Page 15 of Witch's Bells and Mistletoe

“Katherine, there’s no reason to look so nervous,” he murmurs as the corner of his mouth hitches in a warm smile.

I chuckle softly in spite of myself and give him a wry look. “Believe it or not, I don’t customarily have men in my bedroom—or my hotel room for that manner.”

Which is true enough. My engagements with lovers have always been brief affairs in a room that they’ve acquired or within their apartment. Never within my own personal space. And I’ve never even entertained the idea of spending the night with any of them. Adeon is a whole lot of firsts for me, and I feel as nervous as a virgin.

My dragon growls, his eyes narrowing as the hot licks of flame intensify. “And that’s how it shall stay. Only one very particular—very territorial, I must remind you—dragon will be in your room this night and every night going forward as far as I’m concerned.”

I swallow back a nervous laugh, not entirely able to believe him. Not yet. But it’s a start, and a seed is planted that could grow into something more if we allow it to.

“And what now?” I murmur.

His expression grows speculative for a moment as he regards me. “I know you don’t entirely trust what I say—or rather, perhaps what I mean. And perhaps you don’t trust yourself to a certain degree, and that’s okay. I also know that what Elis said doesn’t make things any easier revealing some bad blood between dragons and witches where we’re from.”

I blink at him curiously. Now that he mentions it, that does seem to hold some weight at least where his family is concerned. As much as I applaud myself for actually doing something for myself, I’m still the head of the family and coven and understand those responsibilities and the way they can impact us.

“To be honest, that is something I would like to hear more about,” I point out.

He grimaces unhappily and gives me a sly look. “Wouldn’t you rather I just lick your cunt for a bit and make you forget my wretched cousin exists?”

A flush of desire rides swiftly through me, but I push it away and cock an eyebrow at him. “Nice try. I imagine I will get licked regardless, so you might as well just take a moment to explain so that I understand all of this.”

He sighs heavily but doesn’t argue. “There isn’t much to tell but what little there is, it is not pretty.”

I adjust my position to get a little more comfortable and wait patiently for him to begin. He eyes me for a long moment as if to make sure I’m truly ready and nods in acknowledgment.

“Very well. Witches have long been known to be able to steal dragon magic. As terrible as our grudge is toward vampires, who stole our blood and mingled it to create a new vampiric line—as you witnessed in my reaction to Reynard, it is small compared to the grudge that so many of my kin carry for witches and mages—any human with magic in the blood who can draw our magic into them.”

I give him a startled look and he laughs, his eyes crinkling with amusement. “Surprised, are you? You would probably be more surprised to know that I’ve given you some gifts of my own free will, giving you small amounts of my magic as I taught you to use it, but that is different than what has been done. And not only to us. Mages would often send hunting parties out for unicorns and other magical creatures looking for ways to harvest power for themselves.”

A cold sensation crawls through me, and I suck in a sharp breath. “Did Elis—?”

Adeon nods grimly. “He was young, a juvenile still in many ways yet just old enough to be considered an adult and exploring the world before finding his own nesting ground. He’d been cautioned all his life to not reveal himself to humans unless he was very sure because there were those who would hunt us and others who would steal our magic. It is ingrained into all of us when we are nestlings to prepare for when we leave the nest. But Elis became infatuated with a woman—a performer who sang, danced, and sold her favors to males as they did in those days.”

“What happened?”

Adeon paces toward the window restlessly. “He took care of her. Pledged his love to her and she swore the same to him. I warned him to wait a little longer yet, but he laughed and said his Mary was nothing shy of sweetness and goodness forced into a difficult life. He trusted her enough that he revealed his secret and fell asleep in his lover’s arms, but when he awakened—”

My dragon scrubs a hand through his hair, and my stomach turns over in dread. As much as I need to hear this, I don’t want to, and everything within me rebels against listening further.

His green eyes meet mine, the yellow sparks burning brighter within them—but this time not the golden hue of his passion from minutes ago but the sharp, piercing flame of his fury. He swallows thickly as if swallowing back bile as he recalls that moment.

“He awakened strapped down with iron with iron lances driven through his limbs and anchored so that he was unable to transform and protect himself. His Mary stood as far from him as she could get as she collected her reward from the mage. Fortunately, I tracked him down with an elder brother of mine and a mutual cousin, and we were able to interrupt before the mage stole much of his magic, but the experience has scarred Elis as well as those of my kin who were there and witnessed the treachery. I admit that it sent a renewed wave of hatred and mistrust through the clan.”

I expel a long breath and sit back a little so that my back is supported by the headboard. “I can’t say that I blame them, Adeon. Especially Elis. I’m surprised that it hasn’t scarred you as well and that you’re comfortable to be here with me.”

Adeon’s eyes warm, his entire posture relaxing at my words. He wordlessly crosses the room and lowers himself to the bed beside me before taking my hand in his much larger one. He looks down at our hands, and I can’t help but to look down as well and observe the difference. His hand is larger and very warm with fingers that are subtly tipped with claws and have tiny scales that run along them. I definitely prefer this version of human compared to the human disguise he always wore before. Even the palm of his hands feels pleasantly rougher, and I wonder what it will feel like stroking me.

“I can’t say that I haven’t had my moments of mistrust when it comes to witches,” he murmurs. “But I met enough who proved themselves to be kind and honorable that it helped wear down my anger. Whatever was left, I can say without a doubt, melted away entirely after I met you.” He gives me a crooked smile as he meets my eyes. “At that moment I understood why Elis took the risk he did, but in this I was far luckier. It didn’t take me long at all to want you with every bit of my being.”

I flush at that. “You never said so. Not directly. I always assumed there was just some game as you passed your time looking for the jewel. And that afterward you would leave—and possibly demand that I leave everything to go with you if I gave myself to you.”

He gives me a long look. “It seems that I have much to make amends for then. And much that requires forgiveness if you believed that for even a moment of my courtship. I would never steal you away from your family, my love. However long it takes, I will prove to you that you can trust me. I’m a dragon, after all, and have all the patience and time in the world for you.”

“And just how do you plan on beginning to prove this?” I whisper huskily, bringing a slow grin to his face.

“A demonstration of devotion, my love—if you would like.” His eyes heat further until the golden flame nearly consumes them, and his scales flush a brighter hue of red with his desire. “Will you allow me that?”

A shiver runs through me, and I lean toward him in silent offering.

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