Dragon Heartstring(26)

“Heartstring?”

“When a Morgon binds with his or her mate, there is an interlocking of their hearts. You know of this.”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“When a Morgon feels the pull in her chest, it is her own heartstring yearning for her mate. Most Morgon women do not feel this until the time of heartbonding. You feel it now because your dragon is in earnest.”

Unable to stop the well of emotion, a tear rolled down my cheek. I wiped it away with the back of my hand and sniffed. “So what happens now?”

“It’s quite simple. You decide whether you want your mate or not. No different than any other couple who is given this choice.”

“No different?” I stood abruptly. As I walked to the terrace ledge, I wrapped my arms around my torso. “It’s vastly different. I’ve never known a Morgon woman to mate with a human.”

Aunt Asheera walked over and stood next to me with an arm around my waist. The drift of storm clouds had thickened and drew closer, moving along the edge of the city.

“But you have friends who are intermarried. Jessen and Lucius Nightwing.”

“Yes. But Morgon men may do as they like.”

“Oh? And who’s to say Morgon women may not do the same? Do we not have our own minds and hearts as strong as men? Hmph. I’d say stronger.”

I gazed down at her. She wasn’t quite as tall as me. “Aunt Asheera. You know that we won’t be accepted. Others will condemn us.”

“Yes. Some will.” She smiled. “And some won’t. Now, you have a decision to make.”

“What decision?”

“Is he worth it?”

“Of course, he is. But…” I blew out a heavy sigh. “Why did I have to fall in love with a human? And why did my dragon set on him? It’s all so difficult. And feels so unfair.”

“Aye.” She gave my waist a tight squeeze. “The most important decisions in life always are.”

Inhaling and exhaling a deep breath, I watched the clouds roll slowly in, the smell of rain on the wind.

“You said you knew of a Morgon woman with a human mate. Who was it?”

She was silent for a moment, then said, “My sister.”

I gawked. “Aunt Adelaide?”

“Yes.”

“But she lives alone. In Singing Wind Wood.”

“She does live there, but not alone.”

Reality dawned slowly. “I see. She feared the clan would reject her so she kept him a secret.”

“She did. But so did her mate. Macon is a good man. He didn’t want my sister to be ostracized from other healers. She told my parents she chose to live alone in the woods and be the healer for those in Farrow’s Dell since there were no healers in residence there.”

“But she told you the truth?”

“Yes. She used to curl her hand into a fist and press it to her chest, just as you do now.”

I glanced down to see myself doing it again. Thunder rumbled. Morgons winged down from the sky to the residential tower across from the hotel to find shelter from the storm.

“Why do people hate those different from themselves? I’ve never understood it.”

“My dear, you cannot speak of the entire population in such a way. For it is not true for everyone. But hear this. As long as people possess the power to think freely, there will be hatred and prejudice in this world.” She lifted a hand under my chin and guided my gaze toward hers. “Just as there will always be love and compassion. All we can do is choose who we will be and what we believe.”

She smiled tenderly and patted my cheek as she did when I was a child. “Now let us get indoors. That storm is coming fast.”





Chapter 9





Rain poured down outside the clinic while I alphabetized new files. As much as I loved my Aunt Asheera, I had to get away from her and clear my head. She’d faced me with an unwelcome reality.

Demetrius Cade was my mate.

I could hardly wrap my mind around it. And yet I knew she was right. The dragon always knew. And mine wanted to claw right out of my chest and snatch him every time he came close to me. He made me want like I never had before. I’d had other lovers. And it was always a gentle, pleasant coupling. That isn’t what I wanted with Demetrius. I wanted to lay myself bare, to do anything for him. Anything to get his hands on my body, his mouth on my skin. To get him inside of me.

Any misgivings I had about him before simply melted away when confronted with this new reality. My dragon would only choose the best man to be my mate.

Is he worth it?

Of course he was. I would take him despite the scorn we might have to endure from the haters of the world. I’d take him if every person we knew exiled us from their lives.

But he was Demetrius Cade. Heir to the Cade empire. Son of the corporate king of Gladium who was known to despise Morgonkind. It was highly unlikely Demetrius would make the same sacrifice for me.

When I slammed one file down too hard, the papers slipped out the side and onto the floor. “Damn it!”

I let out a frustrated sigh, went around the counter, and knelt to pick up the papers. The door opened and closed on a rumble of thunder. I looked up to find the man on my mind standing there in the flesh, drenched from the rain that had soaked through his white button-down now clinging to his broad chest. He said nothing. Just stood there in the doorway, staring down at me, dark eyes hooded in shadow.