Page 77 of Consort of the Dragon King

Her expression was sympathetic. “That is you. Your dragon is another matter.”

His brow furrowed in consternation. “Why do you continue to insist I have a dragon?”

“Did you not sense something stirring deep inside you, which drove you to accept what was so willingly being offered despite your normal reservations?” Kizoshi asked. “Did words of dark desires escape you which you would never dare think normally, let alone ever say out loud?”

It was exactly what had happened. Kisano still felt the sting of humiliation from murmuring to Sephen they had to stop, “Because the things I want to do to you would have you screaming my name and alerting everyone about what we were doing.” How could he have said such a naughty thing to someone as sweet as Sephen?

Kisano rubbed his chest, which felt tight in Sephen’s absence. “Whenever I am around him, it feels like something deep within me burns with an unbearable heat. I crave him in ways I have never experienced before. That feeling urges me to do things to him I should not.”

Her voice was gentle. “You must be careful, dear brother. You do not have any experience in holding your dragon back. He will want to claim Sephen before you’re ready to accept it.”

His sister’s insistence was strange when he had been without a dragon for nearly two millennia of being alive. Kisano had so many embarrassing questions. “How could the start of Sephen’sheat stir those kinds of intense feelings within me? I have always been so mild-mannered. Never in my life have I felt so wild and unrestrained as I did when I was alone with him.”

“It is your dragon looking to make up for lost time.” Kizoshi took her younger brother’s hand in hers to give it a squeeze. “If it is any consolation, I get the distinct impression Sephen would not mind being ravaged in the least.”

Kisano didn’t know which comment was more confusing. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, dear brother. Surely, even in the depths of denial, you can tell that sweet boy is completely smitten with you,” Kizoshi said with a laugh. “Finding out you were Reskin only strengthened those existing feelings within him.”

Kisano still had a hard time accepting her claims despite the evidence to the contrary. “I do not understand why. I have done nothing to merit such feelings.”

She gave her brother a kindly look. “You exist, dear brother. It is all the reason Sephen needs to love you.”

Kizoshi’s approval lessened some of Kisano’s fears, but he still worried about his younger brother’s reaction. “Surely, Kitsuki will be displeased I am interested in Auslin’s brother.”

“Why would you think that?” Kitsuki asked as he walked over, startling Kisano. He had been so engrossed in the conversation he hadn’t realized the shifter king had entered the library. “Have I not been supportive enough of your interests in Sephen?”

“But is it not awful I have fallen for the only other non-family member who has shown me kindness other than Auslin?”Kisano asked in a pained tone as Kitsuki sat in the chair across from them.

Kizoshi patted her brother’s hand she still held. “Sephen was made to love all of you, Kisano. You do not need to fear having feelings for him for the wrong reasons.”

“Do not make the same mistakes Auslin and I did by creating unnecessary boundaries between yourself and what you want,” Kitsuki added. “The only person saying you cannot have Sephen is yourself.”

It scared Kisano how much he wanted Sephen. Words continued to fail him.

“Take the rest of Sephen’s heat to get your thoughts sorted,” Kizoshi suggested. “You will be better prepared to have the conversation you need to upon his return to the castle.”

“But what if he already regrets what happened and never wishes to see me again?” Kisano whispered in anguish. He couldn’t bear the thought.

“I can guarantee you the only regret Sephen has is you stopped when you did.” Kizoshi’s knowing look brought another blast to Kisano’s cheeks at the implication.

It was a reminder of his failure. “I never should have let things get so far beyond my control.”

“Practice will help get your dragon under your command,” Kizoshi told him. “But you will soon come to understand what it is like to live with one.”

“No matter how much you insist, I still do not think it is possible,” Kisano argued.

“We shall see which of us is right.” Kizoshi’s enigmatic smile made Kisano worry more when she was never wrong.

Kitsuki took a different tactic. “Do you wish Sephen to be yours?”

There was a litany of reasons why it was inappropriate and forbidden, but Kisano’s heart didn’t care about such things. “Yes.”

“Then make it so,” Kitsuki urged in a gentle voice.

“I do not know how.”

Kizoshi laughed behind her hand. “Fortunately for you, Sephen can help with that.”

---