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26

AVERY

Ididn’t know how to feel as Saint and I made our way past our table—where everyone was staring at us wide-eyed—and back down to the Norm Dorm.Yet another disaster with his Drake had been narrowly averted.For a minute there, I had beencertainhe was going to come out and fry Juan Gonzales like bacon in a pan.

Thankfully, I had managed to talk him down—but how many more times could I do that?And what happened when we reached a point where his cursed Drake wouldn’t listen to me anymore?

Also, I couldn’t help thinking about the things Saint’s father had said—mostly how he had claimed that Saint only cared for me because his Drake was cursed and if the curse was lifted, Saint would lose his feelings for me immediately.

And whataboutthose feelings?When Saint’s father had accused him of being a “man-lover”, Saint had agreed that he was.But he had also said that he knew what he was doing was “wrong and unnatural.”What the hell was that all about?It seemed like he thought he was going to Hell for loving me, but he felt like he couldn’t help himself so he was going anyway.

That just seemedwrongto me.I knew a lot of people felt that way—my own father did for one.But my wonderful mom had raised me to believe I was a good person and worthy of love and affection—not eternal damnation, just because of my orientation.It seemed that Saint didn’t feel that way, however.We wouldreallyhave to talk about that.

The minute we got down to the Norm Dorm, he pulled me onto one of the worn blue couches and held me close.Pressing his face to my hair, he breathed me in as though he could never get enough of me.

“Avery,” he murmured, nuzzling the side of my neck, his breath hot and ticklish against my skin so that I shivered a little.“Oh,mi Corazon,I’m never letting you go!No one can take you from me as long as I hold you safe in my arms.”

While I loved having contact with my man, Ireallyfelt like we needed to talk.

“Saint,” I said, gently extricating myself from his rather tight grip, (I suspected it was so tight because his Drake was involved.) “Can we talk about what just happened up there?”I nodded my head at the ceiling, which is actually the floor of the Dining Hall.

“Forgive me,mi Corazon,”he murmured.“I will try harder to keep my Drake in check in the future.It is just that both of ushateGonzales for tormenting you.”His eyes gleamed briefly red as he spoke and I could almostfeelthe loathing his Drake had for the big bully.

“I can handle myself around Gonzales,” I said sharply.“He’s not important right now.What I want to talk about now is what your father—er, your Sire—said.”

He frowned.

“If you fear that he will try to drag me back to the Sky Lands, don’t worry—I won’t let that happen.My Drake will fight to keep us here with you and he is larger and more aggressive than any Drake my Sire could find to send after us.”

Saying his Drake was “aggressive” was quite an understatement, as far as I was concerned, but it still wasn’t what I wanted to talk about.

“I don’t mean the threats he made,” I told him.“I mean what he said about your Drake being cursed.”

Saint’s frown deepened.

“You knew my Drake was cursed,” he pointed out.“He told you nothing new.”

“Yes, Iknowhe’s cursed,” I said impatiently.“I’m talking about the other thing he said—that if the curse was lifted, you wouldn’t care about me anymore.That you wouldn’t want…want us to be together.”

It was hard to get the words out—they seemed to want to stick in my throat.But I had to address the issue.

“Well…” Saint sighed.He made a motion with one hand but didn’t really answer.

“Wellwhat?”I demanded, frowning at him.“Do you think he’s right?”

He shrugged.

“In all probability, yes.My Drake’s aversion to females is part of the curse.If the curse was lifted, he would no longer refuse to be tamed by one of them.”

“Meaning he would chose a woman as yourl’lornaand leave me in the dust?”I couldn’t keep the hurt out of my voice or off my face.Saint must have seen it because he put an arm around me and pulled me close to his chest again.

“Why do you let it worry you,mi Corazon?”he murmured, looking into my eyes.“The curse is too strong to be broken.Believe me—my Sire had everybrujain the Western Province try.So there is no possibility of me leaving you and nothing my Sire said matters.”

“Ofcourseit matters!”I exclaimed.“I don’t want to have your love under false pretenses!I don’t want you to want to be with me only because I’m your only option!”

“But youaremy only option,” Saint said, frowning.“You are the one my Drake has chosen and I…I am tired of fighting against him.”He shook his head, looking suddenly weary.“I know it is wrong…I know it is unnatural, but my needs and desires mirror his.I cannot resist you, Avery.”

“See, that’sanotherproblem,” I said.Jumping up, I began to pace in front of the couch.“You seem to think we’re doing something wrong—it’s like you actuallybelieveall those nasty, hateful things your Sire and Gonzales said about us!”