Free Alexa's Dragon (Dragon mates Book 1) by Serena Simpson

her later in the woods. To many fairy tales for me . She laughed at her thoughts.
    Her body shook. “What’s happening?”
    “The attack on the plane has increased. Mutufa must have realized we are bringing the fight to him. Hold on tighter.”
    He rose higher moving swiftly. His wings caught the current that seemed to be moving faster as his urgency mounted. Alexa lowered her body until she was laying on him, her breasts pressed against the warmth of his back. Syn gave a laugh of pure joy as they flew through the air. The bright colors began to recede as more gray took over the sky.
    “Syn, are we almost there?”
    “Just a few more minutes”
    The shadows in the land grew more menacing as they moved along. The air grew colder. Alexa took a breath and choked as the air hit her lungs making it hard to breathe.
    “Hold on, Alexa.”
    They went through a barrier. She could feel the cold hands reaching, leaching the warmth from her skin, begging for her death. The penalty, they whispered for crossing into a place she didn’t belong. They pulled on her calling her name, laughing with a frenzy. A hand caught her hair yanking it. She lost her grip on Syn and fell.
    Death rushed up to meet her, paralyzing her body as she tumbled towards the ground. Her life didn’t flash before her eyes. Yet every regret and every road not taken seemed to visit her in the precious minutes she had left. If she could do it again she promised herself she would take the road less traveled, she would be the heroine of her own story if only she could do it again. Goodbye Syn, Nadia and my parents.
    She hit the ground the air exploding out her lungs. Her lungs worked? She was alive? Her hands patted her body. Her eyes opened, she was on the back of her dragon.
    “You didn’t think I would let you go that easily.”
    Throwing her arm open wide, she hugged Syn and placed small kisses on the back of his neck. Dragon or not she was happy to see him and even happier to be alive.
    “You saved me.”
    “Of course I did. You’re my mate; no one else can have you.”
    He lowered until he was standing on the ground. She slid of his back onto shaky legs.
    “What now?” she whispered not wanting to bring attention to them.
    “We defeat them.”
    ‘Them’ were two tall black shadows. They stood around eleven feet tall with long knives in their hands.
    “How does a shadow hold a knife?”
    Syn took a look at them before stating, “with extreme proficiency.” He backed up and in a fluid movement his shape changed.
    “A kiss for luck?”
    She shook her head. “A kiss after we defeat them.” Her heart thundered as she looked at them. More shadows like what chased her in her nightmares.
    “I’m holding you to your word.” He sat down and yawned.
    “What are you doing?” How could he be yawning when all she wanted to do was run?
    “Taking a small rest. Flying around can be hard work.”
    He closed his eyes and leaned back on his hands while letting out another long yawn. A shadow rushed him while he was relaxing. Without opening his eyes, he rolled backwards using his arms to push him up and landed on his feet.
    “Un-sportsman like conduct. I wonder if that was what put you here in the first place.” He kicked out catching the shadow firmly with his foot and knocking him backwards.
    He drew a long staff out of the air, countering slashes of the knife in the second shadows hand.
    “A little help would be nice.”
    “What do you want me to do?”
    “Tap into a little of your magic and blast a hole into the shadows.”
    “Right, because I know how to do that.”
    She moved back further behind him and began trying to explore her power. She went deep and found her lump of coal. It seemed smaller somehow. Taking it in her hand again she called forth white power and waited.
    “Alexa,” he called, letting her know it was a nice try.
    “I’m almost there.” She was clueless, but he didn’t have to know that.
    She opened her eyes to see his