Page 39 of Taste of Thorns

“Do I? Care to fill me in?” he says, taking a seat on the side of my bed.

“I was actually showing Fox my dragon.”

Fly tips back his head and cackles. “Cupcake, I’ve heard girls call their bits all kinds of creative things before, but not once has one called their vagina a dragon. Does yours breathe fire? Is that all part of the lumomancy thing?” He looks at me, clearly trying not to laugh again. “Oh stars, Briony, do you have a magical vagina?”

This time I thump him real hard on the arm. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“Yeah,” he sighs, “but my version of events was a lot more interesting.” I avert my gaze and chew on my lip. Fly narrows his eyes. “Out with it!”

“I did spend quite a lot of my day – and evening – being ravished,” I confess.

Fly folds his arms over his chest. “I’m very happy for you, honestly I am.”

I stick my tongue out at him and shuffle up so I’m sitting.

“Fly,” I say, swallowing, “do you think I’m a sex addict?”

Fly stares at me for three whole seconds then bursts out laughing again, this time the amusement rolling through his body is so violent, he falls backward, kicking his legs.

“Fly!” I say. “I’m serious about this and you’re the only one I can talk to about it. Because … well.”

Fly snorts, wipes his eyes and rolls back up.

He schools his features, although it takes several attempts, little bubbles of laughter keep breaking free. “I’m sorry, Cupcake. That wasn’t very sensitive. Go ahead. Tell me why you think you’re a sex addict.”

“Because,” I say, fidgeting on the bed, “I had sex with two different men yesterday and I was the one definitely initiating things the second time round. You’d think I’d be all sated and content after the first round of things. So why did I …” I trail off.

“Maybe the first round wasn’t very satisfying. That can happen.”

“Oh trust me, it was. Very satisfying. It should have been enough to satisfy one normal woman for like a month!”

“You’re not normal, Cupcake.”

“Thanks,” I say flatly.

“You have four fated mates. Fate’s probably rewarded you with a higher than average libido in order to keep all those fine strapping men with their virulent loins satisfied.”

“Oh stars!” I say covering my face with my hands.

Fly pulls them away. “Seriously, Cupcake, what are you complaining about? Most people would give anything to trade places with you now. I mean sleeping with ...”

“Dray Eros.”

“And …”

“Professor Tudor,” I mumble.

Fly’s eyebrows shoot up his forehead. “On the same day! That’s like platinum-levels of achievement when it comes to sexual conquesting.”

“So you don’t think I’m a sex addict?”

“Are you flinging yourself at every male member of the species? Are you sleeping with everyone and everybody? Or do you just find the men you’re entangled with pretty damn hot and completely irresistible – which given who they are, is totally understandable.”

I nod. Fly may be saying all this to make me feel better. If so, it has worked. I’m not a complete nymphomaniac. I did drag Fox out of bed to meet Blaze yesterday. That shows some levels of control.

“Okay,” I say, “do you think we’ve missed breakfast?”

“We’d better not have,” he says, “or I may be tempted to tell Clare all about this ridiculous conversation.”