"You come at last."

His voice was chilly, but at least he was still speaking to me.

"I'm sorry it's so late, but Nora and I felt we had to warn all the Guardians present to be careful." I slid a little closer to his warmth, unsure of whether he wanted me to comfort him, or if he wanted to be left alone. I fervently hoped it was the former, because just the scent of him was making secret parts of me grow damp with desire. "Drake, about this afternoon—I can't begin to tell you how sorry—"

"No," he said, rolling over on top of me, his body hard and aggressive, his mouth stripping the words from my lips. "We will not speak of this tonight. This night belongs to us only, no one else."

Who was I to complain? I slid my hands down his back, kissing him with just as much passion as he was sharing with me. His fire leaped between us, and I almost laughed with the joy of it. This time it was my fingers that trailed fire as I gently scored his back, sucking his tongue when it got bossy with mine. He growled a low, deep growl from the depths of his chest, the sound of which simultaneously raised goose bumps on my flesh and fanned the flames of the fire within me. Without further ado, Drake kneed my restless legs aside, settling himself between my thighs, his mouth a hot brand on mine. I screamed a scream of absolute ecstasy into his mouth as he thrust into me, hard and deep, my breath stripped not only by the fire he breathed into me but also by the feel of him so deeply embedded in me.

Mindless to everything but the pleasure he built within me, I wrapped my legs around his hips and gave him everything I had, matching each one of his thrusts, claiming his breath as he claimed mine, my fingers digging into the heavy muscle of his behind in an attempt to pull him closer, deeper, hotter until my body went up in a blaze of rapture that set even my soul afire as I gave myself to the power of our joining. I shouted Drake's name into his mouth, his eyes glittering so brightly with heat and desire they glowed in the darkness of his room. His hips lunged forward, pistoning his body into mine, the strength of his force so great it triggered another orgasm. It swept over me just as he arched backwards, his weight braced on his hands, his beautiful chest slick with sweat, and just as he climaxed, his body changed, shifted, and for a breathless moment I beheld the long line of glittering green and yellow scales stretched across a muscular, decidedly not-human chest. Heat blossomed deep within me as he came, filling me with his passion and fire combined, searing the little bit of me that wasn't already alight.

He collapsed onto me, his body warm and wet and human, and I knew at that moment that we truly were bound together. It was more than just a physical attraction, more than an emotional engagement. Our souls were bound together, tied by something I didn't understand, nor was I sure I wanted to.

I nuzzled his damp neck, my hands resting on the heaving planes of his back as he struggled for breath, A deep longing came over me, a wish that we could stay just as we were at that moment, safe, protected, just the two of us with no outside connections, no commitments and responsibilities and demands on our time.

But we did have responsibilities and commitments, both of us, ones that no amount of wishing would make go away. While I lay there holding Drake in my arms, his body still joined intimately to mine, the heavy warmth of him a welcome weight, the familiar little niggle in the back of my mind obligingly trotted to the fore and let me take a good long look at it.

I was so startled that I almost shouted aloud.

Drake dragged his head from my shoulder, shifting slightly to roll onto one elbow in order to peer backwards.

Light from where the door was aflame flickered along the beautiful, sleek muscles of his arms and chest.

I touched his cheek. He looked back at me, his eyes still glowing, bathing me in a sea of emerald.

"Life is going to get easier from here on out," I promised him. "I have a plan, two of them, actually, and you know, I think they might just work."

Chapter 26

Jim and I walked into the suite the following day to find two workmen removing the blackened door to Drake's bedroom.

I avoided looking at it, just as I ignored the smirk on Istvan's face when he saw me blush. So I had dragon fire control issues! Was that any reason to grin like a baboon? "Where's Drake? I thought he wanted to see me?"

"He is with wyverns. He tries to talk to them again. He is angry at you."

"So what else is new?" Jim asked sotto voce, only not nearly sotto enough. I flicked my finger against its head. "Ow! That's demon abuse!"

"When is he supposed to be back? And I don't know why he's angry. All I did was tell the other wyverns I would resign the post of mate if they would reconsider canceling the negotiations. They all seemed to think it was a good idea, although that rat Fiat said it didn't change anything. But if Chuan Ren and Gabriel swing over to Drake's side, it won't matter."

Istvan shook his head. "You do not know our ways. Drake would never allow."

"He's not going to have a choice in the matter. I know how much peace means to him, to all of you. If the problem holding everything back is me being his mate, then I will tender my resignation and that will be the end of it." I glanced at the clock on the end table. It was getting late. Due to the fact that I hadn't gotten to bed until a little after three in morning, I'd slept in until almost noon. Now it was a little after two, and although I had walked Jim and spoken briefly to each of the three wyverns, I still had to find Nora. Time was quickly running out. I had less than twelve hours to find a murderer. "Shoot, I have to go. If Drake comes back, tell him I'll be back this afternoon."

"Where you are going?" Istvan asked, his face pulled into a familiar scowl. "Drake will not like you leaving."

"I'm going to find Nora and ask her a couple of questions, then I'm off to buy a few supplies for tonight. Tell Drake I'll be back soon."

"Kiss, kiss," Jim said to Istvan, following me out the door.

"Why do you do that?" I asked as we got into the elevator. "You know Istvan is not happy with you any more than he is with me. Baiting him is one way to ensure he's never going to give you fresh water or take you out for a walk if I'm busy."

"I know," Jim sighed, a faux look of sadness on its hairy face. "But a demon has to have some fun, and you won't let me blight anyone, so tormenting Istvan is pretty much all that's left to me."