Page 33 of The Mating Claim

“Things that most men do not. Give it tome!”

Drust stared at the red rabbit and squinted. “Ah, I see. This is a pleasure-giving instrument forfemales?”

Heat crawled up her neck. She felt certain her face turned the color of the instrument. “Uh,yeah.”

Fascination stole over his expression. “Truly, this world has many modern wonders. Where do you applyit?”

Her mouth moved up and down. Speechless, she could not answer. The last thing she expected tonight was to have this conversation about… vibrators. With a centuries oldwizard!

Horrified, she watched him rummage in the box and pull out the instructions. He began to read aloud. “For excellent clitoral suction and deep tissue action. Comes in three speeds. Ah, so the woman applies it to hergenitals.”

Holding the vibrator, he stared at the settings. Drust frowned. “What is thisturbo?”

He clicked a button and the rabbit began vibrating like it was stuck in a wind tunnel. Could she blushanymore?

“It is most powerful. I daresay a woman using this should apply caution and be prepared to not walk for an hour or two nor operate heavy machinery in hercondition.”

Was that a wink he gave her? Lacey’s mouth opened wider. She wasflummoxed.

Was he… playing with heragain?

Drust turned the rabbit over and then found the OFFswitch.

Setting the vibrator down on the coffee table he cocked his head. “Although it says it runs off batteries. I should think by now solar powered devices would be available in this day andage.”

Lacey snatched up the rabbit and shoved it in thebox.

Amusement curved his mouth. “Truly, Lacey, if you wish something to suction your pleasure center, why not find a dragon? A real dragon, notthis.”

“Because real dragons suck, and not the way this vibrator does, you snoop. Women have the right to orgasms as much as men do, even if we don’t have erections. We need satisfaction too,understand?”

He nodded. “I do. Not achieving satisfaction for men can be quite painful on the genitals. Tristan told me there is a term forit.”

“Blue balls.” She couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. “And it’s none of your damn business what I do with my personal life! What the hell do you careanyway?”

He ran a hand through his short black hair and for the first time, she saw a weariness in him. “I do care. You are mycharge.”

She couldn’t help feeling confused. No one had ever said they cared before. Not in a long time. “Youdo?”

A wry smile touched his sensual mouth. “Yes I do, and I wish nothing bad to happen to you. Nothing more than that rabbit would deliver in making you incapacitated. I refer to the book, Lacey. The longer it remains in your possession, the more endangered you are. Hand it over or you risk destructionyourself.”

“You just said you care, and now you’re saying you will destroyme?”

Drust pointed to the sofa. “Sit.” Seeing her lower lip jut out, he added quietly, “Please.”

Shesat.

His mouth twitched. “Nice bunnies. I can see you have an affinity for rabbits. I do not wish to hurt you. But in the end, if you refuse to surrender the book, it will corrupt you as it did your father. If you use a spell from it, the power you seek and crave will work its dark enchantment into yoursoul.”

Lacey fisted her hands in her lap. “Then why did you guys create it if it’s nothing butevil?”

Drust stared into the distance. “I had nothing to do with it. I was in the Shadow Lands, the afterworld, when one of my brethren created it for someone he loved. I know not the details, only that it was amistake.”

Suddenly she cared not about the book, but what Drust endured during his purgatory in the Shadow Lands. “What is it like being there, in theafterworld?”

“I told you, I have no desire to discuss my past. Stop snooping into mylife.”

His curt tone did not dissuade her. “You just snooped into my private life, Drust. Only fair that you tell me a little something inreturn.”