Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Thorn leaned over me and captured my lips in a long, passionate kiss. One of his hands glided up the side of my body and left a path of sensual heat. I couldn't deny that I loved what he was doing to me, but I still had questions. I regretfully set my hands against his warm, firm chest and pushed him away. He reluctantly complied with my direction, and there was concern in his eyes.

"Have I celebrated too soon?" he asked me.

I smiled and shook my head. "No, but I still have a few questions about this arrangement. Namely, if I did become your bride, would I have to take your blood right now?"

He shook his head. "You needn't take it at all. I wouldn't force you to live those long years with me."

I cocked my head to one side. "How many years would that be?"

"I know a dragon and his bride who have been together for some three millennia."

I choked on my own spittle. "Three millennia? You mean three thousand years?"

A ghost of a smile touched the corners of his lips. "Give or take a century."

I stared ahead with wide eyes as I contemplated that long of a life. "Wow. That's just. . .wow."

He nodded. "It is impressive, even among our kind."

A thought struck me. "So what happens to the bride if her dragon husband dies?"

"The blood bond within her fades and she will eventually resume aging like other humans."

I drew my legs on the bed and against my chest where I wrapped my arms around them. My knees made the perfect prop for my chin as I contemplated what he was telling me. "That's a lot of time."

"Yes."

"Have the brides ever regretted their decision? I mean, what's the divorce rate or is it ‘till death do us part' for everybody?"

"I don't know of an exception to the rule of death."

I stared ahead and pursed my lips. "Millennia of living. . ."

"You needn't make up your mind now," Thorn assured me as he stood and turned to face me. "I will be traveling to Mirum today. If you still desire to travel with me, I could have Raines pack your clothes, as well."

I lifted my chin and smiled at him. "Blood or no blood, I still want to go. That is, if I won't be too much trouble."

A gentle smile slipped onto his lips and he shook his head. "Not at all. I would appreciate the company. I will tell Raines to prepare the carriage and shut the manor while we're away."

I cocked my head to one side. "Then it's just the two of you living here?"

Thorn had moved over to the door where he paused in the doorway and half-turned to face me. "Yes. Raines is sprier than he appears and I have no trouble cleaning up after myself."

I slid my legs off the bed and sat up straight. "Did you need any help?"

His grinned. "We would be honored. I'll have Raines bring the trunks and you can pack the clothes. Everything either of us would need is in the dresser. Don't forget the socks."

He dipped out of sight and I heard his footsteps fade away down the hall. A snort escaped me as I hopped out of bed and stretched my arms over my head. "Well, Rose, you've made your decision. Now don't mess it up by doing anything stupid like getting kidnapped again."

I can't make any guarantees.

I rolled my eyes at my own inner voice. "Great. Sass from myself."

A knock came from the open doorway and I whipped my head in that direction. Raines stood in the doorway and a large steamer trunk trailed behind him. "The master requested I send this up to you."

I smiled and hurried over to him. "Yep. I'm tasked with filling it up."

Raines scooted the trunk in front of him and into the room. "Might I suggest you begin with the evening wear first."

I grasped the corners of the trunk and lifted an eyebrow. "Why that?"

"Mirum may be a pit of ignominy regarding its dark markets and even darker contracts-" he mused as he nodded at the closet door, "-but it does have some fine culture, and the Master would no doubt appreciate attending some of their fine galas given by his oldest friends."

My eyes widened a little. "You mean other dragons?"

He nodded. "I do. Many reside in that city, and it has been well over ten years since we last visited there."

I smiled at him. "I'll be sure to pack all the suits that will fit after I get the socks in."

Raines bowed his head and left me to the packing. Fortunately, in my past life I had once worked as a stocker in a clothes department and the chore was soon accomplished with some decent success. The trunk was full to the brim when I hopped onto the lid and locked the clasp.

I was still sitting on my triumph when Thorn made his reappearance. He paused in the doorway to admire me. "Have you finished already?"

I folded my arms over my chest and grinned. "Yep. What about you?"

"The house is shut up but for the windows in this room," he told me as he strode across the room and shut the covers. "Raines is even now harnessing the horses to the carriage."

"He told me you had a lot of friends in Mirum," I mused as I watched him move over to another window.

"Quite a few," he admitted with a fond smile as he darkened the room. "We will be boarding with one of them during our stay, or so I hope."

I lifted an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't they take you in?"

He turned to face me and some of his good humor failed him. "Three years ago there was an attempted kidnapping of his bride.

His words rekindled a memory within me. "You mean Lord Torch?"

Thorn's eyes widened a little. "You know of him?"

"My kidnappers, not the ones you hired but the other ones, mentioned him and his bride," I revealed. "Speaking of the ones you hired, did they ever come back?"

"Yes, while you were sleeping," Thorn revealed as he reached into one pocket and drew out a small stone. "But you're really asking for this, are you not?"

I hopped off the trunk and moved over to study the small gem. It was a beautiful sapphire with such clarity that I could see right through it. "That's the chosen stone?"

" My chosen stone," Thorn corrected me as he set it in my hand. "Each of my kind goes in search of a magic stone in the quarries of our ancestors in order to find ourselves a bride. I picked this gem up some five centuries ago."

"Wow," I breathed as I held it out to him.

He shook his head. "I swore to you that you could have the stone. Consider it a wedding present."

My eyes widened and I clasped the stone in both hands against my chest. "Really?"

Thorn smiled. "It belongs to you as much as it does to me."

"Sir?" The call came from the doorway where Raines stood. "The carriage is prepared."

Thorn offered me his arm. "Shall we go?"

I looped my arm around his and nodded. "I'm ready."

Or so I thought.