By Fairy Means or Foul: A Starfig Investigations Novel(51)

“I can’t even have a proper familiar. What kind of second-rate wizard am I? I say ‘stand up’ and you ignore me completely.”

My feet pushed off before I even thought and I stood before him. What the fuck? We both blinked at each other, then I gingerly sat back down.

“What in hydra’s hell fire was that?” I said.

“I-I don’t know.” He peered at me closely, then reached out and put his hand on my knee. My body instantly heated and I felt a connection between us grow. My cock hardened and my dragon wanted desperately to come out and play. Give him the mating bite. I wasn’t about to do it.

Whatever was happening between us, Quinn felt it too. His pupils blew wide and he licked his bottom lip slowly, drawing my gaze.

“If you don’t want to end up riding my cock, Quinn, I suggest you take your hand off me. Now.”

He yanked his hand away like he’d been burned. And maybe he had.

“Sorry,” he stammered. “I didn’t realize our connection would do that.”

“Oh?”

“As far as I know, most witches don’t want to have sex with their familiars.”

I grinned, feeling way too smug. “As I said, I’m not just any familiar.”

“No, you’re definitely not.” He shook his head. “It’s weird. It’s like there’s this connection, where I can tap into the dragon part of your nature. Would you let me try something?”

“Like what?”

“I want to try giving you another command.”

“Sexual?” I waggled my eyebrows. “You really don’t have to order me, I’d be more than happy to oblige.”

He smiled, a blush of color tingeing his cheeks.

“No, nothing like that. I want to see if my theory is correct.”

“Knock yourself out.”

“Kiss me.”

I felt an almost overwhelming desire to kiss him. This time the desire didn’t just radiate from him. I resisted. My dragon grumbled, denied a treat.

When I didn’t move, sadness descended in my chest again. I began to lean toward him, realized what I was doing and stopped. It took everything I had. Was it a delayed reaction? He’d give an order and the longer I went without fulfilling it, the harder it became? I didn’t know, but I really, really, really wanted to kiss him. And this urge wasn’t solely coming from me, even though I was eager to taste him.

“Kiss me,” he said softly, a tremor of hurt in his voice.

Before I could think to resist, I wrapped him in my embrace and locked our lips together. He opened for me and soon our tongues were battling, each slide of his skin against mine stroking the heat between us.

When we finally came up for air, we were both breathing hard, and I was having to focus on keeping my fangs retracted. Damn, I wished I understood all this. Was it possible it wasn’t Brandsome’s magic at all? Was it possible he truly was my mate? It didn’t make sense, but then, according to Quinn, neither did a half-dragon-half-fairy familiar. And yet . . .

“What happened?” I asked.

Quinn’s gaze was lust-struck, his lips swollen. He swallowed and squeezed his eyes closed. When he opened them, he seemed to have regained some semblance of control.

“Wow, sorry. I didn’t mean for things to get so out of hand.” He ran trembling fingers through his hair. “Okay, I think I’ve figured it out. While I can’t exactly compel you to do anything, you respond to my emotions. When I was disappointed you didn’t do as I asked, you quickly followed through. So, technically, you can reject my commands, but your dragon-side will have a very hard time resisting the pull of my emotions. Does that make sense?”

Did it? I considered the two commands he’d given, and the ache in my chest both times after I refused to do as he’d ordered. So, not exactly compelled, but if he got upset, my dragon would rush in to make him feel better.

Well, that sucked. The big traitor.

In fact, it pissed me off. I fought every day to live my life on my own terms. I didn’t conform enough to dragon society so I was cast out. I survived it. Most wouldn’t.

My dad tried to force me to live up to his expectations. I resisted. Rainbowpebbles had me chained to a wall to try to control me. I escaped. I carved my own path only to find out I was basically at the command of a human? A wizard, true. But it didn’t really matter what Quinn was or how great of guy.

And the worst part? Discovering my dragon, only to have it betray me by this link to Quinn. I didn’t want to be leashed by anyone. Bad enough I agreed to abide by the terms of the Alphae Guild. Now, I was to be the pet of a wizard? And my dragon was just okay with this? Fuck no.

“Twig, are you all right?” Quinn touched my arm and I jumped.

“Yes, why wouldn’t I be?” If my voice sounded bitter, well, what could he expect? He’d tied me to him in a way I didn’t ask for, didn’t want.

“Smoke is pouring from your mouth.”

I smiled, my fangs dropping.

“Do you know why I didn’t give you the mating bite, Quinn?” I clenched my fists so I wouldn’t do something I’d regret.

I could tell I took him off guard with the change in subject.

“Uh, because you didn’t think it was real, right? Brandsome’s magic interacting in some weird way with yours.” He sidled away from me, his back coming up against the armrest. I slid closer, crowding him. Bending, I pressed my nose where his shoulder and neck met. The spot I’d put a mating bite. He shivered, but didn’t try to push me away.