We walked away in silence, returning to the remains of Nora’s destroyed home, Nora breathing easier with each step we took, while I pondered who could possibly be behind the attack. We arrived to find Drake storming around shouting for me.

“Where have you been?” he snarled, marching up to me. “I distinctly remember telling you to stay here—”

“I’ll tell you about it later,” I said in a soft voice, watching Nora carefully. She flashed a smile to Pal, who hurried around to take Paco’s carrier from her and help her into the car.

“I wish to be told now. I dislike being made to wait,” Drake said crossly.

“You first. Did you find the shooter?”

“No.” Irritation made his eyes bright green. I bit back a smile and the urge to kiss the tip of his nose. “We were unable to find him. Now, where have you been, and why did you leave when I told you to stay?”

I sighed, climbing into the car to sit between Nora and Drake. Even though I didn’t believe Drake and I were ready to shack up, we needed a home, and if he really had changed his mind about supporting me in my Guardian training, then perhaps there was a future for us after all.

Maybe.

“We followed the trail of the person who shot at me, but when we got to the house the person was in, Nora said it was too dangerous to go in ourselves, so we came back. Happy?”

“No. I will investigate this house you found and determine if the person in it is a threat. You should not have gone without me to protect you. I do not like you rushing off in such a heedless manner.”

“Well, tough. Just so you know”—I leaned over and spoke quietly next to his ear, telling my body to stop its celebrations that we were pressed so closely together.

“until we’ve had time to work out several things, I want my own room.”

His eyes burned with answering heat. “Kincsem.”

“What?”

He nodded toward my lap. My purse was on fire. I slapped out the flames, shooting him a little annoyed glance. He just smiled. My body threatened to melt under the effect of that smile.

This was going to be a long, long day.

10

“Now, this is what I call living. Wooo! Drinking fountain!”

I glanced into the elaborate bathroom as I passed the door. Jim stood with one furry paw on a handle. “Stop playing in the bidet. This is not our room.”

“Drake said we could have it,” Jim said, examining itself in the shiny gold faucet attached to a sunken marble bath. “Why can’t we take it?”

“Let’s just say I have issues with one of the fixtures in the room.” I closed the door on Jim’s bathroom ecstasy and crossed my arms to look at the fixture in question, lying with negligent grace on the biggest bed I’d ever seen.

“You don’t like the room?”

I looked around it. “It’s . . . big. Very big. This room alone is bigger than my entire apartment. And it’s . .. old. I’m assuming these are very antique antiques?”

Drake propped himself up on one elbow and glanced around the room. “Yes. This was my mother’s house for many years. She eventually tired of it and gave it to me. I haven’t bothered redecorating because I’m in London so little. But now that you’re here, and given your situation”— he paused to look meaningfully at my stomach—”perhaps you’d care to put your own mark on the house. You may redecorate to suit your taste.”

I defy any woman to resist those sorts of words. I was speechless for a few moments, weighing my need for independence against the mouth-wateringly delicious thought of having carte blanche to redo a five-bedroom London house. I compromised with, “That’s a thought. If we get things resolved between us so I know there’s a future here, then I would be delighted to take charge of a bit of redecoration.”

His hand stroked the embroidered bedspread. My entire body tightened at the sight of Drake on a bed, his long fingers moving rhythmically over the material. “You desire to speak to me about our relationship. I am amenable and willing to discuss the situation now.”

I opened my mouth to tell Drake where he could stick his gracious permission but decided this was as good a time as any to get a few things worked out. I settled myself in an uncomfortable wingback chair next to an ornate marble table. “Very well. You mentioned negotiating earlier. Well, I have a few conditions to make if we are going to have a life together.”

“Name your terms,” he said, lolling back on a huge mound of silken pillows.

I spent a few minutes fighting with my body, which wanted to fling itself on the bed and have its wicked way with him. Several times. “First of all, there is the issue of my Guardian training.”

He waved that away. “I told you I had changed my mind on that subject. I would prefer you to devote yourself solely to the sept, but I understand now that you would be extremely unhappy if I forced that upon you.”

“Extremely unhappy doesn’t even begin to touch it,” I answered, ignoring his reference to forcing me to do anything. “Since that’s a moot point, I’ll simply say that I will require your help and full support to achieve my goals of Guardian education.”

He was silent for a moment, then inclined his head. “You will have it.”

“Oh, no; I’m not going to be caught on technicalities again. Say the words, Drake.”

“I will support fully your wish to become a Guardian, including your training.” Desire flared to life in his eyes. A little smile flickered across his lips. It took me a couple of moments to remember what it was we were talking about.

“Thank you,” I said. “Next we have the issue of you telling me what to do all the time. I want autonomy.”

A little frown pinched between his eyes. “That is not allowable.”

“Hang on, I’m not talking about bailing on you. I will continue to support you and the sept. I will fulfill all the duties of a wyvern’s mate. When it comes to things dragonish, I will follow your orders. But everything else in my life is opinion only.”

His frown didn’t lessen.

I sighed. “Look, Drake, I’m a big girl. I have a mind of my own. You’re more than a little bossy. I welcome advice, and I don’t mind you offering your opinion, but if we are going to live together in relative peace, you have to give me some room to be myself.”