Page 66 of Rurik
“You love Charlotte,right?”
Damien shot her an angry glare. “I wasn’t planning to lead with that,Meg.”
Meg shrugged. “Hey, I’ve been her chaperone most of her dating life. I’m entitled to ask a few personalquestions.”
Rurik nodded. “Ido.”
“But how? You’ve only known her a few days,” Damiensaid.
“And in those days, I have lived with Charlotte in ways I haven’t in a thousand years. I love her for her intelligence, her compassion, her bravery, as well as her beauty. I’ve shared some of her memories; I have seen into her heart. It would be impossible not to love her after knowing her the way I do.” The myriad emotions in his eyes filled Charlotte’s soul with purejoy.
Damien looked to Grigori and Mikhail. Charlotte went rigid as hespoke.
“You’re okay with him mating my sister?” Damien’s voice rose in volume, and the tension around the tableresumed.
“A mate is a mate,” Mikhail said. “Love is love. And for us, it is destiny.” He kissed Piper’s hand, making the woman blush. “The bond is one that can be sensed, just like sight or smell. It is impossible not to recognize it for what it is. And our kind would never deny a mating, not when it’s a gift from the gods. Charlotte is a part of our familynow.”
That was the wrong thing to say. Charlotte already sensed the old protectiveness rolling off of Damien. “She’s not yours. She’s a part ofmyfamily.”
Meg stepped in front of her boss and placed a hand on his chest. “Uh…Damien, remember what we talked about? This is what drove her away in the first place. You keep talking about keeping an open mind, about the Brotherhood changing its ways. Well, that attitude has to start athome.”
Damien locked eyes with his subordinate, ready to challenge her. Instead, he took a deep breath and nodded. “You’re really okay with all of this,sis?”
Charlotte got up from her chair. “Yes. I love him. I’m part of him. And he’s part ofme.”
Damien was still silent, uncertain, but Jason came over and pulled her into a fierce hug. “He’ll spoil you, right? He’d better, if he knows what’s good forhim.”
“Yes, he will—too much, I suspect!” She laughed and let him go. After that, everyone began to relax, even Damien. Mikhail opened the bottles of beer and wine and filled a glass for everyone. Meg wasted no time in catching her friend up on events. Part of her couldn’t believe that she was here in Rurik’s apartment, the Brotherhood and the Barinovs partying…together.
“So this whole dragon thing…does it make you less afraid of heights?” Jason nudged her with his elbow in the way he’d always done when he’d teased her as akid.
She considered the question. “The dragon isn’t afraid when she’s in charge. I trust her to keep ussafe.”
“She?” Meg asked. “I’m a little confused. Someone said that you and Rurik share the same dragon soul. I mean, let’s back up and get to the question everyone really wants to ask:What the hell happened toyou?”
Charlotte frowned. So much of that other world had faded from her memory, like she wasn’t supposed to remember. Snow, dragons, shadows, fire… Was it real or some kind of dream realm betweenworlds?
“It’s hard to explain. I was…somewhere else. Rurik was dying, and the only way I could save him was by giving my life to him. To fill the void left behind, some of his dragon came into me. We are the samedragon.”
“Then how is your half ashe?”
“Any psychologist will tell you that we all have a masculine and feminine side,” said Madelyn, leaning in. “My guess is that the soul divided along thoselines.”
Sitting on another sofa with Piper, Mikhail spoke up. “It’s true. Charlotte’s dragon did not just look feminine, she lookedsupremelyfeminine.” This got him a glare from his mate. Mikhail coughed. “Perhaps I should have saidtoofeminine.”
“Perhaps you shouldhave.”
“Yes, and Rurik looks more masculine than ever,” said Madelyn, which earned her an equally harsh glare from Grigori. Dragon shifters and jealousy seemed to go hand inhand.
“That’s so crazy.” Jason sipped his Russianbeer.
Damien, on the other hand, looked at Charlotte with a sad smile. “Do you guys mind if I have a moment withCharlotte?”
“Sure.” Jason gave her another quick hug and then went to join Grigori and Kathryn, who were already in animated conversation. Kathryn was spinning her hands to weave a small spell for the oldest Barinov dragon, which he seemed to find fascinating. Charlotte turned her focus back to Damien, and her eyes, so much sharper now, didn’t miss the lines of weariness around his eyes and the sorrow in hisgaze.
“I fucked things up royally, little sis.” He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and ducked his head. “I came into Moscow guns blazing, ready to kill for you, and that wasn’t the answer to theproblem.”
Charlotte stiffened. “Problem?” He thought she and Rurik being mated was still aproblem?
