Page 2 of Under the Dragon's Spell
"Can you do the cooking?" he asked.
I nodded. Although I didn't like to strengthen the omega-in-the-kitchen stereotype in his head, I did like cooking.
He stepped aside. "Come in then. You can have the guest room upstairs, but eventually, you're gonna have to help me with the bills around here."
"Sure. Thank you." Whatever. I only wanted to unpack and cry myself to sleep somewhere no one could see me. My brother could mock my omega status all he wanted, but I knew there was no better feeling in the world than to be treasured by the man you loved with all your heart and to take care of them in return. Sadly, I wasn't likely to experience that again. Even what I'd had seemed to have been fake, after all.
The first few weeks after my break-up with Rory, I spent trying to stay out of my brother's way. I needed to find a job, so I could move out and get back on my feet, but it was difficult. I hadn't held a job in year, and companies didn't like to see the gap in my CV. They liked it even less when I explained how it got there. Lots of people liked to have omegas as partners, but few people liked to hire them for jobs. We didn't have 'leadership qualities.'
I have to laugh every time I think about that, if only because I don't want to cry.
My friends told me to try to get over the break-up and find another partner who would support me, but I wasn't sure how easy that would be either, or how much I truly wanted that.
It was when I was strolling through the park one day to get away from my nagging brother when my luck started to turn. At least, I could feel the faintest glimmer of hope starting to grow in my chest. The reason was a discarded newspaper I picked up only because I was bored and needed to kill a few hours before I could return home.
On one of the pages, I found an ad. It looked silly at first, but interesting nonetheless.
"Currently seeking single human omega to mate with the heir of the prestigious Dragonfang Clan to ensure the continuation of the family line. Please send your resume to the following address. Include your history with child bearing, if any. Long term position. Only apply if you are willing to relocate to the Island of Dragons upon acceptance."
Then it went on to talk about high pay, health insurance coverage, food and board…
I stared at it for a good few minutes. This ad had been written by actual dragons. I'd rarely seen any. Usually, they stayed up on their island and didn't come over to the mainland unless they had to. But now they wanted to mate with humans? No, they wanted to find an omega who could give them a child.
I shuddered in spite of the warm spring breeze that blew over my skin.
Rory had wanted children too, but even though I was fertile, I had never become pregnant. I swallowed as my stomach knotted at the memory of the many fights we'd had over this very issue. Why had it never worked between us?
Doesn't matter. He's knocked someone else up now.
What if I did the same thing Rory had done and simply had my child with someone else?
No, it would be silly to apply. Still, I kept staring at the ad. In the upper right corner of it, there was a picture of the grand heir of the Dragonfang Clan, the person looking for a mate. He was handsome in a rough, devilish sort of way. Even on the grainy photograph, his dark eyes held a certain twinkle to them that told me he would speak commands easily, that he knew exactly how to treat a partner in and out of the bedroom, how to receive pleasure, and how to give it in return.
Heat rushed to my groin and I put the newspaper away.
I wasn't ready for another partner right now.
2
ADRIAN
"I saw that ad in the paper today," Jackson said, ripping his eyes away from the screen to look at me. "Did you see it? That one with that rich ass Dragon heir or whatever."
I made a non-committal sound as I washed another plate, hoping he would let the topic drop. I didn't want to think about this anymore. Didn't want to think about the handsome man in the picture who I'd never have a chance with anyway.
"Are you going to apply?" he asked. "Help me pay some bills around here instead of sitting on your ass and whining about your lost love or whatever."
"It's not my thing," I said, keeping my eyes fixed on the sink. What was Jackson thinking? I couldn't just have a baby for some guy I'd never met. That was definitely not the way I'd pictured my life. Then again,thiswasn't how I'd pictured my life either. I tightened my grip on the plate in my hand, scrubbing furiously at invisible stains.
"Paying bills isn't your thing? Tough luck. It's not my thing, either, but it's gotta be done, brother."
"There's other ways to pay bills."
"This sounds like it's right up your ally, though. Isn't baby making kind of what you omegas are made for?"
I snorted. Sure, that was all we were good for. In my brother's limited world view anyway.
"You should apply," he said again. "At least try, you know. I can't keep paying shit for you. That dude's rich. He'd throw money at you if you had his baby."
