“I’m not sure, but I do have a problem with my dragon side. It makes it so I can’t cast the binding spell. That’s one effect. It also makes it so my dragon won’t alert me to my fated mate. Your dragon alerted you in its own way. That’s why you bit me. The thing is, with my dragon broken, I may never be able to be the mate you deserve. That’s not an excuse, that’s reality. Just like the thing about children. I want you to know what you’re up against.”
Commitment issues were a curse? That was a new one. She had to hand it to the man, it was creative.
“Bad news first,” Jess said, playing along. “What’s the good news?”
“The good news, from your perspective, is that the ball is in your court. I’m willing to give it a try. If it came down to it, another dragon could cast the binding spell for me. Then, you’d live as long as I do. If you want to leave, you can. I won’t stop you.”
“What about the whole saving the world thing? Are you going to help?”
Wrath sighed. “I don’t know. Probably not. I think I’d distract the ones who do show up. Sounds like he wants a team there. I’m not popular among dragons. Back to the more important matter at hand, do you want to...date?”
“You’re the only man I can ever really love?”
“Probably.”
“I guess we should try, then.”
“Don’t look so glum. The sex is good. Going out to dinner will be awkward,” he added, seeming to be thinking aloud. “I eat once every other day and it has to be a substantial amount. That and my presence has an effect on other shifters and a few humans who are sensitive to magic. Really, I prefer not to go out in public anyway. Dragons are solitary creatures. That’s why those of my people that choose to live near me stay toward the back of the property.”
“So, we can date, we just can’t go out to eat or in public in general?”
“That’s about right, yes.”
“Why does everything have to be so weird suddenly?”
“You’re dating a dragon. Why should that be normal?”
Jess rolled her eyes, but the stupid sexy grin on his face was infectious. She tried to remain firm. “Can I have my phone back? Know you took it yesterday, Mr. I Think I’m Sneaky. Maybe Mr. Drake can give me some work while I’m here. That way I can have some normalcy, at least.”
“Normalcy is boring, but yes, I’ll give you your phone. If you want to stay here, you can have my room. Dragons don’t sleep often and when we do, we like to be underground.”
“God, you’re weird. Okay.”
“You’re the one who mate marked a virtual stranger,” Wrath said. “Let she who is without strange cast the first stone. Not that I question your taste. How many human men could incinerate your enemies from the inside out?”
Jess managed not to laugh. “Creepy. Hey, if you’re so old, did you like...meet Jesus?”
“I was living in Egypt at the time. I didn’t hear about him until over a century after he died. You know, I am technically the son of a god. Kur was said to be the god of the underworld. That would make me a demigod. See how lucky you are?”
“Oh my God…”
“Demigod. Yes, pitiful human? Do you have an entreaty for me?”
Jess punched him in the arm and he feigned injury. Jess lifted her chin and showed no pity.
“Just give me my damn phone, dragon,” Jess said.
~
While Jess texted her boss, Wrath called his middle son, Maat. He didn’t like to play favorites with his boys, so he rotated which son he’d call when he needed something from all three of them.
Texting wasn’t enough. He had to hear the voice of one of his sons every so often.
“Is everything okay?” Maat asked, there was a hum of voices around him as though he was in a crowd.
“Everyone here is fine, but I had a visit from Etel. He’s rallying troops to defend the world. I won’t decide this for you. I just thought you should know the details.”
“Hold on a sec,” Maat said.
There was a click of a closing door and then the background noise was gone.
“Did I hear you correctly?” Maat asked. “The great Etel needs basilisks to help him save the world?”
Wrath explained briefly what Etel had told him about the fae from another world coming over and killing humans in Iraq and about the entry points for the other world.
“I’ll talk to the others,” Maat said. “It would be nice to have more details.”
“Etel will be coming back soon. Let me know what questions you come up with,” Wrath said. “There is one other matter I’d like your opinion on. One of a more...personal nature.”
“A woman?”
“Yes. Etel set a trap for me. A woman with dragon magic. She had no idea she was being used and it seems the trap worked. She bit me. Apparently, that’s binding between two dragons, even if she can’t shift.”
“He’s asking for our help while stirring descent among us. He’s trying to split your loyalties.”
“Maybe, but I could never be turned against my own children and I don’t plan on having any more regardless of whether I have a mate or not. I’m on your side, Maat. Always.”
“I know. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.”
“I know you didn’t. I like this woman Etel sent, but if you don’t like it…”
“Papa, stop. I didn’t mean to…” Maat sighed audibly, “What wouldn’t you give up if I asked? I mean if you thought I needed your whole hoard, you’d give it to me, right?”
“If you really needed it.”
“But you know I wouldn’t ask. None of us would. Well…maybe Seth.”
“He has, I said no. He was high, though. It doesn’t count.”
There was a noise and then Wrath could hear that Maat had taken the phone from his ear so he could laugh.
Maat
