A Tale Of Two Dragons

“So am I.” He pulled her close, kissed her temple. “I wish I didn’t have to go, but this needs to be done.”

“And Bercelak chose the one dragon he could trust to make sure Eibhear gets to the Ice Lands safely. But you can’t keep trying to kill that boy with your ax. It’ll put a strain on family dinners.”

“Only with Rhiannon, since she really loves the nasty bastard. And it wasn’t me ax, it was me hammer.”

Braith laughed. “Oh. Well then.”

Addolgar hugged Braith again, resting his head on her shoulder. “Do you think the idiots—”

“Addolgar,” she softly chastised.

“Fine. Do you think our sons will keep Eibhear here for the night? You know, keep him busy?”

“I do. They love Eibhear and they’re such cheery bastards, they overlook almost everyone’s rude behavior.”

“Then let’s go to town. Spend the night at that pub there.”

Braith lifted his head from her shoulder, kissed him. Centuries and her kiss still made him as weak as one of her fists to the face.

Panting, they pressed their foreheads together and gazed at each other.

“Aye,” Braith breathlessly agreed. “Let’s go to the pub. You can have breakfast with the rest of our brats in the morning, before you leave.”

She stepped back and took his hand. They were grinning at each other when Eibhear stepped out of the cave and yelled, “Do I really have to stay here talking to these dragons?”

Addolgar was marching over there to tell the idiot boy exactly what he had to do and how to do it, but Braith, still holding his hand, pulled him back as his two eldest daughters in their human forms came out of the cave and cut in front of the boy. They blocked him and his eldest daughter raised her arm and pointed her finger, motioning back inside the cave.

“I don’t report to you,” the idiot boy snarled at her.

That’s when Addolgar’s second oldest daughter stepped into her cousin and stared him in the eye. Not even an inch shorter than the very large Eibhear, she glared at him until three more of Addolgar’s tall, powerfully built daughters came out as well . . . and surrounded the idiot boy. Without a word, they overpowered their cousin without raising a weapon or issuing a threat. Their presence alone was a threat. Understanding that, the idiot boy snarled but turned around and went back into the cave.

His daughters faced Addolgar and Braith, waved, and said together, “Hi, Daddy.”

“My beautiful daughters.”

“We’ll keep an eye on Eibhear tonight,” his eldest offered with a smile that she had clearly inherited from her mother. “If you and Mum need some time alone.”

Giggling, his daughters went back inside and Addolgar looked at his mate, grinned.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look prouder,” Braith noted.

“Because I have perfect daughters, just like their mum, and . . . sturdy, reliable sons.”

She laughed. “Sturdy and reliable? If that’s the best you can do for our sons.”

“It is. But,” he promised her, “I’m sure after several hours alone with me beautiful mate, I can come up with something much, much better.”

Pulling him toward town, Braith teased, “Well, when you give me an offer like that, Addolgar the Cheerful, I don’t see how any female with a passionate love of hammers can turn you down. . . .”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Originally from Long Island, New York Times best-selling author G.A. Aiken has resigned herself to West Coast living, which involves healthy food, mostly sunny days, and lots of guys not wearing shirts when they really should be. Writing as Shelly Laurenston, she is also the creator of the wickedly funny Pride series for Brava. For more info about G.A. Aiken’s dangerously and arrogantly sexy dragons, go to www.gaaiken.com.