Chapter 10

10

Alluresh

M y dragon did not like my list. As I typed it out, he had a critical comment for every word.

Clothing should be optional and at your demand.

And questions.

What is aftercare?

I hadn't done anything like aftercare with my past lovers. We had fucked. They had dressed and left without any promises between us.

I myself wasn't sure about aftercare specifics, but much of it seemed obvious.

"Aftercare is about making sure your partner is healthy and well. Fed and watered. Given comfort if experiencing discomfort."

The egg-carrier must always be healthy and fed. Protected from danger. Kept warm. Guarded. The eggs need to be safe. That is the primary concern. It is the alpha's job, not aftercare.

Allure knew what I meant. He was just being pure dragon about the language.

Every day, he asked me when Tavi would go into heat. I had no answers.

The next day, Tavi sat at the breakfast table, tablet in hand.

"I got your list."

"Good. And?"

"It's in agreement with mine."

"I meant it to be."

"I see I'm to sleep in your bed. My heats last two days. Afterward, will I still sleep there?" His gaze stayed steady as he spoke.

"You will need to recover, so yes. You will be where I can keep an eye on you."

"For how long?"

"For however long it takes you to recover."

"What if I don't conceive with this heat?"

I hadn't thought about that at all. "Is something wrong? Do you feel you won't?"

"No. I've been through all the checks. I'm fertile. But not everyone gets pregnant during a heat."

"Dragons usually do."

"I'm not—" He stopped, looking down.

"If that happens, we'll deal with it then."

"Will I have to leave? Will you sell me?"

If he is broken, he is not a good mate.

"No. I won't sell you. We'll simply try again." It would mean maybe having to wait a year. But there wasn't any other choice.

I don't want to wait.

"Too bad," I whispered under my breath.

Tavi settled back into his chair, picked up his fork and began eating.

I stayed in my office most of the day. But I monitored Tavi on my computer. The household and yards had cameras set up in various places, but not in his own room. My dragon might be wild, but I wasn't a monster.

He spent a lot of time in his game room. But he also did a lot of walking outside. Sometimes, he stood out on the massive lawns and gazed up at my castle for long periods, not moving. From the camera angles, he looked small and alone.

You feel sorry for him?

"He didn't ask for this."

It's his role. He is what he is.

"Not everyone can be as happy as you, Allure."

Silence.

Later, as I finished a few day trades, I heard footsteps in the hall. My office door was half-open. I turned at the soft knock.

"Come in."

Tavi had never come into my office before. He inched through the space between the door and doorframe and stood just inside, looking around.

"Do you need something?"

He shrugged. His shoulders were hunched, his hands clasped in front.

"Are you hungry?"

He shook his head.

"What is it?" Maybe his heat was starting and he didn't know what to do. I sniffed the air. I scented him, but it was normal Tavi scent, sweet and captivating. If he was going into heat, my senses would be flooded with desire. As it was, he was a beautiful omega, and I couldn't deny I was attracted to him.

"Do you play games?" he asked in a small, unsure voice.

"Games?"

"Like video games. Or board games. Or cards."

"I can. I play solitaire."

"Oh, right. But I mean with someone else?"

My read on him had been correct. He was lonely, all right. I wanted to smile. "I was just finishing up here. What do you have in mind?"

We spent the rest of the afternoon playing video games. He was adept and I had to learn. But I was quick and sure. Even Allure lent a lazy eye toward it all.

Something inside me woke up as we played. An excitement I hadn't felt in a long while. A sense of sharing joy with another person.

Noah was right. I had been shut up here in this castle alone for too long. My only companion was a sociopathic beast. And he was the other half of me, so he didn't count.

After that day, we spent the later hours of every afternoon playing video games. Tavi became more talkative. We were still very careful with each other, very general in our conversation both during games and during meals, but we were sharing something enjoyable. It took some pressure off our situation. At least, for me.

One day while we were playing and the game became exciting and competitive, Tavi stood up from the couch. I stood, too. Without looking, he put out his hand and gave me a shove.

When he realized what he'd done, he froze and dropped the controller.

I sat back down and started to laugh.

"I'm sorry," he said, eyebrows drawn together.

"Don't be. You were winning anyway."

He slowly sat beside me, looking down at his lap where his hands locked together. "I'm sorry anyway. I don't do things like that."

"I'm twice your size; I think I can take a push or a shove during a fun game."

He glanced up at me, his glimmering hair half falling into his eyes. "You don't want me to be subservient?"

Of course. That is his role.

"Did I ever say that?"

"You don't have to. You're the alpha. You bought me."

"The truth is, I went to Noah's auction as a favor to him. I didn't plan on purchasing anyone."

"You didn't want me?"

"I ended up bidding on you, didn't I?"

"Why? If you didn't want to bid and it was only a favor that you even came?"

I leaned back on the couch. The soft leather absorbed my weight. "Because when I saw you I changed my mind."

"Me?"

"Sometimes things end up that way. You go shopping with no needs, and then impulse buy something you had no intention of getting."

"An impulse buy. I get it. Like, you don't know what's out there unless you go looking. And then when you see it, like a really cool pair of ripped up jeans, you suddenly have to have it."

I looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "That's exactly right."

"Huh." He hugged himself with his slim arms, still staring straight ahead. Then, like a child who suddenly changes the subject, he said, "Will I ever get to meet your dragon?"

He's our omega. I'll meet him face to face when I decide.

If I had it my way, he'd never meet Allure.

"Yes," I said. "It will happen when it happens. I can't control when."

"Is he really scary?"

Yes.

I grunted. "He likes to think so."

"Does Allure look like your sculptures downstairs?"

"Yes, but larger. More colorful."

"Really? Like his scales are different colors? What colors?"

It was the first time I'd seen Tavi somewhat excited. I didn't understand why he cared. He was forced into this situation, and I'd already told him Allure was wild.

Tell him about my beautiful colors.

"Shades of purple and green."

There is some blue.

"And blue."

I have black talons and yellow eyes.

Tavi's eyes took on a gleam. "Is he talking inside you right now? What's it like?"

"You have a lot of questions."

"I told you before, in my pack, people sometimes talk to their beasts. They had senses of their wolf, feelings mostly, like when he might want to get out and run. Are dragons different?"

"I'm different. Dragons talk sometimes but don't disagree so much. Not like mine."

I disagree only when you say something stupid.

"They don't?"

I shook my head. "It's something I keep to myself. How very controlling he is." I tilted my head closer to his. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Who would I tell?" He leaned back. "People know your dragon is wild, though."

"Yes, which is why they fear him."

"Maybe other dragons disagree with their humans, too, and you just don't know those people. Maybe some wolves are disagreeable. Maybe some are feral, too."

I am not feral. Maybe other dragons don't argue much because humans are boring and it's a waste of energy and time.

"Can you tell Allure that I—that I do want to meet him? That I'm going to add that to my list?"

Lists are for the humans.

I didn't have to say anything. Allure heard him. "He is listening."