Page 15 of To Catch a Prince

“Elza! Vincent! Take care of my sisters!” the newly appointed Queenscreamed.

Demelza promised she would; Vincent inclined his head, trying not to visualize how, exactly, he wanted to ‘take care’ of one of thesisters.

What was wrong with him? Shiftless or not, he was a dragon, which meant he was no stranger to flesh desires, but never had he felt like this, all of a sudden, without warning or cause. Besides, the female was human; she wasn’t the sort of woman he ought to look at to satisfy his needs. Dragons were beasts, and, in that regard, he was no different. He fucked very hard, for a long time, and in a manner that would split the girl in two. She was no she-dragon, no bear, and not even a Rider; nature hadn’t shaped her to take the likes ofhim.

And, furthermore, he knew that human women of birth like her didn’t share the beds of just anyone. Dragons and other shifters saw sexuality very differently; part of the need their beasts demanded. Demelza, princess by blood, one of the most elevated women in Farden, had had plenty of lovers, for instance. Talia, a human from a small town, would only spread her legs for a husband, or perhaps afiancé.

That should have been enough to make him ignore her. He was no rake. Pretending to be serious and running out after he’d been satisfied wasn’t something he was able to do to anyone, and especially not his cousin’s sister-in-law. Yet, fully aware of what she’d demand for her favor, he found himself still desiring her. Imagining how impossibly tight she’d be, he groaned and turned on hisheels.

By all the gods, he needed out of there,fast.

He’d only taken a step when someone caught him by the hem of his sleeve. He turned, frowning atDemelza.

“Don’t even think of running now,” she half whispered, sending him a knowing look. “Your parents are staring. Any more of this behavior, and they’ll tie the poor gal to a bed until you’re done putting little Vasilis insideher.”

Why, oh why, in the name of every holy fuck, didn’t that sound like a badidea?

“I’m not in control,” he said through clenchedteeth.

He needed out of here,now.

Demelza stared at him in utter disbelief first, then she smiled. He tilted hishead.

“Your eyes, Vincent,” saidshe.

So he turned towards the polished windows, catching hisreflection.

He stared, and stared, and stared some more. This made no sense, nonewhatsoever.

Eventually it faded, but, impossible as it seemed, his amber eyes had been flashingred.

“No.”

“That is a fire gaze,” Demelza gasped. “You have a dragon inyou.”

Vincent knew he used to have one. He’d seen it. So had his mother and father, although they’d witnessed the whole thing from a distance. They didn’t speak of it now, though. But he’d thought, he’d truly believed, that his beast had been forever sealed insidehim.

And now, after all this time, it was shining through hiseyes?

He knew who’d caused it. For centuries, there had been nothing, and now, a mere hour after meeting the Astria girl, the most powerful human he’d ever encountered, his dragon stirred? He didn’t believe in coincidence. The question wasn’twhohad caused this; it waswhy. Was his dragon wary of her? Trying to warn him? The beast was silent, but now that he paid attention, Vincent could feel it here, watchful, right under the edge of hisconsciousness.

Vincent almost listened to his first instinct, walking out of there, running as far as he could. Something told him he should. Shifting back to the two ladies who watched him, intrigued, he forced a calming breath out and made himself smile. He could do this. His extreme unsteadiness, the incomparable amount of lust he felt towards her - he’d ignore it. He had to. She was spelling him some way, probably consciously. That was all. He just had to figure out how, andwhy.

Vincent Vasili was no coward; besides, if his instincts warned him against Talia, she needed to be observed. And how was he supposed to justify getting the Queen’s sister trailed? He had no other choice but to do ithimself.

Yes. Trailher.

He almost froze in his tracks, shocked at the familiar voice he hadn’t heard in far, far toolong.

His dragon. His dragon was really here again. Because ofher.

If she called to the beast, the monster, Talia was a threat, and he needed to watch out before it was toolate.

10

The Dragon

Three hundred andseven yearsago.

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