CHAPTER 26
It was no surprise when the dinner turned to talks of council matters, and Thomas asked that Kergot join them, to take the post abandoned when their eldest member had recently passed away.
“I appreciate the offer, but I just can’t. I am in no way fit to hold on to such a seat in such a place of importance.”
“What would make you say that?”
“I just know that it is not what is best for me that is all. We all have our place and mine is in the school, with the children, not on this council deciding matters about drinking water and building codes.”
“Is that all you think we do?” one of them laughed.
“No. I am sure I am oversimplifying,” Kergot responded.
“Perhaps you are,” Thomas said lightheartedly.
“Why not consider your own brother for the post or perhaps one of the McCord brothers?”
“One McCord brother desires the post no more than you do, and both my brother, Josh and Owen McCord are married to humans, which denies them a seat on the council.”
“Your wife is half tiger shifter, is she not?”
“Quite a bit less given her long lineage, but close enough. Why?”
“What is the difference in being half human and being part tiger shifter?”
“An exception was made because I was already on the council.”
“My wife, for all purposes, might as well be half human. She has lost her ability to shift. She has lost her ability to bear children. These things were taken from her by humans. I could stand here and say that I hate all humans because of it. As a matter of fact, I’ve good reason to say such a thing for more reasons that that,” Kergot began to say.
“Kergot,” Penelope whispered urgently, trying to get him to back off.
“No. It needs to be said, Pene,” he told her, turning back to Thomas.
“We all coexist in this place, our secret life away from the humans that might harm us, but even here, we all have our differences. I watch my wife cry sometimes because she feels like less of a dragon shifter than those of us around her. Do you not think that the human mates feel her pain too? Do you not think your own wife feels pain at being different than others, viewed as a freak by some?”
Penelope caught sight of something moving behind the curtains that sat near the large table at which they all were eating. The McCord brothers stood quietly nearby, saying nothing, not even looking towards those that spoke. The curtains moved again as Penelope glanced back in that direction.
“I suppose I’ve never considered how the mates of my brothers feel. That is their place to suppose how their wives view the world and to make them as comfortable and happy as possible. As for my own mate, she has never expressed such a concern to me,” he said, reaching for his wife’s hand and giving it a little squeeze.
“Perhaps it is time that you did so,” Kergot replied, rising from the table and making his excuses to leave.
Penelope saw the ripple in the curtain again and turned her head toward it, watching it. The people at the table stood and looked in that direction as well. Suddenly, giggles echoed throughout the room as a pair of mischievous children darted out and across the room.
“Dawn! Liam! What are you doing in here? You are supposed to be in the nursery!” Aaron Donnelly suddenly roared at them from where he had sat silently at one end of the table allowing the discussion to take place without his interference.
“We are playing hide and go seek!” Liam said, still smiling broadly at his father as he reached for Dawn’s hand in solidarity.
“Go back to the nursery and play it there!” Aaron commanded them.
“You are no fun!” Dawn exclaimed defiantly at the dragon leader.
“Dawn! Do not disrespect your elders!” her father told her, stepping out from where he stood guard nearby. “Get back to the nursery!”
Dawn looked dejected as she slumped her shoulders and pulled Liam along with her toward the stairs that led back down to the nursery. On the way, she paused and looked up at Kergot smiling. He looked back at her, confused by what he perceived as some amusement on her behalf. Instead, she turned toward Penelope, taking her hand in her own and stroking it softly.
“You are going to be a wonderful mother,” she told her happily.
Penelope looked stricken, jerking her hand away from the small girl. How could she be so cruel as to say such a thing or did she simply not understand that such a thing was impossible for her? Perhaps she had not heard all of the conversation that had taken place only moments ago.
“Dawn! Out!” her father barked at her before turning back to Penelope with a look of disdain in his eyes.
“Penelope, I am so sorry. She is just a child and doesn’t know any better!” he told her.
“It’s okay, Owen. I know she doesn’t,” she told him.
“Let’s go home,” Kergot said tersely. “I think we’ve had enough fun for one night.”
There was silence as they exited the large dining hall and returned to their own house on the other side of the village. Neither spoke about what Dawn had said to them, deciding it was just something they should let go.
They made their way to the bedroom and got undressed in silence, but no sleep came. Instead, they reached for one another in the darkness, finding their way into a deep embrace and passionate kiss. Time stood still, as it always seemed to when they were in one another’s arms.
Soon, Kergot was moving down her body, taking away any remnants of pain she might be feeling. He drove his tongue inside her, setting off an incredible, earth-shattering moan that resonated throughout the room. She was his instrument to play, so finely tuned, and if he touched her right, she made the most glorious sounds—raw, intense, absolutely delicious noises of pleasure as he plundered her with his tongue.
“I want you so badly,” he told her.
Penelope grabbed his hair, yanked, and pulled him closer as he’d told her once he loved for her to do. He thrust one finger inside her, crooking it and hitting her in the spot that turned her moans into one long, high-pitched orgasm. She shuddered against him, her legs quaking, and when he finally slowed to look up at her, he saw her hair was a wild tumble, and her face was glowing.
“Take me, Kergot. Take me like you did that first night we were together,” she told him, and he was only too happy to comply with her wishes.”
Their lovemaking lasted for hours, well into the wee hours of morning when they finally collapsed into an exhausted sleep. It was here in his arms that she felt most peaceful, and the events of last night were already far from her mind. As they rose to face the day, they showered and dressed for school.