Page 74 of The Dragon's Gambit

Reiya jolted upright and looked down at him in confusion. “Away? Where are you going? How long will you be gone?”

Lee grinned and flashed his teeth at her in a dazzling smile. “Are you going to miss me that much?”

Reiya sat on his stomach and pouted down at him. “Of course I am.”

He sat up, moving her to his lap, and wrapped his arms around her. “I can’t take not being able to claim you in public, Reiya. I’m going to speak with the council. I want to try excluding fairies and witches from the rule against being involved with deities. Both are connected to the earth and understand its balance. I’m hoping to only be gone for a couple of days. It will probably be something that gets brought up and then addressed again later, but I have to start this process now. I can’t not have you by my side just because I’m afraid someone will see.” Lee brushed his lips against her neck and began trailing gentle butterfly kisses against her skin.

“When are you leaving?” Reiya asked quietly. Having gotten used to being around him all the time, her heart was already aching at the thought of him being gone.

“In a day or two. I’m a bit hesitant to leave immediately, with there being a traitor here.” Lee reached up and brushed his hand against her face. “I’m going to miss you too.”

“Can’t you at least come back at night? Since you can instantly teleport and all?” Reiya smiled with her nose scrunched up. She felt his chest vibrations as his nose nuzzled into her mark.

“How can I deny that? If my sweet princess is going to miss me that badly, then I’ll come back to spend our nights together.” He nipped at her neck and flicked his tongue over his mark on her.

Reiya sighed under the heat of his intoxicating touch. If he was trying to drive her insane, it was working. “Well, Lee, are youready to make me fully yours?” she taunted him in a coquettish tone.

He let out a low chuckle. “Soon …”

Reiya smirked and turned to face him. “I told myself I couldn’t possibly die back there. Not when you haven’t completed the mating bond with me yet.” She watched his eyes battle in color from his normal light blue to dark to light blue again.

“Not yet.” His voice was hushed and hoarse. “Not until after we don’t have to keep this a secret. Honestly, baby … I’m barely controlling myself now. It’s just that, once our bond is complete, there’s no way I’ll be able to be without you by my side. There’s also a good chance I’ll kill anyone who looks at you. Just a bit longer.” He kissed her nose and fanned his way to her cheek. The ‘just a bit longer’ part was really for himself. No matter what the beautiful woman on his lap was thinking, this was much harder for him. It was taking every ounce of strength to fight off his animal instinct, to claim what was his. He had already lost to his animal once by branding her. He couldn’t lose himself again.

Reiya smiled under his barrage of sweet kisses. She understood that, in the long run, this made more sense. “Hey, Lee?”

“Hmm?” He continued to plant soft kisses on her neck now, savoring his sweet fairy.

“Do you think that, after it’s okay for us to be together, you could give me a ride? I’m sure it’s way different than riding a hippogryph.”

Lee chuckled. “Baby, anything you want from me, you can have. Once everything is allowed out in the open, I’m completely at your beck and call.” He smiled against her skin. She was so cute and sweet. That was what she wanted? For him to fly her around in his dragon form? Yes, she had to be the most precious person ever. And she was his.

Reiya leaned into him and kissed his cheek, then nuzzled herself under his chin so she could lean against his chest.

“I like Freja. We’re going to be good friends. I can feel it.”

“She’s more dangerous than she looks.” Lee still wasn’t completely convinced how good of a friend the dhampir could be.

“I’m more dangerous than I look, too.”

Lee squeezed his arms around her and chuckled. “You’re deadly.”

“Hey!” Reiya tried to pull away from him, but he held her captive in his arms. She snuffed out a breath of air. “Are you making fun of me?” She furrowed her eyes and felt the small vibrations from his chest.

“Never. I wouldn’t dream of it.” He smiled into the back of her hair as he felt her twist, trying to get out from his grip.

Reiya pressed her lips together and then got a devilish idea. She flicked her finger and sent a jolt of water at Lee. The moment he loosened his grip to block the water, she hopped away from him.

His eyes widened, and he had a big, mischievous grin on his face. “Did you just use the element that I bestowed upon you against me?”

“Aww, Lee. I didn’t realize you weren’t very smart. Yes, Lee, that was the element of water. Say it with me: waa—teeerrr.”

Lee chuckled. “Oh, you are getting punished for that, little girl.”

Reiya tilted her head up to him. “Little girl? Is it little girl or woman? Because just a few moments ago, I’m pretty sure you weren’t looking at me like a little girl.” She watched his eyes flicker at her.

Every person, every animal … everything has that instinct inside that screams out to them right before a predator strikes. Reiya’s senses were tingling. She wasn’t going to wait for himto strike, though. She swiftly took off running and swung the bedroom door open. Lee was at her heels as she took off running into the great room. She squealed and giggled, knowing he was right behind her. She ran past Xander and shoved him into Lee to slow him down. It worked.

“Wow, Levi, I never knew you cared so much.” Xander batted his eyes up at Lee. Lee gave him a hard shove out of the way.