“Gryffnn, where is your little pet this blacklight?” Aideen dropped onto the empty chair beside him. She wore a scarlet gown that clung to her fit and curvy body, and she had coiled and pinned her red hair on top of her head in the same style his oldest sister Jacinta often wore. Aideen was an attractive woman although not for him. Aware of the rot beneath the shiny surface, he’d remain well clear of that trap, not that he’d ever be interested when Kaya had stolen his heart.
He smiled at the thought, looking forward to seeing her again.
Aideen’s sly grin shifted to a flirtatious beam, and Gryffnn blinked. No. Just no.
“Are you tired of your pet already? Would you prefer a strong and lethal dragon?”
Gryffnn refrained from reminding Aideen that his little pet had kicked her arse in the wrestling ring.
Instead of telling her to phrull off, he aimed for tactful. “Thank you for the offer, but Kaya and I are happy with our relationship.”
“Oh, I thought that was why you’d imprisoned Caley. You wanted to clear the path for me.”
Gryffnn couldn’t contain his shudder of dislike. Desperate for something to do with his hands, he picked up his drink and drank a good half of the fiery liquor in his goblet. Then, he had an excuse for his involuntary response.
“Caley is refusing to apologize to Kaya. She will remain in the cell until she finds her manners,” Gryffnn stated.
“Ah,” Aideen said. “I hoped that you and Caley would reconcile. She was younger then and did not act with wisdom.”
“She refused my dragon fire and slept with at least two other dragons,” Gryffnn said in disbelief. “Why would I give her a second chance when she stomped over my pride and rejected our son?”
Aideen ran a finger down his biceps. Her touch zapped straight to his cock, and he scowled, edging away. What the hell was wrong with him? He drank more of his drink and blinked when the surrounding faces of his clan and Aideen’s turned fuzzy. Whoa! That kicked harder than he’d realized. He set it down with a thump and somehow misjudged the height of the table. Liquid splashed across the tabletop and over Aideen’s hand. “Sorry.”
“No problem. Waiter! More Devil’s Blood over here,” she hollered. Once she was satisfied she had the servers scurrying, she turned back to him. “I told Caley she had stomped on your pride and it was too late to go back. I warned her of this before our arrival.”
Gryffnn grunted. What the phrull was he meant to say? He hated Caley. Aideen too.
A server arrived to top up his goblet. Sable appeared in the doorway of the lounge where Gryffnn, his people and their visitors waited with pre-dinner drinks. “Dinner is ready. Please file through to the hall.”
“I don’t know why your brother brought that woman to your home. She is a half-breed and an abomination with that fake arm.”
The cruel words cut through the fog in his mind. “She is our sister, and a valued member of our family,” Gryffnn snapped.
Aideen shrugged off his furious words. “She operates your kitchens well. The food is tasty.”
Sable was so much more than that, but Gryffnn pushed to his feet. He staggered a step before he regained his balance. Aideen rose and gripped his left arm, her breasts brushing his chest. A shiver of need flooded his body, and horrified, he shook his head.
What the devil was wrong with him?
“I’m starving. The scent of the roasted meats is enticing. Shall we go to dinner?” Aideen fluttered her eyelashes at him.
“Yes, I am hungry too.” Gryffnn focused on putting one foot in front of the other. The longer he walked, the more control settled on his shoulders. He’d slept little recently, what with Ransom’s illness and worry over Aideen’s visit. He’d run out of energy. That was all. He’d feel more himself after he’d eaten.
Storg intercepted them. “Let me escort you to your seat, Aideen.”
“I will break protocol and sit by Gryffnn this eve. We have things to discuss.” She fluttered her lashes again, and Storg sent Gryffnn a frown of concern.
Gryffnn didn’t care where she sat. He wanted to eat, to end this cycle and retire to his chamber with his Kaya. He shrugged and gestured for Storg to allow Aideen to sit next to him.
Once everyone sat, Aideen thumped her spork on the edge of her goblet to gain attention.
“I want to thank Gryffnn for his hospitality and offer a toast. To forgiveness and friendship between our clans.”
Gryffnn had left his goblet on the table in the other room and Aideen signaled one of her people to hand Gryffnn another one. She filled the goblet to the brim from a bottle of liquor her man produced and shunted it toward Gryffnn.
She lifted her goblet. “To closer ties between our clans.”
Politeness bade him to drink the toast. He sipped the liquor, not wanting to fog his mind any further. Gryffnn set the goblet back on the float-table. Thankfully, Sable arranged a speedy food service, and they feasted on roasted meats—three different kinds, including his favorite pale yellow meat from the Gerton lizard. Sable produced trays of roasted vegetables and leafy greens, although he noted most of Aideen’s people avoided the vegetables.
During his father’s time, they had dined solely on meats, but Sable and their housekeeper Jewel had proved to them that a diet of variety aided their strength and they suffered fewer illnesses.
Sable ended the meal with a variety of tropical fruits from their planet and sweetmeats.
The many toasts proposed by Aideen throughout the meal had his head buzzing from the liquor. Once everyone finished, Gryffnn stood.
“Tom-cycle we will hold more contests and a scavenger hunt,” he announced. “Those who wish to participate should assemble early to break their fast.”
Cheers rang out as Gryffnn held his balance by sheer force of will. Fresh air. That might buzz the fog from his brain. He angled his steps toward the door.
“Gryffnn.” Aideen matched his steps and put her arm through his.
Despite his irritation with the dragon woman, he appreciated her aid this eve.
“I intend to walk in the garden to breathe fresh air before I retire.”
“Would you consent to my company? I have clan matters I wish to discuss with you.”
Gryffnn huffed out a draft of air, the force of it burning his lungs and producing a curl of smoke. Alarm grew in him, yet he failed to summon the energy to avoid Aideen. “What do we have to discuss?”
“Let us walk a little yet. I don’t wish for ears to flap and our discussion to become gossip.”
That sounded ominous.
Gryffnn let Aideen guide him to the garden around the cottage where she was staying. The fresh air didn’t do much to clear the clouds in his head, but his balance improved with the exercise.
“We should have closer ties between our clans.” Aideen smiled and projected sincerity.
Gryffnn’s beleaguered mind screeched at him to use caution. “What are you talking about?”
“I want to mate with you, Gryffnn. I understand you not wanting to reconcile with Caley, given her behavior.” She prowled closer until her breasts brushed his chest. “But us together makes good sense.”
Her scent—strangely seductive—wound through his senses. Alarm surfaced at the wrongness of her proximity. He edged away until his back hit a head-high bush and he could retreat no more.
“You’re not immune to me, Gryffnn. I’ve seen you watching me. We could do great things together, build our clans into a single powerful one that will change the history books.”
Heat eased through his limbs and his cock filled.
Wrong. This was so wrong, yet he couldn’t seem to halt his body’s reaction to Aideen’s nearness.
“I…ah…betrothed,” he mumbled, a wave of lust striking him so hard his thoughts of loyalty wavered. Every hazy protest faded away, and his cock took over his brainbox. His shaft thrust against his trews with painful intensity. He moaned as pleasure slid over his skin.
“Kiss me, Gryffnn. I know you want to,” Aideen crooned.
Her breath feathered over his mouth. Her smoky, spicy scent filled his nostrils. He groaned, a tiny part of him appalled yet helpless to resist. Their lips touched…