Page 27 of Claimed by the Savage Dragons

He surges to his feet with a more human sound of annoyance, stalking to the cupboard and taking out a bottle of somethingpre-Fall.

‘How long?’ I demand.

‘Two days.’ His eyes flick to the human on the couch and he takes a long pull from the whiskey bottle.

I frown. ‘A coincidence, surely.’

His mouth sets into a grim line. ‘It’s been a long time since he spoke to me. Longer than that since he decided he was interested in something.’

My eyes flick from him to the girl. ‘He’s interested in her? But you don’t fuck the humans.’

I don’t either, but no one knows that. I’ve made sure of it.

I find my nostrils flaring, taking in another scent besides Tor. It’s her, I realize, swallowing hard.

‘Her scent is…’

‘I know,’ he interrupts, ‘and, believe me, it just gets worse.’

He licks his lips almost absently.

‘So, you’ve had a taste?’

He doesn’t meet my eyes. ‘She hadn’t been with…anyone.’

My eyes find the pretty girl again. ‘No way.’

‘It’s true.’ He brings the bottle to the couch and sits down. ‘Drey will give her toAziel. You know he will. He doesn’t want to risk open war within the faction. He’ll try to appease him as usual.’ Tor takes another swig. ‘I couldn’t lethimbe her first.’

‘No,’ I murmur in agreement. ‘The sadistic motherfucker would take far too much enjoyment in making her suffer even more.’

He nods.

‘But all you’ve done is delay the inevitable,’ I say softly.

‘I was going to ask Drey…’

‘To give her to you?’

‘Yeah.’

I let out a breath. ‘Tor,’ I say softly. ‘If you were his second. Maybe. If you had control of your dragon. Maybe. If you were prepared to give himmore. Maybe. But he won’t even entertain it right now. You know that. Being friends won’t sway him. He’ll do what he thinks is best for us all no matter what. There’s too much going on with the trade route issues in the Borderlands and rifts within the faction for him to do otherwise. Aziel won’t let it lie if he gives her to you.’

‘I know,’ he says quietly.

He looks up at me. ‘But I don’t think I can take her there knowing what will happen to her, Brax.’

‘If you don’t return, she’s dead anyway and so are you.’

‘Maybe I could find sanctuary with one of the other factions. Paris used to be nice this time of year.’

I snort. ‘Til the humans dropped a two ton bomb on it. I think you’ll find it’s still a little toohoteven for us.’

‘Do you have another idea?’

‘Not one that you’re going to like.’

‘I don’t like any of the ideas anyway, so you might as well spit it out if you do have one.’