“I felt how much you liked power-play with Reginald the other day. You should try it with me sometime.”
“Ok.” It was stupid, but it was the only thing Layla could say right now, deliciously obliterated. She was entirely wet as the last of Adrian’s etheric barbs brushed her then slid away, giving her one more delicious shudder.
“Are you angry that I’ve been with both of them before you?” Layla breathed hard, clutched close to Adrian’s chest and loving the way he held her.
“I am.” He murmured at her temple, his strong fingers stroking her back. “I was a roaring flame of jealousy when you had sex with Dusk before me. But when you fucked Reginald in that sudden heat of passion, I finally knew.”
“Knew what?” Layla asked breathlessly, feeling smaller versions of Adrian’s barbs sliding over the bare skin of her back with his deft touch.
“That tormenting you is far more fun.” He spoke by her ear, low and sexy. “That making you want me with a roaring inferno from my every glance, my every glide of fingertips across your skin is more satisfying than a furious, sudden copulation. That making you wait for me, not knowing when I’ll come to you, waiting with bated breath for my touch, is the darkest bliss. And when we are together at last… it will be you who is bound, desperate for my pleasure as you scream my name to the high desert winds.When the world pushes you to your knees, you’re in the perfect position to pray.”
Adrian’s sexy, intense words and final Rumi quote shattered Layla to her core, making her shudder deeply in his arms. Reginald was a seducer, but he was also broken in ways that needed mending. Adrian wasn’t broken. Adrian had been through hell numerous times but had come out stronger for it each time, not shying away from everything that he was. He was still taking the world by storm each and every day, adjusting to the shifts and slides and dangers in the monumental game of power they all played.
Adrian knew he was still learning the full force of his magics, and he embraced it. Sifting through his powers like cards in the world’s highest-stakes poker match, he was still finding the ones that would smite his enemies and bind his friends closer, everyday.
And make his mate want him – deeper.
As she pulled back, Layla saw that immense game shining in Adrian’s golden-aqua eyes. She saw his vast pleasure in playing it, in making her ache for him, pine for him – lust for him. She saw how much he loved the game of power and seduction, of pent-up frustration and release.
And she also saw, that no one had the ability to play like he did.
“Are you ready to go down to the Owner’s Ball, Ms. Layla Price, Royal Dragon Bind and Drakaina of my heart?” Adrian growled seductively, his piercing aqua eyes flashing sexy murder.
“Absolutely.” Layla breathed, a deep passion shaking her to her core as she took his arm.
“Then let’s do it.” He growled again with a devious chuckle, turning them towards her apartment doors.
And feeling Adrian’s hand as it slid hot over hers, trapping her to his arm, Layla suddenly knew that like her frustration with being celibate this past month, her withheld release with Adrian only strengthened their Bind. Like Reginald had been doing with Layla, making her need consummation desperately yet denying it, Adrian and Layla had been unconsciously doing to each other this entire time – raising the power of their unconsummated Bind to the screaming point. As she and Adrian stepped from her apartment, Layla felt an enormous aura spread from the both of them like muscled coils, as if they fed each other’s energy like a wheel of fire, devouring their enemies as they came forth to battle.
And as they entered the Grand Ballroom on the first floor of the Hotel in a sweep of elegance, Layla knew they came with power – together at last.
CHAPTER 27 – BIND
Heads turned as the Royal Dragon and his Bind entered the game. The chamber orchestra in the Grand Ballroom faltered, and Layla saw from the corner of her eyes the coils of gold, aqua, and crimson flame writhing out from her and Adrian as they faced the long mirrored hall. Owners stared, forgetting their conversations and their drinks as they watched the power couple take center stage, moving gracefully forward over the parquet floor of the ballroom. Gold and aqua flames were reflected in every French Baroque mirror along every wall, simmering crimson as they licked up the marble columns.
It was already impressive, but suddenly, Dusk stepped to Adrian’s side, formidable in a midnight blue tux with pearl-white silk lapels, and Layla felt their trio’s combined power explode like an inferno. Like someone had taken Layla and Adrian’s muscled heat and thrust all the power of the earth behind it, it made their combined magics surge up the columns to the vaulted crystal roof far above, spiked now with deadly crystal shards glittering in the air.
And then, from the other side, Reginald stepped up to Layla. Dressed in a modern royal blue tux with black silk lapels, he gave a haughty glower to the room and a lift of one golden eyebrow, dressed as a part of their Bind by the clever Head Clothier. As he took up a position at Layla’s side like the world sexiest, darkest warrior, she felt their quadrupled magics roar. A giant beast surged out from them, screaming a vicious note; and Layla felt that creature of fire, wind, earth, and sea flare wings wide through the ballroom. Silvered mirrors shuddered. Champagne flutes shattered from the stress. High above, every chandelier in the hall rattled and Layla inhaled, hoping none of them would come crashing down.
None did.
But the illusion of their smallness shattered in that moment. Once, Layla had not been able to manage the roaring intensity of the Red Letter Hotel Owners and their vicious magic, but now it felt like nothing as the Owners stared at the foursome, astonishment and dark hatred seething in their eyes as magic heaved out all around them. As Layla’s group stepped forward to mingle through the party, she remained on Adrian’s arm, no longer needing Reginald’s touch to prevent her Dragon from flaring – and no longer troubled by the vicious sensations she felt stabbing at them from all around.
They were inconsequential now.
Because now, Layla had control over her Dragon – at last.
Conversation began again as Adrian took them into the crowd, nodding politely and playing a game of dangerous small-talk with Owners who were friendly and others who were downright hostile at this new level of magic. Drinking in his scent, Layla soaked up the heat of Adrian’s hand on hers, feeling magic breathe between them like a roaring bonfire of muscles and fangs and talons. It was incredible. Never in her life had she felt such enormous, grounded power, and she felt herself drinking it in like the finest wine upon her tongue, reveling in it.
All around, Owners reacted to Layla and her Bound Royal Dragons, many throwing up shields against their magic, slamming them up as if they were afraid of that combined Dragon-power. A Satyr with corkscrewing ram’s-horns did this, throwing up an ephemeral screen around himself like vines. A Lamia snake-woman with scales at her temples did also, throwing up a shield of venomous fangs bared in warning. While some Owners came from old-money families, others had clearly fought their way into Hotel Ownership with magic, enormous signatures of power cascading out from them. Layla became aware that both kinds of Owners hated Adrian with a passion as they bristled at him and his Bound group.
But no one hated the young renegade with new money and newer power as much as the person related by blood to their Bind. Regal in a white tux jacket and bowtie, Bastien Durant’s pale eyes with their ring of blue were vicious upon the foursome as he stepped in, sipping a dry martini. “A pretty display. Was it supposed to be intimidating?”
“No.” Layla spoke coldly before Adrian or Reginald could say anything. “It was meant to make you shit your pants, Bastien Durant. No more games this time, asshole. Try to roll me with your tides again and see how fast you sink, dick.”
“And do you think you’re more powerful than me, Dragon Bind?” Bastien Durant chuckled, though fury flashed through his pale gaze as it pinned Layla. “You and your bound toys?”
“Just try playing with us.” Layla snarled, heat rising in a simmering mirage around her now. “And watch how far we ram our magic right up your ass.”
