Page 83 of Primal Dragon

“You don’t want that?” His voice was strained with defensiveness.

“I don’t know. It’s a lot, Henrik. Can’t we date like nor…”

Henrik interrupted with a harsh tone to his deep voice. “Like a normal couple?”

“Yes, is it so wrong to want things to go in the natural order?”

“Human natural order isn’t natural. And it’s certainly not dragon. You’re the one who claimed me. You haven’t even asked me to claim you yet.”

“It’s been twelve hours, Henrik. Give me a break. I didn’t even mean to bite you. It just happened.”

“Why are you doing this? What is going on in your head?”

“What if you don’t live through this?”

Henrik growled and shifted in his seat. He held the calico with one arm and scooped her up and settled her in his lap with the other arm. “There’s no way to know what’s going to happen, Doc. I don’t think fate brought us together just to tear us apart.”

“That’s a lot of faith you suddenly have. Is it because your heartstone turned up?”

“No, I’ve believed it the whole time, which is why I’ve kept you close. My brother kept walking away from his mate and it ate at him. I don’t want to make the same mistake. Is the situation ideal for what we’re dealing with? No. But nothing is ever ideal. If you wait for the perfect conditions, you’re going to be waiting forever and not living your life. If I die, you’ll live on without me.”

“Without the man I love. Then what? Am I supposed to become like Rebecca and just work on becoming a hunter and seeking out my revenge for the rest of my life?”

“That wouldn’t be so bad, would it?” His voice was teasing.

Quinn laid her head on his shoulder. “I would just prefer that we were a well weathered couple.”

“If we were both claimed, then you would die if I died, and you wouldn’t have to worry about it.”

She lifted her head abruptly. “Then you should claim me.”

20

No Biting

Henrik started at her. “No,” he snapped while he offloaded her onto her own two feet. He moved across the room, pacing the floor. “Fuck, that pisses me off, Quinn.”

“What?”

“I’m not going to claim you so you think we can die together. I’ll claim you when you’re ready for us to live our lives together. I know it’s been a short time for you mixed up in all this, but this is the first time you’ve sounded defeated. What is going on?”

She let out a huff. “I don’t know. I’m scared.” She gently took the kitten out of his arms and disappeared into the back room of the facility.

Henrik stood there waiting for her to return. When she did, she gestured for him to follow him. They left the clinic and headed back to the car. He drove in silence.

He couldn’t help but feel the sting of rejection. He knew that she had feelings for him. Maybe she didn’t know how to deal with them. He’d been prepared for a mate. Did she not think she would have a companion in her life? He had to face the nauseating fact that he didn’t know much about her. She had to deal with a lot. And more just kept getting piled on her.

“Talk to me about your brother,” Henrik said.

Quinn glanced over at him and then turned her head back to the window. “What about him?”

“You haven’t had a lot to say about your family. I’m trying to understand you. I’m trying to understand how you think about things in your life.”

“This really isn’t the time for it, is it?”

“Then when, Quinn? You’re already dooming my survival in any of this.”

“I suppose it would be just as easy for me to die. Or even easier since I’m just a human.”

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