Page 20 of Never Feed a Dragon

“Not a good call,” August warned. “During heat, your mate won’t be able to handle anyone else’s scent on you, male or female. Sealing the bond will take away the worst of the possessiveness, but it’ll still be there.”

“That part’s pretty permanent,” Elodie agreed. “The possessiveness, I mean. Not being extra sensitive to other people clouding your smell. That will fade as you adjust. Eli will fill you in on it too.”

“Lovely.” My voice was flat. “Any idea why this happened? The rest of you got bonded the first time you touched, right? Or tasted each other’s drinks or something? We should’ve been in the clear.”

“Heat can start at any time, and with anyone,” Elodie explained. “That’s why dragons don’t usually interact with humans or sleep around.”

“Guess Eli likes to live on the wild side,” I drawled.

I’d managed to get myself mated to my arch nemesis—and the one dragon on the planet who wasn’t trying to keep himself away from women, apparently.

That was just fantastic.

“I’m sane,” Eli said. “And the bond is sealed, so you don’t need to keep an eye on us. Enjoy your night.”

Just like that, he closed the door between us and them. I caught it before he shut it all the way, and called out, “Don’t tell Randa and Jasper, please. I’ll call her tomorrow.”

Or the next day.

Or next week, when she was done with her romantic cabin honeymoon.

They agreed, and Eli shut the door the rest of the way.

He turned toward me, his expression neutral. “What do you want to know, Spaghetti?”

My throat swelled with the nickname.

“Nothing. Just… go home.” I made my way to the bathroom quickly.

“I’m not leaving.”

I ignored him and closed the bathroom’s door between us.

I was in trouble.

Serious, serious trouble.

Because I still didn’t want to be in a relationship, but I was mated.

To Eli, of all people.

Sexy, obnoxious Eli.

So much for screwing it out of our systems.

Letting out a long breath, I stepped into the shower, so I could clean myself up and attempt to process everything.

The mind-blowing sex.

The insanity of the mate bond.

Eli refusing to leave.

He knocked on the bathroom door. “Vi?”

“What?”

“I can hear some of your thoughts. Figured you’d want to know that.”

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