Dragon Actually

“Hhmm?”

“Have you ever regretted being with my father?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that question?”

“Sorry?”

“Nothing.” She sat down at the table across from him, her hands sliding through her gold hair. “That is not an easy question to answer, my son. At least not to you.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re not as easily put off as your kin.” She gave a delicate shrug. “Look, there are sacrifices all mates must make for each other. And you do it willingly because you love them.”

“You hate spending so much time being human, don’t you?”

She was quiet for a long moment, then said, “I miss my cave. I miss my privacy. I’ve learned to tolerate this body because . . .” She gave a soft smile and her son held his hand up.

“I understand.” If there was one thing he and the rest of the universe knew about his father was that the bastard knew how to pleasure a female. But Ailean took special delight in exploring a woman’s body. “So you have given up much.”

“No. I still have my cave. I go there when your father leaves for war or to travel. When I’m alone, I am always dragon and I revel in it. But nothing, absolutely nothing brings me as much joy as your father.”

“He’s loud and obnoxious.”

“He’s hilarious and passionate and your father.”

“More’s the pity.”

His mother’s hand slamming down hard on the oak table caused Bercelak to jump even though Bercelak didn’t jump . . . ever.

“Your father loves you, brat. He would die to protect you and only wants you to be happy. I never saw a dragon look as proud as he did the day he saw your frowning face look up at him first time. Even then he knew you were special. Different. So don’t think for a second that you can dismiss him, and definitely don’t think you can put him down to me. I won’t tolerate it.”

Bercelak bowed his head. “I’m sorry.”

He heard his mother take in a deep breath. Then another. Finally, she said, “It’s all right. I know you’re frustrated and unsure what to do. But I know you’ll do the right thing.”

“I hope you’re right.”

The study door opened and his father walked in, stopping short as soon as he saw the pair of them looking so serious.

“Oh, sorry. I’m not . . . uh . . . interrupting something that will make me uncomfortable, am I?”

Shalin laughed. “No, you old bear. You’re not. Just talking with our hatchling.”

Ailean nodded his head. “Good. Good.” He walked up to his mate, but spoke to his son. “Nice work with those soldiers out there, by the way.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“Your female did a nice job as well. I’m impressed she’s not some vapid princess.”

“She protected me.”

“Good. Good.” His father scooped his mother up, sat in the chair, and then re-positioned her on his lap, holding her close like he always did. “I like her, if that means anything. She’s a bit rough around the edges, but I think that’s because she had no choice with that bitch of a mother she was cursed with.”

“I agree,” Bercelak replied solemnly. “I just don’t know how to make her happy.”

“You’ll learn that in time. Of course, you may want to see if she hit the ground or not. I just saw her sliding off the ledge under her window.”

Bercelak’s head snapped up. “What?”

A strong hand grabbed hold of her wrist. “Gotcha!” Rhiannon looked up to see Ghleanna smiling down at her. “Almost lost you there.”

“Your sister scared the centaur shit out of me!”

Ghleanna easily hauled Rhiannon back into her room window. “She’s as skittish as a colt, that one. Thought you were leaping to your death.”

“I haven’t become that human.”

“I’m very glad to hear it.”

Maelona shrugged. “Sorry. I had a moment of panic.”

“She has lots of those,” her sister joked.

“No I don’t! I just saw her sitting out there and became worried.”

Kicked open, the door slammed against the wall and Bercelak strode in. “Why were you hanging off the ledge?”

Glancing at Ghleanna, Rhiannon said with forced seriousness, “I couldn’t take it anymore. I decided to end it all.”

He frowned in confusion. “What?”

Ghleanna grabbed Maelona and pulled her from the room. “We’ll just leave you to it, eh?”

The door closed and Rhiannon looked at Bercelak. “Do you really think I’d do something stupid? Do you think so little of me?”

“All my father said was that he saw you falling off the building.”

“If he saw me, why didn’t he help?”

.Bercelak snorted. “My father? Do you have any idea how many times the old bastard’s thrown me off the roof while I was human? For him that’s a test of courage and speed.”

“Your father is . . .”

“Frightening? Horrifying? Disturbed?”

“Interesting.”

Bercelak rolled his eyes and gave a short shake of his head. “Forget him.” His voice dropped impossibly lower as his black eyes locked on her. “Come to me, Rhiannon.”

Stepping around the bed so that it stood between them, she murmured. “Why should I?”

“Because I ordered you to.”

Rhiannon laughed out loud. “As if that means anything.”

Picking up the cuff still chained to the bedpost, he held it up to her. “I see it will be the hard way again this eve.”

“You’ll have to get that on me first, Low Born. And I don’t think you can manage.”

He grinned, apparently more than eager to take her up on her challenge, but another knock at the door had him cursing instead.

“What?”

One of Bercelak’s brothers pushed the door open and looked in. “We need you downstairs, brother.”

“What is it?”

“The queen’s guard are here to speak with you.”

Rhiannon held herself still, unwilling to react to this news, but she saw the color drain from Bercelak’s face. It wasn’t fear for himself but for her that brought that reaction.

“Tell them I’ll be right down.”

His brother nodded and left.

Bercelak turned to Rhiannon. “Come to me, Rhiannon.”

She did without question this time and he put his arms around her, holding her tight. “Stay here until one of my kin comes for you.”

She nodded and felt his lips brush against her forehead.

Then he released her and was gone.