Though the temptation to get into a fight with Etel was real, it would only keep Etel at his house longer. Wrath knew Etel’s presence had his people on edge. He decided to let the argument die for the moment.
Wrath took a drink of scotch and let it relax him. He leaned back fully in his chair and asked, “What does Kur have to say about all this?”
“Father isn’t well. He doesn’t take care of himself. He stayed awake for a solid millennium. He wanted to stay up longer to see Kurt grow up, but he was barely lucid. He slept for two centuries. About a year ago, he started to turn to stone. I would have let him, frankly, if we didn’t need him. From what I gathered from the fae, the fae from the other world was unfamiliar with humans. That means they may all be enchanted…”
“They’re stronger than those of us with human blood,” Wrath said.
“Right, but your magic has matured. I’m not sure Kur can be any help. He’s been awake for months and he still thinks basilisks are our biggest threat. Your fire is as hot as anything Kur could make. Same with Alal’s ice.
“Together with some other elder first-generation dragons, you should be as powerful as Kur,” Etel continued. “You can help guard the gateway in Guarida Del Lobo, Texas. Of the four possible entry points, that’s the one the fae can’t cover. There’s magic there that dampens their powers but might give you an advantage over any fae who come through. There’s a second-generation dragon already there along with some dryads and an assortment of shifters. The gate there isn’t active right now, but the power there is growing by the day.”
Jess finally spoke up. “You said something earlier about why Wrath needed a mate and that’s why you told Mr. Drake to send me. If Wrath were to have a mate, what could she do to help?”
She might not have heard or understood what Etel said about dragons becoming mates with a bite. It was that or she was just being careful about what she said.
“Let me be very clear,” Etel said, “you couldn’t be on the front line even if you become a dragon. You’re too young and your dragon blood is so diluted it’s homeopathic. You’d have some of Ezzu’s life force, but that doesn’t equate to the force of his magic. Still, if you become a dragon, you can be a last line of defense for humans and other shifters. Most importantly, we’ve found that bonded dragons heal faster. It’s because their life force is split. Not all of it is in the wounded body so it can sort of...come to the rescue from a healthy body. If something happened to you, however, it would render Ezzu, or Wrath, useless. All the more reason for you to stay away from the action. Do you understand?”
“I’m human, not slow,” Jess said, making Wrath smile. “So, you want us to be bonded?”
“You already are to an extent. I can see it. He just needs to complete the binding spell,” Etel said.
Fuck.
“What do you mean we’re bonded already?” Jess asked.
Wrath didn’t want to hear the answer he already knew, but he had no choice.
“One of you bit the other. That’s how these things happen,” Etel said.
Jess was stunned into silence, thank Anu. Wrath needed to focus on the problem at hand. Would he agree to help Etel or not?
Etel was many things, but he wasn’t a liar. Wrath had no doubt that he was truthful, even if he might be withholding some information. That left him with a decision. Would he help guard the planet from beings that would turn the world upside down?
A lot of assumptions were being made based on the appearance of one alien fae. Anything else that came from the other world would have to be questioned. Their motives would need to be ascertained, but he knew the native enchanteds should be prepared for the worst.
Wrath wasn’t convinced he would be any help. How would he work with dragons he’d warred against? How could he convince his sons that the basilisks should do the same? Wouldn’t the infighting among the protectors reduce their ability to do their jobs?
Thing was, Etel knew all of that. Wrath was likely a liability. Etel had to have another motive for coming to Wrath, but there was no way Etel would confess until he had to. Wrath would have to be patient and wait for the other shoe to drop.
“I’ll need time to think this through,” Wrath said. “I’ll call my sons. They’re scattered at the moment, but I trust them to make the decision as far as basilisks are concerned. As for me, I’ll back my people up, but I think you need to find another firedrake.”
Chapter 14
Jess had awoken that morning to an empty bed. That was strike one. Strike two was that the person who caused her to be held against her will had shown up and Wrath didn’t think to wake her up. Granted, she was already awake, but it would have been nice for him to include her.
Strike three was when he visibly flinched at the idea of bonding with her. Bonding sounded like a loaded word, but in context she thought it was something like marriage. No, she didn’t think they should run off and get married, but she wasn’t going to get sick over the idea of it. She was convinced their night of passion meant something. Maybe she was naïve, but it felt like more than meaningless sex.
They’d talked for a while afterward and that felt as intimate as the more physical things they’d done. She was getting to know him, and she knew he was beginning to trust her. It felt
