Page 101 of Destiny of the Dragons

Mia sighed. Her heartbeat had almost returned to normal.

Once it hit them what she could do, what she had been doing, the loving caresses would change.

Smoke stiffened up. “What’s wrong?”

Mia shook her head. She didn’t want this lovely dream to end. She wouldn’t bring it up.

“What do you need?” Smoke shifted so he could catch her eye. “Just tell us.”

“I’m okay, really. I just…it was a big spell. Two of them.”

Jace nodded. “We can practice more.”

“We don’t need to practice.” She looked past Jace’s shoulder. Her curtains were drawn, so she had no idea if it was late afternoon or evening. Since the spell, her sense of time changed.

Smoke stroked his hand down her arm slowly. The ball of warmth soothed her. Having both of them next to her made it seem like everything would be okay now.

Mia sat up. “I can’t do this anymore.”

She couldn’t wait for them to leave her. She wouldn’t survive it.

Jace scooted back. “Sorry, we can give you space.”

Mia shook her head. “I mean us. I’m just waiting for things to get terrible again, and I can’t stand it.”

She forced herself out of bed, her nerves raw.

Jace sighed. “Is it because of my mother? I’ll make sure she doesn’t bother you.”

He thought it was his fault. Mia shook her head, sitting on the edge of the bed. She could stand up and leave them. She could.

She had to. She didn’t deserve this happiness, not after the things she’d done. She let them into her heart once before, and when they left it almost destroyed her.

She looked at them. She wouldn’t survive it again.

Smoke watched her like she was a spooked animal, and Jace’s face was etched in concern.

“Mia, baby. Talk to us.” Jace sat up. “You have that look on your face.”

She took a deep breath in. Might as well destroy herself now.

“I was just thinking about how hard it was going to be when you two leave me.”

Smoke frowned. “We’re not going anywhere.”

Jace nodded along with Smoke. “You’re going to have to kick us out if you want to shower alone.”

“As soon as you two really think about what just happened.” Mia hugged herself. “About what I have been doing…”

Jace’s face looked adorably blank. Smoke went still. “Mia, there is nothing you could have done that we would think less of you for.”

Tears pricked her eyes. It was so much harder than she thought. Like ripping out her own heart while they tried to keep it in her chest.

“Blood magic. You saw it. I’m powerful.”

“We don’t care about that,” Jace said.

Smoke slid off the bed. He was disgusted with her, she knew it. He would leave and never look back and it would be all her fault.

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