Free Scales (Shifter Rescue 1) by Sean Michael Page B

friend rescued you from the slavers.”
    Az stayed curled up where he was, eyes still focused like an eagle’s.
    “Am I right? Are you a shifter?” He moved slowly, from one side of the room to the other, checking out as much of Az as he could see without actually moving closer.
    The wings fluttered. Was that worry? Distress?
    “It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me.” He stopped when he was directly in front of Az’s head and crouched there, bringing them on the same level.
    The dragon’s breath was fruity and surprisingly cold.
    “I’m a shifter. I have an animal form as well as this one,” Drill told Az. He was a great big wolf-bear hybrid.
    “They’ll hurt you if you tell.”
    “No, no, they won’t. This is a safe place. Everyone here is a shifter.” The outside world was another story, but that’s why the Old Tavern Club was set up as it was. Just kinky BDSM went on here, nothing else. Just look away. It really was a great cover.
    He kept staring at the beast, who watched him distrustfully. Did Az ever blink? Ever?
    “Do you want to see me?” Maybe Az would feel better if Drill proved he really was a shifter.
    “What do you want?”
    A question answered with a question. “I want to help you.”
    “Why?”
    “Because Pirou asked me to. And because I agree with him that you should be free.” It wasn’t right for any creature to be caged, bought and sold into slavery. And Az wasn’t just any creature.
    “So I can go? Now?”
    “If you want to. But you’re safe here. Those people can’t get you here.” Drill didn’t want Az to leave. He wanted to get to know this beautiful, shining beast.
    “Good.” The wings unfurled and then the dragon took one step before crashing to the ground.
    Drill hurried to the dragon’s side, fingers stroking scales on the large head. They were like live metal beneath his fingers. “Az?”
    The big eyes looked at him. “I fell down.”
    “Yeah.” He kept stroking. “I imagine there’s still a lot of that shit in your system.”
    “I’m frightened. I don’t want them to cut my tail and wings off.”
    Drill gasped, then growled. “Nobody’s taking anything off you. I won’t allow it.”
    “You swear?” Those eyes glowed, the light sudden and sharp.
    “I swear, Az. You’re my dragon now and nobody touches you.” The words felt true, right. He’d never claimed any of the rescues he helped with, but Az was different. Az was meant to be his.
    Az reached out, bit his hand, the bite sharp, quick, nearly painless.
    “Did you just mark me?”
    Az put his head down, the motion at once satisfied and submissive.
    Drill went back to petting Az, looking at the tooth marks on his hand. This promised to be more interesting than anything he’d done in a long time.
    It was entirely possible that instead of Pirou owing him, he owed Pirou.

Chapters Two
     
    Az had a keeper. Him. A keeper. His brothers wouldn’t believe it. The big not-human smelled sweet and right and, he knew it was impulsive, but all the others had screamed Not His . This one felt right and who knew when he’d have right again? Nothing had been right in… however long since he’d been stolen from his family clutch.
    “Are you hungry, Az?” His keeper had a deep voice.
    Az looked at the keeper. The others didn’t feed him much, so he wasn’t hungry much. It was better not to be hungry if there was no food.
    “I’m hungry. I eat a fair bit. I like meat. Do you like meat?” the keeper asked. The keeper had green eyes that didn’t match each other, one darker than the other.
    “I like sweets.” A lot. And crunchy things.
    “I’m going to ask Pirou for some dinner with dessert then. He’ll bring it down here. Do you remember Pirou?”
    Az remembered stings, darts. He didn’t want another sleeping sting. He’d been so isolated and protected all his life. This was why his kind rarely, if ever, ventured out into the world.
    “Pirou saved you from the slavers. He’s a good man.