Page 34 of Witch of My Heart

“I’m a virgin, cousin,”he said, switching to our family link to continue the discussion.“I got lucky, but you’re right. Fred was just an okay dad. I don’t want to be an okay dad to some kid because a condom breaks or something and then I meet my true-mate.”

“No wonder you have so many hobbies,”I said.

“I’m surprised you have time for a sex life when you spend so much time studying magic.”

“I did. Well, occasionally. A couple of times with my high school boyfriend before he met his true-mate. That was before his first heat of course. So, no chance of babies. I’ve even hooked up with another Alpha a time or two. There are options. No judgement either way. Your body, your choice, and all of that.”

“I know options are out there. I just want what my parents have. My real parents – Blake and Jonah have. Why on Earthside would I settle for anything less? I want it all and I’m okay waiting a couple centuries to have it, if I have to, cousin. Look at him sleeping on your chest and tell me if you knew you’d have met him so soon, that you wouldn’t have waited?”

“I wouldn’t have,”I shook my head,“I don’t regret my past. There’s not much of it in the bedroom, but I don’t regret those experiences. I’m not saying you should regret yours either. Just that I refuse to regret mine. Now that we’re as alone as I’m willing to be since I’m not willing to be that far from Cord, what do you think about the notes?”

“I don’t want to get hopeful in any direction. A man who doesn’t hope can’t have his balloon popped,”Duke said, stretching his arms high above his head.

“What if it’s about your true-mate?”I asked.

“I considered that for about twenty seconds, but cousin I don’t plan on sharing my guy with you. So, I doubt you’d get the same message if that was true.”

“Maybe he’s the descendant of a powerful vampire witch or something.”

“You’re not my mate, cousin,”Duke said over the family link, but covered his mouth with a hand to stifle his booming laughter.

“I’m the powerful vampire witch, not a descendant of one.”

“I think you’re probably both,”Duke said, when he finally had his laughter under control. “It’s not like our carriers spend much time talking about our family tree. That’s why I’m keeping such good track with our generation. One day if my grandkids need to know something, it’s all going to be there.”

“Thanks for that. Sorry I got growly over you asking him.”

“Don’t be. I get it. He’s been through hell and his carrier is dead. If I were him, they’d be picking pieces of my scales out of London or pieces of London out of my scales.”

“I get it,”I nodded.“Me too, minus the scales. They’d be dead or I’d die trying.”

“Is that why we’re not telling them you’re on the hunt for vampyric magic?”Duke asked me, meeting my gaze in the dark.

“I figured it’d be a dead end anyway,”I shrugged, only half telling the truth.“Now, I’m just on the hunt for a house to ward. I figure I have to call them tomorrow. They’re probably wondering why I haven’t called already.”

“I may have done that for you while you were in the shower,”Duke said.“Don’t worry. I didn’t tell them that I had to tie you to your mate and a dragon, so the dragon didn’t think you’d both lost your minds. I just gave them the bare details. Though, I have a feeling, if we stay here, they’ll both come in for the birth. Hell, probably mine will too.”

“Are you gonna stay if I do?”I asked him.

“Why wouldn’t I? Even if some dead vampire wasn’t passing me notes like a school kid, I’d stay. You shouldn’t be here alone. Yeah, yeah. I know. Bobby, Daniel, and Marcus, but it’s not the same.”

“I know,”I nodded.“Thank you, but what about Haven?”

“While I didn’t inherit the wandering dick of Fred Moonscale, I did inherit his mind for business. It can run itself while I’m away. Hell, Joy works there so much that if she can keep it afloat and wants to keep it, I’ll give it to her. It was just a starter business anyhow.”

“You’re going to regret that if it makes her rich and powerful,”I teased him.

“Her daddy made her both of those things. I’m giving her something to build on. There’s a difference.”

“You’re a weirdo. You like your siblings more than me.”

“That’s because Travis and Millie --- I mean Travis and Trista have twin-syndrome and are making bank on social media with it.”

“It’s still weird. She started going by her middle name to match him. If one of them ever meets their true-mate both of their heads are going to explode. I’m surprised they can go shit by themselves. Scott isn’t so bad. He’s going to be a house omega, though. Nothing wrong with that, but if I get one more lecture about different sorts of flours he uses in bread and cakes I swear to Juda I’m going to gouge out my own ear drums. Then the littles are okay. The littles are always okay. It’s hard to find fault in kids.”

“The littles are always okay,”Duke nodded and let out a yawn.“Don’t worry, little cousin. I’m not going anywhere. I know the stories of what happened to our carriers when they were alone.”

He yawned again and pressed his forehead against my shoulder, a gesture of affection just as a combination of wolf and draconic body language as he was.

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