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“This isn’t the way to my house,” Mia murmured.

“It’s the way to mine.” He tried to keep the gruffness out of his tone.

“We—”

“Are going to my place. And for the record, you didn’t have to…

flirt or whatever that was back there to get me to leave with you.

” His words came out a rough growl as he failed to keep his emotions in check.

He’d loved having her wrapped around him, had imagined how she would feel skin to skin, but he didn’t want her to feel like she had to pretend for him to keep her safe.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice shaky.

Startled, he glanced down and realized how upset she was, the unshed tears in her eyes. He was so damn clumsy with her. Feeling lost, he patted her arm gently as they turned up a cobblestone path that would lead the way to his place.

She looked at him with a watery smile. “I’m sorry,” she said again. “I was just scared.” When he was about to say something (demand she name the threat), she seemed to read his mind. “I’ll tell you everything when we get to your place. I would like privacy.”

He nodded as they headed up the steep path.

The most ancient, primitive part of him wanted to offer to carry her but knew she wouldn’t appreciate it.

She was clearly feeling vulnerable and terrified and even if they could get to the safety of his home much quicker if he carried her, he was well aware that she needed to feel some degree of control right now.

By the time they made it to his place, which was built into the side of the mountain that protected the back of the castle, he saw the surprise on Mia’s face as she took in his home and the handful of others built right into the rockface.

“I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“It goes back farther than you think.” There were also multiple exits that would allow him or anyone with access to use them to escape. Centuries ago, he and the not-so-secret guard that Starlena oversaw had created an intricate cave system that allowed all of them to secretly leave the territory.

Technically, they could all leave using their natural born camouflage and simply fly away, but this was a failsafe for all of them and a way to ensure they could get dragonlings to safety if the kingdom ever came under attack again.

“It’s so beautiful. I love how it’s part of the mountain but can see how much natural light you must get during the day with all those windows.”

He simply nodded and motioned for her to follow him. The door wasn’t visible because he’d had it spelled with magic.

“Ah, Tiber…”

“Just trust me.” He walked through the illusion, which was a simple boulder, and smiled at her gasp when he disappeared.

Then she stepped forward, hands out in front of her and grinned as she turned around in a circle. “Magic?”

“Most definitely.”

She laughed lightly then said, “So is this the kind of magic that alerts you if you have intruders?”

He nodded, surprised by her question.

It must have shown on his face because she shrugged. “I grew up in the swamps. Even before supernaturals came out to the world—my world, I guess—I knew witches existed. Vampires too. Everything else was a big surprise though. I figured you’d have magical security here.”

There was a bias against witches in the supernatural communities, and he’d never understood it.

Though even as he had the thought, shame filled him at his own bias against humans.

One he had moved past, but nonetheless, it shamed him that he’d been carrying around old prejudices and had insulted his future mate the first time they’d met.

The goddess was certainly laughing at him. Or as Starlena had once told him, the goddess believed in karma. He hated when Starlena was so obnoxiously correct.

“This is my home,” he said as he pushed his front door open, a thick slab of stone he’d cut himself.

“And to answer your question more specifically, my home was spelled by a witch. But you have access anytime you want, even when I’m not here.

” He’d added her to his list of approved people the moment he’d realized she was his mate.

It didn’t matter that she’d hated him after that meeting, that they’d barely spoken. She would have access to his haven from now until the end of time.

“Oh… thank you.” She sounded distracted as she looked around in definite curiosity. She stepped out of her soft-looking slippers and left them by the door.

He wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to, but he found the sight of her brightly painted pink toenails adorable.

That was the correct word. Adorable.

He forced himself to turn away from her or all he would do was stare.

There was a large fireplace along one wall that also ran on magic (his dragonfire specifically), a lot of seating in the form of what were essentially overstuffed pillows, and little things he’d collected over the centuries.

His sleeping space was directly above the living area and connected kitchen, though he did have two rooms for sleeping and storage as well for when people stayed with him.

Unlike most humans and indeed most dragons he knew who slept in beds, he had a dragon-sized mesh-style hammock stretched tight high up in his cave.

It was anchored in four places and would only come down if the mountain itself did.

His bed was also piled with interconnected cushions for maximum comfort.

He often slept there in either human or dragon form, as it was large enough to hold his beast. And he liked sleeping so high in the air.

It gave him the element of surprise if his home was ever invaded.

The plethora of magically spelled windows meant he got that perfect morning sunlight no matter where he was in his home.

He might have been an ancient warlord who came from the desert and had nothing but the clothes on his back when he started his long journey to becoming general of the elite guard, but he could admit that he loved his luxuries.

He could live without them, of course, but as a dragon, he didn’t want to.

“What’s that up there?” She pointed to the bottom of the bed, which looked like nothing more than a tightly woven netting. From down below, it was impossible to see what the rest of it looked like.

“I sleep up there.”

She blinked in surprise, but then nodded. “That’s actually cool. This whole place is like a dream. I feel like I’m in a fairytale.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her to stay as long as she’d like (how about forever) but he knew how that would go over.

Also, he needed to stay on track. Someone had scared her tonight and dealing with that threat was his main priority.

Getting her naked and bringing her pleasure was a close second in his list of priorities. Very close.

“Did you get anything to eat at the bazaar?” he asked, even though he knew that she hadn’t. He wanted to get her talking, relaxed. Because he needed the truth.

For her safety.

“No. I got so distracted.” She shivered slightly and he wondered if he should increase the heat of his fireplace.

But then he had another thought and plucked one of his wraps off the back of a chair and handed it to her. “It’s thick and will keep you warm. This way,” he directed as she took it from him.

Normally he used the wrap to secure his weapons to his person, but he liked seeing it encompassing all of her. She’d wrapped it around her shoulders a couple times and was no longer shivering.

And she’ll smell like us, his dragon added.

As if he hadn’t had the same thought already.

“Sit.” He motioned to the hardback chairs in his kitchen and opened his cooler, the equivalent of a human refrigerator.

Not exactly the same as the humans, as theirs were mechanical and his was magical, but the purpose was the same. He pulled out some cheese he’d recently bought from the market as well as some freshly baked bread he’d picked up that morning. Then he started a pot of jasmine and orange blossom tea.

“It’s weird seeing you be so domestic.” Her quiet voice cut through the air, a hint of amusement in her words.

“Why?” He turned to face her as the pot started to brew, then started cutting up the cheese and bread.

“I don’t know. Because you’re so…” She sort of motioned at him with her hands but didn’t continue.

“I think the words you’re looking for are impressive, strong and god-like. And we don’t think of gods as eating or drinking,” he said dryly.

She let out a startled laugh. “Oh my gosh, your ego! And, also, sort of. I don’t know, you’re a huge warrior dragon. I guess I just imagined you roaming the countryside snatching up little sheep or cows and eating them in one bite.”

“So you’ve imagined me?” His dragon was incredibly pleased by that.

She laughed again, but the tenseness in her shoulders was long gone and goddess, he loved seeing her so relaxed.

He slid a plate of the cheese cubes and bread to her while he pulled out a small jar of jam. Her eyes lit up at the sight and he made a note to always be stocked with it.

She took a small spoon and slathered on jam as she looked anywhere but at him. “I guess I need to tell you about… what’s bothering me.”

He noticed how specific she was with her phrasing and wasn’t sure what to make of it. “I want you to tell me about the threat.”

Sighing, she looked at him. “I feel like I’m overreacting. I… I don’t know how to get this out.”

“Start at the beginning.” He kept his voice pitched low and turned away from her to move the teapot off the stove. He hoped if he wasn’t watching her, it would be easier for her to talk.

“I… before I moved here, I was involved with someone. A vampire.”

Oh, he did not like that at all. The thought of anyone touching her… Not the point right now. He needed to listen. She was finally opening up.

Do not fail her , his dragon added. But also, I will find her ex and eat him as a snack.