The Dragon Who Loved Me (Dragon Kin #5)(33)

It was wrong, wasn’t it? That he couldn’t wait for the torturing.

Yeah. It was wrong.

The Lightning glanced off for a moment, probably trying to come up with some appropriate and smoothworded lie. Males were al alike, weren’t they? They’d say or do anything to find a warm hole for the night. Worthless. The lot of ’em. Bloody worthless.

Thankful y, Rhona wasn’t like her cousins and most of her sisters. She didn’t have what they al termed “needs.” She could—and often did—go ages without a lover. Unlike Delen, the slut, who became right cranky when she’d gone for more than a few months without a cock, Rhona found better uses for any additional energy she may have stored up. She prided herself on that. So the dragon could just get that bloody look off his face.

“What look?”

“What?”

“You told me to get that bloody look off my face.”

“Oh. Yeah.” At least she hadn’t said anything else out loud.

“That was after you mentioned you can go long periods of time without a bit of c**k unlike your slutty sister Delen. Although I’ve never thought of her as slutty. Maybe a bit forceful—”

She slapped her hand over his face.

“Ow.”

“If you even think of repeating anything I’ve drunkenly said here tonight—” He pul ed her hand away. “Not a word. Promise.”

“I think I’m going to sleep before I say anything else about my sisters that they’d cut out my tongue for.”

“Al right.”

“And we leave tomorrow, head back to the Val ey, end this war, get al the glory we can stomach, and never see each other ever again. That’s a plan we can both live with, right?”

“Possibly.”

“And I’m sure I’m only saying this because of that last ale I had, but your human form . . . quite attractive.”

“Thank you.”

She lifted her hand, fingers sliding across his chin. “The scar on your jaw is a very nice touch.” Vigholf’s eyes closed, he let out a breath. “You’re kil ing me, Sergeant.”

“Wel , it’s not like I haven’t tried before. If it’l make you feel better . . . I have scars, too.” She started to lift her shirt. “Want to see?” He caught her hands, held them. “Another time.”

“That’s right. You lot don’t like scars on females.”

“That’s not the problem at al .”

“So it’s just my naked human body you find hideous.”

“I have no problem with your hideous human body.” He scowled, but she didn’t think it was directed at her. “That’s not what I meant to say.”

“That’s al right. Among my mum’s offspring, the triplets are the ones considered pretty.”

“Then no one’s looked at you at al .”

“You’re only saying that because you’re a desperate Northlander that’s forced to steal She-dragons and mutilate them so they’l never leave you.

You’d think anything with a pu**y was pretty.”

The scowl this time . . . for her. “First off, we don’t do that anymore. Second, not al Northland males did it in the first place. And third, I have no idea how pretty your pu**y is, but I do like your face.”

Rhona reached up, patted his cheek. “You’re sweet.” She closed her eyes. “And I’m tired. Can we have sex another time?”

“Were we planning to have sex?”

“I was. But I’m too tired. So another day, yes?”

“Al right.” The Northlander lay down and snuggled in close, his nose tickling her ear. “Another day of lots of sex,” he murmured, his breath warm against her neck.

“I didn’t say anything about lots.”

“No. You didn’t.” And she could feel him smile. “But I did.”

Junius Bato Toranius of the House of Toranius knew he was one of the most powerful dragons in the Quintilian Sovereigns. Only Overlord Thracius held higher rank. But when it came to actual power . . . wel , that was one area the good Overlord never tested Junius on.

Yet, as with al things, there was a price to pay for his power, for his skil as a mage. It wasn’t too high a price, though. Junius merely had to ensure that al Irons worshipped one, and only one, god. And that as the power of the Irons spread throughout the world, this worship of one god would spread along with it.

Not easy. Some were quite attached to their multiple gods. But the Quintilians knew many ways to get and keep the loyalty of those whose countries they invaded and eventual y conquered.

The lands to the east of the Provinces would be no different.

Junius stood alone in the dry riverbed and waited. Like his father before him, he was very good at waiting, patience being important for any mage.

The hard earth in front of him stirred and cracked and the one god pushed his way up and through.

Chramnesind. The Sightless One. A name he’d received because he had no eyes, for Chramnesind saw wel enough without them. In fact, he could see everything.

“My god,” Junius said softly. “You summoned me.”

“I did, Junius Toranius. Good fortune has shined upon you.” He smiled. “And my true reign is about to begin. . . .”