Dragon Heat by Charlene Hartnady

Chapter 4

Huge wooden doors stood before her. They were carved with intricate designs. All Azure could think to herself was that behind that door was the king.

The Air King himself.

Thunder.

Holy dragon wings.Her mouth felt dry, and her eyes felt wide. She was about to have a meeting with the king.

Her heart raced. Her hands felt clammy. The guard at the door growled low, snagging her attention. “Did you get my text, Azure? I’m Sleet. We have met before. I was wondering—?”

“Not interested,” she pushed out, feeling relieved that she meant it. That despite the hormones that raged through her right then, she was still in control. There would be no males. No mating. No breeding. None of that. She could do this.

Another male was standing on the other side of the door. He inclined his head. “Good afternoon,” he announced.

“Um…hi!” She waited for him to sniff at her or come onto her, but it never happened.

“This is Skarn. He is from the Earth tribe,” her guard, Cloud, announced.

“Oh! Nice to meet you,” she mumbled. The male must be mated. He didn’t scent of another female, though. It didn’t matter.

“You, too.” He dipped his head and gave her a kind smile before looking away. All she’d had today were leering males trying to proposition her; this was a refreshing change.

The door to Thunder’s office opened. “His Highness will see you now,” a male from inside the room announced.

Cloud gestured to the door. “I will wait here,” he told her.

She pulled in a deep breath and stepped over the threshold. Aside from the guard who opened the door, there were four people inside. She recognized two of those people. The king was one of them. By scales and claws, it was him! There was also an Air healer. Azure inclined her head at Thunder, giving a small curtsey. “Your Highness.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Thunder said curtly.

She frowned, lifting her gaze. There was a large male dragon she had never seen before, and a human female. They stood close together, their scents intermingled. They were a couple.

“Welcome,” Thunder said. “This is Druze.” The king pointed at the male dragon. “He is a healer from the Earth dragon tribe. This is his female…Dr. Baker.”

“You can call me Britt,” the female said, holding out her hand.

What was going on here? Azure took her hand and shook it. “Nice to meet you,” she said, sounding uncertain.

“We’re excited,” Thunder announced. “You’ve gone into heat for the first time. This is truly wonderful news.”

Azure nodded once, feeling like an experiment. Something in a petri dish. All eyes were on her.

“I think it’s fantastic,” Thunder went on. “This rarely ever happens.”

“It is, indeed,” Britt said. “I am a fertility specialist. We would like to run a couple of tests…if that’s okay with you?” The human healer went on. “Perhaps we can figure out what triggered you to go into heat all of a sudden. We might be able to use these findings to help others in the various tribes. Women just like you. Women who are desperate to conceive.”

“You must go with them,” Thunder said. “Let them run these tests.”

“Whether you come with us and help us is up to you,” Britt said.

“We aren’t going to force you,” the Earth healer added.

“You could help others. Even if what we discover helps one other dragon female,” Britt went on, “it would have been worth it.”

“You will do this!” Thunder pushed. “We do not have many she-dragons, and most of those are infertile. Human mates give us male offspring, but we need female dragons to be born. That can only happen if more of our kind go into heat.”

“I will accompany you, my child,” the Air healer said. “Like our King pointed out, it is important that we examine you. Perhaps we will be able to figure out how it is you came into heat so suddenly after being barren all this time.”

Heat infused her cheeks. Azure nodded.

The elder made a strange noise at the back of her throat. “Unusual, indeed. I, for one, have many questions for you, my child.”

“Azure will go with you,” Thunder insisted, his piercing eyes on her.

Although Azure felt her anger rise, she pushed those emotions aside, thinking of her best friend, Summer. Not just her best friend, but all the other she-dragons desperate for a family of their own. Azure nodded. “I will go with you. You can conduct your tests.”

The human healer sighed. She smiled at Azure. “Thank you!”

“Inform me as soon as you are done,” Thunder said to the healers. “I need Azure in the great hall by this evening. I am making an announcement that concerns her.”

It irritated Azure that Thunder spoke about her like she wasn’t even there. Worry made her frown deepen and her stomach churn. What announcement? She didn’t like the sound of that at all.

The human healer nodded. “Of course.”

“I wish to extend my gratitude to the two of you for dropping everything to fly to our lair.” He looked at a watch on his wrist. “You made it here in under two hours. Very impressive.”

“We couldn’t miss out on this opportunity to explore how it is that Azure suddenly came into heat,” the human female told Thunder while smiling at her.

“It is important that you investigate this thoroughly,” Thunder went on, “but don’t take too long. As per our earlier conversation, this is time-sensitive. Do your tests, ask your questions and then release our female,” he said to the healer. Then he turned to her. “I am so proud of you,” he said, as if she had actually had a say in why this happened. “Today is a wonderful day.” He smiled. The king smiled at her. Azure felt nothing but unease.