Vicente by Kathi S. Barton Page A

took her to the window. Crashing through it, he was shifting to his dragon as she tore from his body and shifted too. As soon as he was fully his dragon, he went after her. She was flying too high for the first time.
    “Auggie, you have to go to her. Yve, go with him.” Vinnie saw them both streak by him as Abbie soared even higher. When she seemed to even out, he waited for her to drop. His dragon moved to be beneath her to catch her if she did.
    She looked so beautiful, and he had a hard time not just watching her move through the air like she was born to it. He moved up closer to her, but was ready for her to fall if need be. When she turned to look at him, he saw that Auggie had shifted as well, and the older faerie looked like he was out of his mind with terror.
    “He’s a fool.” Yve moved to his wing and then to his chest. In seconds he felt her enter his dragon just under the scale at his heart. She would remain there until he shifted back. I’m going to have a talk with him, but I do not think her dragon will keep him. We must do something to help him save face. He will be shamed if we do not.
    He’ll either work it out with her or her dragon will reject him. But I don’t think that will happen. He’s just…he’s never done this before. But if we do need to do something, we’ll tell people that she needs two so that she can have one to watch over her until she’s ready to fly without me.
    It is good, my lord. He moved alongside of Abbie, marveling at how well she was doing. When she looked at him, he could see that she was enjoying herself as well.
    Did I hurt you? He told her no. I didn’t know what to do. She just screamed at me to be let go. You’ll have to…I’m flying.
    You are. And doing a fine job of it too. Sometime soon I’m going to have to make love to you like this. I’ve heard it’s the most wonderful way to have sex in the world. He could feel the dragon’s arousal and wanted to take her now. But she was moving slower now, and he knew she was tired. He moved so that she’d turn toward their home, and they landed on the ground with a great thud . To shift back, just think of being human. Your dragon will know what to do.
    It took her a few minutes to do it. Finally, Yve had to leave him to go to her. She nodded once when she landed near her ear, and Abbie shifted.
    Auggie had started off to the woods when Abbie called him back. He had to come to her. As her faerie he had no choice, but Vinnie could see how upset he was.
    “I’ve failed you, I have.” She shook her head. “Never thought of being your dragon faerie and what it would mean to me. I’m an old man, and it’s just a job for one a great deal younger than me. I’ll be moving off if you’ll see your way to letting me.”
    “No, I don’t think so. You’ll be my faerie and we’ll both learn this job together.” When Auggie started to speak, she cut him off. “I guess I’m kind of your boss, right?”
    “Yes, my lady, you’re the boss of all of us. But you don’t understand what I did when I had no idea what to do. I could have gotten you harmed, or worse, your wings hurt. They, like mine, take a great deal to heal. I should be your beating heart, and I didn’t do it.”
    “I don’t know what that means.” Auggie looked at Vinnie and then back at his mistress. “You can tell me or not, but you’re not leaving me.”
    “I’m supposed to guide your dragon’s thoughts with happiness and joy. When you shift to her, I’m to move to the place where your heart beats and keep it safe from anything that might get to it. It’s the only thing that can kill you. I’m to protect it, and I failed you.” Auggie hung his head low. “I’ve failed you in my first duty. To protect you above all else.”
    “This time you might have, but there was no harm done. To either of us. And we’re learning this together. Me most of all.” Abbie put out her hand and asked him to come to her. “Did you know that’s what you