Magic Undying (Dragon's Gift: The Seeker #1)(62)

“So how is this a tough situation for you? Mr. Rule Follower should know what he needs to do.” Even though I hated it.

“Because I like you, Del. A lot.”

“Yeah?”

“Worse, I think you’re special.”

“Special?”

“Yeah. I know you’re special. I’ve known it from the beginning. I didn’t track you by your blood when you escaped. Or by that bracelet I put on you.” He gestured to the metal band around my wrist. “I could sense that you were special as soon as you arrived in the Underworld and I could track you. I can’t do that with anyone else, but I could do it with you.”

I had no idea what to say, so I kept my mouth shut, staring out at the brilliant fall foliage of the forest around his house and occasionally peeking at him. The rushing river roared in my ears, or maybe it was my heartbeat.

“I didn’t know what to expect when I tracked you to Ancient Magic, but it wasn’t someone like you. I like you.” He looked away, as if this was more emotion that he was used to feeling, and he needed a breath of air to keep going. “Especially after getting to know you. I couldn’t take you back to the Underworld or turn you in to the Order. Not for anything in the world.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“I don’t know. I know that you make me willing to break the rules.” His gaze met mine, fierce, and he pulled me toward him.

He hesitated for a second, just long enough to let me pull away. His intentions were clear. My escape would be easy. But no way in magic was I doing that. It might be a bad idea, but at this point, I didn’t care.

His dark gaze burned into me as he lowered his head. When his firm lips pressed to mine, I swear my heart jumped out of my chest. He smelled like sandalwood and tasted like wine, but also like himself. Something that wasn’t his magic. It made goosebumps prickle over my skin.

A weird little noise escaped my throat as his lips moved skillfully on mine. I kissed him back with everything I had, reaching up to grip his sweater in my hands. I was growing so lightheaded that I had to hold on for balance. I couldn’t get enough of this.

He pulled away abruptly. “I’m sorry. Now isn’t the time.”

“Um.” My heart fluttered in my chest, a frantic beat of wings as I tried to recover. “So, you ah, like like me?”

“How could I not like the woman who saves the day with her books and her sword?”

My heart just about exploded at his words. He got me. My books were a crutch because my dragon sense wasn’t super strong, but they were still me. And my sword was definitely me.

I struggled to find something to say. “You’ve kept it pretty much on the down-low. I wasn’t exactly expecting that kiss.”

“Really? I felt the tension in the woods in Scotland. You did, too.”

“Yeah. Why didn’t you kiss me then?”

“At that point, I was still threatening to take you back to the Underworld. I didn’t want to ask for a date at the same time. And a kiss was out of the question. I’m not interested in compelling a woman’s affections.”

Oh, so he was super honorable. I’d been told to expect it, but just knowing that he hadn’t used his position of power to get in my pants was pretty awesome. I’d really been wrong to doubt him because he was half demon. “So, no trading dates for time out of the Underworld, then?”

“No. I’m not making you return there. You’re special, Del. You have a role to play in whatever is coming, and I’m going to help you accomplish it. I don’t know what makes you so special, but you are.”

“I don’t know either.” Just the idea of what might be within me scared the crap out of me. And the idea of fulfilling the role of Guardian? Yeah right. How was I going to do that?

“We’ll figure it out together.” He reached for my hand and squeezed, then met my gaze. Sincere, determined.

We could figure it out together. With Roarke and my deirfiúr, I wasn’t alone in this. But wherever this was leading, it was becoming clear that it was something only I could handle. Which meant I had to try. Even if I failed, that was all I could do. Keep trying, until I succeeded. Or it killed me.

I knew which outcome I was hoping for.





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Want to find out how Del died? Dragon’s Gift: The Huntress, which stars Cass, is the series to read. There is an excerpt of book one, Ancient Magic, on the next page.



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Turn the page for an excerpt of Ancient Magic.





Excerpt Of Ancient Magic





Blood. I rubbed my tongue against the top of my mouth. Definitely blood. Fear shivered through me. The ground scratched my bare arms and the back of my neck. Prickly grass? My eyelids were gritty as I lifted them and blinked into the darkness. Stars twinkled down.

Night? Where was I?

Panic closed my throat. I gasped for air.

I pushed myself up and looked down. A ragged dress covered my skinny form, but didn’t protect me from the chill night. I shivered as cold embraced me. A battered golden locket lay on my chest. It looked old, but I didn’t recognize it.