Page 25 of Meet Me in the Stars

“Were you the one to invite me here?”

“Yes,” he said.

I still hadn’t opened my eyes. I was gaining ground in our standoff, but it felt like a hollow victory.

“My uncle is the leader of Starscale 1,” he said a second later when I didn’t ask anything else. “There are three worlds. All Starscale made. My ancestors collected bits of stuff from all over the place to craft them around the tiny purple sun.”

“The sun really is purple, huh?” I laughed, remembering the fog.

“Yes. The sky isn’t purple, though. The atmosphere is. It’s complicated. I’ve answered several of your questions. Will you open your damn eyes now?” he asked, his fingers rubbing back and forth over my skin.

“Why?”

“I’d like to look at you while I tell you everything.”

“I’m not closing your eyes,” I shrugged again.

“Have it your way,” he sighed, tensing above me.

For a second, I thought he was about to give up and scramble off the bed. Not a snowball’s chance in Frost’s Pit. He leaned down, stretching out his torso along mine until skin met skin and his head rested above my heart. The sweet and metallic scent of his arousal filled the room. His skin was warm against mine. It was nice. It was comforting. It was almost home. ALMOST. And I didn’t want a damn part of it.

“I really did know her in the Other World, Fred,” he sighed, his breath playing over my nipple. “I wouldn’t lie about a thing like that. It’s why I invited you here. There’s two ways to prove that. One, is the good old-fashioned way. We exchange the claiming vows.”

My dragon sat up inside me, ready to rip free from our bonds the moment he got too handsy. Laying on me was one thing, starting to grope and lick was another. Only his hands didn’t move. They rested on either side of his face as if he kept them there in case he needed to sit up quickly.

“Not happening. What’s the other way?” I asked.

“It’ll take longer, but it’s probably the best way,” he sighed.

“Which way is that?”

“The way I originally planned it. I just didn’t know how long it would take to grow in. It’s not like we get many visitors. Seriously, I don’t think we’ve ever had one. Well, maybe. Uncle Hush and the others might’ve hidden it from us peons.”

“Peons, huh?” I chuckled. “You don’t fight like a peon, but what are you expecting to grow in?”

“Your star scale. It’ll grow in right over your heart now that we’ve met.”

“We’re not true-mates, dude,” I said, trying to sound casual.

“We are,” he sighed again.

“What? You steal Lotus’s bond with me?” I grunted at him.

“Fuck you!” He said, pushing up on his palms as if he meant to get up. I was about to say ‘finally’ when the fucker chomped down on my nipple.

“What the fuck? Listen here! You do that again and I’ll pull every tooth out of your mouth and make you fucking eat them!”

“Do it!” he growled back. “You must have some big fucking balls to accuse me of that! I loved her too! I’m here for her! She warned me you were stubborn, but she didn’t say you were a professional asshole!”

He sniffled and my heart sank into my stomach. As long as his magic mimicked a true-mate response I’d be at his mercy.

“Are you crying?” I snapped at him.

“No!” He growled but smelled like a lie. “It’s all your fault I’m crying. We’re true-responding and you’re sending my fucking hormones into overdrive and you’re being an asshole!”

“Dude, look, why do you think we’re true-mates?” I sighed.

“Open your eyes!” He growled and slapped my chest.

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