Page 37 of Consort of the Dragon King

“He has not even bedded you yet,” Nasume sneered. “Clearly, you mean nothing to him.”

Before Auslin could say anything, Nasume threw the sizzling ball of shadows at him while launching himself at the human.

Auslin threw up a barrier that dissolved Nasume’s magic and drove him back. Shadows in the room rushed to the wolf shifter’s call, who cast them around the mage’s protective shield to crush him. They crackled and hissed before dissolving into nothing.

Nasume’s wolf came out, his eyes changing from amber to a glowing orange. “If that is all you have, this will be a pathetically easy victory for us.”

Before he could launch his next attack, Kitsuki burst into the room. “Nasume, what is the meaning of this?”

“We are trying to educate your obstinate little pet about his place in your life,” Nasume’s wolf answered with a smirk aimed at Auslin.

In the blink of an eye, Kitsuki held Nasume high off the ground by his throat. His dragon was in full control. “The one who needs to learn his place isyou.”

“Our place is at your side,” Nasume’s wolf argued in a strangled voice.

“Never,” Kitsuki hissed. “Mark our words, Nasume. From this day forth, you are banished from ever stepping foot in Valzerna again. The penalty of trespassing is immediate execution.”

“You cannot do that without causing a diplomatic incident,” Nasume warned through a gasp as Kitsuki tightened his grip on his throat. “My allies will rise against you in war.”

Kitsuki’s dragon glared hatefully at the wolf shifter. “You could bring your armies down on us, and we would slaughter them all before killing you, your bastard son, and taking your lands as ourown. Every citizen of Talwyn would thank us for freeing them from your tyranny.”

“You are bluffing,” Nasume wheezed out.

“If we ever lay eyes on you again or if you so much asthinkof trying to harm our intended, it will mean your instant death, no matter how much he pleads for leniency toward you,” Kitsuki’s dragon warned. “Do not try us, Nasume, unless you are that eager to die.”

With that said, Kitsuki’s dragon tossed Nasume to the floor, where the wolf shifter coughed violently as he tried to recover his breath. He gave Nasume one last hateful look before gesturing for Auslin to follow him out of the room, leaving the wolf shifter quivering on the floor in seething rage.

Chapter 19

Kitsuki

Kitsuki’s beast retreated as he walked back to their bedroom with Auslin. Once the door shut behind them, Kitsuki gathered Auslin into a tight embrace. Auslin returned the hug, whispering Kitsuki’s name as the shifter monarch hid his face against the mage’s shoulder.

They silently remained that way for several long moments before Kitsuki apologized. “Forgive me. I should have known he would seek you out for retribution. I should have come sooner.”

“You came when it mattered,” Auslin said. “I’m fine.”

Kitsuki stroked the mage’s neck, which had rivulets of dried blood from the scratches Nasume’s claws had left. “None of this is fine.” He leaned forward to lick Auslin clean.

It didn’t escape Kitsuki’s attention how his actions sent a shiver of want through Auslin. The tantalizing scent of his arousal reassured Kitsuki he had not done irreparable damage to their relationship.

Once Auslin’s neck was clean, Kitsuki pushed his luck by kissing upward until he reached the mage’s lips. He indulged in a deep,passionate kiss. Auslin imbedded his fingers in Kitsuki’s hair as he held on with a moan. It was the best kind of heaven.

Even as Kitsuki comforted himself that Auslin was okay, it stirred his desires in a way he had to stop before he got too carried away. His need to claim Auslin ran deep, but Kitsuki knew it was still too early to mate his beloved. Their earlier disagreement was further proof of that, so Kitsuki forced himself to stop.

While he didn’t wish to resume the argument, Kitsuki owed Auslin the truth. “I know you want to plead mercy on Nasume’s unworthy behalf, but that was not an empty threat I made in there. I have endured too many centuries of his failure to respect my boundaries. I will not have him plotting against you to take you away from me.”

Auslin sighed heavily, but his anger was absent. “I only have one request.”

“And that is?”

“Please leave Maseo out of it,” Auslin requested, surprising Kitsuki. “Your quarrel is with Nasume and Nasume alone. Nasume may be Maseo’s father, but Maseo is not his father’s son. Maseo doesn’t deserve to die because his father is an awful person.”

It took a moment for Kitsuki to realize why Auslin was asking for leniency for the half-shifter. “Be at ease, Auslin. I threatened to kill Maseo to show I had no interest in him. It was my attempt at stopping Nasume from going after his son as a perceived threat to his claim on me.”

Auslin visibly sagged with relief. “In that case, thank you. For Maseo’s sake, I hope that helped.”

“I will still send one of Uncle Jaega’s spies to warn him, just in case.”

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