Page 24 of Dance with the Dragon Duke

They ate a quick meal. Dark wasn’t interested in waiting out the rest of the feast. He took Tomorrow down a short hallway, toward the small library not far from the entrance. When he’d met with the queen, he’d spotted a closet there he planned to make use of.

“Oi,” a male voice called down the hall.

Still anxious from the wolves, Dark instinctively tugged Tomorrow behind him, but the intruder was just the father from earlier, Jonas.

The fae with the bracketed horns jogged up to them, one hand fishing in his breast pocket. “I wanted to thank you both,” he said somberly. “You protected my daughter and my wife from those beasts, and for that I’m in your debt.” He pulled out a card and handed it to the duke.

Dark looked it over. Tomorrow peeked around him. Beneath the name Lord Jonas Moen was the title “Bargainer” in elegant script, alongside two addresses. The first was for a business tower not far from the river Eventide, and the second was a pawn shop on Dimmet Street.

“I know of the Bargainer,” Dark said, cautiously accepting the card.

“No doubt you’ve heard terrible things. They’re probably all true,” Jonas said dryly. “Either way, a favor from me is worth a great deal in River Row. Look me up, and I’ll be of service to you both.” He bowed to Tomorrow, adding earnestly, “Thank you, Your Grace.”

Tomorrow blushed scarlet, and Dark wondered if that was the first time anyone had ever used an honorific for her. Jonas dipped his chin in acknowledgement of the duke, then he left the way he’d come.

Dark waited until the Lunar fae was gone before checking to make sure no staff members were inside the closet. He turned the doorknob until it clicked, twice then thrice.

A thought occurred to him before he pulled it open once more. It was instinct that had him eager to get her inside his hoard again. He should tread more carefully with such things.

“I need you to do something for me,” he told her, voice full of warning.

Tomorrow shuffled closer. There were tired smudges under her eyes. White hair had loosened from its pins during the ruckus in the courtyard. “What d’you need?”

“While inside my hoard, bear in mind that dragons like to keep things that are rare and valuable. When something like that walks in so willingly, it can be difficult to let it back out again.”

Tomorrow blinked at him. “Um. I’ll keep that in mind, I guess?”

“Don’t be precious and adorable in there,” he said firmly.

The line between her brows smoothed. She beamed at him. “Aw, are you saying you might want to hoard me?”

He glared at her. “Don’t coo like that. I’m being serious here. Making adorable noises at me isn’t helping. And you should definitely smile less.”

Tomorrow scrunched up her face, concentrating hard. Her lips pursed.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he grumbled.

“Trying not to be precious,” she mumbled.

Dark shoved open the door. It creaked as it swung wide. “Gods save you, I don’t think you can help it. Enter at your own risk, you ridiculously adorable little woman.”

To her own detriment, Tomorrow shot him another sunshine smile and trotted inside his hoard. Her mate pull remained faint, but it and something else, something distinctive and surprising, fluttered to life in his chest. He wondered if she felt it at all. He’d been about to find out when the wolves had interrupted them.

She jogged into his meadow, hands spread wide, allowing the tall grass to brush the tips of her fingers. Then she spotted the fairies, and she lifted her skirts above her ankles, rushing to greet them.

Dark wanted to call her mate, but he needed the timing to be just right. It had seemed like the perfect moment before, dancing under the glow of the morning sun, snow glittering in her hair.

Surely, she’d felt something then, too. But what if she couldn’t because so much of her was mortal? Dark groaned to himself. What if these blooming feelings were entirely his alone?

How exactly did mortals feel connection and attraction, since they didn’t have magical instincts or bonds that could grow into a true mate attachment that linked their souls for life?

As though seeing the fairies rejuvenated her, Tomorrow rolled in the grass with the girls, gently squashing Ruby beneath her. The ginger fairy found that great fun and begged her to do itagain, chittering excitedly and reaching for her with tiny, clawed hands.

The sight made his heart lurch. Tomorrow was everything a dragon wasn’t. Soft and sweet instead of hard as stone. Silly instead of serious. Tender instead of vicious.

He wanted all of her.

“Bebebebebe,” Bebe said, sailing toward Dark as he stalked closer, responding to the pull of his desires. The silver-haired fairy alighted on his shoulder.

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