Deryk (Dragon Hearts #2)(26)

Yes, she was. Even walking was proving difficult when Izzi’s clothing was rubbing against and stimulating her body to an even deeper frenzy. “I think I have a cold, or maybe the flu,” she dismissed uncomfortably.

“I told Pyotr you weren’t well yesterday.”

Izzi was starting to feel a little irritated by the Petrovs’ attention, both brother and sister. Admittedly, Tanya had gotten the job at the palace because of Izzi’s friendship with Pyotr, but the two of them had been dating only a couple of months. Even that was over now, even if she hadn’t exactly told him that yet. Her behavior with Deryk these past two days made it impossible for her to continue dating another man.

Something else she could blame Deryk for.

Her cheeks burned anew as she thought of the way in which she now had more of his aphrodisiac coursing through her body.

It had been incredible to feel the effect her lovemaking was having on Deryk, to know of his complete loss of control. Created by, as he had said, having her hands and mouth all over him.

Not so good when she’d realized what that lovemaking would do to her. Was doing to her right now.

Again.

“I think you should come home with me and let Pyotr and me take care of you,” Tanya encouraged as the trembling of Izzi’s body grew worse.

Izzi couldn’t be around other people at the moment. No one that wasn’t Deryk, anyway. And she was really starting to resent this need she had for both him and his touch. “No, I—” She broke off as something behind and high above Tanya caught and held her attention.

A huge golden dragon.

Deryk.

Izzi had no doubt it was him as she became transfixed by the beauty of the gleaming dragon flying overhead. Wings were spread majestically wide as the dragon soared across the sky, the gold of its hide almost turned to silver by the brightness of the moon. Even from here, Izzi could see piercing golden eyes scanning the city below. Searching. Looking for—

The proud golden head drew back, those fierce and piercing eyes now fixed on her as the dragon swooped downward in a rapid ascent.

Izzi felt panic, fear, rising within her as Deryk’s dragon looked set to land several feet behind where she and Tanya were standing. Tanya couldn’t know dragons existed, couldn’t be allowed to see—

“You’ve gone even paler.” Tanya took a firm hold of her arm. “I’m definitely taking you home with me.”

“Izabella is coming with me,” Deryk stated firmly.

Izzi had watched in alarm as Deryk’s dragon landed only feet behind Tanya, with only the merest movement of air to announce his presence. Which Tanya hadn’t noticed, thank goodness. Izzi had been unable to look away as the air shimmered and Deryk now stood in his dragon’s place, dressed in his normal clothes and the black leather duster he had worn yesterday morning.

Tanya’s eyes widened as she turned to face him. “I didn’t see you there, Mr. Pendragon.” As she worked at the palace, she obviously recognized him as one of the Romanovs’ guests. “Izzi isn’t well.”

He nodded. “Which is why her parents asked me to find her and bring her home.”

“Our apartment is closer than the palace,” Tanya insisted.

Deryk’s eyes narrowed. “Our?”

The dark-haired woman nodded. “My brother Pyotr and I.”

Deryk tensed. “You’re Petrov’s sister?”

Tanya looked startled. “You know my brother?”

“I’ve met him a time or two.” Deryk’s mouth tightened as he took a firm grasp of Izzi’s other arm. “I repeat, Izabella is coming back to the palace with me.”

Izabella was starting to feel like a package the two of them were arguing over, rather than a living, breathing, flesh-and-blood woman who had a mind of her own and was perfectly capable of making her own decisions, thank you very much. Although again, curiously, Deryk’s touch on her arm had slightly eased the fevered demand of her aroused and aching body.

Izzi stubbornly shook off both their hands. “I’m going to my own apartment, but thank you both for asking.” She didn’t even attempt to hide her sarcasm as the heat of desire once again began to consume her. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Tanya.” She turned and walked away before she thoroughly embarrassed herself by pleading for Deryk to touch her again and ease this painful arousal.

Nevertheless, she was aware of Tanya moving off reluctantly in the direction of the apartment she shared with Pyotr. Just as Izzi sensed, without needing to turn and look at him, Deryk had now fallen into step beside her.

Another side effect of the deepening of the dragon mating?

Probably, she acknowledged irritably. Just as her gaze had seemed clearer when she’d looked up and seen Deryk’s dragon soaring overhead.

“Your dragon is magnificent,” she told him huskily. “Awesomely so.”

“You saw me?”

“Yes.”

Deryk and his brothers, and he presumed the Romanovs too, could all cloak their dragon for short periods of time if they chose to do so. His dragon had been cloaked just now as he flew over St. Petersburg looking for Izabella. The fact she had been able to see him anyway was further proof Izabella was his mate.

Inside, his dragon was preening and strutting at hearing their mate’s approval.

“Which doesn’t mean I’m any less angry with you for what you’ve done to me,” she added firmly.