forthright gaze on him. Jonathan looked as if he’d gone through a war. Resignation replaced disbelief on his handsome face. She saw it in the furrows in his forehead and the lines around his eyes.
“’Twill get better once ye have a wee bit of time to get used to it. Not that ye dinna know afore, but ye paid it no heed.” She gripped his hand. “No wonder ye stood up to the Morrigan.” A thought surfaced. Britta glanced at Lachlan. “Do ye suppose the battle crow knows who he is?”
Lachlan made a rude noise between a snort and a grunt. “I wouldna put it past her. Mayhap she was just as interested in him as you.”
“Rhukon seemed thrilled he’d found the two of us.” Britta recalled his words. “He said something about a bonus to boot after he gloated over finding me.”
“None of this is sounding good.” Maggie frowned. “Say, would it protect Jonathan if he, um, hooked up with you?” She focused disingenuous blue eyes on Britta. “It already seems you two like one another.”
Lachlan elbowed his mate. “Wanting to spread connubial bliss about, lass?”
She grinned. “Aw, gee. Am I so transparent?” All of them turned to her. A chorus of yesses and ayes rose just before everyone burst into laughter.
“I don’t need protection,” Jonathan sputtered once the merriment died down.
Lachlan quirked a brow. “Ye lust after Britta.”
Color stained Jonathan’s face, turning his tanned skin a bronzy gold. “Christ! Are all of you this…frank? It takes more than sex to make a lasting partnership.”
Mauvreen horned in. “How would you know? You’ve been avoiding female entanglements your entire adult life.”
Jonathan rolled his eyes. “I don’t need a resident mother. You fill the void nicely, Aunt Mauvreen.”
She cupped a hand to the side of her mouth and leaned forward conspiratorially. “I’m not really his aunt. I’m much too young.”
“Enough.” Britta waved a fist in the air for emphasis. She tugged at Jonathan’s hand, still encased in hers. “Come. Let’s go to where we can have some privacy. Tarika’s been giving me hell ever since you told us who your mother was. She wants to talk with you too.”
“What about battle strategy ?” Lachlan mimicked Jonathan’s earlier words.
“Honestly!” Maggie dragged him toward where Kheladin held court in the middle of a gaggle of witches. “You’re impossible.”
Their words faded as they walked away. “I thought ye appreciated my sense of humor.”
“I do. Where’s your sense of romance?”
He spun Maggie and closed his mouth over hers. Britta knew she was staring, but she felt the intensity of their attraction from thirty paces. “There.” Lachlan lifted his lips from Maggie’s. “Enough romance for you, lass?”
“Maybe not.” She grinned. “Do it some more.”
“They seem happy,” Jonathan murmured.
“Aye, that they do. Ready for a bit of conversation?” He nodded.
“I was just leaving.” Mauvreen slipped away.
“Looks as if everyone’s left us alone,” he noted.
“Aye, but witches and dragons have sharp ears. I’d feel better if we put a wee bit of distance betwixt us and the crowd, and warded our words.” She turned and walked toward the sound of running water at the far end of the cave. She was thirsty, plus the waterfall would be an added deterrent in case anyone wanted to listen in. They put a good fifty yards between themselves and the others in the cave. To be on the safe side, she added a bit of magic to mute their words and shield them from prying eyes.
She ducked her cupped hands into the icy pool and drank deeply. Jonathan did the same. Tarika had kept up a running commentary. The dragon liked the idea of them having a mate. “…And once we’ve bedded him, we can let Kheladin and Lachlan lead us through the new bonding ceremony.”
“Jonathan isn’t a foregone conclusion.” Britta knew her mind voice was snappish, but the dragon’s rapid about-face unbalanced
“’Twill get better once ye have a wee bit of time to get used to it. Not that ye dinna know afore, but ye paid it no heed.” She gripped his hand. “No wonder ye stood up to the Morrigan.” A thought surfaced. Britta glanced at Lachlan. “Do ye suppose the battle crow knows who he is?”
Lachlan made a rude noise between a snort and a grunt. “I wouldna put it past her. Mayhap she was just as interested in him as you.”
“Rhukon seemed thrilled he’d found the two of us.” Britta recalled his words. “He said something about a bonus to boot after he gloated over finding me.”
“None of this is sounding good.” Maggie frowned. “Say, would it protect Jonathan if he, um, hooked up with you?” She focused disingenuous blue eyes on Britta. “It already seems you two like one another.”
Lachlan elbowed his mate. “Wanting to spread connubial bliss about, lass?”
She grinned. “Aw, gee. Am I so transparent?” All of them turned to her. A chorus of yesses and ayes rose just before everyone burst into laughter.
“I don’t need protection,” Jonathan sputtered once the merriment died down.
Lachlan quirked a brow. “Ye lust after Britta.”
Color stained Jonathan’s face, turning his tanned skin a bronzy gold. “Christ! Are all of you this…frank? It takes more than sex to make a lasting partnership.”
Mauvreen horned in. “How would you know? You’ve been avoiding female entanglements your entire adult life.”
Jonathan rolled his eyes. “I don’t need a resident mother. You fill the void nicely, Aunt Mauvreen.”
She cupped a hand to the side of her mouth and leaned forward conspiratorially. “I’m not really his aunt. I’m much too young.”
“Enough.” Britta waved a fist in the air for emphasis. She tugged at Jonathan’s hand, still encased in hers. “Come. Let’s go to where we can have some privacy. Tarika’s been giving me hell ever since you told us who your mother was. She wants to talk with you too.”
“What about battle strategy ?” Lachlan mimicked Jonathan’s earlier words.
“Honestly!” Maggie dragged him toward where Kheladin held court in the middle of a gaggle of witches. “You’re impossible.”
Their words faded as they walked away. “I thought ye appreciated my sense of humor.”
“I do. Where’s your sense of romance?”
He spun Maggie and closed his mouth over hers. Britta knew she was staring, but she felt the intensity of their attraction from thirty paces. “There.” Lachlan lifted his lips from Maggie’s. “Enough romance for you, lass?”
“Maybe not.” She grinned. “Do it some more.”
“They seem happy,” Jonathan murmured.
“Aye, that they do. Ready for a bit of conversation?” He nodded.
“I was just leaving.” Mauvreen slipped away.
“Looks as if everyone’s left us alone,” he noted.
“Aye, but witches and dragons have sharp ears. I’d feel better if we put a wee bit of distance betwixt us and the crowd, and warded our words.” She turned and walked toward the sound of running water at the far end of the cave. She was thirsty, plus the waterfall would be an added deterrent in case anyone wanted to listen in. They put a good fifty yards between themselves and the others in the cave. To be on the safe side, she added a bit of magic to mute their words and shield them from prying eyes.
She ducked her cupped hands into the icy pool and drank deeply. Jonathan did the same. Tarika had kept up a running commentary. The dragon liked the idea of them having a mate. “…And once we’ve bedded him, we can let Kheladin and Lachlan lead us through the new bonding ceremony.”
“Jonathan isn’t a foregone conclusion.” Britta knew her mind voice was snappish, but the dragon’s rapid about-face unbalanced
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