THIRTY-EIGHT
Of all the bloody bad timing . . .
An entry into Sian’s realm had pinged his consciousness. Muttering a vile curse, he grasped Calliope’s elbow, teleporting her to their room.
He’d just been a heartbeat away from tasting her, inhaling his mate’s tantalizing scent—about to feast on her.
While she’d been stroking his horns! How many times had he fantasized about that same scenario over the last ten millennia?
Fuck the defense of Pandemonia.
No, no, he now had a mate to protect; defense was more important than ever.
After steadying her, he traced to his dressing room. Brushing sand from his knees, he stabbed his legs into trews, struggling to tie the laces over his bulging cock.
Had he really been partway inside his mate?
She’d donned her robe by the time he returned. “What’s going on?”
“Kingdom concerns. Stay here. I’ll be back to escort you to dinner.” He briefly took her lips again, reluctant to release her.
Sudden impact rocked the castle. From the throne tower?
She grabbed his hand. “What concerns?”
“There’s no danger to you. I’ll take care of this.”
“Okay. Go. I can keep myself occupied.”
“That’s what I’m worried about. Don’t take the edge off your need.” He pressed a kiss to her palm. “Wait and allow me to tend to you.”
She nodded breathlessly.
He traced to the throne room, baring his fangs for a confrontation.
Uthyr had just collapsed onto the terrace. Scorch marks covered him. He was missing scales and looked exhausted.
“What happened to you, dragon?”
Uthyr’s chest heaved, emitting wheezing puffs of smoke. —You happened to me, demon!—
“Explain.”
—I flew to the Vrekeners’ mountain to watch the queen’s television, a season finale. But when I was ready to return here and check on your progress, someone had decided to lop off that realm. With me in it!—
Sian pinched his forehead. “My apologies, Uthyr. How did you manage to get back here?”
—Let’s just say it involved a lot of firepower and many transdimensional connections.— His streams of fire burned tunnels to other worlds. —Since I was already out, I journeyed to Gaia to visit Rune in Louisiana. But weakness hindered my invisibility. I was seen by drunken mortals! They called me a Mardi Gras float. What in the hells is that?—
Sian shrugged, eager to get back to his mate.
—When I didn’t give them moon pies, they hurled beads at me!—
Indeed Uthyr had colorful beads dangling from his horns. The dragon’s scaled brow furrowed as he took in Sian’s expression. —Why do you look not miserable?—
“Much has occurred here as well.” Shoulders back, he said, “I wed Calliope yesterday.” He needed to get her a wedding gift. He’d procure jewels for her from one of Graven’s rooms.
Setting aside his ire, Uthyr said, —She accepted your appearance? Your past treatment of her?—
Sian rubbed the back of his neck. “I made a bargain with her not to invade Sylvan. I vowed that the Møriør would leave those inhabitants in peace.”
Uthyr rolled his golden eyes. —Still playing your games?—
“Maybe I know of no other way.”
—Wait, all of the inhabitants? Some of Magh’s line reside in Sylvan. Rune will go apoplectic to be denied his vengeance.—
“I’ll make him understand.”
—Let me know how that works out for you.— He sighed. —Of all the times for Orion to sleep.—
As if Sian and Rune would need some kind of intervention?
—Have you claimed your mate?—
He shook his head. “She will let me know when she is ready.”
—Finally, an iota of sense from you. I don’t suppose you’ve told her your appearance will continue to change.—
“No. I want to give her a chance to cleave to me, if that’s possible. And it might just be.” Her smoldering sensuality had staggered him. “She is demonstrating facets I never saw before.”
She’d wanted to touch him! Her tender caresses on the beach had set him aflame. He could scarcely believe she’d kissed his horns. And all the while, the maddening scent of her arousal had deepened.
Maybe she did belong here in hell. With him.
—What facets?—
Sian couldn’t stop his grin. “She’s a lusty one.”
—Lucky demon.—
“Gods, dragon, that female is bliss embodied.” She’d already ruined him for all other females.
—You’ve forgiven her for everything in the past?—
Sian’s grin faded as if never there. “I try to turn my mind from it, but I fear the past will be like a drop of acid, seething forever.” Even in the midst of such pleasure on the beach, he’d been reminded of losing his horns. “I can’t relive certain memories without erupting into a rage.” The amputation and her reaction . . .
—Excellent foundation for an eternal union. What will you do about heirs?—
When Sian tried to picture his offspring—a possibility that was actually in reach—he couldn’t see anything but pups with pointed ears and demonic tempers.
Yet he knew such thinking was idiocy. “I’d never pressure Calliope to bear a dark fey. She’d probably be horrified if I brought up the prospect.” She’d reached for that contraception ring quickly enough.
—Tell her how you truly feel, even if your pride fights you.—
“I will. In time. I have this under control.”
—Of course you do. Why listen to a wise dragon like myself?— With a surly look, Uthyr licked a gash across his forepaw.
“I am sorry about your troubles, brother.”
—I’ll need to sleep this off for a couple of days.—
Sian nodded. “How are Rune and Josephine?”
—Settling in nicely, and so in love it’d be sickening if Josephine didn’t “jank” on him so much.— She took zero guff from Rune, keeping him in line with her brash attitude. —I told them you have found your mate. They plan to stop by soon to meet her.—
Which would give Sian scant time to get through to Calliope, to change a view she’d held all her life. . . .