Page 78 of Dragon Exposed

Even through the ruckus of the call, the delivery, and our meal, Nina slept deeply, as if she was spelled to.

* * *

It wasover a week before Syrena could make it to New York.

Tabitha and Grey, it seemed, had been subdued, at least temporarily, and other than the occasional news story about random fires and people who appeared to have little to no credibility claiming they’d seen dragons, wolves, fae, and the like, we were more or less in a bubble of peace.

Izobelle spent a lot of her free time with Nina, even though the woman hadn’t woken. We’d both decided it was safest to not talk about anything we were planning around Nina, just in case Tabitha had a bug in her ears, listening in on everything we said, so whenever my mate was busy, I spent my time making sure that we would have our chance at a real life together once we left this hotel.

Even now, supernatural contractors were hard at work, fortifying and expanding the cabin in Vermont. It would never be quite the same as the castles I’d grown up in, but I wanted to make sure that whatever else happened, we would be safe. No one who couldn’t be trusted would be allowed within miles of the place, and if I had to, I’d hire every witch I could to spell the grounds into safety.

At night, Izobelle was all mine.

We spent hours on the roof, practicing with her dragon, teaching her to be more in tune with the beast, teaching her how to call on the magic within.

She was still wary about flinging herself off a building, even with me there to catch her if she didn’t take flight, but I wasn’t nearly as worried about her. She was making fast progress, and I knew it would be just a matter of time before her dragon demanded they take wing.

After our lessons, really any time I got her alone, we ended up naked, tangled together, connecting in the most primal, the most carnal of ways.

Izobelle was as voracious for me as I was for her, and whether my heartstone ever glowed, or if it always stayed dark, I knew no other woman would ever make me feel like Izobelle did.

I wanted a whole horde of younglings with her, a family we could grow and protect together.

* * *

Syrena steppedout of the airport looking just as perfectly styled as she ever did, although I could see the strain pulling at the corners of her eyes.

“This discretion in our lives is getting tiresome, Levi. Tell me that I can spend at least a little time here, in one place, before I have to head off to deal with yet another Wystan problem.” She hugged me gingerly, and then turned on my mate. “You must be Izobelle? From what I’ve heard, you’re one feisty dame.”

Izobelle smiled softly. “Thank you for coming.”

Even before we were tucked into the town car on our way back to the hotel, Syrena was staring at my mate, and at the stone hanging around her neck.

“She’s neutralized it.” The witch pursed her lips. “Or rather, she’s made it dormant somehow. I’ll need you to take it off so that I can inspect it more carefully.”

I nodded and reached over to undo the clasp. Izobelle hadn’t tried to take it off, and I wasn’t sure whether she’d be able to, as it belonged around her neck. But if it was dormant, if Tabitha had done something to the heartstone, maybe all its properties were gone too. The protection against thrall, the magic that held it in place on someone. All of it.

The metal slithered down into my mate’s palm, and Izobelle lifted it up, looking at the green-purple stone carefully before handing it over. “It’s okay if you can’t do anything with it. I’ll wear it, even if it never lights up.”

I reached down and took my mate’s hand in mine, squeezing it gently.

Without warning, the stone glowed softly in Syrena’s palm.

“What the…?” Izobelle stared at it in wonder. “How?”

Syrena scowled at the rock, as if it were betraying her. “Levi, let go of her hand.”

That was the last thing I wanted, but I did as I was asked, shifting away from my mate so that we weren’t touching at all.

The light faded again.

“And touch again?” Syrena looked up at us expectantly.

As soon as my hand touched hers, the heartstone started glowing more and more brilliantly, almost bright enough that it hurt to stare directly at it.

“Interesting.” She pursed her lips. “Izobelle, you said one of your friends was a vessel for Tabitha?”

My mate nodded.

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