Page 38 of The Heart of the Dragon

My head was going to explode. "What do you mean mate?" I'd spoken my question on a whisper, but apparently, they all heard me just fine because conversation ceased. Isaac and Kitra looked everywhere but at me or Magnus.

Magnus stared at me with a pained expression for several heart-stopping beats before an emotionless mask took over and hebecame impossible to read. There was no other way to describe what happened other than a complete lockdown of whatever he had going on in his head.

"She's not my mate."

Four simple words that should have brought immense relief, and yet…

"But—" Isaac started to say.

"It wouldn't matter if she was. She's as human as they come, and my dragon doesn't want her. All he wants is to go home and exact his revenge. Until then, nothing will change. Nothing will end."

"Are you sure about that?" Kitra asked quietly, her disbelief clear.

I didn't hear what she or any of them had to say as I processed Magnus's little bombshell. It was as if my entire body had flamed hot the second he said those words. The embarrassment alone…

Despite the burning at the backs of my eyes, I gritted my teeth and willed them not to fall.I will not cry.

The asshole I'd slept with last night had just declared me not good enough for him. He didn't deserve tears. Or sympathy. Or anything. It was fine. I didn't want him either.

A little voice in the back of my head protested, and I locked it down hard.

"He's right. This is all a mistake."

Magnus didn't even acknowledge me before he answered the other woman. "Of course I'm sure. Fate is a mean bitch, but evenshe wouldn't saddle a human with my pissed off dragon as a mate. That would be cruel."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," she seethed. "But you're a fool if you think anyone is exempt from fate's cruel bite." She waved both Isaac and Magnus off before they could interrupt. "But that's not what I was talking about." She walked over to me and cupped my cheek, forcing me to meet her gaze and then turned my head side to side as if she were inspecting me. "Are you sure she's human?" she asked, peering closer. "Because I'm not."

Chapter

Fifteen

Magnus

As the rapid-firequestions that erupted from the three people surrounding me descended into chaos, I shut all of them out and focused only on her.

I had gotten nothing from Rose that might have even hinted at something otherworldly. Well, other than the fact she'd managed to poison my dragon and bind him in a way he'd never been restricted before. No fae other than my uncle had found a way to manipulate me like that. The kind of power that should take was immense.

My eyes narrowed as the implications of what Kitra had said began to sink in.

It had taken a while to believe Rose truly had no ill intentions toward me, and now I was right back to not being sure. Kitra had managed to blow up what little trust I had in a matter of seconds.

Of course, she could be wrong. That was the more likely path. Except Kitra had inherited a lot of magic. I couldn't ignore the power she controlled.

"You are all nuts. And all the more reason for every one of you to get out of my house. Especially you," she spat in my direction. "At least you're right about one thing. I. Am. Not. Your. Mate." She dropped her hands from her hips and took in a deep breath. I could see her trying to reach for a semblance of calm, but if she had cared to listen, I would tell her she'd never see it around me. My dragon was the opposite of calm and his emotions took over everything.

A dark swirl of emotion filtered through my mind before passing through the rest of my body until it wrapped around my heart and settled there. The dragon wasn't going to let her in. And the only way I could protect her from him would be to keep her as far away from me as possible.

"Good," I returned before attempting to turn my focus to Isaac. "Where do you want me to go now? Have you found some new hideout you'd like to stash me this time?"

"Not exactly. And frankly, I am tired of chasing your ass."

"No one asked you to chase me."

He snorted. "You gave me little choice. Every time I turn around, your dragon is throwing a bitch hissy fit. And since you still can't keep that beast under control, you've left me no other options."

"I can," Rose spoke up, smug satisfaction on her face.

"Oh, hell no. If you think I'm going to let you poison me again, think again. It's never going to happen."

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