“Don’t sulk.”

“I am not sulking,” he announced, the words emerging petulant on account that his lower lip was strongly affected by gravity at the moment.

“I shouldn’t have laughed so hard.”

“You almost peed yourself.”

“But I didn’t.”

He glared.

“Your home is, um…lovely, in a falling down, shack-in-the-middle-of-nowhere kind of way.”

“Mock it all you want. It’s mine.”

“Mine’s bigger. And newer.”

“Bet it doesn’t sit on three thousand acres of land.” He’d managed to achieve privacy in a world where oftentimes there was too little.

She peeked around, hands planted on her hips, hips he’d held on to as he plunged his cock into her body.

Schwing. His dick didn’t care if she mocked his farmhouse. It thought he should skip the bullshit and get to the fucking part.

She threw up her hands. “I’m sorry, muffin. I don’t care if it sits on a jillion acres. It’s flat farmland.” She gestured with a hand. “There’s not even a herd of bulls for me to play with.”

“We can get horses.” He gestured to the dilapidated barn.

“I’m pretty sure it would be considered animal cruelty to put them in there.”

“There’re rabbits in the fields.”

“This”—she gestured to her frame—“needs more than a rabbit. Give me red meat.”

“I’ve got red meat for you.” The hip thrust might have made another woman blush. She, on the other hand, licked her lips.

“I am a tad puckish.” She took a step toward him.

He held up a hand to halt her. “Not out here. Someone could see us.”

“Who?” Again, she gestured. “There’s nothing for miles around.”

“What if I said there was a bed inside?” He grabbed her by the hand and drew her to the house. She went reluctantly, and he grinned.

Such a spoiled princess. She saw only the worn-down aspects of this place. She didn’t see all the other things that made it wonderful.

The door yielded at his touch. Why bother locking it? What could anyone steal?

Inside, worn linoleum greeted them, a faded brick pattern that never, ever, even when new, looked like actual tile. A glance to the left into the living room showed a room with ratty furniture, the stuffing oozing out of holes. The hardwood floors in that space had lost their veneer years ago and turned a dirty grayish tan.

The wallpaper, a running theme throughout the home, boasted a wildflower pattern faded with time, the edges of it peeled.

“Are you sure this place is safe?” she said, peering about with doubt.

“Structurally sound, I promise.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her close to him so they both stood in the middle of a braided rug that could have choked someone if they took the time to beat the dust out of it.

“What do you think?”

“I think you need an interior designer.”

“Are you disparaging my hoard?”

“You consider this your hoard?” Her arched brows went well with her high-pitched reply. “You should think of taking lessons on what constitutes a hoard.”

“Perhaps you can educate me in my bedroom.”

“Is it on the second floor? Because I’ve got to say, I’d be worried all that bouncing around might send the house crashing down around us.”

“Actually, my bedroom is below.” He uttered a short note, a tiny whistle that caused the house around them to shiver then disappear as the carpet they stood on dropped down a hole, which immediately sealed behind with a new seamless section of floor and rug.

The entranceway to the true part of his home.

Deka squealed, not in fear, not his Silver princess.

She squealed, “I should have known you were screwing with me. This is amazing!” Her excitement proved contagious.

Down they plummeted, air rushing against their faces, her hair fluttering in a spiked ‘do.

One story. Two. Three. His true home lay far underground, and no, he’d not dug it out himself. He’d found this cavern by accident when looking to buy a place that would offer privacy. He’d toured the less-than-impressive home, hemming over the choice, when he found the well in the cellar. He’d dropped a rock down it, only to never hear it hit. Being young and adventurous, he’d jumped down with only a flashlight.

He’d found something amazing.

The carpet halted on a stone dais, intricately carved and inlaid with gold. His true front hall, so to speak.

“Welcome to Maison D’Ore.”

For a moment, she didn’t say a word, just glanced around, taking it all in. “How did you get your hands on paradise?” The awe in her voice made him swell with pride.

“I was an archeologist. Remember?”

“For ancient places like Egypt and stuff. This is in the middle of potato country.”

“The best things are sometimes hidden in plain sight.” No need to admit he’d found it by a fluke. He didn’t believe in coincidences. Fate, on the other hand, according to all his research, might be fickle, but she did have a purpose when she guided.

“How did you get a castle down here?” She stared at the edifice rising from the bottom of the cavern, the submerged lights in the pond to the left of it refracting on the stone.

“I’d like to take credit, but I found most of this as you see it.”

“Who built it?”

He shrugged. “No idea. It might have been a dragon ancestor.” And yet, the language he’d found, even some of the murals, indicated another race. Something no longer seen in this world.

“Are the lights magic or natural?”

“More like man-made. Anything modern or electrical was a touch I added.”

“All the perks of home,” she murmured. “What about cable?”

“Of course. We have high-speed internet, too, courtesy of a satellite hook up. All the amenities you’d expect.”

“But how? Did Parker help you with this?”

He snorted. “Parker was an abusive a-hole who thought he was in charge. I allowed him to think it because, as long as he thought I was a good little soldier, he tended to not pay much mind when I disappeared on digs. Sometimes for weeks without contact.”

“And while you were faking him out, you were creating this.” She whirled to take in more details before turning and slugging him in the gut.

He lost his breath and felt he should add she did not hit like a girl.

It was so fucking hot. He tossed her over his shoulder as he strode toward his domain.

“Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m pissed?” she railed at his back.

“That would imply that I’m interested in hearing your reasoning, which is probably something inane, such as you’re PMSing.”

“I am not PMSing.”

“Then I’ll wager you’re pissed because you were gullible enough to think I would actually live in that run-down dump upstairs.”

“It’s not nice to trick people.”

“But it is fun,” he said with a chuckle.

She snorted then laughed. A giggle cut short as he entered the castle and it illuminated, the subtle lighting he’d put in reacting to his presence.

“How does it run? Do you have a power plant down here or something?”

“Or something,” he said with a grin. “Those farm fields you see outside? Not all that wheat is real. Some of it is a fiber optic type of strand that absorbs solar energy and then runs it down to a rather large holding unit.”

“I didn’t think they’d created batteries big enough to hold much.”

“Oh, they exist, but the power companies don’t want you to stop relying on them. It’s all about the money, princess.”

“So your farm field is actually some giant electricity field?”

“It is. And this is my stronghold. My hoard. It can withstand any nuclear attack. Even an asteroid. If the world ends, we can watch and eat popcorn.”

“With butter, I hope, because only savages eat it plain.” The words didn’t come from Deka, which was why he jumped.

How embarrassing to be startled. Then again, he never expected Babette to jump out of a doorway, can of soda in hand.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” he barked.

“Waiting for you.” Babette shook her head. “Took you long enough. Did you take the scenic route over the ocean?”

“How did you know where here was? Tell me.” He bristled as he advanced on Babette while Deka struggled on his shoulder.

“Don’t you dare kill my favorite cousin,” she squeaked.

“Maybe your favorite cousin shouldn’t show up in a man’s castle uninvited,” he growled. But he set Deka down and contented himself with glaring over his woman.

“Calm down, stud muffin.” Her small hands pressed against his chest. “I guess I should have warned you to expect her. Babette and I do almost everything together.”

“Except guys.” Babette shuddered. “I prefer something a little more feminine myself.”

“How did you find my fortress?” Because if this dragoness had found it, then how long before others did?

“Through the hidden door.”

“What hidden door?”

Babette rolled her eyes. “If I tell you, it won’t be hidden anymore.”

“How did you even know we were coming?

“Would you like me to count the ways? One, the tracker in her ass reactivated.” Babette ticked a finger. “Two. Cell phone signal.” Deka waved the phone in question. “Which reminds me, text your mother. She’s been a rampaging bitch these past few weeks. And three, who do you think sold you the solar technology, for a fortune that enriched our own coffers, I might add?” Babette uttered a loud ka-ching for emphasis.

He glared. “The Silver Sept is spying on me.”

“Well, duh. It is our job to know everything that needs to be known to help out the king.”

At Babette’s words, he stiffened. “Does that mean Remiel knows I’m here?” Because he wasn’t quite ready to deal with his brother. Give him a decade, or two, maybe even three.

“Not yet. But I wouldn’t expect that to last long. The Aunts V are Zahra’s puppets. Seeing how easily I found you, chances are they know, too, and they’ll probably tattle before long.”

“Does this mean Mother will be showing up, as well?” Deka asked.

Her mother? Oh, fuck, he wasn’t ready to deal with a pissed parent. Oh, hey there, I’ve been banging your daughter. Hope you don’t mind.

His entrails would probably make a mess on the floor.

Babette waved a hand. “Don’t worry about your mom. She’ll be a while still. I might have told her your tracker was spotted in Australia.”

“Um, we are in Australia,” he muttered.

“Yeah, but she thought I was lying, so she’s combing Europe.”

“Maybe she wouldn’t have to go searching if she’d stuck around and waited for me,” Deka said darkly. The nerve of not having a committee to welcome still rankled his princess.

“We kind of had other shit to deal with. Like, you know, the apocalypse and all.”

“What has the suzerain done?”

“Who?” Babette blinked at him.

“Freaky, red-eyed chick, sometimes a dude, wants to rule the world?” Deka explained.

“Oh, her. She’s going by the name Voa, Boa, something or other. And she’s been popping up all over the place with her minions of annoyance.”

“Has she stated what she wants?”

“World domination.” The duh tone said it all.

“How big is her army?”

Babette shrugged. “Hard to tell because they often attack in small groups in multiple places at once. And it’s not just dragons she’s subverted fighting for her. She’s got humans, and even some of the other cryptos battling under her banner. Which, oddly enough, is a dragon with squiggles coming out of it.”

“Because she’s a dragon,” Samael admitted, more than a little grimly.

“Bullshit!” Babette exclaimed. “But she doesn’t look like a dragon. And I hear she doesn’t smell like one either.”

“Suzie’s got all kinds of talents, including eating souls to get stronger.”

“Okay, that’s just wrong.”

“Exactly, and we have to stop her,” Deka declared.

“We?” Samael shot her a look.

“Yes, we. Team…” Deka paused. “We need a cool name.”

“No,” he stated. “We don’t—”

As if they’d let him finish that thought.

“How about Team Sausage and Buns?”

“No, that’s too foody. We need something elegant but dangerous.” Deka tapped her chin. “The Rampaging Duo.”

Babette scrunched up her face. “But then that implies I can’t come along sometimes for fun.”

“Trio?”

Again, Babette shook her head. “Then people will think we’re in a ménage. My girlfriend wouldn’t like that.”

“You’re dating?” Deka squealed. “Who is it?”

“You don’t know her. I met her in Paris,” Babette confided, a pink blush to her cheeks.

“That is amazing, cuz. I want to hear all the details.”

“Can we get back to the end of the world?” he barked.

“No.” It came in stereo, and he scowled.

“I’m going to have a shower.” He turned around and began stalking through his castle, only to have a body launch itself at his back and hold on.

“Mind if I join you? Who are we both kidding? We both know you’d love it if I came along.”

“Your friend invaded my castle.” He still hadn’t quite gotten over that fact, that and the threat that more might be coming.

“Get used to being barged in on. My family has few boundaries.”

“I like my privacy.”

“No one says you can’t still like it, but you will have less of it now that you have me. I think I might be a slight bit possessive.”

He reached over and dragged her off his back into his arms. “I am, too, which is why the idea of sharing you with a bunch of people is annoying.”

“But you’ll put up with it for me.”

“Yes.” Grudgingly said. “For now. However, don’t get used to it. I intend to tighten security.”

“Good luck with that. My aunts are the best in the biz. They’ll think it’s fun to crack it.”

“I can’t even believe we’re discussing this. Shouldn’t we be more worried about the fact that Suzie is trying to take over the world?”

“Oh, please. Like that will ever happen. The dragons might be slow-moving when it comes to some things, but once the decision is made, we’ll fight back. I think.”

“What do you mean, think? Wasn’t that why we returned?”

“Well, yeah, we’ll definitely go and tackle her ass, but I can’t talk for the Septs.”

“Not even the Silver one?”

She shook her head. “They will follow the ruling of the king.”

“And if my brother decides to not get involved?”

She shrugged. “Then Suzie might be able to do some damage, and he won’t have much left to rule. But it won’t come to that because we won’t let her ruin our world. Right?”

Her confidence was misplaced. What did one half-breed Golden have that was so special?

He looked down at the silver head nestled against his chest.

I have a reason to not lose.

His bedroom was in the topmost tower or, as Deka declared with a clap of her hands, “Penthouse suite. Nice, muffin.”

Nicer was the giant-size bed with a real mattress and clean sheets. Nicest of all? The bathroom with all the hot water and shower jets a person could ask for.

“Last one in is a rotten wyvern egg.”

“Wyverns don’t have eggs,” he retorted. But he had to smile as she ditched her clothes, revealing that perfect body of hers, which looked much better wrapped around his.

She dove into the shower and squealed as she turned the knob and cold water initially shot out. She laughed, the crystal-clear sound the most precious thing he’d ever heard.

So many things about her were precious.

And mine.

Mustn’t forget that. He didn’t know if it was because she kept insisting or if he was finally ready to admit it, but they belonged together.

He needed her.

Needed her right now.

The face she turned up to him as he towered over her held a smile and a hint of erotic promise.

“Hey, stud muffin. Is that for me?” She would have grabbed his erection, but he caught her first, gripping her hands in his fists, dragging them down to her sides. It drew her tight against him, so tight, they were skin-to-skin, naked flesh that trembled at the contact.

A languorous look shuttered her eyes as she stared at him. Unlike other women, she wasn’t intimidated at all. Nor did he see the avarice that often tainted the gazes of those who knew who and what he was. Nothing but desire shone in her depths.

A desire reciprocated.

The longer he stared, the more her lids drooped, and her gaze dropped to his mouth.

Kiss me.

She demanded, and he was more than happy to comply. He dipped his head that he might claim her lips. Arousal coursed through him, fierce and fast. The taste of her boiled his blood.

His hands skimmed over her frame, stroking her flesh, reacquainting himself and, at the same time, reclaiming what was his.

Because you are mine.

She heard him and laughed against his lips. All yours, stud. I am never leaving.

Where once he might have seen those words as a threat, he now recognized them for a promise, a bond that only grew stronger between them.

I should claim you. Here. Now.

Except she thought, No.

He pulled back. “What do you mean, no?”

Despite their lips having parted, she clutched at his shoulders, fingers digging into his flesh, attempting to draw him back.

“Not no as in we’ll never do it. No as in not right now. I want you. Don’t doubt that. But when I put my mark on you, it will be in front of an audience because I don’t want any doubt that I chose you, and I want everyone to know.”

His nostrils flared as his emotions tumbled, so many of them at once, but the most prevalent?

Satisfaction. You are mine. And she was right. When he claimed her, and that was no longer even a question, he would do so in a way that left no doubt as to that fact.

Deft fingers stroked her bare skin, reveling in the silky smoothness, finding her ticklish spots just because he liked to hear her giggle.

Her soft laughter tickled his mouth, and he swallowed it, swallowed every sweet sound she made in his arms. She also stroked him, but she wasn’t gentle about her touch, gripping him, digging her nails in, passion giving her strength. The urgency of her need caressed him as surely as her skin did rubbing against his, the water of the shower making them slick.

His eager cock found itself trapped between their bodies, pulsing against her lower belly. The bed sat only a few yards away, too far and too drafty for their wet bodies.

Why leave the hot, steamy shower when it was large enough for what he had planned? Cupping her ass, his hands filled with her full cheeks, he raised her, and she didn’t need to be told to wrap her legs around his waist. The heat of her core pressed against his skin. Pulsed.

He shifted her enough that his cock sprang free and bounced under her butt. He then lowered her enough to seesaw it against her wet slit. A most glorious moan slipped from her, the kind that shivered through the body.

Sexiest fucking thing ever.

He aimed the swollen tip of his shaft at her sex, pressing it lightly against her damp lips. It took only the slightest pressure to penetrate, the walls of her cunt squeezing him.

Yes.

The mental voice, him or her, it didn’t matter. He hissed as her head tilted.

He slid balls-deep into her and sat there, slightly grinding himself into her, a swirl and push of his hips that drove him deep.

She stuttered. “Oh, damn. Damn.” Her fingers dug into his back, sharp and strong. As strong as the grip she had on him.

“That’s it, princess.” My queen.

Damned straight.

The intimate connection of their minds kept blowing him away. There was no mistaking who she was in his head. She existed as part of him and somehow enhanced every experience.

I can feel your enjoyment, he thought, feel how complicated her emotions were about him, but in a good way.

She truly does want me.

Of course, I do, stud.

Because they belonged together. He thrust into her, keeping her back pressed against the shower wall, his hips pistoning.

“Harder,” she panted.

He couldn’t. He’d hurt her.

Give it to me. The words growled into his mind.

She commanded, and he couldn’t help but obey.

He thrust harder, in and out, the friction slick. But it wasn’t enough for her.

She needed something more.

He manhandled her, pulling her down, ignoring her mewl of protest that he might stand her facing the wall. A hand curled around her thigh and pulled her ass back toward him.

His other hand stroked the round cheek. “Spread your legs.”

She kicked them apart and thrust her ass out a little bit more. The perfect height for him to slam his cock back in.

She cried out as he pumped in and out, but he got her to come hard when he slipped a hand under and began to finger her clit.

She rippled around him, her channel pulsing in time to her orgasm. It was incredible, especially when you added in the fact that he felt her come, like felt it.

No wonder she liked it so much.

He came, possibly twice, because she said, I love you.