By Fairy Means or Foul: A Starfig Investigations Novel(52)

“There’s that,” I acknowledged. “If I had bitten you, you would be under my control.” I licked his neck, enjoyed his gasp. “Much like our bond now. Only the other way around.”

“So why didn’t you?” His hands gripped my shoulders as I took another nice long lick at his neck. Mmm, no one tasted like Quinn. So sweet. The urge to sink my fangs in grew strong, but I didn’t pull away. I wanted him to sweat it. Wonder what I’d do. He trembled and it washed over me like a soothing balm to my soul.

“I didn’t want to cage you. Didn’t seem right.” Another long lick. Another shudder. Nice. “It would also mean I must take care of you. You’d be my responsibility. An unwanted one.”

Quinn flinched, turned his face away from me. I was being a bastard and I knew it. Didn’t change things. Rage threatened to choke me. Part of me wanted to pummel him, though I could never hurt my mate. Unwanted or not.

“I’m sorry,” he all but whispered. “I didn’t know what else to do. We wouldn’t have survived the zombies if I hadn’t.”

“You mean, you wouldn’t.” I might as well have punched him with the injured look he threw me. He shoved at my shoulders. I didn’t budge.

“I-I couldn’t know that for sure. I did what I thought was right—”

“For you. Don’t pretend otherwise, wizard.” I growled against his throat, and only barely kept myself from shifting. My dragon was unhappy with me. Wanted to comfort our mate. Well, fuck that. Our mate had royally screwed us.

“Twig—”

“Don’t.” I released him, and jumped up. Paced. “I’m not gonna be your sweet little pet. Once we get the horn, I’ll hand it back to Brandsome and you’ll be on your way.”

Quinn shook his head. “It doesn’t work like that. We’ll need to be together—”

“Screw that. You don’t get to decide what my life looks like. Nobody does.”

“I told you, you can’t leave—”

I roared. Quinn drew back, his eyes round with terror.

“You don’t get to tell me what to do! You can break the bond, right?”

“What? No!” Quinn cleared his throat, lowered his voice. “I mean, no. I can’t. What’s done is done.”

Fuck. My. Life.

“Okay, you said you can block our thoughts.” I pointed at his chest. “You’ll do so. And we’ll go our separate ways.”

Quinn’s nostrils flared and his jaw ticked. Even afraid, the guy knew how to stand his ground.

“Try it.”

“What?” I snarled.

“Go on, try it.” He pointed toward the door. “Leave for a bit. See what happens.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Stop ordering me around.”

He scowled. “I’m not ordering you around, you stubborn dragon! I’m just telling you that you won’t be able to be away from me for any length of time. At least not if you react the way most familiars do.”

“We’ve already established I’m not like most familiars.”

“Then let’s test it.”

“Fine.” I needed a walk anyway. Not only was I ragingly pissed off, but Quinn’s attitude stoked my arousal like he was stroking my dick. Infuriating.

Storming out of the room, I ignored his voice calling me back. Screw him. I’d show him I didn’t need him.





19





Fuck, I needed him. I banged my head on the saloon’s bar top. I was so screwed.

Several hours ticked past since I left Quinn in our room. I’d debated about leaving him there and returning to Lighthelm on my own. If I hadn’t signed that damn contract making him my responsibility, I would have walked away. At least that’s what I told myself.

While I managed to stay away, it wasn’t easy. Copious amounts of alcohol would have helped. Teetotaling bastards. Tea just didn’t pack the same numbing effect.

Even though I couldn’t sense his thoughts, I felt his emotions, heavy and dark. He was worried. And upset. I didn’t want to care. I wasn’t anyone’s fucking pet. The more I said it, the angrier I became.

I hope he felt my anger, knew how much I hated what he’d done to me. Betrayal sang in my veins. I’d protected him and he’d stabbed me in the fucking back. Yeah, I got that he’d been in a desperate spot. I did. I just didn’t care at the moment. I wanted him to hurt the way I hurt. To feel the tearing desperation to be free.

I envisioned our link as a living chain, imagined myself tearing it to shreds. A burst of pain and anguish punched me in the chest; Quinn’s response to my feelings. Damn it. I couldn’t even hurt him without hurting myself.

“Don’t you stock any craft nectars or anything?” I groused to a giant behind the bar. His mouth dropped open and he eyed the empty teacup next to me. I wanted to roll my eyes. Giants looked so effing dumb, even when I knew they weren’t.

“Think you better stick to tea, dragon. Ain’t like to see you fall off your stool.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” I growled, glaring at him. Disrespectful, to say the least.

The bartender didn’t react to my insult. Surprisingly. Giants might not be stupid like everyone assumed, but they were touchy when it came to matters of respect.