Braeden gave her a grateful smile.
“Sorry. I was just thinking. Never mind, it was nothing of importance.”
“We've both earned a day off,” Alyx said firmly. “You can go back to worrying about the fate of the world tomorrow. Now, another beach walk, or more window shopping?”
“Window shopping,” Braeden said, laughing when Alyx beamed at him.
Hopefully, the excitement of the small shifter shops of Wing Island would shut up those strange thoughts of destruction and ruin.
***
It had taken them two hours to make it through everything the small shifter town had to offer. They’d started with tasting the coffee and donuts at Chameleon Coffee and ended their exploration with half an hour in a beauty parlor with a pair of gull shifter twins massaging Alyx's hands, who looked like she was in heaven as she tried to settle on a color for her nails.
At last, they left the parlor with Alyx's nails a bold red.
“To go with your new shirt,” she said and winked at him.
“Fire dragon colors,” Braeden countered. The dragon within him preened with greed.
Soon, they would be truly mated. Soon, he would be in his full power, a true alpha dragon.
But he didn't care about the power, not truly.
It would be easier to protect Alyx that way, which was good. But what he really wanted right now was the feeling of Alyx curled up against him.
He wanted to wake up to the sensation of her fine, black hair tickling his nose, her head on his shoulder. He wanted her to laugh at him because he didn't like the latest trends in vegetable-flavored ice cream. He wanted to try terrible things just because she liked them—and he wanted to show her the wonders of the shifter world.
He wanted to experience the wonders of this peaceful world by her side. This was really all just as new to him as it was to her.
He had a head start on her, but this shifter world wasn't his home. The awful underground caves were.
Only he was never going to live there again. He'd build a new home. A home where fire meant warmth and comfort. A home in the light.
***
They spent a beautiful evening on the beach with Timothy and Liana, watching the waves lap at the shore as the moon made the water gleam like liquid silver. Timothy had collected dry driftwood—and Braeden had set it on fire.
“Nothing like a fire dragon for a barbecue,” Alyx said. She looked immensely pleased as she watched the fish sizzle in the dragon fire.
“Wait until you get to try some dragon-fire-charred steaks,” Braeden promised. “It's a better treat than avocado ice cream.”
“Might even make a good trend.” Alyx leaned against him. “I can already see the headline. The Top Ten Dragon Fire Barbecue Trends of the Summer.”
“Maybe you should try to take over the world with your own burger chain,” Timothy said and laughed.
“Or a steak house. I bet we could come up with a good name. I volunteer my Dragon Heights designers to come up with a logo for you,” Liana added.
Braeden looked amused as he gave the sizzling fish a careful poke—reaching right into the fire.
“Oh, there are lots of good uses for a fire dragon,” Alyx murmured and gave him a look from eyes that had darkened.
Braeden felt his own heart speed up in response. He reached out to wrap his arm around her shoulder again, needing to feel her close.
“I bet there are.” Liana grinned, unapologetic. “We got you guys a house of your own, so you can try all of them. You're lucky. At this time of the summer they're usually all rented out to shifters who want a beach vacation. But this morning, a cancellation came in. You're not directly on the beach, but it's just a five-minute walk through the wood.”
“Sounds wonderful,” Braeden said as he looked at Alyx.
She looked perfect, nestled into his arms. She'd fit right in here. She'd made friends with Liana and the bunny shifter who owned the boutique almost immediately.