Page 48 of The Dragon's Mate

He scrubbed his hand through his damp hairas he scanned the kitchen. If he didn’t figure out what… oh shit.

He stared at the foil-covered plate sittingon the counter and then at the scattered crumbs on the table. He lunged past Kaidaand peeled the foil off the plate. Kaida sidled up behind him, putting her armsaround his waist and kissing his back. “My mate, come to bed.”

He stared at the lone muffin on the plate, horrorunfurling in his belly. “Kaida, did you eat a muffin from this plate?”

Her hands stroked his abdomen. “Yes.Tyler gave it to me. What’s wrong?”

He turned around, trying to ignore Kaida’swandering hands as they roamed across his chest. “Fuck. This is bad. Kaida, thatmuffin was laced with a potion. A love potion.”

She snorted laughter. “It wasn’t. I wouldhave smelled it.”

She kissed his neck again, her handssliding up over his shoulders. “Come to bed, my mate. Let me show you how wellI can please you. My pussy is wet for you.”

He groaned when she straddled his thigh andground her pussy against him. “Kaida, you’re under a spell. I swear.”

“I’m not.” She grasped his face in herhands and stared directly at him. “I love you, Bren. Do you love me?”

“This isn’t real. What you’re feeling isn’treal. Do you understand?” he said.

Despair mixed with frustration crossed herface. “You don’t love me.”

Feeling weirdly guilty, he said, “No, it’snot that. It’s -”

“You do love me.” Her smile made his heartdo a weird stuttering thing in his chest.

“Okay, I need you to sit down for a minute.Will you do that?” Bren led Kaida toward one of the kitchen chairs.

She frowned at him. “I want to fuck you.”

“I know, but I, uh, I have a friend coming overthat I want you to meet.”

She sighed but dropped into the chair. “Fine.Introduce me to your friend, human. But once they’re gone, we are fucking. Doyou understand?”

Bren yanked his cell phone out of hispocket. “Understood.”

Chapter Nine

“This is sooo bad.” Elora paced back and forthin the kitchen. “I’m going to kill my grandmother.”

“Get in line,” Bren said.

“Oh God… this is really bad.” Elora turneda little green and nibbled at the side of her nail.

Kaida was sitting at the table, staringintently at Lilianna who was perched on the table. The crow returned her stare,its dark eyes unblinking.

“You’re starting to freak me out a little,Elora.” Bren had never seen the witch looking so unbalanced. “It is just alove potion, right?”

“Yes. But she’s a bear shifter.”

“So?”

Elora stared at him. “She’s a bear shifterwho thinks you’re her mate and she wants to have sex with you. What do youthink she’ll do if you deny her? Because I know a few female bear shifters andthey don’t like being denied what they want. If you refuse to sleep with her,she might…”

“Might what?” Bren said.

“Shift to her bear form and rip out yourthroat,” Elora said.

“Jesus.” Bren wiped the beads of sweat fromhis forehead.

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