He’s got the longest eyelashes…oh, good gods, Talaith. Get hold of yourself.
Before she panicked, she closed her eyes and used the tiny bit of Magick the goddess allowed her to keep to search for anything the dragon may have done to her while she slept. After a few moments, she knew he hadn’t done anything besides lay next to her all night. No spells cast. No charms of lust. And he definitely hadn’t fucked her.
Knowing he hadn’t broken his promise to her, she felt confident enough to turn and say, “Get your bloody hands off me!”
Without moving from his apparently comfortable position or opening his eyes, he calmly replied, “Don’t get snappy at me, wench. I had to do something. Those chattering teeth of yours would have kept me up all night…and don’t pull my hair.”
She snatched her hand back before she got a firm hold on the silver strands. “Let me go.” She squirmed, trying to get him to release her.
Instead, he groaned.
“You really need to stop doing that. Or, do it more.”
“Doing what?” she demanded absently, desperately trying to reach the blade he’d left tied to her leg. Did he leave it because he knew how much safer she felt with it on? Probably not. That would require him to think about someone or something other than himself.
His grip tightened on her waist and his eyes opened, devastating her with one look from that heated gaze. “Stop squirming, woman, or I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
Eeek! “Oh. Sorry.” She winced, realizing she’d apologized to the big oaf. “If you let me go—”
“I don’t want to let you go.” The hand on her waist now slid up and down her side, caressing her skin. “You’re soft. All over.”
This could easily get out of hand. Especially when she had to fight her own desires. It had been a long time since she’d been with her husband or any man. If only the dragon were ugly or somehow repulsive. But he wasn’t. Even his dragonform, which horrified her, still didn’t disgust her.
“I think you need to—”
“You know,” he kissed her shoulder and she had to close her eyes and grit her teeth to stop from moaning, “you would have frozen to death last night if it hadn’t been for me.” His tongue flicked out and licked a small scar she had on her shoulder blade. “That’s twice I’ve saved your life.”
Her nipples peaked, and she had the intense desire to slap herself in the face. “This time doesn’t count. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.”
He propped his head up with one arm while his other hand continued to move along her flesh, making her think things she knew for a fact were morally wrong. “You’d prefer I left you in that tiny trash heap you call a town?”
“No. But you could have dropped me off at any larger town between here and there.”
Yawning and closing his eyes, he rubbed one leg against hers, which she was starting to find a tad disconcerting. “And leave such a sweet young thing to the tender mercies of those harsh streets? What kind of dragon hero would that make me if I did that?”
Dragon hero? It must be nice in his fantasy land. “Look, I…stop that!” she barked when he tilted his head a bit and rubbed her nipple with the tip of his nose.
The small and rather strange move sent shots of heat coursing through her entire body. “I don’t need you or anyone else to protect me.”
He stared at her breasts and her now painfully hard nipples. “But you’re so soft and fragile.”
Soft and fragile? The week before she’d dragged a lost cow out of a mud patch.
“I am not soft and fragile. I’m…I’m…”
Unable to continue, she watched him—with his mouth hovering so close to her breast—knowing what he was going to do long before he did it. Still, she panicked like a young virgin when his mouth opened and his head lowered.
“I thought you said we had to get an early start,” she spat out in a fast rush as his tongue just flicked the tip of her nipple. It took all her strength not to arch her back and beg for more.
The dragon paused and growled. Sleepy violet eyes looked up at her. “Is there not a moment in the day when you’re not talking?”
“No.”
He stared at her and for a bit she feared he’d ignore her and simply go back to amusing himself with her breasts. If he did, she wouldn’t be able to stop him. Mostly because she really wouldn’t want to.
Sighing, he instead pushed himself away from her and immediately she felt the loss of his body heat. Talaith pulled her legs up, wrapping her arms around them. His long hair slid across her bare skin, sending her heart racing, while he sat up.
“Fine. The sooner I get you back to my den, the sooner we can work this out.”
Back to his den? Well that didn’t sound too good. “Work out what?” Her teeth started chattering again and he glared at her in annoyance.
He relit the dead pitfire with a blast of flame. “What do you think?” Absently he lifted his head and sniffed the air. He smiled. “Stay here.”
Then he was up and disappearing into the forest.
With a shake of her head, she grabbed her discarded nightdress—struggling hard not to imagine him slipping it off her body while she slept—and tugged it back on.
Forcing herself up and moving, Talaith put more wood and twigs on the pitfire. She could be wrong, but she wondered if those really were screams and war cries she heard off in the distance. She couldn’t be sure, so she decided not to worry about it since the sound never came closer.
Eventually the dragon returned. He had a large satchel over his shoulder and a beautiful black dress in his hand.
“Here. See if this fits. I can’t stand you in that hideous nightdress anymore.”
She glanced down at herself. “Besides the dirt—which I blame on you—what exactly is wrong with it?”
“It’s dull and plain and boring. All the things you are not. So take it off and put this on. At least this will keep you warmer until we can get you better clothes.”
Talaith took the dress from him. Made of the finest wool, she’d guess it cost more gold than all her dresses put together. Still, her rescuer had no pockets whether dragon or man, so where did he get this from?
“Where did you find this dress?”
He pointed back where he’d come from. “Caravan on the road.”
Talaith shuddered. Now she knew those screams had been all too real. “Are you telling me you killed the girl whose dress this is?”
“No. That’s not what I’m telling you. She ran away screaming. As did her rather plump handmaidens. The soldiers with her, though—”
She held her hand up. “Please don’t.”
“Don’t feel bad for them. They’re enemies of my brother’s mate…I think. Maybe. Anyway, it was like two birds…one stone.”
When she only stared at him, he held up the satchel. “Hurry and get changed so you can eat. They had bread and cheese.”
Sighing, Talaith placed the dress down carefully and proceeded to turn her back to the dragon and remove her nightdress. Once naked, she quickly scooped the dress back up and hastily put it on, knowing the dragon watched her every move.
She tied the bodice and turned to face the dragon. “Well?”
He smiled warmly. And for the first time ever, Talaith felt beautiful. “Much better.”
She reached for the nightdress, intent on washing it as soon as she could manage, but a small blast of fire beat her to it, destroying the garment in seconds.
She looked at the dragon, one eyebrow raised. “Was that really necessary?”
He shrugged. “I really hated that nightdress.”
“I think I’m grasping that.”
She was hungry. That’s what she said. Even after the bread and cheese. So, a few hours into their flight, he landed in a clearing and now they walked through the forest toward a town so they could get her food. And the entire time she kept talking. Constantly.
Mostly it was complaining. But some of it was observations about
everything. Constantly.
“Shouldn’t you be living in a cave somewhere, waiting for virgins to be thrown at your feet or something?”
“Well, I—”
“I mean, exactly how long are we going to keep this lunacy going?”
“Look, I—”
“Did you ever consider how I might feel about all this? No. Wait. Don’t bother answering that one. I can well imagine your feelings on what us lowly humans think.”
She looked at him over her shoulder. “Well? Aren’t you going to say something?”
When he only laughed at her, she stomped away muttering to herself.
“Don’t be mad,” he called after her. She stopped walking and turned to face him. “I’m just not used to so much…uh…conversation.”
Her eyes narrowed. By the moment, she seemed to become less and less fearful of his dragonform. Shame he couldn’t say the same about when he was human. “Are you saying I talk too much?”
“You don’t think you talk too much?” He sauntered up to her, enjoying the view of her in her lovely new dress. Although nothing could quite beat how beautiful she was naked. Slipping that horrid nightdress off her the previous eve had made all he’d had to endure since taking her quite worth it. “Not that I don’t enjoy the sound of your voice.”
That surprised her. “You do?”
“Aye.” He circled her, his tail sweeping in front of her. “You’re beautiful. Intelligent. A little mean.”
“I am not!”
“And clearly hiding something.”
Her body tensed at that, but she didn’t say anything. He slid his tail gently around her legs, enjoying the little shiver he caused her. “Aren’t you? Hiding something?”
“If I was, do you actually think I’d tell you?”
“Fair point. Still…” He dragged his tail up her legs and across her ass.
She gave a little squeal and slapped at it. “Stop doing that!”
“You’re much too smart and well-spoken to be some mere peasant. You say you can read and write. Therefore, definitely not peasant stock. You’re from Alsandair, yet you have no family close by. I’ve never met a female from the desert lands who traveled this far north without another female or their kin. Add in that Magick—untapped, mind you—just pours off your body like rainwater and you make me think that perhaps you hide something.”
She stood silent, staring straight ahead.
“Who are you really, little human?”
Dark eyes focused on his face. “I am a Nolwenn witch.” It was an evasive answer, but it fascinated him nonetheless.
“Nolwenn witch? Here?” Now he was truly confused. “Why in the world would a Nolwenn witch live with that buffoon you married?”
“My mother disowned me long ago. So…I…left. Came north.”
Briec sat back on his haunches. “Disowned you? But Nolwenn witches can only have one child. Usually a girl, I believe.”
“I know!” she snapped. “Do you not think I know my own people?”
“But what, little witch, could you have done to get your mother to disown the only child she would ever have?”
“I fell in love.”
Ah. Now he understood. Nolwenn witches never mated for life. Only to breed and to satisfy inherent needs or for certain Magickal rights. They never took another as their mate. Instead their lives belonged to their demanding desert gods and the Magick.
“Your husband?”
“No. Another. And before you ask, he died. Long ago.”
“Your mother wouldn’t take you back?”
“I never asked.”
“You are fascinating.” She truly was. A Nolwenn witch? Here? He must introduce her to his sister, a white dragonwitch. Only their mother, the Dragon Queen, held more power than his sister.
Briec had another thought. “How old are you?”
She sighed. “Thirty-two winters. Soon thirty-three. Why?”
“You’re a babe.” Like dragons, Nolwenns weren’t immortal, but they could live up to six or seven hundred years.
“Perhaps as dragons go, but witch or no, I’m still a human.”
“I know. Tragic really.”
“And why is that tragic?”
“Because…” He gave a little sniff of disdain. “Humans are so weak, annoying, whiny and stupid.” She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off. “But that’s why I find you so fascinating. You’re none of those things. Except annoying.”
She huffed. Several times, in fact, before she turned and stomped off. She kept doing that, too. Stomping off.
“Were we done talking?”
“Yes.”
He followed after her. “But I have more questions.”
“You can stick your questions up your ass.”
He slammed his tail in front of her. “I don’t think I heard you, little witch.”
“You heard me just fine and stop threatening me with that thing!” She kicked his tail.
By the gods, she was absolutely adorable!
“I wasn’t threatening you. I was halting your progress. Trust me…you’ll know if I’m threatening you. Now,” he settled back down, “where were we? Ah, yes. There’s something you need to explain to me.”
Sighing in resignation, she asked, “What?”
“Nolwenn witches are powerful from birth.”
“Some. If all the proper spells are done before, during, and after the birth,” she answered as she began to suddenly walk around him picking wildflowers. Seemed odd. She didn’t exactly appear to be the flower-picking type.
“Yet although Magick surrounds you, it’s not truly…harnessed.”
“True enough.” She walked behind him, still picking flowers. “I have not practiced or studied since I left Alsandair.”
“I see. Well, perhaps I could—” He’d turned around to speak to her directly, but she was no longer behind him.
Briec glanced around, quickly realizing it wasn’t that she was no longer behind him. She was no longer there.
The little bitch was gone!
Talaith crouched on the highest branch that could hold her weight. It hadn’t been easy getting above him and out of his eye range so quickly…the beast was huge. She glared down at the big silver head of that arrogant idiot.
Irritating? I’m irritating? Did he have absolutely no concept of what a bastard he was? Clearly not, otherwise he would have let her go.
But he was “determined” to have her. No. No. No. That would not be happening. She’d done some strange and stupid things, but having a dragon between her legs would not be one of them.
Concentrating, Talaith slowed her breathing and heart rate. Dragons had amazing hearing, her trainers said, so she used all her skills to make sure he wouldn’t hear her. She faded into the shadow of the branches and leaves, so his dragon eyes wouldn’t spot her.
The only thing she couldn’t control was his keen sense of…
The dragon sniffed the air, then looked right at her. “There you are, my little witch.”
Dammit.
Before she could even think about climbing back down, he grabbed hold of the tree with his two front claws and shook it. Screaming, Talaith went flying. But that damn tail of his caught her seconds before she hit the ground.
“Now that was amazing, little witch. Tell me, where did you learn to move so fast and to disappear so well? In your little village after baking the morning bread?”
He laughed at his own joke, walking again toward town with her still wrapped up in his tail.
“Yes, I was right about you. You are fascinating. You and I will find such pleasure together, my little witch.”
Could I hate him more? She thought about it for a moment. No, I could not hate him any more than I already do.
Chapter Six
The chatter in the pub they decided to go to for food was interesting, to say the least. Lots of talk about angry gods and horrible storms. Plus, they feared the coming of the Black Moon.
Of course tha
t wasn’t the correct name of the powerful moon, but she’d given up hope that the Northerners had any real knowledge of other cultures. Besides, she had bigger issues at the moment.
The only thing she currently worried about was getting away from one annoyingly determined dragon. He leaned back in the booth they’d luckily found in a quiet corner. She’d feared they’d have to sit out at one of the long tables on a bench. As it was, the dragon was hard to miss. Even with the hood of his black cape covering that silver mane of hair and the chainmail shirt and leggings he wore—apparently one in that doomed caravan had been close to his size—he received looks wherever he went. How could he not? He towered over everyone. Add in that he practically had to drag her along behind him, and the two of them stood out quite loudly to the general populace.
What she didn’t understand, what she would never understand, is why she hadn’t screamed yet. Why hadn’t she yelled for help? They’d passed a magistrate on their way to the pub. One of the few towns that actually had one, and although he watched them with intense interest, she never screamed or tried to pull away. Instead, she only stared back.
Resting her chin in her hand, Talaith stared into her beer. She knew exactly why she didn’t yell for help. He might get hurt. Even killed. She didn’t want that. As much as she detested him—oh, and she did detest him—she still didn’t want to be responsible for his death. She merely wanted him to let her go. But if the town turned on him before he had a chance to shift or if he shifted and took the town with him…she’d never forgive herself either way.
She could almost hear her mother whispering in her ear, “Talaith, Daughter of Haldane—you are an idiot.”
And the dragon wondered why she didn’t run back to her mother for solace. She, of all people, knew that welcome home would be less than pleasant.
“You’re deep in your thoughts, little witch. What worries you?”
“You know if you keep calling me that someone will slash my face open.”