Chapter Five

“Your Majesty, I need to speak with my crew,” Aras said to me over breakfast on the third morning.

We sat at the little table on my balcony, enjoying the rising sun along with our morning repast. As it had been every night of our confinement, we hadn't gotten much sleep. But Aras didn't seem tired. I assumed my essence was empowering him, giving him better recuperative abilities. He was going to need those abilities if he tried to leave my apartments.

Yes, my dragon was rising, and I couldn't stop myself from growling, “You want to leave me?”

“No!” He held up his hands, palms out, in surrender.

As I said, it helps when a man has some animal instincts. Aras sensed my possessiveness, and he also knew what it meant. Well, not all that it meant, but he knew it would be a bad idea to rile my animal instincts.

“I just need to inform them that we'll be staying until we recover the Eye. That's all.” His hands lowered, and he grinned at me. “The sex has been phenomenal. I don't want to leave these rooms either. But we can't stay here forever.”

“No, not forever,” I agreed and leaned back in my chair to stare out across the crown city of Renris—my city. I slid my stare back to Aras—my mate. “One more day. Maybe two. The Neraky hasn't surfaced yet. We have time. You can send a message to your crew.”

His brows rose, altering the pattern of stripes on his face. “A message? Is there a reason that you don't want me talking to them?”

“No.” I took another bite of my breakfast. “I simply know I'll be ready for you again soon. You haven't finished your penance, Captain.”

“I haven't?” He chuckled. “Very well, Your Majesty.” He inclined his head. Then he shook it. “I haven't had this much sex in a long time.”

“Then you have had this much sex with someone before?” I narrowed my eyes at him.

Frowning, Aras leaned forward. “What's going on, Ly? You're acting strange. Is it a Dragon thing? Do you all get this possessive with your lovers?”

I grunted and looked away.

You have to say something. Give him some kind of explanation. He's getting suspicious, the Eye interrupted.

Because he's not a moron!

Neither are you! Say something!

Fine. I'll say something. I looked back at Aras. “I've been . . . thinking about you. While you were gone.”

Aras put his fork down. His face went slack.

“It's not a—” I started to say.

“I've been thinking about you too,” he interrupted. “A lot. I regretted that we had so little time together.”

Warmth burst inside me. Aras had felt something for me. Before the mating! “I regretted that too. And I'm rectifying my mistake now.”

Aras grinned wide enough to flash his fangs. “All right then. I'll write a note to my first mate. He can pass on the message to the rest of the crew.”

I set my fork down and straightened in my seat. “I need you again.”

“Now?” There went his brows again.

“Now!” I shot out of my chair, grabbed my mate's arm, and yanked him back to bed as he laughed boisterously.