"Fair. Come on, I want to introduce you to Taranis," Quinn said, pulling her down another pathway. They came to the garden that Marcella had stood in the first night she had dinner with the family.
A table had been set up, and music was playing through the open kitchen windows. Maria sat talking with a giant of a man with a black and silver braid and pointed ears.
"Hurray! The hot witch is here at last!" Maria called with a big wave. "Maybe my brother will stop being so grumpy now."
"We can only hope," Taranis said, rising to his feet and moving to greet them.
Marcella's breath caught as the aura of his power reached her. He moved with effortless grace despite his size, his dark red eyes warming as they looked her over.
"You are lovelier than I imagined. I now see why Cosimo is so besotted," Taranis greeted with a slight incline of his head. "It's wonderful to see him so smitten."
"Isn't she a knockout? Cosimo is doomed," Quinn said, letting Marcella go so she could bounce over to her mate and throw her arms around his waist.
"Cosimo is very smart," Taranis replied, smiling at Marcella. "How is your magic feeling? The kids told me that it's new for you not to be shielding it."
They fell into an easy conversation and were soon joined by the rest of the Greatdrakes. They carried out flatware and food and showered cheek kisses on Marcella.
Cosimo appeared at her side and handed her a glass of wine. "Overwhelmed yet?"
"Not yet, but this is going to help," she replied and touched her glass to his.
"They are only getting started. Taranis is trying to make sure Maria doesn't turn into a dragon unexpectedly. She's very excited by the prospect," Cosimo commented, looking in his sister's direction. Maria was talking animatedly with Reeve while he turned paper napkins into small dancing creatures for her. "She is thrilled that she has so many people to talk to about magic."
"How are you feeling about it all?" Marcella asked.
Cosimo's smile said it all. "Good. She always struggled to find people who got along with her and weren't intimidated by her. How are you after your day off?"
"I looked over my research again, and there's still something niggling at me about Da Vinci that I can't put my finger on," she replied with a frown.
"So you didn't have a day off at all? Why am I not surprised?" he said with a laugh.
The garden lit up with tiny lights as the sun went down, and Valentine went about lighting tall torches. The mood was easy and happy, and Marcella's shoulders finally lost the tension that had been in them all day.
After dinner, she found herself swaying slightly to the music, the wine buzzing through her veins. Cosimo took her empty glass from her and drew her into his arms.
"What are you up to?" she asked with a soft laugh.
"You want to dance, so we are dancing," Cosimo replied, and they began to sway together. They were soon joined on their dance floor by Valentine, Yelena, Apollo, and Lachlan.
"You know, your whole family is completely charming," Marcella commented, staring up at Cosimo. "Nosey but charming."
"I warned them to be on their best behavior, so this is tame. You wait until you come to a party with the fae at Kian's castle. They don't need an excuse to throw one either," he replied, his hand on her waist, drawing her closer.
"You had best invite me to the next one so I can see if for myself," Marcella commented, her hands going up around his neck.
"If I get my way, you will be at all of them from now on." Cosimo's eyes glowed in the soft light, and she couldn't look away. "Come home with me to Ireland. We need to find your grimoires, and I want you to stay with me. If you want your own room, you will have it. If you want a study, you will have it. Just tell me what you want, and I'll make it happen. It's not just about the grimoires. I just want you with me."
Marcella swallowed the lump in her throat. "Why?"
"Don't you know?" Cosimo moved so his lips brushed the top of her ear. "I'm absolutely crazy about you. We can go as slow or as fast as you'd like with this. That hasn't changed. I don't expect anything of you, or for you to feel the same way yet. I still want you to come and stay with us, with no other strings attached. My dragon wants you close, and so do I."
Marcella drew up her courage and admitted, "I want to be close to you too. It hurt to stay away all day today even though I knew I needed the space. This isn't normal, is it? This level of want?"
"It is for dragons. It's like something flips in our head, and it doesn't matter how long we have known someone," Cosimoreplied. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "It's why I keep insisting that we move at your pace and not mine. We are intense creatures. You are human, and I have to respect that."
Marcella smiled against his shoulder. This man seemed to be completely clueless about how much she wanted him.
"What are our chances of sneaking out of here?" she asked.
