Light My Fire (Dragon Kin #7)(67)

Confused, Celyn asked, “Do you have several summers a year or something?”

“No.”

“Then stop fooling around and answer me.”

She sipped her tea and gazed at him over the cup.

“Well?” he pushed.

“I am unsure what you want me to say.”

Celyn blinked. “You’re one hundred and forty-five years old?”

“I said passing summers.”

“Is there a difference?”

“No.”

“Then—” Celyn stopped short. He would not argue with her over wording. Not when he was still hungover from their amazing festival of f*cking the night before.

He took a breath and started again. “Summers in the Steppes happen once a year?”

“Yes.”

“And you’ve been alive for one hundred and forty-five of them.”

“Yes.”

“So . . . you’re old. Why don’t you look old?”

“Why don’t you look old?” she snapped back.

“Because I’m a dragon. We live to be nearly a thousand years old.”

“And I am Rider,” she snarled. “We live to be nearly twelve hundred years old. Even now,” she went on, “the woman who gave birth to my great-great-great-grandmother gets up every morning at suns-rise and hunts down male deer for her breakfast. She used to carry the carcasses on her back, but now that she’s so old, she drags them to her hut by their antlers.”

Celyn stared at the female for a very long moment before he finally said, “Oh. All right then.”

Elina shook her head and finished her tea in one gulp.

And that’s when Celyn exploded. “Are you saying I’m not good enough to be the father of your offspring?”

Eyes wide, Elina gawked at him. “What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know!” Desperate, Celyn looked around. “Gods, woman! What have you done to me?”

Elina shrugged. “I do not know, but I think you need to calm f*ck down.”

For a dragon that never seemed capable of shutting up, Celyn the Charming had very little to say as they made their way through small towns and past farms.

To be honest, Elina didn’t know if she should be insulted or complimented by the dragon this morning. She’d never seen him so confused before. Although she did have to admit, she was entertained by it all.

But as morning turned to afternoon, she should have remembered that she was traveling with the chattiest dragon the gods had ever created and even massive confusion would not shut him up forever.

“So how old is your mother?”

“Six hundred and sixty-eight, I think.”

“You don’t know?”

“We do not talk much.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“For what? You do not make her not talk to me.”

“I know. It just couldn’t have been easy for you. Growing up in your tribe.”

“Tribe life is not easy for anyone. But at least I was born female. I hate to think what my life would be like if I had not been.”

That made the dragon chuckle. “You don’t hear that very often from Southlander women.”

“I do not know why,” Elina answered honestly. “I would never want to be man. That cock hanging between your legs all day. You have no control of emotions. If we leave you to yourselves, you destroy without thought; rage without reason; and attempt to f*ck anything that wants you to leave them be.”

“We’re not all like that.”

“But most. And your lack of control makes all of you essentially weak, even though your upper bodies have so much strength. It is sad.”

“If you think so little of us, why do you bother having us around?”

“We need you to have the babies. And . . .”

“And?”

“That is all I can think of.”

The dragon’s eyes crossed. “The way you think of males, it’s a wonder you f*cked me at all.”

Elina shrugged. “You were there.”

Celyn’s horse suddenly reared up when he pulled on the reins. “I was there?” he snarled.

“That is how we f*cked . . . because you were there.”

“So you would have f*cked anybody who was with you last night?”

“No. I f*cked you because I wanted to f*ck you.” Elina thought about it, then added. “I will probably f*ck you tonight as well. You were quite satisfying.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Why does that upset you?”

“I have no idea.” He placed the palms of his hands against his eyes. “I think you’re making me insane.”

“Me? That is first.”

He lowered his hands and glowered at her. “You don’t have to sound so proud of yourself.”

“No . . . but I will.” She smiled and the dragon did the same. “Believe it or not, Dolt, I choose my lovers carefully. One is fool not to in these dangerous times. But at end of day, I f*ck you because I want to f*ck you.”

He sighed sadly. “Can’t you say making love? Fuck is just so harsh.”

Elina reared back in her saddle a bit. “Tell me you joke.”