Page 33 of The Monster's Mate

My head shakes as the magic binds us together. “No special words. Once I claim you, no one else will be able to command me. I’ll truly be free for the first time in thousands of years.” I siphon to Charity in full form. It’s always strange to have legs, but I enjoy them as she melts into my front. “You’ll need to be extra careful with wishing.”

“Athos!” she screeches. “You just said it.”

I laugh, sliding a hand down to squeeze her ass. “I can say it with no repercussions, but I’ve always done my best to set a good example. Likewise, others can say it in passing, as long as there’s no intent, but the consequences are unpredictable and it’s best not to risk it.”

“So, I’ll be the only person who needs to carefully choose my words?” Charity asks.

“From what I’ve been told?” I bite my lip, studying her face. “Yes. My magic will intrinsically be tied to you once I claim you with a mating bite.”

“That’s crazy,” she whispers, shaking her head. “Wait, I know this might seem really insensitive, considering the timing, but did you…” She studies my face, like she’s searching for the right words. “Is Eldritch okay?”

“He’s sleeping in Bane’s guest room,” I say. “And never feel guilty for being concerned about your mate. I know that, if the situation were reversed, you would be equally worried about me.”

“I really would be.” She smiles, staring at me under her lashes.

“Would you feel better if I brought you to see him?” I offer.

“Yeah, you do that,” Bane says, typing away on his phone. “I’ve got an errand to run.” He shoves the device into his pocket and swaggers over, pulling Charity out of my hold. “Make yourself at home.” He bends low and captures her mouth in a filthy kiss that makes me wish I had that kind of confidence when it comes to a woman.

The meeting of their mouths goes on for so long that I find my foot tapping against the floor as I wait.

I could have easily popped over to a store for some cherry carbonation and been back by the time Bane stands to his full height.

“We have no idea if Eldritch will be the creature we’ve met or someone completely different when he wakes.” Bane’s jaw flexes, and he gives me a serious look. “I’m trusting you to keep her safe in my absence.”

His words could be insulting, but ultimately, he’s entrusting me with his mate. That is a great honor, considering how territorial dragons are.

I bow at the waist. “Always. It doesn’t even need to be said.”

Bane gives Charity a final kiss and smirks. “By the way, check out the bedroom immediately across the hall from mine. It’s a surprise for you.” He winks and swaggers off in his unlaced boots.

How he doesn’t constantly fall on his face is beyond me.

Then again, I rarely bother with legs, so there’s nothing to trip over.

“Come along, darling.” I hold my arm out for Charity. “Let’s check on Eldritch and see about that surprise.”

Eldritch is fine—sleeping off the transformation, but in perfect health, as far as I can tell. It takes quite a bit of convincing to get Charity to leave him, but her eyes are red, and she’s running a fever once more.

If she is on the verge of her quickening, she needs to rest and allow herself to relax. It’s supposed to be an intimate time, when the fae’s mates lavish them with extra care and attention.

She finally concedes when I mention it could harm Eldritch to bother him too soon. He needs the opportunity to heal and wake on his own, much like Charity needs to allow herself to be pampered for once.

“I don’t actually know which bedroom is Bane’s,” Charity says as we make it into the hallway.

“We’ll figure it out.” I grab her and siphon us to the second floor. It takes two tries before we locate the primary bedroom. The door directly across from that opens to a guest bedroom.

We step inside, and Charity frowns, staring across the room. It’s immediately clear to me what I’m looking at, but I’m not sure she understands.

I don’t see how he could know her quickening would begin, so I assume it’s part of dragon culture to build their mate a nest. I know it’s prevalent with wolves and large cat shifters. It gives them somewhere to ride out a heat, as they call it. It also provides a safe, comfortable place to give birth and for the mother to tend her young.

“Do you know what it is?” I murmur close to her ear as my hand snakes around her middle. “Your dragon built you a nest.”

“Oh my god, no freaking way,” she squeals.

“Would you like to check it out?”

“Yes.” She nods wildly against my chest, and I move to the side to scoop her up.

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