Page 222 of The Forbidden Dragon King
“Morning, love,” Daire says, as familiar as if we’ve been waking up next to each other in bed and greeting each other like this for centuries. My stomach feels fluttery. “Managed to sleep for a few hours, after we ravished you?”
Even after the many mind-blowing activities that Daire coached Aurelius and me through over my heat, he never took off his golden mask.
I stretch out with a smile. “I’m sore but in the best way. Also, in places that I didn’t know I could be sore. And yes,I slept more deeply than I have in years. You fucked the nightmares out of me.”
“I have a talented knot.” Aurelius’ lips curl against mine into a smile.
“I feel the best that I have in years.” Daire stretches his wings. “Bloody brilliant in fact.”
“Not so brilliant that your magic is back…?” Aurelius asks.
“Why?” Daire looks delighted. “Frightened?”
Aurelius snorts. “Hardly. It would just mean that Spark’s ass could fuck the magic back into you. Now that would be a talent.”
I blush.
“Aye, it would. Why don’t we test it again?” Daire says, enthusiastically.
“Sleepy,” I murmur. “You’ll have to wait until my next heat. Just lying here with you both, quietly in your arms, is perfect.”
“It is.” There’s something in Aurelius’ voice, however, that’s off.
I dance my fingers over Aurelius’ powerful bicep. “I’m too content. I’m afraid that this is all a dream.”
Daire presses a kiss to the back of my neck, grazing a hint of teeth along my skin that makes me shiver. “Then I’ll make sure that you’ll never wake up.”
“Now that we’re bonded,” Aurelius pulls me closer against his chest, “we’ll never be parted, even when you’re dreaming.”
“How?”
“We’ll be able to reach out to each other through ourdreams. Even if we’re apart, we can be together while we sleep. Bonded dragons are never truly alone. Myths say that the most deeply bonded are together in their dreams, even if one of them dies.”
Carefully, Daire untangles himself from me and sits up. “And why would we be parted, boss? Why would we die?”
Aurelius flinches on theboss.
He draws back from me, pulling his hand through his mussed hair, attempting to smooth it into place. Then he scoots back on the hard floor, until his back hits the rough cavern wall.
Confused, I hold out my hand to him. “Come back.”
Aurelius kneels up, looking more shaken than I’ve seen, even when he was facing down Lanlin’s attack on Bael.
Anxious myself now, I sit up. What’s wrong?
Then to my shock, Aurelius partially transforms. His long, shimmering dragon’s tail with golden scales that glint like sunlight winds around him. Shadows curl at its end like ashen flames.
“It’s beautiful,” I breathe.
Aurelius flushes, and his tail twitches. “I’ve never shown anyone my tail in this form. A dragon must only show it to their fated mates. You’re both mine. The most important people in the realms to me, forever.”
He ducks his head, as if he hadn’t meant to say that last sentence out loud.
Daire blinks, rapidly. Then he glances at me, and forthe first time, I don’t believe that it’s a game when I read the softening in his eyes.
He crawls toward Aurelius with a slink of his hips. I don’t know whether it’s a courtesan trick or something that’s inherently part of Daire’s fae sexiness, but I copy him.
Aurelius stiffens but then forces himself to relax. “Do you want to touch my tail?”
