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One month later Mia wasn’t sure how long Tiber had been in their shared tent—which was a lot different than she’d originally envisioned. She’d been expecting something small and basic from her Girl Scout days.

Not this luxury “tent” the size of her first apartment, and held up with some kind of aluminum rods.

Tiber and his crew all had large tents like theirs as well as furniture and lots and lots of pillows and blankets.

Glamping on steroids. Because, apparently, dragons here liked comfortable things.

This was the kind of camping she could get on board with.

She’d set up her canvas and supplies on the west side of their accommodations a few hours ago and realized how long she’d been working when she felt the stiffness in her back. She stood from her seat when she saw Tiber in the entryway on the opposite side, just watching her.

Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. Wearing only loose pants and no shirt, he was an artist’s dream. Her dream. “Hey, how long have you been here?”

“Not long.” His voice was a deep rumble as he stepped further into the space. “I like watching you work and didn’t want to disturb you.”

She set her brush in the nearby container of water and made her way to the seating area and him.

He came over to pull her into his lap and nuzzled her neck as he held her close with an exhausted sigh. “Negotiations went well today,” he finally murmured. “I think we’ll be able to return home soon.”

She ran a soothing hand over his back, wanting to comfort him.

She knew that he had to be exhausted by now and wished there was more that she could do for him.

“That’s good.” She didn’t know everything about the mission he and the others were on.

Just that his particular guard was camped out on top of a small, but heavily wooded mountain.

The forest gave them protection from any aerial spies and was about a hundred miles away from where intruders had set up their own camp right on the edge of one of the portals to the Nova realm.

No one particularly wanted bloodshed (okay, some of the dragons definitely did), but they were at the point where either the interlopers gave in and left, or they were dead.

She wasn’t sure of all the particulars, but it was serious enough that Starlena was there and had been negotiating with their leader for weeks before Tiber’s guard even arrived.

The interlopers thought they were owed something that had to do with a feud from millennia ago and… Mia hadn’t retained most of it.

She just knew that Tiber was on alert the majority of the day, along with his people and she wanted him safe.

Tiber and his people stuck to the shadows making sure none of the interlopers got out of line or tried to move farther into the realm.

More than anything, he’d seemed bored by this particular mission, said the only bright spot of his days was when he got to return to her.

And even though she could lose herself in her work, she’d missed him as well. He was the bright spot in her day and at times she’d found herself just counting down until he returned.

“I think we have a few hours until the evening meal. Feel like entertaining ourselves for a while?” She nipped his earlobe, enjoying the way his entire body rumbled in agreement underneath her.

She couldn’t do a lot for him, but she would give him pleasure—and take some for herself.

Because he was the most giving lover she’d ever had. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Let me close the flaps first.” He nipped her back and started to slide her off him when Ilmari flew through one of the openings and tumbled face-first onto a cluster of the oversized pillows.

Quickly following him was Octavia, her expression… weird. “So, you’ve got some guests.” She was giving Tiber a strange look, her eyes unnaturally wide.

“Is it the invaders?” he growled, sliding Mia off him completely as he stood, looking ready to rip someone’s head off.

Part of Mia loved it when he went all “Tiber” on anyone. She wasn’t sure what that said about her, but she loved all sides of him, especially his intense ones.

“I wish.”

Ilmari had finally managed to untangle himself and started hopping around manically next to Octavia, chirping away until she finally hushed him.

Ilmari blew a raspberry at the warrior, who just gave him an exasperated “shush” before looking back at the two of them. “Your parents are here, Tiber.”

“Wait… what?” Tiber looked confused and lost in a way she’d never expected from the big dragon. “You must be mistaken.”

Moments later two tall, large individuals strode past Octavia and a now very quiet Ilmari, into the tent.

“Nope,” Octavia whispered before she practically ran to one of the nearby tents.

Ilmari hovered in the entrance, staring up at the two dragon shifters in human form, then let out a little squeak before hopping after Octavia.

Mia stood next to Tiber, sliding her hand into his as the two barely dressed warriors strode into the tent, smiling broadly at their son.

They both had dark hair, though his mother’s had streaks of pale blonde in hers.

Their skin was a dark bronze, with almost an undertone of the same amber-gold of Tiber’s eyes and scales.

They wore no shoes and had matching tattoos; hers along her right arm, his along his left.

When they stood next to each other it was so clear that they were a unit. A mated couple.

“Well? Aren’t you going to welcome us?” his mother demanded.

Tiber cleared his throat, her words seeming to pull him out of his head as he stepped forward. “Mother, Father, please, welcome. I’m just stunned you’re here, that’s all. How did you even—”

“Starlena allowed us passage, of course.”

“Ah.” After greeting his parents with that arm clasp so many warriors used, they also hugged him one at a time with a fierceness that made it clear how much they loved their son.

Mia couldn’t help but have a moment of panic wondering what they would think of her. She was nothing like the dragon females of his guard or even most of the ones she knew at the castle.

“Mia, these are my parents, Rhiannon and Rakeshar.”

To her surprise, they both hugged her, though thankfully more gently than the way they’d hugged Tiber.

“What a pleasure to meet you, Mia.” His mother took both her hands as she stepped back. “We heard about Tiber’s mating and couldn’t wait to meet you. And you are lovelier than I even imagined.”

She didn’t seem disappointed, which soothed any lingering doubt she’d had about what his family would think about her being a human. “Thank you. It’s a pleasure to meet you as well. Would you like tea or… I think we have some snacks around here.”

“Sit,” Tiber murmured, kissing the top of her head. “I’ll get everything.”

Oh, no. She wanted to insist that she get everything, but it was clear he needed a moment.

“Hot tea would be wonderful,” his father boomed. “We’ve been flying for an age. So Starlena tells us that you’ll be heading home soon.”

“Ah, yes,” Tiber said as he set the copper pot on the interior stove they’d been using to cook smaller meals and heat their tea. “That’s the hope anyway. This has been the most tedious of trips and we’re all ready to be done with this place.”

Mia had enjoyed all her nights with Tiber but knew how exhausted he was and wanted to return home more for his sake than hers.

“Hopefully you’ve been making time for your new mate, son.” His father hadn’t sat yet, was pacing around the space and stopped in front of her only finished canvas.

It was a silly painting of Ilmari hanging upside down from one of the trees, wings spread wide, a sense of wonder on his sweet face. He seemed to love posing for her and he was probably the best model she’d ever had. The dragonling could remain in one pose for hours if needed.

She’d added sprites flying around him for whimsy and Ilmari had given it his “chirp of approval” once she’d finally finished.

“Of course, I have,” Tiber said, his voice tight.

“You’re very talented, Mia,” his father continued, seeming oblivious to Tiber’s tone.

“Why are you two here? Is something wrong?” Tiber said before Mia could respond.

Mia whipped her gaze to him, surprised at his hard tone. “Tiber.”

“Oh no, dear, it’s a fair question. We haven’t been to see him in… ages.” His mother patted Mia’s arm gently as she looked at her son.

“But we heard humans are very fertile, so we wanted to be the first to congratulate you on your mating,” his father said.

“Yes,” his mother said, nodding along. “And we would like to discuss names of your future children. I’ve heard that humans can have multiple births at a time.”

Mia’s mouth dropped open as her gaze ping-ponged between the two of them. She was glad she hadn’t been drinking tea because she might have spit it out.

“We are not having children anytime soon.” Tiber looked at Mia for confirmation.

All she could do was nod. They’d officially mated the first night they’d arrived here, so now they were linked on a deeper level, and she wasn’t quite human, but also not immortal in the sense that Tiber was.

But she was stronger and harder to kill than before, something that pleased both of them.

Children weren’t on their radar right now. Not even close.

She cleared her throat, stunned by this conversation as much as their appearance. “We’ve only just mated, and I would like to enjoy my new mate for some time.”

“Of course, of course.” His mother patted her hand again. “I remember what it was like when we first mated. We holed up in a cave for… oh, six months or so.” She looked at her mate adoringly, and then at Tiber as he handed her a cup of tea. “We just missed you. That’s the real reason we’re here.”

“I’ve missed you as well. And I’m glad you’re here to meet my mate.” After giving his father tea, he sat on the cushions next to Mia, sliding her onto his lap without pause.

Loving how affectionate he was, she curled against him as the four of them talked for the next couple hours. And despite what his mother had said about simply missing him, it was clear that they thought humans popped out babies like cats because of all the questions they had.

Even though they offered to let his parents stay with them, they opted to sleep out in the open air in their dragon form higher up on the mountain.

When darkness had fallen and it was just the two of them in the quiet tent once again, Tiber buried his face against her head with a groan. “I swear I’ve never met those two weirdos in my life. I have no idea what’s gotten into them. Those are not the dragons who raised me.”

She snickered even as she melted into his arms. “They probably just miss you.”

“Maybe,” he murmured, raking his teeth along her neck. “But right now and for the rest of the night, I don’t want to think about or talk about them at all.”

“Me neither,” she whispered right before he claimed her mouth.

Not long after that, he claimed her again and again—and she claimed him right back.

She might not have expected this dragon, but she would be forever grateful to the goddess or whatever higher power there was, for putting him in her path.

She had a feeling they were going to butt heads more than once—he had the strongest personality of anyone she’d ever met. He liked to give orders and expected everyone to follow.

And while she loved that in the bedroom, she was certain they’d have some tests in their future.

But she had no doubt they were meant for each other, because obsession didn’t even begin to cover how she felt about him.

She loved the dragon and had no doubt how much he loved her.

It was clear in every little thing he did.

And she was never letting him go.