Page 33 of Here Be Dragons

Most dragons, however, didn’t bother with human antics, considering the creatures to be beneath them. They saw them, and shifters too, as pawns for dragon games. Historically, there were a few wizards and witches the dragons of the world had considered worthy of notice, but they were few and far between, and the more well-known ones, Merlin for example, had been part demon.

Our lack of interest in human affairs was why, despite the fall of The Wall, there was still a dispute on whether dragons actually existed or not. There were plenty of disbelievers, and many dragons preferred it that way.

But those who needed to know, knew.

I recalled Carly’s look of amazement when she saw my dragon form. She was brave. She hadn’t run, or cried, or begged for her life. She’d trusted me. She’d even tossed a ball of fire from hand to hand like she’d owned it.

I huffed and focused on the key in my hand. I’d gotten distracted again. I had to pull myself together because if I failed now, it wouldn’t matter whether Carly accepted me as her mate or not. If I lost, I’d be magically spelled into a long sleep and given only until sundown of that day to get myself somewhere safe.

I had some buffer, however. I had three pieces already. My intel said that Gillisandra had two. She would need to find this piece and somehow steal one from me to win. If she stole one from me before I found the fourth, that would mean I’d need to steal one back from her to emerge victorious.

That was infinitely harder than racing for one final piece out in the open. More dangerous, too. The she-dragon wouldn’t hesitate to use every trick in the book to win. That would put everybody I knew and cared about in danger, especially Carly.

Of all the times to find my mate! What horrible timing.

She was in danger already, simply because I’d gone to save her. The police would get to the scene and just see an unfortunate accident, but Gillisandra would know better. Assuming she hadn’t been there watching the whole time to begin with.

And I was back to thinking about Carly.

I give up! There was no way to get her out of my mind. She was part of my life now whether I liked it or not and had been ever since she’d spilled that tumbler of coffee on me.

I peered over the edge of the railing and down at her balcony. I’d put her in that room because it was easily accessible from my private rooftop patio. I wondered if she was asleep. It waspast midnight, and I’d promised to take her to the museum tomorrow. She’d insisted on returning to work, and I hadn’t wanted to make her even more uncomfortable by telling her I’d pay her even if she didn’t.

Elana had gently told me that not all females would take that the right way and that Carly might be offended. I was so used to just throwing money at problems to solve them, and when that didn’t work, violence or fire usually solved the rest. It was frustrating that I couldn’t do that this time.

I formed just my dragon wings, using them to help me land lightly as I dropped onto her balcony. Her room was dark, but I had impeccable night vision.

What I saw had me cursing the moment I had agreed to let her sleep on her own. She lay on the bed, the sheets only covering her lower legs. The blanket was half on the floor and half shoved to the foot of the bed. And she was completely naked.

The moonlight played across her bare, pale skin, accentuating every dip and curve. Her full breasts rose and fell with every breath, and I longed to cover those peaks with my mouth. Her plush, round hips and thighs begged for my attention as well.

Go to her! Take her! Fuck her!

I ordered my feet to remain still. She didn’t need me breaking into her room in the middle of the night and ravishing her, no matter how much I wanted to. My cock swelled and strained almost painfully against the front of my pants. It was made even worse when I remembered her flavor, sweet and salty, with a hint of vanilla and spice.

My hands were already at the waistband of my pants when I stopped myself.

What the hell was wrong with me? I couldn’t believe I’d almost touched myself at her window like some peeping creep! I was Desmon, the Dragon of Darlington! I took what I wanted! I didn’t do…whatever I was doing now. What was this woman doing to me?

Go. Claim her!My seed belongs on and in our mate, marking her as ours, not splashed on her balcony wall!My dragon was disgusted with me also, but his solution was no better.

No. I wasn’t going to break into her room when I promised her time to think. But come tomorrow, she was mine.

I refastened my pants, which was barely possible, with the way my cock was straining against the fabric. Before I could change my mind, I leaped off her balcony. By the time I landed in the garden, I was fully in dragon form.

I paced the perimeter of my estate, frustrated wisps of smoke drifting from my nostrils. That was one downside to living in the city; no matter how much land I owned here, it was still limited. At times like these, even the wooded lot behind my home felt cramped.

It was on the second round of pacing that I felt the intruder’s presence. I was at the edge of my property, right where the stream crossed into my lands. Moments later, my cell phone buzzed from my pocket with the alert, but I didn’t need to check the security footage to see who it was.

“I know you’re there, Emmett,” I said calmly into the trees. “Tell me why you’re here, and I’ll consider letting you live.”

What I really wanted to ask was how he’d gotten past the wards, but that would be admitting there was a weakness in them.

“I’m here to visit my brother, of course.” Emmett stepped out from the trees in his human form. “And allow me to answer your unasked question. Your wards let me in because they consider me an ally.”

“We have never been allies.”

He shrugged, looking far too comfortable leaning against the rough bark of an old oak. “There’s a first for everything. You’re always so serious, brother. Lighten up.”

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