Chapter 2

"He's asleep in your bed on Christmas morning? Did he stuff your stocking?" Kiki's hushed voice pulled me out of the deep slumber I'd been lost to as Dahlia's scent overtook everything else around me.

"Oh my God, be quiet. He's been through a lot. He's been sleeping for days," Dahlia whispered.

Relief flooded me at the sound of her voice. She was safe. I'd killed the bastard. But then her words hit me. She said days. How long had I been out?

Kiki mentioned Christmas. I did some swift mental math. Three days.

"A dragon! The—shit, sorry, I'll be quieter. A dragon?" she finally lowered her voice to a hissed whisper, but I could hear everything. "I thought you said he couldn't release it. Fuck, that's really hot, Dee."

"It was pretty incredible," Dahlia admitted, but she sounded distracted.

My dragon chuffed, answering another question before I could give voice to it. The last time he'd had free rein, it hadn't taken such a toll on me. But if he was able to eavesdrop and preen at our mate's compliment, he was fine. The deep sleep was likely caused by my sudden and excessive use of our power. My body hadn't been prepared for the drain and needed time to recover. Next time would be easier.

"You should see him. He's magnificent. His wings..."

A low hum of pleasure rumbled from deep in my chest before I could stop it, and Dahlia let out a soft gasp.

"He's waking up. I'll call you back, Keeks."

"But I need to kno?—"

"Merry Christmas!" Dahlia interrupted, slamming her laptop closed as I opened my eyes.

I had to blink a couple of times before I could make out the sight of Dahlia scrambling across the room to get to me. The bed dipped as she climbed in, and I laughed as she peppered my face with kisses.

"We were so worried! Are you okay? How do you feel?"

"Better now that you're here," I said, exaggerating for my own benefit. I just needed her next to me, touching me. We'd nearly lost her to that psychopath, and just the thought made fire burn in my lungs.

"Your tattoo is gone," she murmured, trailing her fingers over my bare chest.

My brows pulled together as I frowned and glanced down at myself. "Is it really?"

"I looked everywhere."

If I wasn't so confused, I'd have made a dirty joke, but that tattoo was never supposed to fade. I'd ensured it.

"Dinnae be thick. Ye know as well as I that magic can only last until the spell is broken. Ye released me from my chains. I'm as much a part of ye as ye are of me."

Right. That tracked. I'd have known straight away that was the reason, but it would seem I wasn't firing on all cylinders just yet.

"That's because he's not locked away anymore, gem. We're one and the same now."

"As we always should've been."

Yes, well. You promise to never again murder a village of innocents, and it'll stay that way.

My dragon grumbled, but had nothing to say to that.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to care for you," I said, forcing myself to look into her eyes even though I was afraid I'd see disappointment.

She surprised me by laughing. "What are you talking about? You killed him for me, Kai."

"Aye, I did." I swallowed hard, sitting up so I could pull her close. "I'd do anything for you, gem."

"Even if it means accepting your inner monster? I mean, that's what brought you to Blackwood in the first place. Just a couple weeks ago, you weren't super keen on the idea of making nice and singing Kumbaya with him."

Inhaling her scent, I let go of the anxious energy that had settled beneath my ribs. "This wasn't like the last time. I chose it. I welcomed my dragon. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat, lass. Like I said, I'd do anything for you. I'd burn the entire fucking world to the ground to protect you. One man or a hundred, it doesn't matter. No one harms you and lives."

"Oh, that line hits just as hard in real life as the books." She melted into me, one of her hands resting against my cheek. "Phew. Okay, now that I'm pretty sure I've ovulated at least three times, you're sure you're okay? Physically, I mean."

We'd circle back to the ovulation talk later. As much as it turned me on to picture her on her knees, letting me breed her, I needed to assure my wee mate I was up for the job. "I'm fine, lass. Dinnae fash yerself."

"But is it normal to pass out after you shift?"

"No, but it's not uncommon either. I did too much too fast. My dragon had been locked away for years, and then... Well, consider it the same as sprinting when I should have just been learning how to walk."

"Aw, so you're like a cute little baby dragon."

The dragon in question growled.

"Full grown and ready to prove it, more like," I said, but the tone of my voice was all my beast.

Her eyes flared with interest, but I could see the hesitance there as well.

Of course. I felt like such a bleeding idiot. She damn near been sacrificed not even a handful of nights ago. She was probably still recovering.

"Are you well, gem?"

"Fine."

I snagged her wrist and shoved up the sleeve of her festive jumper that said Jingle My Balls to expose the skin the Ripper had marked. Smooth, undamaged flesh was all that greeted me.

"Who healed you? None of them can do that." Was this a dream? Some kind of hallucination? Not even the healers could have left her without a reminder of that monster"s savagery.

"Father Caleb. He gave me his blood."

A grumpy, possessive sound escaped without my permission. I dinnae like that she'd needed to rely on another to care for her. By the same token, I was so fucking glad she was safe and whole. It was a confusing place to be.

"Kai, I would've died without it."

The tremor in her voice made me check myself. She shouldn't feel guilty for accepting his help. Cupping her face in both my hands, I pulled her toward me until our lips brushed. "I'll be forever in his debt, then."

She rested her forehead against mine, her eyes fluttering closed while a soft smile played about her lips. "I didn't realize how worried I really was until I heard your voice. It feels like an entire house just fell off my shoulders."

I chuckled. "Isn't it usually the other way around?"

"You calling me a witch, dragon?" she teased, one eye popping open with mock accusation.

"I wouldn't dream of it, gem." I ran my fingers across the sides of her throat until I reached the collar of her jumper.

She wasn't afraid of me, not disgusted by the creature I changed into, not horrified to know I'd killed for her and wouldn't hesitate to do so again. She was mine. Plain and simple.

It was time to remind her of that fact.

Gripping her hips with both hands, I kissed her hard while I simultaneously rolled us until she was underneath me. I felt her smile spread even as I kissed her, and it took the will of a god not to rock my hard length against her.

"Now back to that ovulation stuff," I crooned against her lips.

Her giggle made my cock twitch. "Oh, you liked that, huh?"

"I'm a dragon, gem. There's no greater treasure than creating a life with my mate. And yes, the thought of putting my baby inside you and caring for you while you carry my young gets me fucking hard."

"I can feel that," she teased, writhing beneath me.

"If you want it, love, I can help you feel me from the inside."

"Kai," she said with a laugh, "I never took you for a Nine Inch Nails fan."

"Nine inches of what?"

"Hopefully your dick."

I grinned. "Oh, it's bigger than nine inches."

"You're right." She parted her thighs wider, her pajama bottoms wet with clear evidence of her arousal.

I reached between us, sliding my hand under the waistband until I found her slick folds. She groaned and rocked into me. Fuck, all I wanted was to shove her pants down and fill her here and now.

"If you let me, I'll give you as many babies as you want," I whispered as I rubbed her clit in gentle circles. "All you have to do is say yes."

Her breath left her in shallow pants as she rolled her hips in time to my movements. "I'm going to be pretty insulted if you already forgot about our special tattoo session, dragon boy."

"Oh, I dinnae forget."

"Then you already know you can't get me pregnant."

"Easily remedied, gem. Just one little flick of my claw riiight here," I smirked when she wriggled violently beneath me as I traced the faint glow of her tattoo. To the naked eye, it would be invisible, but this magic was mine. Just as she was. I'd always be able to spot it.

She squirmed as my finger shifted into a sharp claw, her gaze locked on mine with a mixture of apprehension and excitement. Did she want me to do it? Fuck me, did my sweet treasure want me to fuck her and fill her with my child?

"Y-you can't want this right now," she breathed.

"Who says I can't?" I continued tracing the ink with my sharp claw. "The Ripper is gone. Threat neutralized. What better way to celebrate than for us to start building a family? All I want is you, Dahlia."

"B-but," she sputtered, her eyes fluttering closed as I continued my slow torment. "We're still stuck here. A-and, th-the, oh?—"

"What was that?"

"The ghosts," she blurted.

"I don't see any ghosts. Besides, I have it on good authority ghosts like babies."

I flicked her swollen bundle of nerves, and my mate whimpered in response. "You're t-toying with me, aren't you?"

"I do love to play. But, gem, the thought of seeing your belly round with my child, your tits full of milk, your cunt dripping because pregnancy makes you so horny for your mates..." I growled low in my throat before I could continue. "I'm not playing. Not at all. Tell me I can breed you. Right. Fucking. Now."

She gushed around my fingers, and my smile stretched. "You love the idea. You're fucking soaked."

Her cheeks burned crimson as she blinked up at me. "Well, yeah... But not anytime soon. Definitely not this second."

"It'll take at least a month for your body to go back to normal. We have time."

She swatted at my chest, but there was no real force behind it. "Kai, you are nuts. A month is basically a sneeze away from today. That's too soon."

"Your slick cunt says otherwise."

Biting her lower lip, she flicked her gaze away from me and then took a shuddering breath. "God, Kai."

"What was that look, gem? Why won't you meet my gaze?"

She kept her eyes averted until I gripped her chin and forced her to look at me.

"What is it?" I pressed.

"It's just... I do want it. All of it. I never thought I could have it, honestly. I mean, my dad was a cult leader weirdo in the extreme who probably fathered at least a dozen little weirdos just like me, and he either abandoned us or abused us until we were so fucked up we ended up in an asylum with dragons, ghosts, vampires, and whatever the hell Joffrey is. I never thought anyone would want me the way you do, and to know you want to have babies with me is a lot to process, and my body might not even be capable and..."

My heart felt too big in my chest. I loved this woman more than anything. I wanted to give her everything she wanted. Everything she thought she'd never have.

"And what?"

"And I don't want to lay an egg, Kai."

It was such an unexpected response I couldn't contain my laughter. It came out in loud guffaws, so strong tears sprung to my eyes.

"I'm sorry, what? Why do you think you're going to lay an egg?"

"Well, you're a dragon, and dragons are reptiles, and... Do I really need to explain this to you?"

"Gem," I said through uncontrollable chuckles. "I'm fae. I'm not a shifter. My dragon is part of a curse, but my body, my blood, is fae."

"So... fae babies?"

I grinned. "Aye, lass. Fae babies."

"No eggs?"

"No eggs."

"Well. That changes things."

I returned my fingertip to the tattoo and locked eyes with her again, watching hers widen as my finger shifted into a claw once more. "Does it?"

She rolled her lower lip between her teeth and goddess, her nipples were so hard I could see them under the fabric of her jumper. Taking a deep breath, she readied herself to answer me, eyes sparkling with need.

"And here we find the rutting beast." Caspian's voice killed the moment as he strode into the bedroom. "Of course, as is befitting a dragon, he's woken up and gone straight for the prettiest present under the bloody tree."

Dahlia and I glanced over my shoulder in time to see Tor and Hades right on his heels.

"It smells like sex in here. Glad to know you're feeling better," Hades said.

"Fuck off," I growled, already mourning the loss of our privacy. Not to mention the potential baby making.

"Is he always this grumpy after a three-day nap?" Tor asked, not that anyone answered.

"Give me five more minutes, will you?"

"Only five?" Dahlia whispered while Hook scoffed.

"Not bloody likely. We've got prezzies, and a tree," he crowed, fists on his hips. "All we're missing is our girl."

"It's okay, dragon boy," Dahlia said before leaning close enough to put her lips to my ear and whisper, "You can knock me up another time."

Well, fuck. Now I wasn't going to be able to walk straight without showing the entirety of Blackwood exactly how she affected me. I stood, the tent in my pants painfully obvious.

"Did you need an ornament for that? Perhaps some tinsel?" Tor asked, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"I'll remember this moment the next time you have her to yourself," I muttered.

Tor clapped me on the shoulder. "Eh, cheer up. It's Christmas."

"Bah humbug."