“Wow, can you not tell the king of the fae dragons that?” Bridget said, putting a hand over her face. “And Cosimo is sitting right there.”
“I hate to alarm you, Bridget dear, but I have had sex before,” Cosimo replied with a smile that was too much like his son’s. All the Greatdrakes had that sly little grin designed to melt the panties off anyone it was aimed at.
“Sex or fighting is usually how it goes,” Taranis said, unperturbed by any of it. “That’s why dragons usually shift in their teens. You all are late bloomers because magic was broken for so long. Nature is healing and all that.”
Apollo chewed a cookie nervously. “So I really need to not fight with Lachlan anymore if I don’t want to shift.”
“Or you need to just fuck him and get it over with,” Quinn piped up.
Apollo spluttered in outrage, and Bridget laughed.
“He wants to know if Mpreg is a thing, Quinn, and is afraid to ask,” Bridget said because if they were going to embarrass her, she sure as hell was going to return the favor.
“What’s Mpreg?” Taranis asked.
Quinn explained, in great detail, with hand gestures, and the look on his face was so priceless that Bridget wished she had a phone on her to take a photo.
“What? No! That’s not a thing. Only women have the power to create life. It’s why you should always worship the Goddess because she is the life bringer,” Taranis said, with a shake of his head. “Look, Apollo, if you and Lachie want to have children one day, there are surrogates. Dragons have always had same-sex matings, and there have always been donors and surrogates willing to help them have a family.”
“I don’t want Lachlan Ironwood’s babies! That’s not why I was asking. I just don’t want to get pregnant by accident,” Apollo said, red-faced.
Cosimo and Valentine both rolled their eyes, and Bridget hid her smile behind her glass. No one was buying Apollo’s bullshit.
“Basset will return to his human form when he’s ready to. I don’t think he’s going to let you go tonight, Bridget, so I hope he’s comfortable to sit on,” Taranis said a short time later.
“I’ll be fine if I can grab a pillow,” Bridget replied. “I don’t want to leave him. He’s...scared.”
“A first shift is always terrifying, so I’m not surprised by that. Quinn and I will stay in one of your guest rooms tonight in case we are needed again.”
Cosimo let out a sigh of relief. “Good. I feel better knowing you are here for this. I am out of my depth, and I don’t like it when my children are in pain.”
Quinn hugged him. “It’ll be okay, Daddy G. Bas just has to be an overachiever as much as possible. I’m sure Bridget will be able to convince him back to his human self. He will want to make out with her too badly. Can’t do that as a dragon.”
“Pussy power,” Apollo nodded. “Good plan. Bound to work.”
Bridget shook her head. “Your family is out of control, Bas. You can’t leave me alone with them, or I’ll die of embarrassment.”
Bas only nuzzled her again, and she took that as agreement.
It took a bit of coaxing and some mild threats from Taranis, but Bas let Bridget go long enough for her to use the bathroom. Cosimo gave her a pillow and another blanket, and she made herself a nest in the space between Bas’s chest and the foot he held open for her.
“You better not squish me in my sleep,” she warned, curling up into a ball. Bas just stared at her with his big glowing eyes. They were alone in the darkness, and Bridget didn’t know how to help.
Pussy power,she thought and laughed softly.Like that would work.
She rested a hand on his scales. “Come back to me soon, okay? I don’t get along with anyone like I get along with you. Orgasms are great and all, Bas, but that’s not all I need you for. I’d miss talking to you too much. You’re the only one who understands me.”
Bridget’s throat hurt just saying it, but she pushed on. “I’m in love with you. You get that, right? I don’t know how to deal withthis alone, Bas. I don’t know how to process this much emotion without you here to kiss my fears away. Because this whole thing scares the shit out of me. Magic and dragons and a Brollachan awake and hunting. I need you back so I don’t freak out and run away from it all.”
Bridget wiped at her cheeks. “Look! Actual fucking tears. I don’t cry over anything, Bas. I’ve cried more in the last week than in the last decade. What the fuck. That’s not natural. Just...come back and explain it all to me.”
She curled up in her blankets, exhausted and unsure if he understood her words. He hadn’t touched her mind again, and only the dragon was staring out at her.
Bas, the dragon, must have realized she was distressed because its claws curled around her. Trying to comfort her or stop her from running away, Bridget couldn’t guess. She clutched her pillow to her and tried to focus on the warmth and gentle whooshing sound of his breath, hoping it would calm her enough to finally sleep.
Bridget wokewith a gentle rocking motion. Strong arms held her tight, and she was wrapped up in her blankets. Bas was carrying her inside, and dawn light was creeping over the horizon.
“You’re... You’re back,” she said and threw her arms around his neck. “Thank fuck, you’re back.”
