naked with her hair a glorious tangled halo around her head and the sheets of the bed crumpled around her hips. He’d always loved how she looked when freshly fucked, but quashed the returning urge to make love to her yet again.
He had to talk to Racha again before he could figure out what to do. His motivation for sending Jill away seemed meaningless now, but if he had jeopardized Racha’s feelings in any way, he would never forgive himself for losing so much control. It would be a challenge to never openly mention Jill’s child, or once it was born, to pretend it was his and not Racha’s father’s. Could he even pull that off? Could he introduce another man’s offspring to his mother as her grandchild?
At least he wasn’t alone in his own uncertainty. The other members of Erika’s team and their Court lovers all had either alluded to or outright confessed that they had different agendas for wanting the Verdanith assembled. After hearing Rafe’s story, he was sure many more of the Brood probably had similar ideas. The best thing he could do was to help Racha manage things until Erika found the final piece. The first way to accomplish that was to make sure Jill was safe and comfortable.
The decision made, he finally found the calm determination he needed to move forward. This was something Racha needed him to do, and he’d grown comfortable with that pattern of action over the past six months, helping her get settled in her position as CEO of her father’s company. Doing the same for Jill should be no different, though he was still apprehensive about it. As enthusiastic as Racha had been on-screen earlier, she’d cut the feed before he could find out if he’d damaged their relationship by not following through the way he’d said he would.
“Rafe, did you speak to Racha at all after…” He struggled to find the words. After I failed to do as she asked .
“I did. She was due to speak with the Council again and gave her regrets. She said to tell you she misses you.” He stood and walked toward the open door. Partway there he turned back, as though he’d remembered something else. “Jealousy is rarely an emotion dragons feel, you know. We’re more inclined toward indifference when our feelings are hurt, which can be more damaging. Mostly we are accepting and fearless. Queens are trained to be that way, of course, but that mark of yours and the power you spent today tells me you mean more to her than you realize. It tells me Jill means just as much to you. The sooner you give yourself up to those feelings, the better off you will be.”
Rafe slipped his jacket over his shoulders, then gave Corey a salute as he walked out the door. “Good luck, friend. I have to go talk to a Guardian.”
Chapter 6
J ill stood in the bathroom with a hand mirror aimed at the back of her neck, trying to see the mark that tingled there. The blazing green glow caught the reflection and she held the mirror still, staring in wonder at the new mark that had replaced the small red medallion-shape Aris had given her over a year ago.
She’d loved the tiny magical tattoo and made a point to wear her hair up when she was with him. It had only been about the size of a silver dollar, situated just at the base of her hairline. The new mark was an almost identical pattern, but now reached all the way across to each shoulder and from her hairline down to the small, protruding knob of her vertebra between her shoulders.
How the hell had Corey done it? He wasn’t even a dragon. Everything that had happened after their last go-round was a blur. She’d struggled to process it all, but the realization that Aris’s child now resided inside her had overwhelmed every other emotion or thought. With a valiant effort of will, she had succeeded in holding her tears at bay. Partly happiness over having a part of him to hold onto, partly in grief over Corey’s sudden and unexpected rejection after everything he had said.
“Goddamn you!”
He had to talk to Racha again before he could figure out what to do. His motivation for sending Jill away seemed meaningless now, but if he had jeopardized Racha’s feelings in any way, he would never forgive himself for losing so much control. It would be a challenge to never openly mention Jill’s child, or once it was born, to pretend it was his and not Racha’s father’s. Could he even pull that off? Could he introduce another man’s offspring to his mother as her grandchild?
At least he wasn’t alone in his own uncertainty. The other members of Erika’s team and their Court lovers all had either alluded to or outright confessed that they had different agendas for wanting the Verdanith assembled. After hearing Rafe’s story, he was sure many more of the Brood probably had similar ideas. The best thing he could do was to help Racha manage things until Erika found the final piece. The first way to accomplish that was to make sure Jill was safe and comfortable.
The decision made, he finally found the calm determination he needed to move forward. This was something Racha needed him to do, and he’d grown comfortable with that pattern of action over the past six months, helping her get settled in her position as CEO of her father’s company. Doing the same for Jill should be no different, though he was still apprehensive about it. As enthusiastic as Racha had been on-screen earlier, she’d cut the feed before he could find out if he’d damaged their relationship by not following through the way he’d said he would.
“Rafe, did you speak to Racha at all after…” He struggled to find the words. After I failed to do as she asked .
“I did. She was due to speak with the Council again and gave her regrets. She said to tell you she misses you.” He stood and walked toward the open door. Partway there he turned back, as though he’d remembered something else. “Jealousy is rarely an emotion dragons feel, you know. We’re more inclined toward indifference when our feelings are hurt, which can be more damaging. Mostly we are accepting and fearless. Queens are trained to be that way, of course, but that mark of yours and the power you spent today tells me you mean more to her than you realize. It tells me Jill means just as much to you. The sooner you give yourself up to those feelings, the better off you will be.”
Rafe slipped his jacket over his shoulders, then gave Corey a salute as he walked out the door. “Good luck, friend. I have to go talk to a Guardian.”
Chapter 6
J ill stood in the bathroom with a hand mirror aimed at the back of her neck, trying to see the mark that tingled there. The blazing green glow caught the reflection and she held the mirror still, staring in wonder at the new mark that had replaced the small red medallion-shape Aris had given her over a year ago.
She’d loved the tiny magical tattoo and made a point to wear her hair up when she was with him. It had only been about the size of a silver dollar, situated just at the base of her hairline. The new mark was an almost identical pattern, but now reached all the way across to each shoulder and from her hairline down to the small, protruding knob of her vertebra between her shoulders.
How the hell had Corey done it? He wasn’t even a dragon. Everything that had happened after their last go-round was a blur. She’d struggled to process it all, but the realization that Aris’s child now resided inside her had overwhelmed every other emotion or thought. With a valiant effort of will, she had succeeded in holding her tears at bay. Partly happiness over having a part of him to hold onto, partly in grief over Corey’s sudden and unexpected rejection after everything he had said.
“Goddamn you!”
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