Chapter 12

12

Alluresh

L ists and more lists. We don't need them. We just need our heir.

When Tavi began to speak of being nervous, and then of kissing, Allure, who had been quiet during gaming, became restless inside. I knew the signs but hoped he would calm down. I'd stayed very still on the couch, letting Tavi have his say.

When Tavi asked me if I liked kissing, it was as if all the air went out of the room.

I had replied, "I like it, but it is not a necessary part of breeding."

My coolness did not deter him.

"I know, but it might make me less nervous. Both of us."

Was he saying he wanted to kiss me? From the moment I'd seen Tavi on the auction stage, I'd been attracted to him. That hadn't ever been in question. But this was the first time warm desire rolled through me so fast and so deep.

"It might." I'd managed to squeeze out those two words before I fully realized Allure was rattling furiously at his boundaries.

The pressure on my skin changed. Allure was trying to push through. I needed to get out of the house right now.

"There are some things I need to do before dinner." I stood and strode from the room. When I got to the hall, I began to run. As I gritted my teeth to hold onto my form, Allure taunted me.

You are in love with him!

"I've never said that."

You are. I can feel it.

"What do you feel?"

When I am flying over the sea, and I dip my claws in the waves… like that.

I paused at the top of the staircase.

"No."

Your breaths are shallower, slightly faster. There is a tension in your chest when you look at him. The surface temperature of your skin goes up at least a degree when you are in the same room with him.

Was he actually monitoring me?

"Maybe I'm just looking forward to the breeding. It's been a while since I had sex with another person."

You can't shut me out. I feel what you feel. Yes, we want the breeding. But this isn't about any omega about to go into heat. This is about him. He entices you with more than just his beauty. You like that he is small but strong. You like that he isn't afraid of us. You like that he is smart. Most of all, you like the way he looks at you with that wide, virgin gaze, asking about kissing, as if you are the one who might wake him to find out who he really is. In fact, you adore it.

Allure had never been so verbal. He operated on emotions first, desire and hunger and even greed. He didn't philosophize. This was highly unusual.

My body had gone tight; my hands clutched into fists as I made my way down the stairs.

Images of Tavi flashed through my mind. Those innocent wolf eyes. The way his slender wrists bent when he ate. That fine, shining hair cascading over his shoulders. And his quick, soft voice, as if he was younger than his years, needy, questioning all the time, the words holding the calm of a mature omega but the naivete of youth.

Yes, I did adore him. He was an omega dream. But I wasn't going to lie to myself and call it love. Love was something else. Love was unchained or it wasn't real.

"It isn't love. It's not that easily defined." I spoke aloud, coming to the landing and making a turn down the last steps.

A chuckle raced through me, warming my veins.

When you've just finished a race and you can't focus. Your body feels light as a cloud. What's that called?

"Endorphins."

Why are endorphins being released?

"They aren't."

I want to fly. Now!

The claws were already extending from my fingers as he made his wish known.

"Wait until I get to the front door, damn it!"

I ran across the floor as if I was already flying. The front room and foyer were huge. I sprinted through the two rooms, sliding against the tile as I hit the door. My back was already popping with spikes. The wings were taking over my arms. My clothes hung in rags around me.

I clawed at the doorknob, breaking it off. The double doors swung open. I barely made it across the threshold before I soared past the wide porch steps and up into the bright sky.

Wings pumped, ruffling the air with loud pops. Allure flew fast toward the ocean, the sunlight on his back. The remains of my clothes were like broken kites falling away from my dragon's body, floating on the sea breeze toward the ground.

I turned, my long neck allowing my head to swivel in a way I could never do as a human. When I looked back at my castle below, I saw the angles of the roof, the red shingles of the towers, the massive green gardens, the shimmering pools. And in one tower window, I saw a figure watching.

Tavi stood before the tall, rectangular pane, hands pressed to the glass. If not for my intense dragon sight, I wouldn't have been able to see him from this distance. Mouth open in awe. Eyes big and round. Watching me. Seeing my dragon form for the first time.

He didn't cower. His lips tightened into a smaller O, then opened wide again. He had spoken one word. I heard it as if he'd whispered it into my ear.

"Wow."

Allure flew faster than ever over the restless sea. The blue sky held only a few small clouds. He soared effortlessly, going high and low, dipping his feet in the swells of salt water as if to catch a fish, then straight up again into the endless sky. He let out fireball after fireball, striking at the air.

He could burn down my castle if he wanted to.

Allure's powerful wings dragged us both far out over the wild tides. I had no say in direction or speed. He carried me along like an unwanted trespasser. If, someday, Allure decided to remain in dragon form, there would be nothing I could do. I did not have influence when he was fully shifted. It was only because my human body could make a nice home and hoard for us that he allowed me my life.

Home. We'd never had a permanent one until I made it. He craved it as much as I did. Home. And now an heir. It was his word for child, but he refused any sentiment about that.

As we flew, his emotions churned inside.

A line of pelicans passed us, veering low to give him ample space. He turned his head to eye them and a shudder of hunger went through his body.

Allure had never hunted, not even for fish in the sea. He didn't eat while shifted. But now I was afraid he might, his mode predatory with purpose. One fireball could do a lot of damage. Could kill.

Had he been right in his accusations? Was I in love with Tavi?

I watched Tavi every day on the cameras because I was keeping track of him. Making sure he didn't get into any trouble and not for any other reason. Or so I told myself.

Our new afternoon ritual of playing video games had been for my benefit. I needed a break from my computers, my office, my daily boring life. That's why I looked forward to those times now. Plus, Tavi was smart and intriguing. For the sake of both of us, it was best we get to know each other better. Meals together, and now gaming, helped.

When I went to bed at night, I would mull over my day and realize the times spent with Tavi were prominent in my memory. His scent lived in my veins. My mind played moments with him over and over until I fell asleep.

But that was just what it was like to live with an omega. Of course, his scent would affect me. I was an alpha. And he was to be the bearer of my egg. Or eggs. My—our children. Would there be more than one heir?

Dragon nests usually produced one egg at a time. But there were hatchings in our world that were plural. And rare twins, two dragons from one egg.

Tavi wanted to stay to help raise the child. He would have other heats. Would we continue the breeding process? Would he even want to? That was a question, as well.

Suddenly, Allure dove from a rather high flight path. He headed straight for the surface of the sea. We got closer and closer. I couldn't read his thoughts, couldn't predict his moves. When I thought he'd pull up, he didn't, and we went crashing into the depths.

He swam under the water almost as swiftly as he flew, breath effortlessly held. I never knew he could swim. His long tail swished back and forth like a tailfin, and his wings pressed back against his body, the edges moving to propel him.

The cold waters surrounded us, silent and dark. It seemed like a long time before he came up for air. When he did, he shot straight up into the air, his massive tail pushing us up. His wings unfurled and we were dripping, soaked, yet airborne again.

The air was now cool against the wet scales. He let out a magnificent roar, then shot fire straight up into the air.

He truly had his back up. Was it Tavi? No. I annoyed him with my human ways, my feelings. He wanted an heir, but he didn't want me to have feelings about the process of creating one. I knew that was it. If not, he wouldn't have been so irate about accusing me of being in love.

And there was that question again. Was I? Why did Allure care so much if I was?

He continued to fly as the sun rode low toward the horizon, never tiring. I feared he might never return to our home.

But hunger—my own—drove him in. He roared once more as he turned to head for shore. It was more of a frustrated sound than annoyance.

Shortly, the castle came into view, our red turreted monstrosity on a lush green, seaside slope. As we grew closer, details came into focus.

One detail sent immediate cold arrows of fear through my limbs.

On the front lawn stood a figure, gazing out over the blue sea. He wore his usual t-shirt and jeans shorts. A small man standing in the center of the space Allure liked to use as his landing strip.

I cried out with all my might into his mind. ALLURE! WATCH OUT! DON'T CRASH INTO OUR OMEGA!