Chapter Six

Taroc and I took the day off. No, it wasn't the nicest thing to do to my other boyfriends, but they'd understand. Taroc had recently died and come back to life; he deserved some fun. Plus, our relationship was still new. We needed some time to ourselves.

We strolled around Myar, had lunch in a little cafe that overlooked a lake, and had a lot of strange and wonderful sex. I had to admit, I was thrilled with the new layers of Taroc's personality. Thrilled that they existed and that he shared them with me.

"You know, you probably should have told me about your sex apartment before we bonded," I said to Taroc that night at dinner.

Yes, we were still in Myar. Frankly, I never wanted to leave. But we would. We planned to go back to the citadel after dinner. The restaurant he'd chosen was casual, no fancy clothing required, but it had the most amazing food. I'd sacrifice a pretty atmosphere for good food any day.

"It's just sex," Taroc said. "If it had bothered you, I would have sold everything."

My jaw dropped. "Really?"

"Why do you sound surprised? I love you. You're more important than any sexual kink."

"No, I meant, 'Really? You can resell stuff like that?'"

Taroc snorted.

Then I went serious to say, "Thank you. I love you too."

"And you would give things up for me, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, of course, I—" I grimaced. "Please, tell me you're not about to ask me to stop being friends with Caleb."

"No. We already discussed that. You're not going to let him touch you anymore. That's good enough."

"Oh. Then, yes, I would give up things for you too."

He lifted a dark brow. "Just not your friend?"

"You just said—"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I don't want to know that I'm more important than any friend you have."

"Taroc, come on." I leaned across the table and took his hand. "You know you are. If it was a choice between you and Caleb, you would win, no question. But I don't like the idea of you dictating who I can and can't be friends with."

Taroc grunted.

I sighed. "All right."

"All right, what?" he growled.

"Don't growl at me, dragon," I hissed. "I was going to say that I'll stop being friends with Caleb."

"You were going to say it but now you're not?"

"Oh, dear Goddess." I sat back and ran a hand over my face. "What is happening right now?"

"We're determining how our relationship will be," Taroc said. "That's what's happening. There must be an alpha."

I blinked at him. Slowly. Processed. "What the fuck?"

"That is the way of all relationships. One person is always more dominant than the other. With us, that person is me. As the alpha, I must set the foundation of our intimacy."

"The foundation of our intimacy?" I gaped at him as my stomach did a flip. I'd been happy three minutes ago. How had this turned around so quickly?

"Yes. I've shown you another side of me and what I need from you. I believe I know what you need, but I want you to tell me if there's anything more. I will provide for you all that you require."

"All right, that's sort of sweet, but also a bit high-handed."

"I'm the alpha."

I made an annoyed sound. Fucking shapeshifters. I loved two of them, and they were more work than the other two. But I loved them. I loved them with all my being. And I had vowed the same thing in my heart—to provide all that Taroc required. So, how could I condemn him for saying that very thing aloud to me?

I couldn't.

So, I smiled and said, "Yes, Daddy."

Taroc's whole demeanor changed. His tight shoulders went loose, his scowl softened, and his eyes filled with lust. "Good boy," he whispered, a promise of great delight to come in his tone.

Yup, worth it. Let him be the alpha. I could play equal partners with Rath and Kel. And that's how all my needs would be met. Thinking that, I went still. Would I not be fully satisfied with one man? I had fought against the prophecy for a while. I still wasn't completely at ease with it. But maybe I was born for this, born this way specifically to love them. I knew I wouldn't be happy without all of them now. But I had assumed that was because I had let myself fall in love with them. Perhaps there was more to it. Like destiny.

"Do you need me to end my friendship with Caleb?" I asked with all seriousness.

Taroc let out a long breath and stared at me. "I want to say yes. I don't like that man, Ember. Something about him shrieks wrong to me. But I won't ask that of you. Just promise me that you'll be careful with him. Don't let him get you somewhere alone."

"Somewhere alone?" I lifted my brows. "Taroc, I could demolish him in a second. He's not going to hurt me."

"It's not physical damage that I'm worried about."

"What then? You think he'd say something to hurt me? He can do that anywhere."

"I don't know." His big hand played with his silverware. "I just don't like him. Something about him."

I laid my hand over his fidgeting one. "All right. I'll be careful. And I won't let him touch me in any way."

Taroc nodded.

"And you won't have to worry for long," I said. "Fress will be finished soon. Then Caleb will leave the citadel."

"I can't wait," Taroc muttered.

"This is worse than your dislike of Graysen," I said in surprise.

"I never disliked Graysen as a person," Taroc said. "I disliked that you were attracted to him. I'm fine with him now. Caleb, however, I don't like. A lot. I like him even less after returning from the Goddess. And that makes me feel as if she supports my opinion."

I made a scoffing laugh. "You think even the Goddess doesn't like Caleb? That's a bit much, Taroc. He's just a guy. A human."

"He's a snake," Taroc said, his tone grim enough to send shivers down my spine. "If it had been up to me, I never would have let him into the citadel."

"I . . . I can't even . . . I don't know what to say to that," I stammered. "Caleb is not a monster, Taroc. Do you know what we were talking about this morning? His guilt over being alive."

"Guilt?"

"Yeah. He's upset that he lived when all those parents died. He said he wishes he could trade places with one of them."

Taroc sighed deeply, but it wasn't a sound of concession or even sympathy. It was more annoyance. "Ember, you're not going to take what I have to say well. You can't see what I do. But I'm going to say it anyway, in the hopes that Caleb will mess up, and you'll catch a glimmer of his true self. Then you'll remember what I said and understand."

"Taroc, he's a good guy."

My lover leaned forward, locked stares with me, and said, "No, he's not, Ember. He's a fake. The things he says to you are all for show. For your reaction. He's working your sympathies, trying to get you to feel sorry for him."

"To what end? He knows I'll never be with him sexually."

"Does he?"

"Yes, Taroc!"

He held up his hands in concession. "Fine. Just remember what I said."

"How can I forget?" I muttered.