Remiel held the woman by the throat, his golden hands tipped in claws pressing against her skin.

How easy it would be to kill her. To slam her against the wall a few times. To toss her like a ball through that glass cabinet filled with jars. Or he could simply twist her head and pop it.

I hate doctors. Even pretty ones like the one he dangled in the air.

Imagine his surprise when he’d woken up in a clean bed. Imagine his greater surprise when he realized someone had clocked him hard enough to put him out.

Impressive and unacceptable. I’ll have to kill the person.

First, though, he decided to murder the woman daring to stick him with a needle.

Which was why and how his angel found him a moment later when she ran into the room.

“Don’t kill her. Put her down.”

Instead, he stared at the woman, fury burning in his veins. “She wasss poking at me with a needle,” he lisped.

“She wasn’t doing it to harm you.”

His angel placed her hands on his biceps, and instantly her touch soothed. “I don’t like needlesss.” The s on the end rolled off his forked tongue.

“No one does, but that doesn’t mean you get to be a big baby about it.”

“Baby?” He turned to look at her over his shoulder. “Did you seriously call me an infant?” He set the woman down, releasing her before he fully turned.

“Well, you are whining an awful lot. Was it because she didn’t offer you a lollipop?”

“Don’t push me.”

“I will push you if I damned well please. What are you going to do? Hit me?” She stood right in his face, and he could see she braced for it.

He wanted to kill something, but it most definitely wasn’t her. “I would never harm you.” Ever. I’ll kill anyone who does.

“If I may speak, clan Silvergrace also didn’t mean you any harm,” added the older lady as she patted her hair. Her voice held a rasp.

“You don’t mean me harm, and yet I was attacked in your home.” Attacked and felled. Remiel would have to work harder so that it didn’t happen again. He’d been lax in his studies and exercise.

The old lady’s lips pursed. “That is our fault for not realizing Sue-Ellen’s sibling would so quickly arrive.”

Sibling? The big dude was related to his angel? Fuck. That probably meant no hitting back. “Why did you want samples if you don’t mean me harm?”

“My sister, Waida, told us she’d met you, but failed to get any genetic traces. We wanted to verify your claim.”

“You want proof of who I am.” Remiel smiled. He hoped it was his badass version. “Look into my eyes. See your proof.” Whereas other dragons had a few shades of irises, all had green fire when the beast rose.

Except for Remiel. His eyes flashed gold.

“Remarkable,” Xylia claimed. But instead of dropping to a knee to swear fealty, she whirled from him and tapped on a tablet on the table behind her, taking notes. “Is one of your special abilities speed healing your wounds?”

“More like years of practice being a punching bag.” The doctors did so like to test his limits. He didn’t mention it for sympathy, though, just simple truth. It backfired. He saw the pity on their faces and growled. “Don’t feel sorry for me. It doesn’t bother me.” It hadn’t in a while. Especially once he killed those who’d hurt him.

“Don’t tell us how to feel. I will feel sorry for what they did because it’s the right thing to do. No one should have hurt you that way.” How fierce Sue-Ellen sounded. Always protecting him.

Just like I always protected her. But he couldn’t protect her if he was a prisoner. The world might be coming after them. He needed an army. Now.

He veered his gaze to the silver-haired woman. He adopted his most serious mien. “I know you, Xylia Silvergrace. Sister to the matriarch, chief medical and science officer for the Silver Sept. You hold several degrees in biotechnology and chemistry, too. I see the reports of your underground lab weren’t exaggerations.”

“You’re well informed.”

“I didn’t spend an idle childhood. Every waking hour was some kind of lesson.” Back then, he and Samael had learned together. Their rivalry hadn’t truly developed, and so they had supported each other. Quizzed each other that they might earn rewards. Until the day Samael betrayed him.

“I want to reiterate that, despite your past, now that we are aware of your existence, my liege is safe among the Silver Sept. As in the past, we are loyal to the Golden line and ready to give our pledge.”

“Sounds good. So long as hooking up with the Silver families doesn’t involve marriage. I’m already taken.” When Sue-Ellen would have protested, he put a hand over her mouth. He smiled at Xylia. “She’s shy about announcing it.”

Xylia’s gaze flicked to Sue-Ellen for a moment. “You might want to think about doing a mark that shows your commitment.”

“Great idea and I’ll take care of it as soon as you leave.”

A chomp at his fingers had his hand pulling free, and Sue-Ellen exclaimed, “We aren’t taking care of anything.”

“Fine. I will do all the work, and you can enjoy it.”

“You won’t be—”

Since she wasn’t being productive with her arguing, he covered her grumbles with a kiss. Since it didn’t melt her tension, he kept kissing her. Then he kissed her just because he enjoyed it.

At one point during the kissing, Xylia left. Finally alone.

And did his woman appreciate it?

No!

She bit him and shoved away. “Don’t think you can just kiss me and make this all go away.”

“I was planning to do more than kiss.”

“What if I don’t want to be kissed?”

A slow smile pulled his lips. “You do.” Said smugly since he could scent her arousal.

Her cheeks turned pink. “What my body wants and what I want are two very different things.” She tossed her head. “There is too much baggage between us.”

“I’ll burn it.”

“You can’t be serious.” She planted her hands on her hips, adorable in her anger. Annoying with her refusal to finally admit the truth.

“I am beyond serious. All my life, people have been playing games with me. Telling me what to do. Locking me up when I refuse. There is only one thing I’ve ever wanted in this world. Just one.”

“To be free?”

“No. I only ever wanted you.”

Her expression softened. “How can you say that after everything that has happened?”

“Because it’s true. I see you and it’s like the sun rises even if it’s dark. I smell you and I feel a sense of rebirth, of hope. When I touch you…” He reached out and drew her near. “I feel alive.”

“But—”

“There is no but,” he said before silencing her with his lips. He pulled his angel close, deepening the embrace. To his groaning delight, she kissed him back, and her lips parted in acceptance. While his tongue went seeking, he molded her tightly against his body, leaving no space between them. Now if only they didn’t wear clothes.

Then again, while Xylia had left, they could be interrupted at any moment.

Best to be quick. Lifting her in his arms, he brought her to the bed—which kind of looked like an old stone altar covered in white sheets.

His fingers threaded in her hair as he continued to kiss her while his other hand tugged at her pants, his hand sliding under the waistband and caressing her hip.

She moaned into his mouth, and her temperature rose.

He pulled his hand free and chose to join her on the bed. Her legs slid apart and seemed to welcome his weight nestling between them. Even through the layers of clothing, he could feel the heated core of her pressing against his erection. He rocked against her, applying even more pressure, and she gasped.

A hot pant of breath against his lips that kept stuttering with mewls of pleasure as he ground against her.

And this was just the beginning of the pleasure he’d give her.

He trailed his way across her jaw to the soft shell of her ear. He swirled his tongue and felt her digging her fingers into his sides, and her body trembled under him.

Slowly, he made his way down her neck to the collar of her T-shirt. A T-shirt that stood in his way.

Rip.

Not anymore. He exposed his angel to his gaze. And under his fiery watch, her nipples hardened into nubs, nubs begging for his mouth.

Instead, he teased himself—and her—by rubbing his thumb over the tip of a nipple. Rub. Stroke. It tightened further, and her body quivered.

The peak called him. He bent and sucked it in, pulled as much of her breast as he could into his mouth. A guttural moan left her, a low, sexy sound of desire that only served to make his cock thicken even more.

He sucked her sweet berries, licking and nibbling her responsive flesh, loving how she bucked beneath him.

She made the most adorable mewling sounds. But only when she could breathe. More often, her breath caught as her head thrashed.

Her flushed skin oozed heat and sensuality, and he had to feel more of it.

Once more, his hand traveled downward, slipping past the waist of her pants. He dragged his fingers over the silk of her underpants. Then he slid a finger in. He ran it over her mound, feeling the short thatch arrowing to the apex of her thighs. He slipped his finger past it and sawed it over her damp lips.

Yes, damp. Wet for him.

He ran a few more fingers back and forth, feeling her shudder.

He could see and feel and even smell how much she desired him, but he needed to hear it, too. To finally have her accept him aloud. “Do you want me to stop?”

She didn’t reply but reached to him, grabbing him by the neck and drawing him down for a kiss. “Please, Remiel.”

Please. He was the one who should be begging.

He definitely planned to worship. He shoved her pants down, giving him better access.

He let a finger slip between her intimate folds to dip into her honeypot. It dripped sweetness. It soaked his finger, and he used it to rub against her clitoris. Rubbed it only for a moment before she arched and cried out his name.

Her virgin body couldn’t handle it. She came so quickly, but he wasn’t done. He pinned her with his frame while keeping his hand between them, stroking.

She sobbed against his mouth as his hand continued to work its magic against her, dipping and rubbing, forcing her pleasure to build again. He kept touching her, feeling the heat and desire of her and yet having to be patient.

So patient. When she whimpered against his mouth, “Please, Remiel,” he knew she was ready for him.

He quickly slid his pants past his hips, freeing him. He grabbed his erection one-handed while the other propped him over her.

The hardness of his shaft felt heavy in his grip, but he enjoyed the erotic feel as he rubbed the tip of his cock against her.

His angel gasped, and again she arched, sweet breasts poking into the air. He rubbed himself again, and again, making his cock slippery, driving her a little wild with lust.

When her eyes opened, the brown irises glowing with a strange yellow fire, he couldn’t help but be captivated by them.

He kissed her with his eyes wide open. The head of him pushed at the entrance to her sex then stopped when he felt something in his way.

She spread wider for him, and her fingers dug into his waist. Her legs locked around him, and he felt himself pushing against her hymen but not quite tearing it.

Being a virgin meant pain for her this first time. He didn’t want to do it. Couldn’t hurt her. He paused, hovering above her, sweat gleaming on his skin as he hesitated.

“You can’t stop now,” she murmured against his lips.

“This will irrevocably join us.” Much as he hated giving her the choice, he still did. Gave the choice even though all he wanted was to—

Apparently, Sue-Ellen didn’t like his hesitation. Her legs locked tight, and her hands dragged him closer, pulling him into her body, her hips thrusting up, ramming him within her and sheathing him completely.

Holy fucking God.

It was a very religious moment. He was pretty sure angels sang. He definitely felt lightning hit, a flash that left him more hyper-aware of Sue-Ellen than ever.

He didn’t need to ask if she felt it, too. He already knew she did, sensing it through this new bond, which was how he knew she was okay—and ready for more.

His lips clinging to hers, he began to move, hips thrusting and grinding as he pushed into her and pulled back. Sliding and stretching her, feeling her tight all around him and tightening further as she got closer to the peak. He was skirting to the edge himself, and each thrust brought him closer. Closer.

When she nipped his lip, sharp enough to break skin, his cock swelled and burst, forcing him deep one last time and triggering a scream from his angel, followed by dick-crushing waves of pleasure as her channel reacted. It pulsed around him, wringing every last ounce of pleasure from him that it could.

Wrung out and sated, he almost collapsed on top of his angel. He managed to brace his arms enough that he didn’t crush her with his full weight. Her eyes were shut, and her lips parted as she recovered. He rubbed his mouth over hers, and she sighed, a happy sound.

“That was epic.”

“You’re epic,” he said with a soft snort. “And mine.”

“As if I wasn’t before.”

“But now it’s official.” His throbbing lower lip proclaimed it. Just like his tearing of her maidenhead had claimed her. Blood for blood to join them for a lifetime.

“Officially complicated,” she grumbled, but spoken with the sweetest of smiles. Her hand reached out to stroke his cheek. Through the bond they shared, he felt her absolute contentment. Happiness.

Love.

She loved him just as he loved her. As if he could ever doubt. Awesomeness like him hadn’t been seen in centuries.

Still sheathed inside her tight, wet body, his shaft hardened again. He’d waited so long to be with her that just once wouldn’t be enough. A lifetime might never be enough.

But for now, at least, round two would have to wait. For one thing, she had been a virgin. Her female parts were probably sore, and here he was still buried inside her. He withdrew and rolled to his side.

She growled. Quite loudly. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“To kill whoever is about to interrupt us.”

Too late.

The door crashed open, and a silver-haired girl popped her head in.

“Yo, Suzie. We’ve got company.” The girl retreated, only to poke her head back in to wink at him and exclaim, “Nice ass.”

“She’s going to die.” He would note it wasn’t him that threatened that but Sue-Ellen.

“Who is it?” he asked, rolling off the bed completely and pulling up his breeches.

“That’s Deka Silvergrace.”

“Her new BFF,” exclaimed Deka, once again popping in. “You need to move it, love dragons. The Crimson matriarch slash priestess of the Gold is here demanding audience, and Aunt Yolanda is being super nice, which is really scary.”

“Hold on. Did you say Crimson matriarch? Since when?” Remiel asked.

“Since the previous Crimson leader croaked along with all but one of the daughters. The one that’s left is underage, so the priestess stepped in as guardian and is now controlling the Crimson Sept. And now she thinks she’s hot shit since she showed up without an appointment, making demands.”

“What kind of demands?” he asked as he finger combed his hair.

“She says you’re betrothed and is insisting you fulfill the terms of that bargain.”

“She wants you to get married?” Sue-Ellen screeched, and he laughed at the rage he felt through their bond.

Jealousy suited her.