Page 78 of Dragon’s Rogue

He was trying to take care of her, and she was shoving him away at every turn.

That’s not the way a mate should behave.

Dark anger rose up inside him. First at himself, for not being able to take care of a mate properly. Then at her, for not appreciating anything he was doing.

A zefir brought in a tray of food, and he indicated the table behind him, not thanking it as he usually did.

Why bother? It was just an elemental, and he had other things on his mind. The zefir unloaded the dishes of food, and then the tray hesitated for a few moments just inside the door. When he didn’t say anything, the zefir took it away and shut the door.

Zane heard the shower turn off, and thought about going into the bathroom to get Blaze. What was she doing in there for so long? He needed to have this out with her. Tell her how a good mate was supposed to act.

His dragon moved restlessly inside him. Mate wants to leave, he said. Treasure. Can’t leave. Hold her. Make her stay!

No, Zane thought dimly. That wasn’t right. Yes. Make her stay. Lock the doors, keep treasure safe. He heard a growl come out of his throat.

That’s right. Keep treasure safe.

She came out of the bathroom, looking small and vulnerable in his oversized robe, her damp hair curling over her shoulders.

She smelled wonderful. Clean and warm and sweet, and he wanted to hold her close and lock her in his lair and keep her safe forever.

He went to gather her up in his arms, and she stepped back, looking at him warily. Anger radiated off her, and sickness. Like there was something wrong with her.

Fear and anger stabbed through him. “What’s wrong?” he demanded. He saw her bare neck. “Where’s the necklace?”

“I took it off. It was suffocating me.”

The words cut him to the heart. It was a treasured part of his hoard, given to her in love. And she was throwing it back in his face.

She refused our gift, his dragon said. Fire rumbled in him. She wants to leave us. She doesn’t love us. She must love us.

Zane felt sick with the need to make her love him. But he had to be cunning.

“I got you food.” He made his voice gentle.

“I hope it’s more than cake.” Her voice was sharp. She walked over to the table, but he could see she looked unsteady.

Help her!

She won’t let me.

She lifted the silver cover on one of the dishes, a delicious plate of roast chicken. She turned pale and put it down again.

She’d rejected his gift of gold. Now she was rejecting his food.

The anger in Zane grew hotter. “You have to eat,” he said. “And then you have to rest. You can stay here in my chamber. We can even bring things from your house. Or buy new ones. Silk sheets. Gold adornments.”

What did women of this era like? He couldn’t remember anymore. Everything was jumbled in his mind; all he knew was he needed to give her things and make her love him. Now.

She was staring at him. “What are you talking about?” she demanded. Her eyes were hard, not soft and loving like they were supposed to be. “I can’t stay here. I have to get home and straighten out my workroom. Get the doors repaired. For God’s sake, I haven’t even fed my cat! But you don’t care about that, do you? You just want to use me.”

His anger turned to rage. “Use you? I saved you last night. I took care of you! I fed you and comforted you and held you in the night—”

“I didn’t say you could do that! You can’t keep me here!”

“I can!” His dragon’s voice thundered through him. An old, buried Draken instinct rose up in him. “I will keep you in my lair until you give me the respect due me as your mate!”

She backed up, fury snapping in her eyes. “I’m not your mate!”