The Dragon King and His Fallen Star novel Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Burns and Bruises

KIERYGAN’S POV

+25 Points

All I could do was stare at her-this fragile, glowing thing in front of me-her lips trembling, fingers clenched around the blanket like it was the only thing tethering her to the present.

Her rawness was disarming. Honest. And yet, it drove me to the brink.

“I was scared of you dying,” she whispered.

I almost laughed-not in amusement, but in disbelief. She didn’t understand. I wasn’t afraid of

death. I never have been.

What terrified me… was losing her.

The thought of Malric or Morwenna stealing her back from me haunted my every step. And the seer’s prophecy-that she would one day offer herself to a world unworthy of her-it made something dark inside me want to set the world ablaze.

“I don’t want to lose you,” she said, her voice cracking, tears shimmering in her eyes.

That was it. The last thread of my restraint unraveled.

My body moved before my mind could catch up-driven by the storm of fear, desire, and helplessness that had been building for months. I crushed my mouth to hers in a desperate, aching kiss, one hand anchoring her at the small of her back, the other threading into her hair, pulling her

closer like the world might end if I let her go.

Her lips were soft, parted in shock. One hand pressed against my chest-and for a heartbeat, I

thought she might push me away.

My breath faltered.

But then-slow, uncertain-her hand slid upward until her fingers curled around the back of my

neck.

And she kissed me back. Her lips moved with mine, hesitant at first… then bolder.

A low growl rumbled from deep in my chest.

Our first kiss had been wild and shattering-fueled by alcohol and chaos. But this… this was

something else entirely. Because now, she was steady. Awake. Sober.

The kiss deepened-no longer soft, but fierce and consuming. My lips slanted over hers again and

again, our mouths crashing with a hunger I could no longer contain. When her lips parted on a

shaky breath, I seized the moment-brushing my tongue against hers, tasting, exploring. She

gasped softly against me, and I groaned at the sound, urging me to go deeper.

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< Chapter 85 Burns and Bruises

5: Burns and R

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Her fingers curled tighter in my hair. My hand slid down the curve of her spine, pulling her against me like she was the only thing holding me together!

And then… she glowed.

It began as a flicker-a gentle shimmer between us then bloomed into something radiant. Light spilled from her skin like dawn bleeding into the sky golden and warm, illuminating every inch of

her.

Her glow pulsed-radiant, alive-and for a moment, it wrapped around us like we were caught in some sacred place outside time.

I pulled back just enough to look at her, breathless.

Her cheeks were flushed, lips kiss-swollen, hair halged in light. Her eyes opened slowly-dazed, luminous-and in them I saw wonder. Awe. And something so heartbreakingly pure, it nearly

unraveled me.

My chest tightened. How could she look at me like that? Like I was worthy. Like I was good.

“Do you even realize how beautiful you are?” I murmured.

Before she could answer, I kissed her again-deeper, hungrier. She met me with equal fervor, and a rough sound of approval rumbled in my throat. She’s learning.

I tilted her back onto the mattress, following her down without breaking the kiss. Her fingers fisted the fabric at my back, dragging me closer. I braced myself above her with one arm, the other trailing down her side, aching to memorize every part of her.

She arched under me, and I drank in the small, broken sound that left her lips-half a gasp, half a moan-as I nipped her lower lip and soothed it with my tongue.

The sound was dangerous. It made me forget everything-except her.

I broke away, just long enough to drag my lips along her cheekbone, her jaw, down the delicate line of her neck. She trembled beneath me, her hand splayed against my chest, fingertips burning hot.

And then-I reached the crook of her neck.

That place.

The sacred hollow where instinct screamed to mark her. To claim her. To brand her mine.

I inhaled-her scent was wild and dizzying, like wildflowers, honey, and wind skimming over snow.

I parted my lips and grazed her skin with my teeth, biting just hard enough to bruise, but not to

break the skin.

For a heartbeat, the beast in me surged-dangerously close to the edge. My fangs itched to extend, to sink deeper into her skin.

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But then I felt her-fear, flickering through the bond Subtle, but real.

And then her voice, soft and uncertain. “Kierygan?”

+25 Points

It cut through the haze. I pulled back at once, breath ragged, vision tunneling. I braced myself on my forearms, trembling with restraint, trying to blink the fog of want from my eyes.

“You bit me,” she said quietly.

Her glow had dimmed, but it still lingered.

“I’m sorry,” I rasped. My voice was hoarse. “Did I scare you?”

She met my gaze, those amethyst eyes wide and searching. “A little,” she admitted, then pointed to

my neck. “You’re… scaling. For a second I thought you were about to shift and eat me.”

I leaned in, pressing my forehead gently to hers. Then I shifted, lowering my voice against the shell

of her ear. “Don’t worry… I’m not going to. Not yet.”

Her eyes widened, startled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I chuckled low. “So adorable,” I murmured, brushing a kiss to the tip of her nose. “Get some rest.”

I started to sit up, but my hand lingered. My fingers found the side of her neck, and my thumb

swept over the angry bruise I’d left-tenderly, almost reverently. As if making a silent vow to myself: Next time, it would be a mark that stayed.

“Good night, Eirlys,” I said, my voice low as I stood and turned away.

EIRLYS’ POV

I woke with the warmth of him still imprinted on my skin.

For a few hazy seconds, I didn’t move-half-asleep, wrapped in the warmth of last night’s memory.

My limbs felt heavy, but not from weariness. From something softer. Something like contentment.

Then my eyes fluttered open.

Groaning, I sat up slowly and scanned the room. Nibbles snored softly in his cage, blissfully

unaware. I stared at him, thoughts spinning in a restless blur.

What happened last night?

My heart picked up speed as memories flooded in the feel of his lips on mine, the way his voice dipped when he called me beautiful, the dizzying surge of my glow, his teeth grazing my skin.

I could still feel the faint sting of his bite… but there’d been something else too. Something that

made my toes curl.

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Chapter 85 Burns and Bruises

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When he left, my mind had still been floating-drunk on the kiss, dazed by the warmth he left

behind. I hadn’t processed any of it.

But now… now, in the clear light of morning, it made me nervous.

What did it mean for us?

Would it change anything?

Should I pretend it never happened?

I considered sinking back into the mattress, staying hidden beneath the blankets. I wasn’t ready to face him yet.

But eventually, I forced myself to rise, bathe, and change.

Standing before the mirror, I reached for my brush and began working through the tangles. As I lifted my hair to tie it up, I caught sight of the mark purplish, reddish, and still angry against my

skin.

I let my hair fall, covering it.

I approached Nibbles’ cage, tossed in some lettuce stalks and fruit, then headed to the door. I opened it slowly, careful not to wake anyone. Just as it clicked shut behind me, the door across the hall swung open, making me jump.

Kierygan stepped out-tall, composed, dressed in black. He didn’t look surprised at all.

“Going down for breakfast?” he asked casually, as if last night hadn’t happened.

I swallowed. “Yes.”

He closed the distance between us, and I assumed he meant to walk with me to the dining hall. But then his arms slipped around my waist, pulling me to face him. Without a word, he kissed me.

It wasn’t as fierce as before. It was quieter. Yet somehow, just as intense.

I blinked up at him, stunned.

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