“Ancient?” She circled back around to face him, and her cheeks glowed with a soft pink blush. Her breasts rose and fell as she breathedfaster.
“Yes. I wish to tell you what I am.” He should not be nervous or frightened, but he was. What if she wanted him no longer? After six months of secret courting, he could not stand the thought of being turned away, not when his dragon had decided she wasworthy.
“What you are…” she said, echoing the words. “My dear Lord Barinov, I believe we should have a drink before we discuss our darksecrets.”
“A drink?” He watched in surprise as she brought him a goblet and took one of herown.
“’Tis mulled wine. I believe you’ll find it to your liking.” She took a sip of her glass, and he did the same. The wine was sweet with spices on his tongue, and he drank itgreedily.
“You are what we believed long dead, aren’t you?” sheasked.
Mikhail took another sip of his wine, wondering how best toanswer.
“I am a dragon shifter. I have lived upon this earth for more than a thousand years. I am fully man and fully beast.” He waited, watching, hoping his announcement wouldn’t scareher.
“Two beings in one divine body.” She ran her hand over his chest again, a coy smile on her lips. “The church would have you burned at the stake if they were to discover suchheresy.”
Mikhail chuckled. “I do not fear fire. It obeys my will.” He raised his hand and gestured to the nearest candle on the table closest to them. The flame winkedout.
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “Suchpower…”
“And it is yours, my queen. As my mate, you would have the might of my people at your disposal.” He held his breath, afraid to tell her that if she became his mate, it would shorten his lifespan, but love was worth that sort ofsacrifice.
“Is it true that dragons hoard jewels?” she asked suddenly, mischief glinting her eyes. She was breathing faster now, her breasts pressing tight against her corset, making it hard for him to think of anything but taking her to bed. He gulped down more wine, pleased that he was winning her over soeasily.
“We love all things that glint and shine, my queen, whether they be jewels or the eyes of a pretty woman.” He grinned at her, feeling strangely relaxed andconfident.
She set her glass down and then moved to the doorway that led to her bedchamber. She leaned against the doorjamb, her gown trailing behind her, the tiny diamonds on her sleeves winking athim.
“I believe we should find a much more suitable place to whisper our secrets.” And then she vanished into the darkness. Mikhail followed, his steps a tad heavy and his preternatural senses strangely dulled. By the time he reached the large canopy bed, he felt weak as a drakeling. Was this how it felt to claim one’s mate? To feel weak and giddy like a mortal man drunk onmead?
“Mikhail,” Elizabeth crooned as he collapsed onto the bed, his brain fuzzy. She leaned over him, and the distant candles from the table by the bed lit herface.
“My queen,” he sighed dreamily, wishing that he could lift his arms to pull her down for a kiss. Why was he so tired? It wasn’t likehim.
“Where is your hoard of jewels, my love? I wish for you to share them withme.”
“Secret. Safe,” he said, his voice slurring alittle.
She feathered her lips over his, and he thought he would die with how wonderful it felt. “Tell me.” She tortured him with her sweetness. He wished he had the strength to grab her and pull her beneath him, but he could barelymove.
“Mikhail, you must tell me where the jewels are, the ones you are taking from the Belishawfamily.”
He frowned, confused. “You know about theBelishaws?”
“I am the queen. It is my duty to know everything,” she said, her voice slightly cold. “Those jewels were my father’s, not theirs, yet they took them from him.” She dug her nails into his shoulders. “Now,tell me!” Her tone was more insistent, and he found he couldn’t fightanymore.
A distant flash of alarm came too late for him because he was alreadyspeaking.
“Buried beneath a copse of trees close to St. Giles in the Fields.” His head fell back onto the feather tick mattress, and he could feel his body betraying him with itsweakness.
“Thank you, my love. You have given me a dragon’s hoard of jewels. Sleep now, because when you wake, I fear you shall be most angry with me.” Elizabeth pressed her lips to his, and the kiss wasbittersweet.
“But…you are my true mate. Why would you betrayme?”
“True mate?” she scoffed. “As if I could ever love one such asyou.”
His eyeswidened.
