Page 132 of Happily Ever Witch
He sighed at how difficult she was. “If you’re going to be picky, I won’t even maim him. Alright? Not permanently, anyway. I would just prefer it if you were safe, while I went and saved that worthless…”
“Nah.”
Trevelyan rubbed his forehead. The woman complicated everything.
“We’ll both go. Side-by-side.” She offered instead. “Just like we agreed.”
Did he have a choice?
Esmeralda was determined to rescue her moronic brother and Trevelyan was determined to seal their mating bond. Helping her was the best option. Besides, the quicker the wolf was safe, the quicker Trevelyan could get his witch away from the Club Kingdom. She was more important than Marrok. More important than anything.
His mate was all that mattered.
Heneverwanted to go through another morning like this one. Once he’d figured out how to walk through the magic mirror in the Heart Castle, it had been simple enough to follow her path. Simple to track her across a field of frozen geysers. Simple to know that she’d been snatched by yetis. Simple to imagine all the gruesome things they could be doing to her. By the time he’d arrived at the cave, he’d been ready to kill everything he saw. Even more so than usual.
That rage and terror had faded, once the witch was back in his arms. Now, he had to make sure she stayed there.
“Deal.” He promised. “You decide to keep me and I’ll make sure Marrok stays alive.” There were plenty of other assholes he could murder, after all. Trevelyan was fortunate, in that regard. The world was full of people he hated.
“You sure?” Esmeralda asked, like she still couldn’t believe his offer.
“I’m sure.” Marrok would be pissed off if Trevelyan was the one to ride to his rescue, which would be almost as satisfying as slaughtering him. The man would absolutely despise that he owed Trevelyan his life. The thought was bolstering. “I have to go to the Club Kingdom, anyway. The Queen has your other three tiaras. I’ll just kill her, instead of Marrok. Compromise is part of any successful relationship.”
“I thought dragons never, ever compromised.”
“We do with our mates,” his mouth nipped at her ear, “Mate.”
Dragons were amazing husbands. (They were the first to say so.) And Trevelyan’s father had often boasted that the Green Dragon line produced the very best husbands of all. His mother hadn’t always agreed, granted, but they would both be pleased to see how easily Trevelyan was adjusting to the role.
Esmeralda was understandably impressed with his negotiating skills. “Well, I’d be keeping you either way… But lending a hand on my rescue mission gets you the bonus of making me very happy.”
“How very happy?”
“Reallyvery happy.” Her smile was all wicked virtue.
“I want you to decide on me right now, Ez.” Inside of him, the dragon was closer to the surface than it had been since he’d woken up from the sleeping spell. His powers had recovered enough that he could transform, but he wasn’t about to do that. Green smoke rose from his skin and he ignored it.
Esmeralda didn’t. “Does your dragon wish I was a dragon, too?”
“No. He wants you, just as you are. And that isn’t going to happen, because in that form I would crush you. But you need to have sex with this version of meright now.”
“I mean… sure.” She shrugged, ready to go along with the plan. “But, I couldlooklike a dragon, if it would make you really very happy. The same way I looked like a yeti. Or I could just be me, only really big. The same way I got really tiny and escaped you the first time we had sex. I’m amazing at glamours. I can look like anything.”
Trevelyan stared at her. So did his dragon.
“It’ll be fun.” Esmeralda blinked up at him. “Big or dragon?” She prompted.
“Big.” His voice was darker than usual. Even he heard it. The dragon was taking control and Trevelyan wasn’t stopping it, now. He’d never been with anyone, as a dragon. It had never even occurred to him that it was possible. The idea was intoxicating. Having a level six witch for a mate was a never-ending adventure.
Esmeralda casually glanced upward, gauging the height of the ceiling. “That cave with the cooking fire is probably our best place to do this. Otherwise I’m not sure we’re going to fit.”
Trevelyan was already hustling her back towards the larger cavern, moving her along in front of him. “Take your underwear off.” He attacked the fabric, not waiting for her to comply.
“You’re sure there’s no one but us around here, right?”
“If anyone was stupid enough to survive, I’ll kill them even harder this time.” That was a heartfelt promise. He used magic and brute force to finish undressing her. “Fuck yes.” Hehad her naked by the time they reached the massive chamber, his hands caressing her glorious skin.
“You shred two-thirds of my wardrobe.” Esmeralda complained good-naturedly.
