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“Relax, give me everything.” Jiang’s demanded.
Kurtis shouted out his pleasure in a spurted release between them. Jiang grunted, a
harsh, guttural sound followed by a gush of liquid filling Kurtis’ body.
After he caught his breath, Jiang went to the small bathroom and came back with a
small towel he used to wipe Kurtis clean. He tossed it into the hamper in the corner then
climbed back onto the bed to pull Kurtis into his arms. “We will have to find a new place
to live. You can come live with the dragons, since you are my mate.”
Kurtis sighed. “I like living here. The other shifters have always been nice to me.”
“I’m a dragon, Kurtis. I need to live some place I can keep my hoard.”
Kurtis tilted his head. “Do you even have a hoard? Won’t you have to go to China to
see if it still exists?”
Jiang shook his head. “I told you we could feel it. I know it is still there. I will have to
go fetch it, but I am reluctant to go when you are vulnerable. I won’t find it until I know I
have a place to keep you safe or you’ve changed into your dragon.”
“Then we can stay here.” Kurtis nestled into Jiang’s arms. “With all the magic
protecting the grounds, this is the safest place, and Seattle is expensive. Until you can
retrieve your jewels we don’t really have a lot of money except for the card the sorcerer
gave me.”
“How many months does he owe you?”
“Twenty-four. I lost two years of my life to that bastard. I wanted my pound of flesh,
but I guess money will do.”
“Why would you want a pound of his flesh? Is it useful? Would you like me to go get it
from him?”
Jiang didn’t understand why Kurtis laughed until his eyes leaked. “No. Not an actual
pound of flesh, that is only an expression. Meaning I want him to suffer like I did.”
“I can understand that. Sometimes the people who hurt us seem to be the only people
who get a break. The emperor killed many people and destroyed the dragons, and yet he
has found immortality and continues to imprison our kind.”
Kurtis held out his arms. After a moment Jiang lay down and allowed Kurtis to wrap
his arms around him.
“I’m sorry the asshole emperor is still alive. But now you have more people on your
side than ever before, and I just know Aden will make an awesome dragon king. He’ll
get everyone back on track.”
“I hope so.”
Epilogue
Aden paced back and forth in front of his condo’s big picture window. “I don’t know
what to do, Gallen, I turned into a dragon.”
Gallen sat on the couch and watched Aden move back and forth across the living room.
“Now love, no reason to freak out.”
“Did you miss the dragon part?” Aden stared at his mate in surprise. How could Gallen
not think this was a big freaking deal? He had always prided himself on being calm in
the face of emergency. When things went to hell Aden could always keep his shit
together. Not now. Not when he was supposedly a dragon king and now in mortal
combat with an emperor who should’ve been dead for more years than Aden could
count.
“You made a magnificent dragon,” Gallen soothed. “Your gold scales were very shiny.”
“Gee, thanks. Were my big teeth nice too? I could’ve killed you.”
Gallen slid off the couch and rushed to Aden’s side. “No, mate. I could tell you still
knew who I was in your dragon form. You were very careful with me. Don’t think this is
a way to worm out of our mating.”
Aden scowled. “I wasn’t trying to worm out of anything. I’m stating a fact. I turned
into a dragon and kept you hostage in my treasure room. As if…” he couldn’t think of a
proper comparison.
“As if I were as precious to you as your treasure?” Gallen offered.
Aden sighed and let his anger go. He couldn’t let Gallen bear the brunt of his
displeasure anyway. He slid his hands down Gallen’s arms, relishing the texture of his
mate’s skin. “You are more valuable to me than any gold or jewels or shiny goblets. I
can’t replace you and wouldn’t want to, no matter the shiny bobble offered. You are
everything.”
Gallen blinked rapidly.
“Are you crying?” Aden wrapped Gallen in his arms. He smiled when Gallen nestled
in closer and sighed against his neck.
“I can’t help it. Sometimes you are super sweet.”
Aden barked out a laugh. “I think I fried your brain earlier with my transformation, if
you think any part of me is sweet.”
Gallen shook his head. “I love you. I’ll spell anyone who tells me you aren’t romantic.”
“I don’t think that would be a great way to make friends.” Aden ran his fingers
through Gallen’s thick blond hair. “All I want to do is keep you safe. I think we might
have to move in with Carey until this whole thing blows over.”
“By blowing over you mean kill the emperor, don’t you?” Gallen asked.
“Yes, he will have to be taken care of one way or another. He knows where Carey lives.
I can’t have him trying to intimidate my son.”
“I’m not so sure he can be intimidated. He’s tough like his father.”
“Maybe, but he’s not dragon tough. He has a good arsenal and maybe I can convince
Zhou and Jiang to stay with us as imperial guards or something.”
“I’m sure you could. Jiang isn’t going to be in a hurry to displace his mate from a home [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]