Dragon's Lair (22 page)

She leaned harder against his chest, willingly accepting his offer.

“I am the Dragon, little beast. My power is yours. Use it.” At Braeden's command, the dragon shook itself, then quickly rose up from her palm and took flight.

Braeden's hold around her waist tightened and they watched the beast together.

The dragon grew until it towered at least twelve feet. Its wingspan was enormous. And while Alexia knew any sane person would be terrified, she was awed at the beauty and power before her.

Nathan had stopped dead in his tracks and now stared up at the dragon making slow circles around him. It dove
toward him once, made another circle, and on the next graceful dive, reached out with long, sharp talons and grabbed the wizard.

Nathan's screams echoed across the yard as the dragon carried him away.

Danielle snapped back to reality first. “What the hell was that?”

Alexia smiled. “My dragon.”

Sean whistled. “Sweet.”

Danielle cleared her throat, then asked, “
Your
dragon?”

“Well, I did find him.” Alexia looked up at Braeden. “Do you think Nathan is gone now?”

When Braeden didn't answer, Cam said, “I'd rather have seen the beast eat him. Then we'd know for sure.”

Braeden finally leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Mrs. Drake, you and I need to talk. Now.” He turned, and with her still held tightly at his side, headed toward the Lair.

They got as far as the door before Cam shouted, “It's back.”

The dragon landed lightly in the yard and stared at her. She tugged at Braeden's arm. “Please, let me go.” He released her. And she went to stand in front of the beast.

It lowered its head, opened its mouth and dropped the small wooden cube at her feet. Alexia ignored the cube—she could study that later. Right now she was fascinated with the mythical beast that by all accounts didn't exist.

It leaned its great head forward and blew hot air against her ear before rising to full height and shaking itself like a wet dog.

Uncertain what it wanted at first, Alexia finally stretched out her hand, palm up. The dragon blinked at her, folded its wings and shrunk.

When it was small enough to hold, she picked it up and
placed it on her palm. Holding it close, at eye level, she said, “Thank you.” Then she cupped her other hand over it. “Be a pendant again, my beast.”

She slid the emerald pendant back into her pocket, picked up the wooden cube and turned to Braeden. “You wanted to talk?”

B
raeden stared at his wife from across their bedroom at the Lair. He was torn between two urges. Make love to her—or lock her away in a nice, safe, magic-proof cell somewhere.

It was a tough choice.

“You intentionally disobeyed me.”

“Disobeyed?” Alexia's eyebrows rose. “As in you lord, me servant?”

“Don't get flippant. I told you to stay at Mirabilus. You promised me.”

“No. You didn't stick around long enough to hear my promise. I promised only to not give you cause to worry.”

“And you think watching you confront Nathan wasn't cause for worry?”

She looked around. “I'm here, aren't I?”

“With a little help,” he reminded her. “You had no idea you'd end up the victor. He could have killed you. What
would I have done then?” He wanted to gag on his own words. He sounded like an old woman. Where had his logic and backbone gone?

“Braeden?”

“What?”

She smiled at him. In the next moment she was naked. Alexia slowly approached him.

His worries dissipated, along with his anger. She'd put herself in danger needlessly. He should be angry, outraged.

Not burning with desire.

She stopped before him and placed a hand on his chest. Meeting his gaze, she asked, “Braeden, we made a good team, didn't we?”

She was right. They did make a good team. He doubted if there was anything the Dragon and his mate couldn't accomplish together. But somehow he knew that life with her at his side was going to prove more than he ever could have imagined.

Throwing all caution to the wind, he gathered her in his arms. “Yes, my love, we made a good team.”

She peered up at him from beneath her lashes. “Your love?”

She was so obviously toying with him that he couldn't resist shrugging before saying, “Unless, of course, you still want that divorce.”

Alexia frowned as if in deep thought, then replied, “I would, but I'm not really sure I can raise two wizards alone. They may occasionally need their father's guiding hand.”

He rolled his eyes in mock disbelief. “Their mother needs a guiding hand more than they ever will.”

She gently swung her hips from side to side, brushing intentionally against him. “Then if it's okay with you, I may as well stay. I really don't have anywhere else to be.”

It wasn't as if he'd ever let her go. Without touching her, he leaned forward and gently kissed her lips. “That depends.”

She slid her breasts against his chest. “On what?” Her low and sultry voice nearly broke his will.

“Will you finish the translation?”

Alexia sighed. “If you insist.”

“I do.”

“Then, my love, for you I will.”

“Will you take your bankbook out of my desk?”

“I suppose. There are a few things I need to buy. Cribs, diapers and, you know, other little things.”

He grasped for more illogical questions. Anything to keep her attention off the fact that he was backing her steadily toward the bed.

“Will you litter-train that beast of yours?”

She laughed. The sound raced across his ears, nearly drawing a smile from him. “It's going to take a big litter box. But I'll try.”

Just before the back of her legs hit the bed, he asked, “And will you obey me?”

She grabbed hold of his shirt and fell backward onto the bed, pulling him along. “Never in a million years.”

He laughed and cupped her head between his hands. “Yes, Lexi, it's okay with me for you to stay. To be my wife. To be the mother of our children. And to be the love I can't live without.”

She leaned up and kissed him. “There's only one condition.”

He shivered in mock fear. “And that would be?”

“That you love me forever.”

He nuzzled the side of her neck. “I've loved you from the moment we met.” He rained kisses on her eyes. “I love
you now.” He brushed his lips across hers. “You are my mate. I will love you throughout eternity and beyond.”

From across the room, in the cube Alexia had set on the table in a dark corner, Aelthed sighed. Soon he would be released from this box. His soul would be free to pass on.

But first there were secrets the Drakes needed to know. Secrets he'd yet to weave into the book.

Crossing his legs, he leaned against the corner of his cell and began adding pages to the grimoire.

The Dragon's love would enjoy discovering that there was much more to this boring old man than recipes.

There were stories about other dragons—amethyst and sapphire ones. And tales of a magic box yet to be told.

Soon all the stories would be told. All the secrets revealed. And then, only then, would he finally be free.