Page 4 of D'Vaire or Nothing
“I’ve adored you since the day we met,” Brogan vowed.
Dra’Kaedan laughed so hard he snorted. “You asked Aleksander if I was real. You thought I was an under-baked weirdo. The next day, you asked me if I had all my working parts.”
The grin Brogan gave Dra’Kaedan could only be described as lecherous. “You definitely have all your working parts, and I hope I can test them out again later, after our date.”
“Do you think we can convince the kitchen at this restaurant to give us a bowl of frosting for us to test?”
“You’re the Grand Warlock; they’ll do anything to impress you.”
Dra’Kaedan snuggled closer to Brogan and chuckled. “What’s the use of having a title if you don’t use it for good?”
“Exactly. Dra’Kaedan?”
“Yeah?”
“We had a rough start, but I know how bleak my life would be without you in it. Each year we’ve shared, you’ve somehow made me love you more. I adore you. Every beautiful inch of you.”
With a happy sigh, Dra’Kaedan rested his head on his mate’s shoulder as the lovely glow of Brogan’s words filled him. Incredible affection and lust had thrived between them for decades.
“I love you too.”
Chapter 2
High King Aleksander D’Vairedraconis rested his hand on the small of his other half’s back as Rafe led him and their wolves out of the elevator. They were in the luxurious new resort, Deck of Cards, owned by the Emperors. Aleksander loved that they’d themed it. The theme suited Las Vegas perfectly.
Properties owned by Court Draconis were traditionally black, white, and gold in honor of the two men who ruled the dragons and oversaw the Council. Aleksander liked the addition of red for the hearts and diamonds found in French-suited decks. It made him wonder if a crimson dragon had ever been born.
As far as Aleksander knew, there were no modern European dragons in a rich ruby shade, but little was known about the rest of the world. Other dragon types existed or had flourished at some point in history. But they wanted nothing to do with the Council. Perhaps those types of dragons had scarlet beasts. Or maybe a cherry beast had existed among Aleksander’s kind but had died prior to his birth.
“You’re thinking hard,” Rafe commented as they walked through the lobby where Brogan had lectured everyone about safety before allowing them to go up to their rooms. Privacy would be at a premium for Aleksander and Rafe, since Broganhad insisted on sharing a suite with them. In fact, there were many D’Vaires in the expansive penthouse. While Aleksander loved his family, he treasured Rafe the most and wouldn’t have minded locking himself in a room with his mate for the weekend.
“Where is food?” Nox asked Aleksander through the mindlink they’d gained when Chander had resurrected the massive black-and-blue wolf.
“One question at a time,” Aleksander replied. “Let’s figure out which direction we need to go to find the restaurant.”
“Okay, I get it,” Rafe said to Mortis with a scowl. That expression on the dragon shifter’s handsome face made a wave of desire roll pleasantly through Aleksander. The same thing happened when Rafe smiled. Or did pretty much anything. Aleksander’s mate was pure walking temptation. “Nox asked Aleksander where to find food. You don’t have to repeat it to me three times.”
“But it’s so much fun to annoy you,” Aleksander teased, pressing a quick kiss to Rafe’s temple.
“Brogan,” Nox commented in Aleksander’s head.
Aleksander opened his mouth to ask why Nox had mentioned the Grand Duke’s name, then he noticed Brogan jogging toward him with a scowl. Behind him was a harassed-looking Dra’Kaedan running twice as fast since his legs were considerably shorter than Brogan’s.
“Why the fuck did you leave without me?” Brogan asked, halting in front of Aleksander.
Dra’Kaedan bent over and rested his palms on his thighs as he tried to catch his breath. “So much for subtlety,” he huffed.
“We left without you because Rafe and I are going on a date,” Aleksander stated succinctly. “You aren’t invited.”
“Of course not,” Brogan replied. “But Dra’Kaedan and I are also going on a date in the King of Clubs. We thought we could walk with you.”
“Terrible save,” Dra’Kaedan muttered.
“We don’t need a security escort,” Aleksander said. “The only people in the hotel are our large extended family.”
“Not true,” Brogan countered, gesturing at the employees trying not to overhear their conversation as they stood at their posts behind the reception desks in the lobby. “There are staff too.”
“None of them are here to murder me,” Aleksander drawled.
