Page 63 of Happily Ever Witch
Trevelyan’s heart was still pounding from thinking she’d been hurt. Feelings he wasn’t choosing to feel had swamped him and he didn’t like it. He couldn’t even classify them all. He didn’twantto. He hated anything being outside of his control, so he just ignored whatever the True Love bond and the dragon were screaming in his head.
(And since when did the monster inside of him and the True Love bond agree with each other? Why were all the different parts of him siding against him, now?)
“I’m going to smell like a distillery for days.” He complained at Esmeralda.
She smelled like Trevelyan, though. Well, mostly she smelled likeher, thank God. He loved her Good/Bad fragrance. But now, his scent was all over her, marking her as his. No other shifter-species could miss who she belonged to. That brought a sense of satisfaction and began to soothe the edges of his temper.
“You’re welcome, dick face. Glad I could save you.”
“I didn’t ask for your help.”
“Well,Maid Marionwasn’t here to lend a hand, so I thought I’d better do it!”
Trevelyan reluctantly snorted at that delightfully bitchy retort.
“You’re exactly like the Cauldron Society.” Esmeralda ranted. “None of you ever think my magic is special enough. But once I get my ginger-mutant army to do my bidding…”
He cut her off, his voice going arctic. “Anyone who says you’re not special, I will burn at the stake. I promise you a thousand percent. I’ve wiped out covens of witches in the past and I’ll do it again.”
She paused, looking back at him.
“Just give me a list of names and it’s done, my darling.”Nobodyinsulted his mate. Certainly not a group of pompous bitches in pointy hats.
“Now you’re trying to make me like you.” She accused with a sniff. “It’s not going to work.”
“Of course not. No one ever likes me.” He shrugged that ridiculous idea aside. Nine times out of ten, he even annoyed his honorary-sister. “But I likeyouand that’s all that really matters. So, your enemies are my enemies.” He arched a brow. “...Unlike some people, I’m loyal.”
She flipped him off with one Bow-Before-Me-Black-tipped finger and kept walking.
Christ, but he liked her.
He even liked that she’d instinctively helped him, although he would’ve been fine without a bath in high-proof spirits. With Esmeralda, he would take whatever small bit of loyalty he could get. She was attached enough to be jealous of Maid Marion and flood half a library for him. That was progress.
“You’re getting a waterproofing spell, whether you like it or not, Mate.” He shouted after her, wanting the last word in their argument.
Inside of him, the dragon had yet to calm. The creature was infuriated, roaring, and pacing, and raking its claws. It was obsessed with the witch. It couldn’t stand that their mate had been in danger.
The monster was right. This couldn’t keep happening. He wasn’t about to let goddamn water threaten Esmeralda ever again, because it was threateninghimby proxy and nothing threatened Trevelyan, Last of the Green Dragons. That was the reason for his burst of panic, when he’d thought water was pouring down on them.
It wasn’t about her. It was abouthim. Obviously.
Trevelyan was all that mattered.
Instead of agreeing with his supremely levelheaded command, Esmeralda scoffed at him. “Fuck yourself, Trev. With a chainsaw.”
He liked the woman’s fire, too. He really did.
He sucked some of the grog from his thumb. Perfect mixture. He preferred bourbon to rum and even he was impressed with the cocktail. Esmeralda could cook, mix drinks, looked like a centerfold, cursed like a sailor and was capable of crushing laser beams with her odd magic. No wonder he was keeping her, regardless of how irritating she got.
The dragon was in complete agreement. It huffed, but began to settle down, feeling Trevelyan’s resolve to claim their witch. The sooner she was fully mated, the happier it would be. And it was wise to keep a dragon happy. Esmeralda should really know that, by now.
Trevelyan ran his tongue over the edge of his teeth. He’d always been mercurial and it was hard to stay angry at a womanwith an ass as lovely as Esmeralda’s. He was able to nurse a grudge for years, but not with her.
The last of his anger cooled, partly because the dragon was quieting. (He’d forgotten how much easier it was to think, without the beast constantly raging.) And partly because it was silly to be upset over his mate trying to help him. No matter how ill-conceived her spell, it at least showed she cared. Andmostlybecause he simply wasn’t ready for the witch to leave his sight, yet.
He liked being with Esmeralda. Even when he knew they wouldn’t be having sex in the immediate future, he still wanted her around. It was very strange.
Luckily, he knew how to get her attention back on him and only him, where it rightfully belonged. “Don’t go, Ez. I’ve got a secret to share with you.”
