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“Is it true you love me?” He sounded jolly, his tone teasing.

She didn’t answer, nor did she give away the truth in her expression or body language.

His toothy grin shifted into a self-assured smirk as his eyes brightened with mirth. “I will get you to say it one day, my fanged butterfly. We will have many years together, Valerie, and I will spend every day teasing you until it spills from your pretty lips.”

Her heart betrayed her by fluttering in her chest at his words.Someone save me, for I am in danger with this overconfident Dragon!

There was something about being back in King Bradwick’s palace that brought Geryon a deep sense of contentment.

It had been a month since he returned and spoke with him. He explained his absence, as well as his intentions with Valerie – the Witch who had tricked them all.

He’d also informed him he would not be moved from his decision.

Of course, there had been an argument, but the threat that he was more than prepared to find some other palace to occupy had been enough to quieten the cocky king. Bradwick was learning that Geryon was higher in the chain of command than he originally realised.

He may be above other humans, but alone, he was nothing more than a man who was facing a creature who could vanquish him with nothing more than a fiery breath. He was also learning that what Geryon wanted, he would get.

Now I have my home back,as temporary as it may be,and I have the female I want,something he would make sure was not temporary.

He’d been earnest in his want to claim Valerie as his female and create a bond with her. Her much shorter length of life, however, was more concerning than he wanted it to be. When she was nothing more than a human, there was nothing he could have done about it.

He hadn’t been intending to claim her as his mate because it would have been pointless.

As a Witch, though...They could indeed increase the length of her life.

Unfortunately, it required her to eat the heart of a Dragon every hundred years.

Rurik had found a way around the gruesome act by having an old Dragon gift their heart to Amalia upon their death. It increased the length of her life and she had caused harm to none.

Must I do the same? I am not Rurik...He wasn’t the great WitchSlayer. Who would give him their heart upon their peaceful death?

Still, he was investigating who was coming into their death to ask them if he could take their heart once they were no longer of this world.

He’d removed the binding spell that locked her magic away not even a day after meeting with the Elders. After Faerydae’s affirmation that she wouldn’t turn, her will too strong, he had confidence in her.

It meant she was free to use her magic. It was also necessary for her to do the spell that would lengthen her life.

I still have to claim her.His eyes fell upon the beautiful woman, who was currently being cold and callous to the nobles who plucked up the courage to speak with her.

They all knew what she was. Bradwick had already shared that she was a Witch who had infiltrated the palace before they’d returned. Some were frightened of her, others were curious. They all remembered how she had been.

They weren’t sure how to handle her, especially since she had managed to spin them to somehow like her, much like she had during the gala.

As it had before, watching her interact with the court with her poised, lady-like features, but cruel and unfeeling words, made him shudder with want.

Even now, he was watching her speak with soft words to a baroness like she was being polite, yet she was insinuating that the woman was a snob.

She gets my tail in a twist when she does that.

It also didn’t help that she was dressed like a snow maiden once more. She wore the silver dress she’d worn at the last ball, the one that caught the candles from the crystal chandeliers above and made it appear as though she wore a sheet of ice and glitter.

Her long hair was tied back into a half bun that revealed the sides of her long, slender neck, unveiling to all that Geryon had permanently marked it with his teeth multiple times.

She didn’t seem to care that he had scarred her neck, shoulders, and chest with his bite marks.

Unless he was feeling possessive, possibly because she’d been speaking to a man who was getting too close to her, he usually didn’t intend to harm her. Unfortunately, he also did it as a sign of affection, and he couldn’t control his depth when he was feeling affectionate or fond of her.

Valerie wore his bites proudly, just as she was choosing to wear a thin red ribbon this night as well.