And the race was on.
I pulled Javon below the great flying beast to avoid its flapping air currents that wanted to toss us off course, and then I hunkered down and enjoyed the crazy ride for a few minutes.
Anytime you can find a single moment of peace? I have learned you seize it without remorse.
Never be ashamed of smiling. You never know when you’ll be able to again.
Javon’s blood-red hooves touched down a single second before the dragon’s feet rattled the ground beneath us, with the gorgon king, surprisingly, landing a mere moment later. I nodded approvingly at the prick and stated clearly, “I didn’t know you had that in you, King Elon.”
He eyed me in a bored manner. “And you still don’t know what I can do.”
Those words made me pause for all of a moment, wondering if the bastard had let me win. Because, perhaps, he had. That was the difficulty with the man. He was old as fuck, and even more devious—without his power rivaling my own. This bastard would always be a thorn in my side as long as he remained breathing.
Although, bizarrely enough, I did respect the fucker for how he ruled his people. He managed to keep all the snakes from slithering away to places they shouldn’t be.
I would never tell him that, though.
With the straps removed, I jumped down from Javon’s back and petted his flank, ordering quietly, “You stay here while I trudge inside the creepy dragon hidey-hole.”
Javon bumped his head softly against mine, his own way of showing that he thought I was ridiculous.
“It isn’t creepy, asshole,” a deep voice growled from my left. “If our home bothers your gentle sensibilities, feel free to leave.”
I jerked around to the dragon, who had obviously shifted. But I stopped solid in my tracks. I blinked slowly and mumbled, “Why in the Fae fuck are you naked, man? I don’t need to see your dick waving around.”
The dragon peered at me with an unamused expression. “Unlike your shifters in this realm, we are full-blooded Fae. We must remove our clothes before shifting or risk ruining our attire.”
King Elon slid down from his Fae-gift, mumbling happily, “I certainly don’t mind the view. You may stay naked if it makes you feel more comfortable.”
“Bloody Fairy.” I dropped my head back and stared at the sky, politely keeping my regard off the dick and balls dangling in the breeze. “King Elon, I know what I’m about to say is utterly peculiar. But anytime I see you flirt with someone, it just…” I waved a hand in the air flagrantly. “Turns my stomach in the most unpleasant ways. Please refrain from doing it again in my presence.”
The dragon ignored me and purred with interest, “So you swing my way, stone man?”
“I swing every which way,” King Elon hissed quietly—while I groaned and attempted not to lose my breakfast on the snow. He sniffed the air and mumbled hurriedly, “But I am recently taken. I do apologize for leading you on, especially considering you’re Fae. That was highly inappropriate of me.” The snake cleared his throat delicately, sounding mildly ashamed.
Thatcaught my attention. My head snapped down, and I stared in shock at the King of Gorgons—because the man…was serious. “I can’t bloody believe it. Who’s managed to capture your rakish heart? That guard Raoul I’ve heard so much about?”
“King Traevon, this is not the time for that,” King Elon sneered. The jackass flashed his teeth at me—and there was even a slight loss of control as his shamrock green braids twitched up in the air. “But no. I’ve ended my arrangement with Raoul. Leave him be. I donotwant you harming him—especially for no reason at all.”
I held my hands up innocently. “You may not believe me, but I never planned to harm him. By all accounts, he’s a kind and generous man.”
“Once and for all, stay the Fae fuck out of my kingdom’s affairs. It is not yours to play with.”
“But…the entire realm is so much fun to push around like chess pieces, don’t you think?” I teased quietly, immensely enjoying his instantly furious stare. “Your kingdom’s filled with so many little snakes. It’s hard to pick which one deserves its head cut off first.”
King Elon’s chest heaved, breathing raggedly. “One day, I will deem you useless.” The smile that curved his lips was absolutely heinous. “It will surely be a glorious day when that time comes.”
The dragon glanced back and forth between us, his squinted gaze hard and thoughtful as he studied our persons. “I can’t decide if you two are fucking each other on the sly, and this is twisted foreplay, or if you’re truly this bad at being cohesive rulers together.”
The gorgon king’s reptilian eyes rounded in outrage, and he thrust a pointed finger in my direction. “That man slaughtered my kin!” More hard jarring of his finger toward my chest. “In cold blood! There arereasonsfor our animosity.”
I smiled politely. “Come now, there was no proof of that.” I canted toward him like a taunt. “And not all of your kin is dead. You have one brother left.”
“You…are a real piece of Fae shit.”
The dragon’s gaze still leapt between us. Finally, he scratched at his bare chest and shrugged. “I’m going with screwing behind closed doors. That’s rather deliciously entertaining.” His dark eyes twinkled. “Yes, I think that’s it.”
King Elon and I cast each other looks.
