think of anything appropriate to say and he had prided himself on knowing exactly the right words to use in any situation。
〃Oh； Tai； you did choose me；〃 he murmured； propping himself on his elbows； looking down at her with a feeling close to awe。 〃You did！〃
His words took him as much by surprise as they did her。 She turned her head slightly； her eyes wide and human again。 Her lips were swollen from kisses he had been unable to control； and her eyes filled with tears。
〃Please say you did？〃 The human in him needed to be reassured but he was also aware that their meeting had been incredibly intense； even for a dragon…generated mating。 That could only be achieved with the enthusiastic cooperation of both partners。 He couldn't be feeling the way he did right now if rape had been involved。
〃I didn't know it was supposed to be like that！〃 she admitted softly and she turned her head； embarrassed。
〃My very dear green；〃 he said tenderly； stroking her face with his thumbs； feeling slightly superior because he was no stranger to the 〃that。〃 〃It is assuredly the most intense emotional and sexual experience。 We know exactly what our dragons are feeling； and they mirror ours。 It can be stunning enough when humans love； but magnified by our emotional bond with our dragons。。。〃 He spread his hands； unable to quantify it and smiled tenderly at her。 〃Well； it…〃 he hesitated； 〃should have happened to you before； Tai。〃 He couldn't help making fists and driving them into the rumpled furs of the bed。 〃I'm appalled and concerned that you were so abused。 That's not the way dragonriders should behave even when the dragon's in control。 I'm。。。〃
〃Sssh；〃 she said； reaching up to lay her palm against his cheek； her face calm； the hint of a smile on her kiss…roughened lips。
He wished he could see her eyes but there was so little light filtering through from the hall。
〃I'm glad it was you I could choose；〃 she said。
〃I…〃 He started to protest； stunned that； despite his best efforts； she had somehow sensed his wile。
〃I know me well enough； F'lessan；〃 she said； putting both hands on his face now。 〃I am so very grateful to you。〃
〃Gratitude in a snake's arse；〃 he said； incensed。 He wrapped his arms around her； wanting very much to take her again； and with human lust。 〃It's not bloody gratitude I want from you； my dear Tai！〃 He loosened his hold when he felt her resist with a hint of the panic she had shown on the terrace。 He made his body relax beside hers； looked down into her eyes； wishing he could see the expression in them； the color they were right now。 〃I liked you when we first met。 In the Archives。 I know you knew who I was； that Mirrim had probably prejudiced you against me。 Had probably said I was reckless。 I'm not。 I'm a good Wingleader。 Riders trust me。 So do their dragons。 I want you to choose me； of your own free will； Tai。 I'd like to choose you； too； as a person I want to know better； not just because your green went into heat and Golanth was the only dragon available。〃
She looked up at him for a long time and then； tentatively； curled one hand around his bare shoulder。
〃How did you manage it？〃 Her voice was low； even。
〃How did I manage…？〃 His voice broke in surprise。 She meant Zaranth challenging Golanth。 〃Believe me； it is not something even I could manage！〃 A laugh burst from him。 〃Your dragon wanting mine！〃
And then he wondered。 Dragons could be very cunning。
〃Wasn't there one dragon in Monaco Zaranth liked？〃 he asked quickly。 〃Didn't Mirrim tell you to decide which rider you preferred and latch on to him？〃
Her eyes slid from his and she swallowed hard。 〃Don't go after Mirrim； F'lessan。 She said… something like that。 But I didn't… didn't prefer any of them。〃
〃He didn't have to be Monacan； you know。〃
〃You're angry with me again。〃 Her body was stiff beneath him。
〃With you？ Again？ When have I been angry with you； Tai？〃
〃When you got back from Fort。〃
He blinked。
〃When you found me swimming after…after…〃
〃When you were injured；〃 and he stressed that word； 〃trying to stop those sharding vandals。〃 He got angry just thinking about that attack。
〃You're angry with me again。〃
〃No； I'm…〃 He closed his lips on 〃not〃 and saw that； unaccountably； she was smiling a little； that her body had relaxed； that both her hands were lying loosely on his back。 He took a deep breath and made taut muscles loosen。 〃I'm not angry with you； my dear Tai； I'm angry for you。〃
〃I'll have to get accustomed to the difference。〃
〃Will you； my very dear green？〃 he asked very gently。
〃Will I what？〃
〃Want to get accustomed to the difference？ To me？〃 He searched her face； rubbing his thumbs gently from her temples to her cheeks。 〃I do so very much want to know you better。〃 He kissed her lightly at the corner of her mouth； felt her lips twitch under his。 Then； carefully； he moved to one side of her long body and pulled her against him； pressing her head against his chest。
〃They're lying just like this； you know；〃 she murmured。
He smoothed her hair back and settled his cheek against it。 〃Hmm。 I know。 On the ledge。 But they're almost asleep。〃
〃Aren't we？〃
〃We。〃 He liked the sound of that and especially the idea of sleep。 Of sleeping with her in his arms。
I told you I would hunt well； he thought he heard his dragon say。 Had Golanth been planning a very subtle courtship after all？ Just as his rider had？
HARPER HALL…1。28。31
〃You wanted to see me？〃
Sebell gave a start。 Pin