TheWaterDragon Read Online Free

difficult to speak, which was probably a good thing. It seemed that her speaking was what made him decide to leave in the first place.
    Okay, if she were honest with herself, she would admit that it wasn’t that she’d spoken, but what she had said. When he moved to brush past her on his way out, Summer reached out, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers.
    He looked startled, but said nothing as she stared into his sea-blue eyes. Whatever happened after this, she had no illusions that she had no one to blame but herself. She had always been as impulsive as the weather.
    “I’m sorry,” she whispered, before his arms tightened around her and he lowered his head to press his lips against hers.
    The very earth moved beneath her feet as his mouth opened over hers, his tongue begging entrance to her mouth. Once she opened for him and his tongue stoked against hers, she saw him, she felt him and she knew complete and utter loneliness.
    Tears streamed down her cheeks as she watched Adrian fighting for his life and the lives of all mankind. Seven hooded figures surrounded him, all of them falling one by one until there was only one left. By then, Adrian was exhausted and vulnerable, his strength used up as he attempted to save what he thought was mankind’s last hope—a plant.
    Throwing his head back, Adrian turned into his dragon. He chanted a spell just as the cloaked figure encased him first in a layer of stone. Around the stone, the figure set a layer of ice that would torture the water dragon who knew the water, his source of power, was so close, yet so far.
    Again, the loneliness assailed her. Such complete isolation was enough to drive anyone mad if left for too long. This man, this dragon, had endured centuries of complete isolation from everything, including the thing that could comfort him most.
    Adrian ended their kiss and lifted his head. He stared down at her, using his thumbs tenderly to brush away her tears. “Do not cry for me, Summer Flowers. I am, as you say, a pig who cannot find his way in your world.”
    Gently, he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I apologize for saying that your voice is like the shrill shriek of a shrew.” The corners of his mouth quirked up, just a bit. “In fact, I find your voice melodious and soothing to my very soul.” His eyes filled with sorrow. “You are, and forever shall be, my mate. I will seek no other.”
    “Wait!” she cried when he turned to leave. “You can’t leave me here.” Her heart broke again at the thought of losing him before they had a chance to get to know each other.
    He was about to say something else when her sister, Tansy and her husband Tony rushed into the room. “You have to go, Summer. Now. There’s a car waiting to take you to the hospital.”
    “What—why?” Her heart pounded and her knees grew weak when she looked at her sister and somehow knew. “Emily?”
    Tansy merely nodded, her expression filled with compassion. “They said she’s been asking for you.”
    Summer’s throat closed off and she couldn’t speak. Following her sister from the room, she left Adrian to follow or to leave as he would. While she knew in her heart that the water dragon was her match in every way, she could never force him to love her, just as she couldn’t force Emily to stay here on this earth no matter how hard she tried.
    The door to the limo loomed large as she approached it. The darkened interior almost felt like a tomb as it closed around her. She slid over to the other side of the car to peer out through the tinted glass, needing to watch the rain that poured down in place of her tears.
    Emily could always bring a smile to her face. She always knew what to say to give Summer a feeling of coming home. She couldn’t have loved Emily more if she had been her own mother.
    Strong arms drew her close and she didn’t fight. She was too tired to fight. Her brothers-in-law were too strong to resist at any rate.
    The car