Page 85 of Dragon’s Rogue

Blaze realized how little she really knew about Zane’s past. Two-hundred and eighty-seven years of past. “What do you mean? What history?”

Thorne looked uncomfortable. “You’ll have to ask him that,” he said. “Once he knew you were near waking up, it seems he felt unable to face you. Right now he’s in his lair, brooding. He’ll come out when he’s ready.”

Blaze stared at him. “So we just let him brood and be miserable? I don’t think so.” This was her mate they were talking about. “Where’s his lair? In those caverns by the Batcave?”

She got to her feet and looked at Thorne expectantly.

Thorne raised his eyebrows. “One does not simply burst into a dragon’s lair unannounced. It usually results in fiery death. One has to be invited.”

Blaze rolled her eyes. “And how often does that happen? I’m guessing never.” She waited some more. Thorne didn’t move.

“Fine,” she said. “You sure you want me wandering around down there by myself? Because I might end up in your lair by mistake. Rummaging through your gold. Borrowing pretty bits and pieces. Got anything with dragonflies on it? I love dragonflies.”

Thorne’s eyes narrowed. “Fiery death,” he repeated.

“My boyfriend will protect me. Apparently, it’s what he lives for.” She started walking towards the door. “Leaving now. I’ll say hello to your hoard for you.”

Thorne sighed. “Fine. I’ll take you.” He put down Bucephalus, who stalked away, sulking. “Don’t even pretend you care,” Thorne said to the cat as he got up. “You know perfectly well you’ll be eating the meat out of the rest of the sandwiches as soon as I turn my back.” Bucephalus flicked his tail and showed Thorne his butt.

Thorne made an irritated dragon noise. “No gratitude,” he muttered. Blaze wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or the cat.

Chapter 37

Blaze found some shoes, and she and Thorne walked down the hallway to the elevator. Thorne stared straight ahead, not speaking.

He wanted to say something, though. Out of the corner of her eye she could see his hands clenching and unclenching, and a couple of times he opened his mouth and took a breath, only to close it again.

Finally, after they’d gotten in the elevator and he pushed the button for the lowest level, Blaze lost her patience.

“What?” she asked.

Thorne frowned mightily, and then he blurted out, “Do you have feelings for him?”

“For Zane?”

He huffed in annoyance. “Who else would I be talking about?”

She wondered why he cared. Because he wanted Zane to be happy? Or because he was hoping that if Blaze had feelings for Zane, Rebel might develop feelings for him?

Either way, Thorne had watched over her and taken care of her. She owed him the truth.

She touched the necklace around her neck. “Yes,” she said honestly. “It seems so strange—we’ve known each other such a short time. But as soon as I met him, I felt a connection. Being around him made me feel happy. Like the sun had come out, in here.” She put her hand on her chest. “I wanted to…”

This was so embarrassing, but she made herself go on. “I wanted to curl up next to him, like he was a blazing fire on a cold night, and never leave again. When he touches me, I feel safe. When he’s happy, I’m happy. And…” she ran her fingers over the necklace, and felt it hum softly. “His gold sings to me.”

“If his hoard sings to you, then he loves you,” Thorne said. “I hope you know what that’s worth. He doesn’t let himself love people. Not since—”

“Not since what?”

Thorne shook his head. “You should ask him,” he said, just as he had in her room.

Blaze had had enough of that. She slammed the palm of her hand on the ‘stop’ button, and the elevator shuddered to a halt. “I’m asking you,” she said.

She leaned against the control board so that Thorne couldn’t start the elevator again without physically moving her out of the way.

For a moment she thought he was going to do exactly that, but finally he sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking extremely uncomfortable.

“Zane’s father was a Wild Dragon, and his mother was a bear shifter. She raised him with her clan out in the Tualatin Valley, along with her cubs from her shifter mate. Of course, this was long before the first settlers came to Portland. The clan was his family until he was old enough to go off on his own, the way Wild Dragons tend to do.