Chapter 14

14

Alluresh

I t wasn't the first time I'd stood naked on my front lawn staring at my open front doors. My shifts were never planned. Nothing could be planned with Allure prodding at my psyche.

But now there was another person to consider.

Slowly, I went up to the porch.

I could have eaten him.

"You cut me off." I could not hold back the rage from my tone.

I could have eaten him and picked my teeth with his bones.

"Stop it. You weren't going to do that."

You thought it. I cut you off because your thoughts are boring.

"I didn't think it. I thought about how you never hunt and never eat." I hissed, slamming the front doors behind me, and striding to the staircase. "And about how you hate other dragons. You even tried to scare the few lovers I've had."

You're in love with the set-omega. But I'm not allowed to look him over for myself?

I refused to answer him, clomping upstairs and slamming the door to my room.

After a long, cooling shower, I dressed for dinner and went downstairs. Allure kept silent, and I hoped he'd merely gone to sleep inside me.

Tavi appeared just as I was putting food on the table. He was still dressed in his t-shirt and shorts, his silken hair slightly tangled at the shoulders. He sat without a word and poured himself some ice water.

I realized I was starving as I started to dish out macaroni and cheese casserole, chicken and tossed salad. The food smelled so good it was a distraction for both of us.

Tavi cleaned his plate.

"More?" It was the first word spoken between us since being outside.

"Macaroni and cheese, please."

The dish was closest to me, so I took his plate and gave him a second helping.

Tavi ate slower, now. I noticed him watching me from under his eyelashes as he pretended to be looking at his plate.

"I amended my list and emailed it to you." His voice abruptly rang through the silence.

"Oh?"

He nodded, glancing away as he chewed.

"What did you add?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Stuff."

I took a bite of chicken. Then another. Swallowed. "Tell me what you added."

"You can read it after dinner."

He was still angry with me for being frightened for him. He should be thanking me. I was looking out for him, making sure he was safe. I didn't get any credit for that?

"I'll be sure to," I answered.

After dinner, I went to my computer and brought up my email. The new list appeared. The first four items were ones I had already read.

No clothes.

A bed.

Pretend to care.

Aftercare.

The next ones were all new.

Meeting Allure is a necessity. (Note: done)

I would like to see my child grow up.

Does breeding involve kissing? If so, I would like to have that as part of it.

I want to spend time with Allure in the yard. Once a week to start. More often if he wants to.

I banged my fist on my desk.

Jealous?

"What the hell? No!"

I think yes.

"The truth? I have no control when you're around. The truth? I can't protect him when you're around."

I can protect him just fine. Also, I am around. You can't get rid of me.

"That's for damn sure," I mumbled.

He is our set-omega, not just yours. Get used to it.

I sat back in my chair, fuming.

There's that thing about kissing again and you just overlooked it. Doesn't it make you happy?

It was the very subject that had caused Allure to want to shift this afternoon almost before I could get out of the house.

Something quickened inside me.

Endorphins again?

"Stop. It's not like you care. You just want our heir."

Well, I can't kiss him with my mouth, now, can I?

I got up from my chair and began to pace. Sometimes that action bored Allure to sleep again.

To give him what he wants, you'll have to do the kissing thing for both of us.

At that, I felt his presence slip away to the depths of my mind. He was gone. For now. But what he had just said echoed inside me. For the both of us?

Allure didn't have feelings. At least not intimate, sentimental ones. Or… Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he simply hadn't had the opportunity to show them. Until now.

He had shown his deep wild side, his aggressiveness, his fierceness. He could be grumpy and unruly. But emotions like love or hate, never. His actions didn't even stem from anger, but more from frustration.

I'd had every reason to fear for Tavi's safety.

I got up and walked to the game room which was where my tracking program showed Tavi was.

He was hunched over his computer, and looked up when I came in. I walked to the couch and sat at an angle so I could face him.

"I read your revised list," I said.

He nodded, his eyes big.

"Before I say yes about the last thing on your list?—"

"Spending time with Allure?" he interrupted. "I said on the list it's only if he wants to."

"Yes, I read it," I said curtly. "I want to know more details of what happened today. When you say he let you touch him."

"I told you everything. I was able to walk around his entire body, which is huge. I touched his nose, his neck, his legs, and along his side. I touched his tail."

"And he stood still while you did this?"

He nodded. "Very still. When I came up his other side, he watched me. That's the only time he moved. He swung his head around to see me."

"Then what."

"He sniffed me."

"Your head?"

"All over my body."

I frowned. "Did he snap?"

"Only at first where we were face to face. He snapped several times. It startled me and I stepped back. Then I came forward and he stepped back. He was assessing me."

"As prey?"

He made a face. "Not even. He was just unsure about me. He wasn't afraid. What could I do to him?"

"I think I heard him roar," I said.

"Afterward. When he was done smelling me. He lifted his snout up and made a noise. It wasn't loud. Then came the fire."

"The fire?" I sat forward. "What the--?"

"Yep. Fire. It went up into the air and was gone in a second."

I shook my head. "I can't allow that final request."

"Because of the fire?"

"It's too dangerous. He's not in control."

Tavi heaved in a huge breath, then said, "Maybe you can't control him. But that doesn't mean he's out of control."

I went blank. No one had ever said that to me before.

I waited for Allure to make some smart remark inside my head. But he was still gone.

I could only think of one word. "No."

"Isn't it up to Allure?"

I blinked. He was right. Allure would always have his way. I could not control the shifts.

I started to stand.

Tavi stood at the same time. He moved forward. He came close, reaching out as if to touch my arm. His hand fell back. All his movements were graceful, gorgeous. He had a way about him, how he held his body, that was smooth and willowy. His hands were slim and beautiful, with long fingers and perfect nails. When I'd watched him swimming, he'd had the same effect on me, creating an exhilaration deep inside. And heat on my neck, in my eyes.

"You seem mad. You can't be mad about this. It's not fair." His forehead was tight, his eyes wide open.

"I'm not mad at you."

It wasn't just his beauty. He had a personality that was finally coming out that intrigued me. Now that he was no longer afraid of me or his fate, at least not as much as before, he could show himself to me.

Was that what Allure had responded to today?

"I'm still afraid, though."

"Of me being mad?"

He crossed his arms and shook his head.

I was being dense. Of course it was his situation. If I thought I had no control over Allure, Tavi's very life and future were out of his control. We were both locked away by our own inabilities to be free.

As if reading my mind, his eyes filled with unspilled tears. "I'm afraid of going into heat."

It was one thing to buy a set-omega when I didn't know him, didn't care. It was another thing altogether now.

"I promise I won't hurt you."

"I'm going to carry your child. Your egg. Is it wrong to want to know about you?"

It was why we were spending so much more time together, wasn't it? That part was happening.

"Tavi." I swallowed hard. "I'm doing what I can to make you comfortable."

"But your dragon. He's a part of this. He can't be left out."

The thought of letting Tavi spend time with me while I was shifted made me nauseated. I knew Allure had not harmed him. But that was one moment in time. It came down to the fact that I didn't trust my beast. Especially right now when he was being so mysteriously quiet.

Because I couldn't guarantee my beast's behavior, Tavi was taking matters into his own hands. As the omega egg carrier, the second father to our child, he was right to do so.

"Instinct is telling me I need to spend time with him. I have to, Alluresh. Or I might really be in danger."

I bowed my head. "I guess you do have that right."

He blinked his tears away. "I want to spend more time with you, too."

We had a couple hours every afternoon now. And meals. I knew it wasn't enough. I looked up at him. He was so compelling, the way he stood his ground and spoke his truth. He wasn't the brood slave I'd expected. Not even close.

"I don't know what it's like to shift," he said. "Or to have an animal soul inside me, but I do know I have to accept you both. Or we'll all suffer, including our child."

He was a smart one. I knew he was right. It seemed I lost control no matter who I dealt with. "I guess you've made up your mind, then."

"It's not like I have the final say," he said, and turned away from me.

"In this case, it will be up to Allure, too. He'll have to cooperate." I turned and started for the door.

"Wait."

I froze.

"Do you want to maybe, well, um?—"

I turned back to look at him. He looked much less sure of himself than seconds ago. Did he not want me to leave? We had just said we should spend more time together. I liked the thought of it.

"I was about to watch a movie in my den before turning in. Would you like to join me?" I asked.

His eyes lit up from deep inside. "Sure."