“I need to get back to it—please. Goddess.”
“Oh, you don’t have to wait for me, Evie. You’re a dragon. You have enough magic to get back even without becoming a Goddess.”
“Right. Cool. I should get on with that.” But when I reached for the idea like I did my shift, it was there, tumbling into my body, which indeed was beneath Ward. He wasn’t doing anything fun with his cock, however. Instead, tears were streaming down his face as he pumped my rib cage, casting spells directly into my heart. It didn’t feel fantastic, but as soon as I opened my eyes, he scooped me into his arms, crushing me against him.
“I thought I lost you. What would I do without you, viper?”
“You’ll never find out, teddy bear.” I went to nestle in the crook of his neck and found a thick, black metal collar in my way. The lights that blinked back at me made me see red.
“He’ll be safe, Goddess, if you do as I tell you,” Brad interrupted. He stood just outside the closet, the chain attached to Ward’s collar in his hand.
That bastard planned for me to absorb the heart the whole time. A powerful shifter and mage weren’t enough?
“Ward. You shouldn’t have. You can’t give your life to him.”
He wiped away his tears in my hair and kissed my cheeks. “I would do anything to protect you from harm. Anything.”
I hugged him. My love for him and anger at Brad warred with each other. “I know you would, Ward. I’ll never be afraid of you again.”
He took my face in his large hands. “You do?”
I nodded ‘yes’.
He kissed me soundly. “Thank you, viper. I will never betray your trust.”
Ward wouldn’t. Whether or not I wore his mark. I reached into that same well that put me back in my body and crushed the collar in my hand.
Ward looked at me in awe.How?
No one puts a collar on my teddy bear. Stand up slowly and give me cover. Then you’re going to throw me directly at him.
Ward vibrated underneath me.The hells I will.
“We’ll come out, Brad. Just don’t hurt him,” I called to Brad.
The donkey fart started monologuing again. I tuned it out, grabbing Ward's face to really look at him.
Mine, my mind supplied and my dragon agreed with that simple word. Ward was right all along. It felt like home. He wouldn’t walk away or rear back in horror, or change his mind. Nothing in my life had prepared me for this to be the thing I needed, but we were bound. Whether you wanted to call it Fate or a Mate Bond or the Goddess' will. Denying it was useless for both of us, especially when I almost lost my mind seeing that collar on him.
I think that meant I loved him. I was sure I loved him. There was a lot worse out there than an orgasm-dishing King, teddy bear.
Make sure you grab the crystal heart. I’m supposed to be its keeper now.
“You’ll find me a reasonable business partner. We’ll get so much more accomplished with a Goddess,” Brad said in the bored tone I was coming to hate.
I love you, Ward.
I love you, too, Evie.Ward stood slowly and turned.
“Sorry, Brad, your business offer has been declined,” I said.
Before Brad saw the broken collar, I flew through the air. The shift came as easy as stepping through a door.
“Dragon!” Brad screamed, his eyes rolling around in his head.
I gathered the light within me, blasting Brad through and through.
“Missed me!” he called, when he was still standing from the assault.
