In his dragon form, Talon flew in a lazy circle above my head. My gaze followed him. He didn’t seem like he was in a hurry, but maybe that was intentional. Maybe he was watching for guards, or checking to see if it was a trap.
It wasn’t.
The guards were used to seeing me on the roof, and by the time they realized the king had joined me, we would already be gone.
Talon circled a few times, though he was clearly trying to make it look like he wasn’t circling. He took a different route every time, and disappeared for a few minutes as he flew further from the Manor with every pass.
Finally, he dove toward me.
I watched, transfixed, as fire seemed to blaze over his body while he plummeted. His wings were against his side, his gaze focused entirely on me.
Though I knew he wasn’t charging me, I braced for impact.
He lifted his head just before he landed. Right as his claws met the ground, they shifted to large, bare feet. He landed smoothly, powerful muscle stopping him effortlessly. It had to be against the laws of physics, or gravity, orsomething, but that was magic for you.
It didn’t follow the rules.
I didn’t bother trying to stop my gaze from moving over his body. There was nowhere for a shifter’s clothes to go when they changed forms, so he was naked, of course.
Naked, and gorgeous.
And stalking toward me.
My eyes slid up the insanely thick muscles on his thighs. Over his half-mast cock and heavy balls. Up the chiseled muscles on his abdomen, thick pecs, and oversized biceps. His skin was light brown, his black hair fell in loose curls to his cheekbones, and his dark eyes glittered dangerously.
“Get off the ledge before you get hurt.” His voice was low and gravelly in a way that made my lower belly warm.
Everything about him was deadly, but to a siren like me who had a fucked-up taste in men, that just made me want him more.
I would never act on it, of course. Wanting a dangerous bastard had nearly cost me everything in the past. Now, I only lusted from afar.
It took me a second to register that he’d just chastised me for the one tiny rebellion I allowed myself in my life.
Sitting on the edge of the roof.
“I’m not going to fall, Talon.”
“It’s a pointless risk anyway.”
“If you never take any risks, life starts feeling pretty bleak.” I looked back out over the Manor, and the trees and city around it. “What do you need a siren for?”
He had never given a reason. It was safe to assume he wanted to mate with one of us, to make us his. Lots of men wanted that. Our magic made people feel alive.
But he hadn’t mentioned a dark past he wanted to escape. Or a deep depression he couldn’t get out of on his own.
His reasoning wouldn’t change my offer, of course. I was mating with him willingly to stop my sisters from starting a war that would cost innocent people’s lives.
I still wanted to know the reasoning, though.
“You’ll find out when I’m ready,” he said.
Of course I would.
Hot, gigantic hands grabbed me by the waist and plucked me off the edge of the roof. I was on my feet, a few yards away from the drop, a moment later. He released me as quickly as he’d lifted me up.
“I’m not a pack mule. Your bag can stay here,” he said, not acknowledging the fact that he’d just carried me away from a ledge I’d placed myself on, after ignoring my statement that I was fine.
He was a dominant, controlling bastard through and through.