About a Dragon (Dragon Kin #2)(15)

“Shouldn’t you be living in a cave somewhere, waiting for virgins to be thrown at your feet or something?”

“Well, I—”

“I mean, exactly how long are we going to keep this lunacy going?”

“Look, I—”

“Did you ever consider how I might feel about all this? No. Wait. Don’t bother answering that one. I can well imagine your feelings on what us lowly humans think.”

She looked at him over her shoulder. “Well? Aren’t you going to say something?”

When he only laughed at her, she stomped away muttering to herself.

“Don’t be mad,” he called after her. She stopped walking and turned to face him. “I’m just not used to so much…uh…conversation.”

Her eyes narrowed. By the moment, she seemed to become less and less fearful of his dragonform. Shame he couldn’t say the same about when he was human. “Are you saying I talk too much?”

“You don’t think you talk too much?” He sauntered up to her, enjoying the view of her in her lovely new dress. Although nothing could quite beat how beautiful she was naked. Slipping that horrid nightdress off her the previous eve had made all he’d had to endure since taking her quite worth it. “Not that I don’t enjoy the sound of your voice.”

That surprised her. “You do?”

“Aye.” He circled her, his tail sweeping in front of her. “You’re beautiful. Intelligent. A little mean.”

“I am not!”

“And clearly hiding something.”

Her body tensed at that, but she didn’t say anything. He slid his tail gently around her legs, enjoying the little shiver he caused her. “Aren’t you? Hiding something?”

“If I was, do you actually think I’d tell you?”

“Fair point. Still…” He dragged his tail up her legs and across her ass.

She gave a little squeal and slapped at it. “Stop doing that!”

“You’re much too smart and well-spoken to be some mere peasant. You say you can read and write. Therefore, definitely not peasant stock. You’re from Alsandair, yet you have no family close by. I’ve never met a female from the desert lands who traveled this far north without another female or their kin. Add in that Magick—untapped, mind you—just pours off your body like rainwater and you make me think that perhaps you hide something.”

She stood silent, staring straight ahead.

“Who are you really, little human?”

Dark eyes focused on his face. “I am a Nolwenn witch.” It was an evasive answer, but it fascinated him nonetheless.

“Nolwenn witch? Here?” Now he was truly confused. “Why in the world would a Nolwenn witch live with that buffoon you married?”

“My mother disowned me long ago. So…I…left. Came north.”

Briec sat back on his haunches. “Disowned you? But Nolwenn witches can only have one child. Usually a girl, I believe.”

“I know!” she snapped. “Do you not think I know my own people?”

“But what, little witch, could you have done to get your mother to disown the only child she would ever have?”

“I fell in love.”

Ah. Now he understood. Nolwenn witches never mated for life. Only to breed and to satisfy inherent needs or for certain Magickal rights. They never took another as their mate. Instead their lives belonged to their demanding desert gods and the Magick.

“Your husband?”

“No. Another. And before you ask, he died. Long ago.”

“Your mother wouldn’t take you back?”

“I never asked.”

“You are fascinating.” She truly was. A Nolwenn witch? Here? He must introduce her to his sister, a white dragonwitch. Only their mother, the Dragon Queen, held more power than his sister.

Briec had another thought. “How old are you?”

She sighed. “Thirty-two winters. Soon thirty-three. Why?”

“You’re a babe.” Like dragons, Nolwenns weren’t immortal, but they could live up to six or seven hundred years.

“Perhaps as dragons go, but witch or no, I’m still a human.”

“I know. Tragic really.”

“And why is that tragic?”

“Because…” He gave a little sniff of disdain. “Humans are so weak, annoying, whiny and stupid.” She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off. “But that’s why I find you so fascinating. You’re none of those things. Except annoying.”

She huffed. Several times, in fact, before she turned and stomped off. She kept doing that, too. Stomping off.

“Were we done talking?”

“Yes.”

He followed after her. “But I have more questions.”

“You can stick your questions up your ass.”

He slammed his tail in front of her. “I don’t think I heard you, little witch.”

“You heard me just fine and stop threatening me with that thing!” She kicked his tail.

By the gods, she was absolutely adorable!

“I wasn’t threatening you. I was halting your progress. Trust me…you’ll know if I’m threatening you. Now,” he settled back down, “where were we? Ah, yes. There’s something you need to explain to me.”