Page 32 of Dragon Exposed

Bothersome Brother

LEVI

You better not think you’re sleeping here tonight.

I knew I was taking out my irritation, my frustration on Declan, and somewhere, deep down, I knew it was wrong.

But he had the worst fucking timing of anyone I’d ever met.

Don’t get snappy at me just because you made bad life choices and now it’s come back to bite you. Besides, one of the reasons Ash sent me out here was to meet this girl of yours.

I shifted as far from the front windows as I dared, jumping into the air to intercept before Declan got too close. There was no way I was giving up the progress I’d made in getting Izobelle to stop looking at me like I was a monster, just because one of my siblings decided to do a fly-by.

You’re not getting close to her unless she says it’s all right.I snarled, veering toward the setting sun and the glint of tourmaline scales approaching.And we’re walking, not flying, up to the cabin.

The rumors are true, huh? You did all this to impress your mate, and she’s scared shitless of you.

Sometimes, my brother’s quick adoption of more human vernacular irritated me. Especially when he wasn’t wrong.

It wasn’t like I was stupid enough to think that I was such a skilled lover that I could’ve broken through the thrall over Izobelle with a few screaming orgasms, but I did think we’d made at least a little headway, before Declan got close enough to fill my head with his voice.

I already missed the feel of my mate under my body, writhing, soaking my hand, my tongue.

If my brother’s arrival made all of that backslide, I was going to kill myself a dragon. Maybe I could use Declan’s body as the scapegoat the humans needed to believe the threat was over.

If you murder me because you didn’t get your dick wet, I’m going to haunt you for the rest of your very long life and ensure that you always have a limp dick and blue balls.

A moment later, a green and purple mass slammed into me like he’d been fired from a rocket launcher. It didn’t take much to know why Declan was sent out here, even though Henrik was closer—my little brother had the fastest wings, and it usually seemed like he had the most energy to burn too. If it weren’t for the fact that football was a decidedly humans only sport, he would’ve made a great running back.

Of course, that would’ve required him to take an interest in being part of a team, part of a group. Declan always preferred the outskirts of a crowd, somewhere he could watch, where he could observe others interacting without actually talking to anyone in the process.

Ground. Now.Declan may have had the speed, but I had the brute force, and I’d force him down if I had to.

Luckily, my brother spiraled toward the Earth, barely furling out his wings before he left a dragon sized crater in his wake.

A moment later, he’d shifted, gesturing at the bag in my talons expectantly.

I dropped it just before shifting myself, and we quickly dressed in silence.

It wasn’t until we were making our way up to the cabin that he said with a smirk, “You’re really not going to let me meet this temptress unless she says I can? I knew getting mated had all but castrated Ash and Henrik where their women were concerned, but I had hope that since you didn’t have your heartstone and you hadn’t claimed her yet, she didn’t yet have your testes in a jar.” With a raised eyebrow, he asked, “You haven’t claimed her yet, right? Maybe that’s why she’s so scared.”

I rolled my eyes. “She’s been through enough, without your attitude sending her into a spin.” I didn’t justify his question with an answer. Claiming a mate was deeply personal, and there was no way I was going to risk doing it until I knew she wasn’t afraid of what she might become when I bit.

Declan just laughed. “You’re already a slave to her, aren’t you? You’d do anything for the woman. Never imagined my big brother would turn out to be a sub.”

I scowled at him as I considered shifting and taking off with him into the sky, maybe getting a few bites in to take the edge off. “I don’t know what crawled up your ass and died to make you this bitter about finding mates, but if Ash or Henrik heard you saying that shit, either one of them would rip your tail off and beat you with it.” Turning back to the house, I glanced up at the second-floor windows, wondering if Izobelle was watching, if she was already freaking out about meeting another dragon. “You’re lucky I’m trying to prove that I’m not a monster, or I’d do it myself.”

“If you could catch me.” He smirked and practically pranced up the front steps. “Why does your house reek of vampire? Gods, tell me you’re not shacking up with a bloodsucker.”

“Only until we get all the information we can out of him.” I shrugged and pushed past him to go inside first. “I’m not joking. If Izobelle doesn’t want to meet you, I’m not pushing her.”

Declan rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I’m mostly just here to make sure you don’t bring down the entire mortal community down on you. Even without experiencing it, I can’t imagine pitchforks and torches are a fun Saturday night.”

The faint sound of footfalls on the stairs had me turning around, blocking as much of my brother from view as I watched Izobelle descend. “You ready to meet my brother?”

She bit her lip, and I could see the nerves creeping in around the corners of her eyes, but she nodded. “As long as he plans on staying in this form.”

I barely glanced over my shoulder before stepping aside and letting my asshole of a brother inside. “This is Declan.” I gestured at him, watching him carefully to make sure he wasn’t going to pull any attitude with her.

---