Page 84 of Her Tortured Beasts

Carefully placing her under the covers, I tuck her in, making sure she’s warm and safe. Then I take off my dirty clothes, put them in a neat pile on the floor and climb under with her.

She doesn’t protest when I gather her up in my arms and hold the length of her against the length of me. All parts must touch for safety reasons. I will not stand for another beast to come here and mate with her. The thought of someone else mating with my treasure makes me growl with rage.

My treasure sighs sleepily and I pat her for comfort.

“Do not fear my jewel,” I say softly into her clean hair. The hairIcleaned. “No one will touch you. No one will take you.”

“Oh dear,” she says sleepily. “I think we’re going to get in trouble for this. Correction, I thinkI’mgoing to get in trouble for this.”

Anger spikes within me. “The only beast in trouble will be the person who tries to get inside this room.”

Three hours later, an enemy tries to enter my domain. I leap out of bed, taking my treasure with me as I rage towards the antechamber door.

“Who is it?” I roar, nostrils flaring as I sense another dragon. A usurper. A villain.

My treasure, my jewel, protests against my chest.

“It’s Francesca,” comes the pert reply. “I demand to have a discussion with you.”

Growling, I set my jewel on her feet and push her behind me so she cannot be seen by this interloper. Cracking the door open, I peer out.

Angry eyes flick down my body. “Where is she?”

“Who?” I narrow my eyes at her.

“Thatwhoreyou purchased last night without my permission.”

She cannot mean my treasure.

“Filth!” I spit, my power flaring in lethal concentration around me, making the threat clear. “Remove yourself at once.”

Her mouth drops open as another dragon rapidly moves towards us. Kin, this time; she stands a respectful distance away as she addresses the interloper.

“Get away from him, Francesca. It’s the treasure haze. He’s not thinking properly.”

“Oh, he’s certainly thinking properly!” Francesca cries, stomping her foot. She glares at me, white steam leaving her nose. “I had hoped you’d enter the treasure haze forme, butapparently I wasn’t enough.” She points an angry, gold-tipped acrylic nail at me. “Damn you, Xander Drakos!”

“I was already damned before you came along. Get out of here before I kill you.”

“I am your fire-swornwife,” she hisses, eyes flashing, her entire human body trembling with anger.

I recoil from the word, bile rising up my throat. Wrong. That word is all wrong. But the dragon in me recognises that we have, in fact, made a vow to this dragoness. Killing her is not an option. So, without another word, I slam the door in her face.

My treasure stares at me and I stare back in wonder. Brilliant blue eyes glint with many emotions I cannot decipher. I reach out and stroke her soft cheek. “Pretty,” I murmur.

Her mouth drops open. “I don’t think you meant to say that.”

My frown is deep and profound. “Why not?”

“You’re not yourself.”

I gather her into my arms. “I must brush your teeth.”

She makes an affronted sound. “This is normal, my jewel,” I say reasonably. “I must care for you when you need it.”

“I’m not dirty. You scrubbed me for all you were worth last night.”

I grow pensive at the memory of said scrubbing, rubbing and…the pretty noises she made. “I am pleased you came for me.”

---