Page 5 of Singing the Dragon’s Heart

Chapter

Five

T he shower was perfect, exactly what he needed even if he’d had to keep his stone in his hand the entire time because he wasn’t ready to let loose of it. It was a lovely little thing—a teeny tiny package that carried an immense jolt of power. Kami approved.

He sighed and leaned against the malachite-colored tiles, soaking up the hot water like a parched thing.

Reno’s quarters were lovely, very masculine, decorated in greens and deep browns cut with the periodic jolt of bright red or burnt orange. Very natural. Very right.

As pretty as they were, they weren’t as attractive as the man himself. Big and dark with a scattering of near-black scales on his face, hair the color of obsidian, a body of carved marble.

Kami was one hundred percent absolutely interested.

Reno was, too. He’d made that very clear.

So now he just had to get dried off and get dressed, walk out there, eat and then?—

Well, Kami figured he had one of two options. Option number one—he could let Reno drive, let the big guy figure out how to seduce him, and he could be all come hither and such. Or option two—he could just climb into Reno’s lap and ride what he was sure was going to be an amazing cock.

Kami was sure there was an option three, but the fact was, he was going with option two, so it really didn’t matter. He just wasn’t the sit still and be seduced kind of dragon.

He needed to find some way to keep his stone close, though. Maybe he’d wrap it in some wire and stick it on a chain. Oh, or a mojo bag. He could just tie that right around his neck for a few days and keep that closeness that the stone required while still giving him the autonomy that he required out of…basically everything.

Reno came strolling into the bathroom. “Are you done yet? Food is here.”

He looked over, lips twitching as Reno fucked him with his eyes. “You ever heard of privacy?”

Reno grinned at him, wolfish as he leaned on the door. “Don’t need privacy. My bathroom, my shower. My mate.”

“Oh, you’re kind of a grunt-and-clicky kind of guy, aren’t you? Good to know.” He approved. Modesty wasn’t a thing for him.

“Good, because the guys and I kind of have an open-door policy.”

Guys? What guys? “Fine, so long as we lock it when we’re having sex. I’m not an exhibitionist. I mean I could be if you needed it, but not my thing.” He wasn’t going to be all oversharing, either.

“That’s excellent to know. I was more talking about the kids.”

“Kids?”

“My team—my brothers. They have children. Six going on seven, and three.”

He tilted his head. Now did that mean ages or amounts? An almost seven-year-old and a three-year-old was a totally different thing compared to ten children.

“Let’s talk about it over milkshakes.” He turned off the water and held out his hand. “Give me a towel.”

“I could just lick you clean,” Reno offered.

“You could, but then my milkshake would melt, and that would make me grumpy.” He winked and took the fuzzy bath sheet Reno offered. Oh, fancy. “You don’t blow ice, I can tell.”

“No, neither do you.” Reno never stopped watching him for a second.

“No, no, that’s not my thing. I find things. That’s what my gift is. Well, and I have an affinity for water.” If he needed someone to blow a fire, he’d hire it done.

Reno tilted his head. “No shit?”

“Nope. I’m a finder. I’ve never breathed a hint of smoke or ice or anything. I can call to water a little, but you need a carburetor and a roll of duct tape? I’m your guy.”

“Well, you’re mine anyway,” Reno said, wrapping him in a robe, then putting a smaller towel around his hair. Reno picked him up. “What do we need to do about your stone?”

“Do you have a bag and a cord?”

“I can do one better. I have some wire and a cord. I can make you a necklace.”

He beamed at Reno. “You’re handy.”

“You have no idea.”

“I want to though, now, but it’s—” His belly growled loud enough that it made his cheeks pink. “However, I should probably get dressed and eat. Oh, and by the way, hey. I’m Kami. Kami Hart.”

“Reno Sute. Pleased, and you can eat in the robe. No one will know, I promise.”

“Fair enough. It makes things way easier access, doesn’t it?”

Reno growled happily. “Exactly. I do like an omega who knows what he likes.”

“That’s not one of my problems.” He might have forty or fifty thousand of those problems but being wishy-washy wasn’t one of them.

“Good.”

They headed into the big open area that was the front room. Reno had a huge sectional, a television, a stone table. The wall hangings were adorable—all drawn by children and framed like each one was precious, priceless art. It made him like Reno more than ever, the pride and love there like a beacon.

“I like your view.” The entire wall was glass, and it looked over a huge lake. “That’s a lot of windows. You’re not worried about someone cracking through?”

“Oh man, that’s already happened. Not with me, but up above with Triton, Talon’s brother. It was a whole thing. Now, boom, we have this blue bubble covering us, and nobody can get in.”

Kami tilted his head. “I must have missed that part.”

“Yeah, you were kind of out of it when you got here, but, no worries, we can hang out on the balcony all we’d like.” Reno brought a tray over, and there were milkshakes, onion rings, and burgers. “Now, while they can’t see in the windows, if we fuck on the balcony, there’ll be people able to see, and Cain will probably growl.”

“All right, tempting. Again, not an exhibitionist, but aggravating people? Always a temptation.” He winked at Reno and grabbed his milkshake. Oh, caramel. Yum. “I’m glad that Talon found his brother. They needed each other.”

“He’s a good friend of mine. Triton, I mean. We train together every day, and yeah, he’s talked about his brother a lot.”

“Excellent.” That made Kami happy, on a deep soul level. He’d known it was the right thing to give Talon his heartstone. He’d known it.

“You could have died. Don’t ever do it again.”

“No.” The stone in his hand seemed to throb. “This little one doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere. It seems very specific. The little thing is just bursting with power.”

“I like little things that are just bursting with power.” Reno looked him up and down. “And if you don’t finish your goddamn milkshake soon, I’m going to just fuck you through the sofa. I mean, with your permission, of course.”

“Consent is a thing. Let’s just make that clear. I’m saying yes. After the milkshake, and assuming we’re both not exhausted, of course. But. If the question is: wanna fuck? My answer is absolutely.”

Reno beamed at him. “You’re not like anybody I’ve ever met.”

“Damn straight.”

Reno winked. “Or not, as the case may be.”

He hooted. “That’s like, a human concept, I think.”

Shrugging, Reno inhaled about half his burger. “I’ve never been attracted to females, but one never knows, I guess.”

Kami tilted his head the other way. “Have you ever had sex with a male alpha?”

Reno chuckled. “I’ve had my share of hand jobs in the dark like any soldier.” He popped an onion ring in his mouth.

“That’s a pretty image.” Kami sucked down more of his shake. Oh, he was so happy not to be sipping broth anymore.

Damn.

He ate hearty, stopping only when his belly told him he was tipping toward imminent explosion.

“You done?”

Kami grinned. “Uh-huh. But I have to tell you, maybe a hand job? I’m getting sleepy.”

Reno’s I’m-horny expression faded into a little grin. “Hailee, you just almost died from losing your heartstone. You’re allowed to take a nap if you want to.”

“I don’t really want to.” Kami snorted, then finished off his milkshake. “But I think I’m gonna have to.”

“Then we table the sexy times until you’re ready.”

He scoffed. “I’m ready now. I’m just not sure I’m able.”

“Well, I want you able.” Reno held out his arms, and it felt as natural as breathing to let Reno lift him and take him back into the bedroom. The view there was just as good, and the bed…

“I could write epic odes to this bed.”

“You like it, huh?” Reno set him down on it with perfect gentleness.

Which was good. He wasn’t tired like he had been before the new stone, but he was worn out. He just needed to sleep for a while. Like real rest, not oh I’m dying and I may never get up again sleep.

“Yeah. No dying.”

“Sorry, Reno. I know I let you think we were going to make naughty.”

“We will. I can sit here and keep myself hard…”

He moaned. “No fair. Although, they say no erections that last more than four hours.”

Reno snort-laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind. Sleep now, honey. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Okay.” He cuddled into the cloud-soft covers, and he was asleep before he really even got his eyes closed.