Page 10 of Captured By the Dragon Warlord (Fated Mates of the Sarkarnii Warlords #2)

Y ep, this is not good. Not good at all.

Not only is Dexx arrogant, boorish, and a bully, but he’s also decided I am his mate .

I know what that means. After all, Darax growled it often enough at Kerra. And also, after what we heard in the communal aquium, it certainly results in…well, doing the horizontal mambo .

And many other positions, if Kerra is to be believed.

And Dexx is the last male in the universe I’d want to have anything to do with in that department. Not because he’s terrible to look at. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. He has smoldering good looks, enhanced by the scar over his face, giving him the ultimate bad boy vibe.

He’s a head taller than the other Sarkarnii and more muscular too. His glittering blue-green scales are some of the most beautiful markings I’ve seen on the dragon guys. Plus, I’m pretty certain Maggie would be ogling his butt big time. Dexx has an impressive butt.

But it doesn’t matter. I am not into him. I will never be into him because of what he did. He simply doesn’t care about me, just what I represent. A big two-fingered salute at the other warlords, despite their clear symbiotic relationship.

I just want this evening to be over and to get away from his big, dangerous warriors, half of them remaining in their dragon forms, which if you ever thought it would be good to be up close and personal with a dragon, I can confirm it is not.

They’re all scales and teeth, and not in a fun way. In a run away screaming way.

A warrior puts a platter down in front of Dexx. It’s covered in slices of meat, what appears to be pickled vegetables, and a mound of the small, sweet brioche-style rolls from earlier.

My stomach growls. Whenever I’m stressed, I struggle to eat, and at the moment, my stress levels are through the roof, so even though Dexx left food in his quarters with me, I couldn’t bring myself to eat.

Now he’s going to want me to eat in front of all of his warriors. I can’t think of anything worse, despite my obvious hunger pangs.

Dexx’s bulky arms reach around me. He takes one of the rolls delicately in his claws, slices it open with surgical precision, and then folds a slice of meat into it.

Just like the sandwiches I was making earlier. Additionally, he puts a couple of the pickles inside before gently pressing it closed.

I’m so stunned by what he’s done that, when he holds the food to my mouth, I take a bite almost out of habit.

It’s even better than the one I made myself with the addition of the pickles. I don’t mean to, but I groan out loud.

Dexx wriggles underneath me, his eyes widening.

I cover my mouth with my hand as I chew. “Sorry, but this is so good. What are the pickles?”

He furrows his big brow.

“The vegetables? They’re pickled…preserved…right?”

Dexx leans over the arm of his throne and beckons to the warrior hovering behind us. “How is the shalad made? My mate wishes to know.”

“Um…” The warrior hesitates, gives me a brief, terrified look, and diverts his eyes back to Dexx. “I’m not sure, Lord Dexx, but I can find out.”

Dexx sits back in his seat. “You can tell me later,” he says evenly, almost imperiously. “But get more shalad for my mate.”

“You don’t need to do that,” I say quickly. “There’s plenty here. I can’t eat all of this.”

Dexx rumbles low in his chest. “You are too small. You require feeding if you are to mate with me.”

“I am the size I am,” I retort. “I won’t get any bigger, save for width wise, if you keep feeding me.”

Dexx’s eye glitters. Even his milky injured one seems interested. A huge sigh escapes him, along with plenty of smoke.

“It is my duty to ensure my mate is fed,” he rasps in a voice filled with sin. “Among other things.”

I eat the rest of my sandwich and maintain eye contact with him throughout.

“I can feed myself, thank you.” I say primly as I finish it off and lick my fingers.

Dexx does his purr/growl/snarl again and shifts uncomfortably under me, a flicker of what could be pain passing over his face before it is gone.

“I don’t think so,” he rumbles as he pulls me against him, wrapping a huge arm over my shoulder and down my chest as he makes yet another sandwich. “Because if you want to be free of any bonds, you will allow me to provide you with sustenance.”

“What do you mean?” I ask as he offers me up yet more bread and meat.

I attempt to lift my hand to take it from him, but he clasps my wrist in his huge paw. I move the other one, and he manages, somehow, to capture it within the same hand. I am bound by sinew and claw. Struggling doesn’t do anything other than press me against his hard body and harder lap.

Dexx moves ever closer to me. I can see every single fine scale on his high cheekbones, the scent of spice and smoke sweeping over me.

Despite all my internal protestations, despite my external denial, Dexx is one hot male.

“You are mine now, little ember. My smoke belongs to you, my scales, my shift, and my claws. Everything you do is mine to control, including what you eat and when. And you will eat.”

I purse my lips, unwilling to open my mouth in case he forces the food into me.

“Because if you do not, I will sit here until the galaxy ends, with you.”

“Then we’d both be dead,” I suggest, unable to help myself.

“I think we both know,” Dexx breathes, his face far too close to mine, his lips far too close to mine, “one of us would break long before that moment.”