Ronnek sat glowering in his study as he went over everything that had happened over the course of a few hours. How could it all go so wrong? His plan, everything he had done to get to this point was for nothing. He stared into the fire warming the room and rubbed his forehead. It’s true he had strived for a permanent peace solution for the benefit of his people, but he had really thought he would get to see Odette again. That she would be his after all was done.

  Instead he was bonded to a woman he had never met before, one that was as mysterious as the ancient language she could read. His frown deepened as he thought of her again. Eveleen. She had told him her name before he stormed out of her chambers, needing to retreat as his confusion threatened to consume him. When she had touched him…even that small touch, had set his demon blood on fire and he had felt a desire to hold her.

  He growled at himself and stood, pacing in frustration. She was not the mate he wanted and the bond should not count, but unfortunately that was not how it worked. He would have to search for a way to break his binding. It was not unheard of in history, but the act had long been abandoned as they usually didn’t make mistakes in their chosen mates. So any mention of how to perform the ritual was probably as lost as what had happened to the Dragons.

  He stopped pacing at that thought as her words rang through his mind once more, "I will make you all whole again.” Could she really keep a promise like that? Demons were said to have descended directly from Dragons, the most powerful creatures to ever walk the Earth or soar through the Heavens. Their horns and wings are similar to that of the giants they resembled. However, their strength and magic were said to only be a shadow of the capabilities of their ancestors.

  There was an old legend that said the demons’ link to that ancient magic was stolen by a human sorceress that tricked the Demon King into giving it to her. Having met this witch and her ability to fool him so thoroughly, Ronnek wondered if the legend was true. Since his kind had lost the ability to read Ancient Draconian there was no way of knowing what had truly happened or where the magic had gone. If it was stolen or simply lost through the generations was unknown. But that legend had also been rumored as the beginning of the two species always being at odds with each other.

  If he was to take anything good from this unwanted union it was that his people would finally know peace after decades of war and be able to begin rebuilding. The vow they had made would last even if he found a way to break the bond between them. Their lands would never be at war again and if she could truly restore his people to their full potential then it was worth keeping her close while they found the answers to the secrets of the past.

  He growled as his body reacted to the unwanted image of having her real close while keeping an eye on her. As much as he tried to ignore it, his mate was calling to him. Even now if he lost focus his bond would pull at him, tempting him to go find her to make sure she was safe. To pull her to him and feel her heat under his touch. He cursed again, rising to pace as he tried to reason against this unwanted desire, but his nature was winning out. It was unheard of for a demon male to let his mate out of his sight in the beginning of the bonding, but he had forced himself as she wasn’t the mate he wanted.

  He felt his heart twist as he thought of her other words. Odette…he had known it was the reality of things. Had known there was a chance that had she come to him, she would be so unhappy that nothing he did could have changed that. But he had thought with time…she could grow to care for him. As selfish as it was, even now, knowing she loved another didn’t stop him from wanting her. If he found a way to break the bond with the witch, he may still be tempted to steal the princess away from this other man. He growled at the thought, knowing it was pointless to dwell on what-ifs when he didn’t even know if he could break his current bond.

  “And what if I can’t? How long can I hold back from her when every instinct is screaming for me to claim her as my mate?”

  _______________________________________________________

  Eveleen jolted awake at the sharp knocking on the door of her chambers. She groaned as she rolled over, her hair covering her eyes. She must have passed out from sheer exhaustion as she didn’t remember falling asleep and she was still fully dressed. The knocking came again and she gave a soft acknowledgement for them to enter. The door opened and a familiar demon walked in. He grinned at her and bowed,

  “Morning your highness. I hope you were able to get some rest last night. Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Altazar.” He said, and Eveleen frowned, wondering why he was being so pleasant to someone who had tricked their king. He must have noticed something in her look as his amused smile returned as he straightened.

  “I am quite pleased that you are the one who will be staying with us your highness. You were by far the most fascinating human at that gathering." He said and winked at her,

  "I'm sure the king will agree once he gets over his bruised pride. To think there was a human mage who could hold a transformation spell for that long! You are very intriguing indeed." He laughed and motioned to someone behind him. Soon the room was filled with other servants and Eveleen watched in silence as they prepared a hot bath for her. She didn't know how to respond and he hadn't seemed like he expected one.

  Altazar clapped his hands again and all, but two maids retreated. He turned to her and smiled. For some reason Eveleen found herself softening to that smile. She should be on constant guard right now, but found her instincts were telling her to trust this creature. Maybe she could have at least one ally here.

  "When you are finished getting ready I will escort you to the dinning hall. If you need anything else, have one of them fetch for me." He said, indicating the maids who bowed their heads in acknowledgement.

  He left then and the maids came forward, insisting they help her to wash despite her attempts to get them to leave her alone. So she submitted to their administration and sighed in relief when she sank into the steaming water. It worked quickly in relaxing her tired muscles and easing some of the tension from her body.

  "I have never seen a human with such hair. It looks like it's constantly on fire. Many demons will be jealous when they lay eyes on our new queen." The maid brushing out the knots in her hair said to the other that was massaging oil into Eveleen's arm.

  "Yes, she is rather oddly beautiful-for a human. One would assume there was some demon in her."

  "Soon there will be some demon in her. I'm sure the king will not be able to hold back, as he did for her sake last night."

  "Cortessa! Imagine if you were overheard! Altazar would take you over his knee again." The other 'admonished', both were giggling completely unaware of how Eveleen's face was flaming hot. Obviously they wouldn't know she could understand them and had missed the chance to respond after the compliment for her hair. She couldn’t deny how their words made her stomach flutter at the thought of that man coming to her at night. She didn’t know how to feel at the thought and blamed it on the bonding as she had heard it was like a pull neither could resist. But did it even affect humans?

  They finished helping her get ready as she was put into a new gown, one that was a deep crimson, accenting her hair beautifully. The maids argued with each other what to do with her hair as she sat in front of a mirror and decided the best course was to leave it loose, but to place a beautiful, jeweled clip in her hair. It was shaped like a Phoenix and the topaz eye seemed to be laughing at her as if it knew she was a fraud. She tried to refuse, but they insisted that she wear it. The one called Cortessa smiled at her in the mirror and played with strands of her hair.

  "The king will be so happy to see you wearing the gifts he prepared before your arrival. He was quite excited this past week and reminded me of a youngling just learning to fly.” She said, giggling and missed the guilty flinch as Eveleen was reminded again that she was not the woman he had been expecting. These gifts…they were beautiful and Odette would have looked stunning in them. She shook away the thought and reminded herself that Odette would have also been a prisoner, trapped in misery and may not have survived the heartbreak.

  “How long do you think he’ll be able to last before ripping this poor dress to shreds?” The other maid giggled and Cortessa shushed her, laughing.

  “You are no better Navie! But I give it three minutes.”

  “My aren’t you generous.”

  A knock at the door signaled the return of Altazar and the two maids jumped, worried they had been caught as this time he didn’t wait for her to call before entering. His smile brightened more when he saw her and he nodded approvingly. The maids bowed as she stood to face him.

  “Excellent work ladies. You shall turn many heads today my queen. Now your highness, if you wish I can show you to the dining hall for breakfast.” She nodded and followed after him, stopping at the door. She looked over to the maids and smiled softly, deciding to have a little fun with them as payback for the uncomfortable blush in her cheeks.

  “Thank you for your help and…You should have more faith in your king.” She had to smother a laugh as their eyes widened and they gaped after her.

  _______________________________________________________________

  Ronnek was in an even more foul mood as he searched for the blasted witch that had haunted his dreams last night. It had started out like his normal dreams, Odette there smiling sweetly at him with love shining in her blue eyes. Her hand cupped his cheek gently as he closed his eyes. But when he opened them it was not the princess before him. Her fiery tresses fanned out as her emerald eyes burned with something much more primal than love. The hand at his cheek traveled down his neck to his chest, her nails scratching the skin, making him hiss in response.

  Ronnek shook his head to snap himself out of those thoughts and growled again at the absurdity of his mind. He cursed the bond as the sole source of his imaginings and he knew it would only get worse if he kept a distance from her. Besides, he had business to discuss with his new queen.

  He heard her before he saw her and frowned as she sounded distressed. Immediately his guard rose and his strides quickened as he instinctually reacted to her voice. He rounded the corner to the dining hall and the scene before him would have been hilarious had his temperament been in better conditions.

  She was surrounded by excited servants, each offering her different samples of their kingdoms’ favorite dishes, trying to see what she would want and learning what she liked. She was attempting to politely refuse, claiming she could never eat so much and he noticed she was speaking their language. The fact that their queen could speak Draconian seemed to amaze the staff and they were already enamored with the woman. Some of the males, a little too enamored by the looks in their eyes.

  Ronnek gave an involuntary growl which caused all heads to turn to him. He narrowed his eyes in warning and immediately the staff took a step back from his mate, knowing not to test his boundaries. She looked at him then and he couldn’t help the way his breath caught. He didn’t deny that she was beautiful. Only a fool would try to claim such a thing. Her hair seemed to glow in the soft light of the hall, the red of her gown drawing even more attention to its unique hue. Her eyes reminded him of a forest at night and he swore he saw a flash of heat behind them as well.

  The thought should not have pleased him so and he reminded himself that beautiful or not she had tricked him. The reminder was what he needed as he regained control of himself. He walked to her and grabbed her wrist, turning to pull her away.

  "What are you doing?" She asked, pulling against his grip. He looked back at her and began to answer when a throat clearing caused them both to look to their right. Altazar looked entirely too entertained as he addressed the staff still lingering.

  "It might be best to leave their majesties alone for a few minutes. You've all had your fun and gotten to meet the new queen. Now back to your chores." He ordered and Ronnek frowned at the 'knowing' looks shot his way.

  Of course. They didn't know this woman was not meant to be their queen. All they knew was he had taken a human as his bride for peace. Not to mention the high spirits he had been in leading up to this day. They must all assume he was tense from being away from his mate and his actions looked like he was about to steal her off to some dark corner.

  He had to mentally slam a door on that thought as it made his body react in anticipation to the possibilities. Only Altazar knew she was not the princess as he seemed to be content amusing himself with Ronnek’s predicament.

  "Are you planning on releasing me anytime soon?" Her annoyed tone snapped him back to the present and he glared down at her. She glared right back, not cowering as he expected and he remembered the steel he had seen in her when she was impersonating Odette. Well that bravery had not been faked it seemed.

  "No." He growled and felt her attempt to pull free again as he turned, pulling her behind him.

  "You made a rather bold promise last night and I intend to hold you to it. Starting now." He ignored her protests and continued until they reached his library. He dismissed the startled maid who was cleaning and she left quickly.

  "Now, to test just how much you can read the ancient texts. Don't you dare try to run while I find what I need." He warned and she narrowed her eyes at him, but didn't argue.

  Only then did he release her and began to look for the volume he needed. He stopped after a few minutes, realizing she was being rather quiet when he had expected her to have some words about being dragged about. She was over at another bookshelf, running her fingers along the books. Her eyes seemed to shine in awe and he stopped his search to just watch her.

  She was mouthing the titles as she went and he wondered if she was even aware of it. She stopped on one volume that seemed to pique her curiosity as she pulled it free from the rest. He noticed that she handled the book as if it were a sacred treasure and it made him smile.

  He hadn't realized he'd moved closer to her, wanting to see what had caught her eye. It was a book on common herbs and plants from his land used to make medicine. A rather boring read if you asked him, but he supposed these would be things she had never seen before and maybe she enjoyed studying new things.

  She must have felt him moving closer as she startled and looked up, meeting his gaze. He should look away, should step back from her, focus on what they were there for. But the minute she looked up at him and he became aware of how close they were standing he forgot everything else. Instead he continued to watch her as her eyes gave every thought away.

  She was not good at hiding her emotions and he could see each one flash across her face in succession. Apprehension gave way to confusion as she seemed to wonder at his proximity. That melted away as soon as she focused on his body being so close to hers. He noticed how her eyes darkened as they took in more of his appearance.

  Wherever her eyes roamed he felt heat follow and when they returned to his there was a matching heat in their depths. He growled low and watched as her cheeks heated at the sound. He snapped back to himself when she took in a sharp breath and he felt her soft cheek under his knuckles.

  Heaven's Gaze, he hadn't even realized he had reached out to touch her! He blinked and reeled back as if burned and growled again, this time at himself. He turned his back on her and forced himself to focus on looking for the book he needed.

  He risked a glance at her from the corner of his eye and noticed she was 'looking' at the book in her hand. The glow in her cheeks and the hand to her heart gave away that she was just as affected by the bond as he was.

  After several uncomfortably quiet minutes he heard her hum aloud and turned to see her reaching up for a larger volume. It was just out of her reach and she was quietly cursing her height as her fingers only grazed the edge of the spine. He chuckled softly and walked over to her, unable to resist as something told him to help her. He came up behind her and reached over her grabbing the book.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  She gasped in surprise and tried to step to the side away from him quickly. She got tangled in her skirts and tripped, falling backwards. Ronnek cursed and reached for her, his arm wrapping around her lower back and pulling her up against him. He knew it was a mistake the minute her body fit against his.

  They molded together as if made for one another. He should have released her instantly, but found he couldn't give his body the command. Instead he pulled her even closer and her soft gasp fueled something dark within him. He watched as she blushed and turned her gaze to the side, exposing her neck and his mark. A satisfied growl rolled through his chest as he leaned towards that spot. Needing to taste her skin again as the brief memory seared the corners of his mind.

  Was it as sweet as he had remembered or had his mind been fogged by the illusion she had cast. Would she moan under him as she had when he marked her? He wanted to hear her, to hear what he did to her. His demon instincts were taking over as his nose brushed her skin and he breathed in her delicious scent.

  She smelled like a meadow filled with wildflowers and it set his heart racing. He could feel her trembling against him, but she wasn't resisting or pushing against him. He grinned at the fact that she was excited by his touch, pleased immensely. He opened his mouth and let the tip of his tongue press against his mark.

  "The book!" She squeaked and it snapped him from the fog clouding his mind. He pulled back and looked down at her. She was breathing heavily and her face almost matched her hair.

  "The-the book…" She repeated, trying to steady her voice.

  "That's the book you were searching for…right?" She whispered and he frowned, glancing at the book that was still in his other hand. The title was written in gold letters and although some looked similar to their language today, most of it was unreadable. Indeed, it was the one he had been searching for before he got…he looked down again and realized he was still holding her against him and hissed.

  Distracted. He let go of her and she quickly stepped away, wrapping her arms across herself as she had the other night. He frowned and silently cursed his demon blood. What the hell was wrong with him? He had to also search for a way to break this bond quickly or he would regret it. He mentally kept telling himself that she was not his mate, not really as he hadn't chosen her, so that he could gain some control back. The words meant nothing though as he still felt his instincts pulling him back to her.

  He turned towards a table set in the library and set the book down on it. Taking a calming breath he looked over at her, happy that the sight of her did not rile him up again. Yet.

  "Come over here and tell me what this says. I'll know if you lie as the title at least has been translated in other books." He ordered, happy that his voice was cold once more as he gained some of his senses back. Her eyes narrowed and the cold seemed to spread to her as well as any hint of fire vanished from them.

  She walked over to the table next to him, extra cautious as to not touch him. She looked down at the book and ran her fingers over the letters.

  "Firstly, my name is Eveleen. I know you heard it last night. If you are going to ask me to do something I suggest you use it. Secondly, ‘Flying to the Heavens, absorbing the sun itself.’ happy?" She said, glaring up at him and he couldn't help the smirk that pulled at his lips.

  "I don't believe I was asking, witch. Now for the-"

  "Don't call me that. I allowed it last night as I could understand your reaction. But I will not now. Eveleen…use it or translate this yourself." She ground out, facing him and crossing her arms in defiance. He flashed his fangs in warning, but she didn't back down as most would.

  "That's not the deal. Deal was, I leave your sister alone and you solve this mystery for me. If you want to go back on that-"

  "I'm not going back on what I said. But you-" She poked him in the center of his chest again and he growled, in warning or desire, even he wasn't sure.

  "-will not talk to me so. I am not some servant to be ordered about or degraded for my abilities." She spat and he heard a hidden venom in her words, as if she had spoken them before.

  "You do not give orders here. I am king while you are merely an unwanted intruder. So either do what you said you would or I'll drag you to the dungeon where you belong, witch." At the word her eyes flamed up again, this time in anger but seeing it only made his own desire flare back up. She took a step closer, too close, and hissed at him through ground teeth.

  "Say it again and I'll show you how much of a witch I can be. Now-" She poked his chest with each next word, having no idea the beast she was stirring with her actions. Hearing her speak in Draconian while her anger flared at him was pulling at the restraints he was barely maintaining.

  "Say. My. Name. Demon."

  He growled and grabbed her, making her gasp at the sudden reaction. One arm around her waist, pulling her up against him as the other tangled in her hair, angling her head back. He flashed his fangs again and felt the restraints snap.

  "Eveleen." He growled before sealing her mouth with his. She flinched, but quickly relaxed in his hold and let out a small moan. He tightened his hold at the sound. She was softer than he could have imagined and he groaned as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip. She gasped and he took the invite, sliding his tongue between her teeth, tasting all of her sweet mouth.

  Her fingers dug into his arms, her nails scratching through his tunic and he pulled her flush against him, pressing their most intimate parts together. He slid his tongue along hers, enticing it to tangle with his and she obliged. Her movement was timid and unsure, but it didn't deter his need as he continued to consume her intoxicating essence. She was not resisting him and soon matched his tempo, her soft sighs caressing his senses.

  Her hands slid up his arms to his neck and her slender fingers slid into his hair, tugging lightly at the strands. He growled in appreciation and left her sweet lips to move along her neck. Nipping and licking at the delicate skin, he wanted to taste all of her, to hear those sweet lips continue to moan at his attentions.

  When he reached the mark at the juncture of her throat again he growled and ran his lips lightly along its length. She shivered in his hold and he felt a reflective tremble shake through his body. In that moment all he was thinking about was finishing what he started in making this beautiful creature his mate.

  He growled as the desire to plunge his fangs into her neck while claiming her made him burn with sinful heat. He intended to do just that and turned, picking her up to lay her on top of the table beside them. She let out a pained sound as she ended up falling onto the corner of the book, catching her in the ribs.

  The sound stilled him. It was just long enough for him to take in what was happening. Her hair was a wild mess from his fingers tangling the strands. Her face was flushed still and her breaths were coming out in quick shallow gasps. He was still standing between her legs, his hands on either side of her hips and his own heart felt ready to burst.

  He felt like a cold wave had washed over him as he came to fully realize how close he had come to taking her right there in the library. Had she not hit her side, he wasn't sure he would have stopped. Wasn't sure she would have stopped him. Even now as she sat up to rub her side, she didn't seem to notice the distress that had changed his demeanor.

  When she finally looked at him again, her green eyes still shone with untapped desire and it felt like a punch in the gut. He cursed and pulled away, running his hand over his face as he took in several deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. He could never have guessed how strong the pull would be, had never fully understood how strong the effects of a bonding could be. But he was coming to understand how much trouble he was in as he realized it would only grow in intensity. He glanced at her, saw the confusion in her gaze as she watched him and he groaned.

  "What the hell are you doing to me witch." He hissed and saw her flinch back, hurt flashing across her gaze before it switched to rage as she glared back.

  "I wasn't the one who attacked you, demon." She retorted and he growled in warning, reminding her of how her pushing him was exactly how they had gotten in this position to begin with. She didn't back down and he cursed, knowing if he stayed they'd just repeat what had happened before. So he turned to leave and ordered over his shoulder,

  "Get to work on translating that book. I'll have Altazar bring it to me later." He made it out the door just as she cursed him and shouted,

  "A 'please' wouldn't kill you!"

  He sighed as he closed the door behind him.

  "No, but you might."

  ______________________________________________________________

  Ronnek sighed as he landed on the balcony of his study. He had decided to take a flight through the cold night sky as a way to cool off his raging desire. It was very late in the night and he had caught himself several times throughout the day making his way to her. If he let himself even a moment of rest, his body would start calling for her and he would begin to seek her out. There were moments where he swore he heard her call him and it was pure torture.

  Only made worse as now he was tormented with the very real memory of how desirable his mate was. It wasn’t an illusion or a dream taunting him anymore. Now he knew what the woman felt like, how she reacted to his touch and it was impossible to ignore how his body reacted. Even now as he stepped inside he knew, the cold night air had done nothing to cool his need for her. She had lit a fire that couldn’t be put out and it threatened to consume all of him.

  He should take this time to do his own research into severing the bond between them. It was late enough into the night that she would have returned to her chambers. Ronnek groaned as he could only assume the murmurs traveling through his home as the two had been separated all day. Some would assume he was giving his bride’s sensibilities deep consideration, but others would probably guess at the tension between the two.

  He left his study with the intention of going to the library, but for some reason turned in the opposite direction. Towards the bedchambers…her chambers. As soon as he realized where he was going he silently cursed himself as a fool. A chuckle made him turn to see Altazar walking towards him, no doubt returning from his final rounds for the night.

  “Evening your highness. Did you enjoy your flight?” The demon smirked and Ronnek snorted. Altazar was an old friend from childhood and knew Ronnek better than any other demon.

  “I’m not in the mood tonight for your jokes. I am going to bed.” Ronnek growled and Altazar nodded, but there was still that amused gleam in his eyes as he tilted his head towards the queen’s chambers.

  “No doubt looking for your darling bride, hoping she’s waiting for you.” He teased knowingly. Ronnek opened his mouth to retort, but Altazar continued before he could.

  “But unfortunately, our dear queen is still hard at work on that project of hers in the library. She wouldn’t even come down for supper and chose to eat there. Luckily I explained it away as her being the very studious type and wanting to learn all she could of her new home. The staff have already lost their hearts to the woman.”

  Ronnek frowned and Altazar continued to walk past him, patting him on the arm as he went and called over his shoulder.

  “You should convince her to quit for the night as they would be heartbroken should she catch a cold and be unable to grace us with her beauty.”

  Ronnek growled again in frustration, but knew his friend was right about one thing. He would go convince her to call it a night as there was no point in her making herself sick. After all the damn texts had waited hundreds of years to be translated, they could wait another day. He thought maybe she was worried about his temperament if she didn’t deliver quickly and he knew that was only his fault.

  He didn’t normally act this way towards others. His short temper and harsh attitude was something that seemed to only emerge around her. He still couldn’t forgive being tricked and it made him irrational and snappy. Plus, the way she set his blood on fire confused him further as it clashed directly with his anger at her part in stealing his dream from him.

  He saw the light seeping from under the door of the library as he neared it and took in a deep breath as he opened it slowly. She was still bent over the book, not even reacting to the door being opened. He stopped and watched her for a moment as she continued to focus intensely on reading the words in front of her. She must have called for parchment at some point as there were several pages spread across the table, filled with ink and a new page lay at her right, a quill in her delicate fingers.

  As she ran her left index finger along the words in the book her lips moved silently, just as when she was browsing the books earlier. Did she read to herself like all the time or only when she was really focused he wondered. He took a few steps closer, waiting for her to notice the presence next to her, but she seemed to be in another world as her eyes remained locked on the book. No wonder Altazar had sent him to fetch her. Only another dominating soul could rip her away from this moment.

  He cleared his throat and finally she seemed to snap from her bubble and looked up to him. She blinked a few times and then looked around the library, taking in the dark state of the room as the candles on her table struggled to keep the darkness at bay.

  “Oh. I didn’t…I didn’t realize it had gotten so late. It’s been so long since I’ve read something so fascinating.” She mumbled to herself and rubbed at her eyes. He noticed they were slightly red and held out his hand to her. She looked at it, then up to him, suspicion clear in her eyes and the sight made him feel slightly guilty.

  “Your legs are no doubt going to give out if you’ve been sitting here all day.” He said, struggling to find words suddenly. She blushed and turned away, moving to get up herself.

  “Thank you for the concern, but this is not the first time I’ve spent a while studying. I’ll be just fine on my own.” She bit out, her tone cold as she stood up. As soon as she put her weight on her legs they buckled and she began to list forward. He caught her, grabbing her upper arm and steadying her as he supported her weight. He realized she weighed almost nothing and he could easily lift her off the floor if he wished. Suddenly an image of him doing just that made him groan and he had to push it away as she attempted to pull from his grasp.

  “I’m fine. Did you come to see what I had gotten done? I thought you said you were going to send Altazar to get them.”

  “I did, but I was informed you were still in here and decided to stop you before you collapsed from exhaustion.” He said and she finally looked back at him, having been hiding her face while she spoke and struggled against his grip. He saw something in her eyes and couldn’t place the emotion as she swallowed lightly.

  “Oh. I see.” She whispered and he wondered if there was more she was going to say as her mouth opened, but then closed quickly as she looked down. They stood like that for a moment before he cleared his throat again and released her arm as she seemed to have gained her balance again.

  “It’s late. I’ll escort you to your chambers as I’m sure you are still unfamiliar with the castle.” He said and turned, offering her his arm out of habit. She frowned and hesitated before placing her hand in the crook of his arm, the motion moved her closer to his side. He marveled at how right it felt with the way she fit next to him and how for the first time that day he felt a semblance of peace. As if his demon blood was settling down just from having his mate beside him.

  He swallowed at the thought as it was almost more unsettling than his reaction to her body. That could be written off as pure desire fueled by the bond between them and the fact he hadn’t claimed her as his. Acknowledging he desired her presence just as deeply as her body was dangerous territory he couldn’t allow his mind to wander into if he was going to break their connection.

  They walked in silence as he mused and she seemed distracted as well. He looked down at her, wondering what she was thinking about. If it was similar to his own troubling thoughts or if it had to do with what she had discovered. He decided to pry and see.

  “Did you discover anything in the time you spent in the library?” He asked and she startled, blinking up at him before her eyes lit up in excitement. The look caused him to draw in a breath, but she didn’t notice.

  “It’s amazing. There is still not much detail in the pages and seems to be more a story being told than any history, but I can see glimpses of the past in the writing.”

  “Like what?” He asked, enjoying the way her entire demeanor changed as she began to tell him about what she had read. Her eyes shined brightly and she talked so openly and freely that it was like she had forgotten who she was talking with. She was simply enjoying the opportunity to share the knowledge with someone.

  “There were tellings of how dragons are the original mages of the world and taught their magic to other races like the elves. How they used the sun and nature to fuel their magic and it’s what led them to breathe the elements. It seems they were so powerful that their magic was unmatched and they would have Earth-shattering battles when it was released.”

  “Did it say anything about what happened to that magic?” He asked and she shook her head, but looked hopeful.

  “Not up to the part I read before you stopped me. It did retell a legend I’ve heard before of the magic, but there was only a hint of it. Something about a dragon falling in love with a goddess.”

  “What? It was a Demon King that had the magic stolen from them. That’s the legend.” He said and she looked up at him, frowning.

  “No, it very clearly said dragon and goddess. There was a legend like that here in your kingdom?”

  “An old one, but it was said that our magic was stolen by a sorceress who tricked the Demon King. It’s rumored why we can’t use magic as well as our ancestors. Only a few of our kind can wield it and they usually get recruited by the Arcanian Temple.”

  “It is the same among humans. We were never rumored to have an affiliation for magic and so those of us that can use it are revered…or feared.” She whispered the last word, but he had caught it anyways.

  “Do you think you can find an exact answer to where it went like you said?” He asked and she nodded, looking very confident and held up her index finger in a ‘just wait’ motion. For some reason it made him chuckle.

  “Just because this book seems to be nothing but old stories doesn’t mean there isn’t some truth to them. Or that I can’t find it elsewhere. After all, this was only one book when there are thousands out there.” She said with such blissful child-like excitement that it made him laugh. A real laugh that echoed down the deserted hallway and when he looked down at her again her eyes had widened slightly and she was looking at him strangely. The look made him stop as he faced her completely, something in their depths calling to him.

  He reached up slowly and ran the backs of his fingers against her cheek. She sucked in a breath and her skin heated under his touch. She didn’t pull back when he cupped her cheek, angling her face up towards him, slowly leaning closer. His eyes dipped to her lips, parted slightly as her breathing grew shallow and he could faintly hear her heart beat increase.

  “Shouldn’t…Shouldn’t we be getting to bed?” She whispered and he growled low, his eyes rising to meet hers again. The matching desire he saw there was the only invite he needed and he growled again, “Yes…we should.” Before he pressed his lips over hers. She melted into him and immediately wrapped her arms up around his neck, leaning into the kiss and moaning softly. Her easy acceptance both surprised him and fueled the fire burning inside him.

  He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her up along his body, molding them together. Her hands were going to his hair and he felt her fingers running through the strands, moving up towards the place where his horns rested. The second he felt her fingertips run along the rigid edge he felt like he would burst into flames. He moaned and deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue between her pliant lips and feeling her move to meet his.

  She wasn’t holding back either, pressing herself up closer to him as if instinctually looking for the relief he could give her. Her soft moans were pushing him to the point of no return, so when she boldly grabbed his horn and pulled he lost any resemblance of sanity. He growled and lifted her off the floor, turning them and pressing her up against the wall. Just as he had imagined before, he settled between her thighs, her skirt bunching up as he supported her weight easily.

  She gasped, but it was breathy and filled with excitement as she met his hungry mouth again with her own fever. She reached up with both hands now and grabbed the horns on his head, having realized it drove him crazy as he moaned against her mouth. He released her lips and moved to her neck hissing,

  “You are playing with dangerous fire witch.” He nipped at her skin and she moaned, arching up against him.

  “I can handle anything you throw at me demon.” She responded and let out another throaty moan as he bit harder, sucking at the tender spot. He was going insane and yet didn’t care as he continued to pull such sweet sounds from her throat. He reached her mark and ran his tongue across it, tracing the lines as his hand ran along the length of her thigh, searching for an opening.

  A loud crash pricked at his ears and he growled at the harsh interruption. He turned to see a maid knelt down on the floor desperately trying to clean up the tray she had dropped.

  "Forgive me your highnesses. I was told the queen had not yet retired and thought she may be hungry. I didn't mean to interrupt. I was leaving when I got caught on the carpet and tripped. Excuse me!" She squeaked and bowed quickly before turning on her heels and retreating back towards the kitchens she had come from, no doubt to spread what she had seen to any who would listen.

  If their relationship was a normal one, the thought wouldn't bother him. But…he looked back at the woman who was glowing in the dark from embarrassment.

  'She's not going to remain here. The more attached my people become…that I become…it'll be harder to break the bond'

  He closed his eyes tightly, praying to gain control over himself as he let her down slowly until her feet touched the floor. He didn't look at her as he whispered,

  "Go. Get into your room before we both further regret what happens." He heard her take in a sharp breath and waited for her to leave, but she wasn't moving. He opened his eyes just in time to see her anger and magic flaring around her. He couldn't move fast enough and the force of her attack threw him across the hallway, slamming him into the wall on the opposite side.

  He groaned, rubbing his head as he sat up from where he had landed.

  "Dammit you blasted witch, what do you-" He began to curse her, but stopped when he met her eyes. She was glaring down at him, but her eyes were gleaming with unshed tears and her cheeks burned with humiliation.

  "Regret by yourself you bastard." She spat at him before turning and slamming herself into her chambers.