By Fairy Means or Foul: A Starfig Investigations Novel(32)

The stripping and fucking didn’t surprise me, but the biting made me gasp and pull away. I wouldn’t be freaked out if it was just the urge to nibble at his shoulders and back. Only that wasn’t where I had the urge to bite. I wanted to sink my fangs into his neck, sealing the mate bond. The rarity of a dragon mating was something to be marveled at on the best day, but choosing a human mate? Unheard of.

“What’s the matter?” Quinn’s arms slipped around my shoulders, a hand tangled in my hair, his blunt nails digging into my scalp.

How did I answer that? I’d never experienced anything like the reaction my body and my dragon were having to Quinn. I tugged his arms from around my neck and gently slid him off my lap.

“Did I do something wrong, Twig?” His face pulled into worried lines and his eyes became wary once again.

I caressed his cheek.

“You did everything right.”

Now he looked even more confused.

“Then why are we not . . .”

“Screwing?”

“Well, yeah.”

I swallowed hard. Not ready to tell him the whole truth. I needed to figure out why I was so drawn to him. Besides, if I bit him and Quinn returned to Brandsome, I would essentially belong to the unicorn, too; once bonded, a dragon won’t leave their mate. That would be a royal cluster. And anyway, I didn’t want a mate. Mates meant commitment. And a loss of freedom. For both of us.

Unacceptable. I’d never let anyone own a piece of me. Didn’t want to own a piece of anyone else.

“You’ve been used roughly by Brandsome.” I paused to gather my thoughts. Now, how to tell him I didn’t want to be thought of in the same way? And how much did I say about my dragon wanting to mate him?

He froze for a moment before a fiery blush spread over his cheeks and he scrambled away from me like the three-headed hounds of hellafuck were on his heels.

I didn’t see the punch coming. Quinn clocked me one. My head snapped back and I braced on my elbows to prevent my head slamming into the floor.

“What in the bloody blue blazes—”

Quinn shook out his hand. He’d probably broken a knuckle or two. He sprung to his feet, chest heaving. If my jaw wasn’t aching so fiercely, I’d appreciate the view.

“I should have realized you wouldn’t want to be tainted by someone with my sordid past. Spells and curses! I’m so stupid.”

“Wait, what? No, Quinn—”

But he’d already fled. I scrubbed a hand across my eyes. Huh, that could have gone better. Good job, Twig. Make him think he’s damaged goods.

I didn’t care that he was an indentured servant. Neither fairies nor dragons were known for their virginal natures, so being a unicorn’s bed slave didn’t bother me. It wasn’t that I didn’t want him. I did. Too much.

Where were these feelings coming from?

I’d wanted him before that kiss, but one touch of our lips sent every instinct into overdrive. Could it be some type of magic? Did Quinn bewitch me? Closing my eyes, I tapped into my fairy side, tried to detect any magic use. Nothing. Not a sure thing, though. Still, it didn’t exactly feel like magic. Except could it be a residual of Brandsome’s magic?

Maybe it was some sort of savior complex. I felt bad Quinn was in such a terrible situation. I was currently responsible for his well-being and I intended to follow through. Sure, I found him sexy. I mean, who wouldn’t? He was sexy. And surprising. Most humans I met quaked in fear once they found out what I was, but even at his most nervous the guy had balls.

I waited before returning to the deck, giving my mind and body a chance to settle down. By the time I walked onto the deck, I’d done a halfway decent job of convincing myself it was all just a fluke. I liked Quinn and lusted after him, sure, but a mate was a whole different game. One I wasn’t willing to play.

We’d just be friends. Or whatever we could be since I held his servitude contract. I could live with it. Sex was easy to get and even easier to forget. As soon as we returned to Lighthelm, I’d find a nice lascivious siren to slake my lusts. Just needed to remember to wear ear plugs, since a siren’s song never ended on a happy note.

If I thought about it, I’d been overly horny ever since meeting Brandsome and so likely my state was indeed a result of the unicorn’s magic and not Quinn per se. Maybe the magic screwed with my senses and made me think Quinn was mate material. Obviously, he wasn’t. We’d go back to what we were in the beginning and call it good. No biggie.

One look at Quinn and I knew I was lying to myself. My dragon side gnashed its teeth at the idea of walking away from him. Even my fairy side seemed starry-eyed around him. Basically, I was fucked. Yep, that had to be some sort of powerful magic.

Quinn stood at the railing, humming the strains of a familiar lullaby as Pie chattered away to him. Why did that make my body suffuse with warmth and my heart give a kick in my chest? With him staring into the distance, it gave me a moment to listen to his sweet voice without him getting self-conscious. He really was a beautiful man.

I cleared my throat so they’d know I was there. Quinn didn’t acknowledge me other than to abruptly fall silent, but Pie was pleased to have another person to regale with his past adventures. If he noticed Quinn barely spoke to me and when he did it was in a snide tone, well, he ignored it. I suspect when being a companion to pirates one got really good at dismissing minor disputes between the crew members.