Page 70

Watching Nox fold like the proverbial house of cards almost makes me feel sorry for him. Almost.

Ornix turns around and grabs me around the waist, throwing me over his shoulder. He carries me up and out of the dungeon, only pausing to tell the guards:

“Deepest cell for the boy. Not a trace of light.”

A shiver runs through me at his tone. He sounds completely calm and entirely merciless. Then he finishes carrying me upstairs and deposits me on the bed, looking down at me with a stern expression that I know does not bode well for me.

“Am in trouble?”

“When are you not, angel?” He rumbles the response. “Whenever there is trouble, you are at the core of it. You are notintrouble, you are trouble incarnate. Making another one of your futile escape attempts too, I see. Have you not yet learned not to team up with my imbecile nephew?”

I don’t think Nox is stupid, but I don’t say that part out loud.

“You just got him to put himself in the dungeon,” I say instead, admiringly.

“Yes,” Ornix says. “I did.”

“Is it actually possible to do that? To take away his dragon-ness?”

Ornix gives me a long, slow look, as if he is trying to weigh up whether he should entrust me with the truth.

“No,” he says. “It is not.”

I slap my hands over my mouth and I let out a giggle of pure glee. “You just got him to give you the seal and imprison himself without doing anything.”

“Yes.”

“That’s incredible. It could have been so bad. But you stopped it. Without lifting a finger.” I pause. “I don’t think I have ever been so attracted to anyone.”

“You like duplicitous tactics?” He scratches his fingers lightly along the back of my neck. “Interesting, for one as direct and chaotic as you.”

“Hey, I can appreciate the game when I see it being played well,” I say. “And you played that so well. That was so impressive.”

“It’s a Band-Aid. It does not change the fact that he plotted. It just gives me time to try to find a way to avoid killing him.”

That really brings the mood down. “You wouldn’t, would you?”

“I don’t know, Melissa,” he says, his voice terse. “You are at risk. Our infant, should there be one, is at risk. I know you think he is a friend, but he has repeatedly used his connection with youto manipulate you. I do not want you to talk to him anymore. Do not go to the dungeons, do not accept any messages from him. Remember that he used you. I am not the only one playing games here. Dragons may seem to be creatures of force, but we are also of the mind. And you are an innocent. You like to see the best in people. You like to connect. It’s a weakness.”

“You think I’m weak?”

“No. But your need to be friendly allows others a point of entry and your belief in friendship blinds you to treachery.”

“So yes.”

“Don’t misread my words and take offense where I intend none. I am just telling you to be more careful, and to keep your distance from Equinox. I know he seems like a cute little brother. He is not. He is also ancient. He is also powerful. And my blood runs in his veins. I know he seemed easily handled today, but I promise you that this is not the end of it. There will be other forces in motion even now.”

I was on the verge of running away from this creature and never seeing him again. At least, that’s what I told myself. Was I really trying to get away? Or was I just playing some fucked-up game of chase because he tried to get me to behave myself? Some mysteries may always remain mysteries. What I do know, right now, in this moment, is that he’s super fucking sexy when he is suspicious and vigilant. I think I might be ovulating. Since he walked through that barrier that would have held a Tyrannosaurus rex without trying, everything he says and does feels like it is absolutely the sexiest thing that ever happened.

“I can smell your desire,” he rumbles at me, almost accusatorially.

“I can’t help that you’re hot when you’re foiling plans,” I say.

“You are going to have to make your mind up. One moment you are having your ass fucked for disobedience, and running away to the human world like a spoiled brat, and the next you are lying next to me practically begging for a fucking.”

I feel a little ashamed, when he puts it like that. It’s almost like I just do whatever is most likely to get me fucked. I never used to be that way. I used to be a virgin.

“Let me see,” he says, pushing his hand between my thighs, swiftly finding my shame. “Yes, I think you get turned on by anything that will lead to a good hard fucking. Is that right, Melissa?”