were a babe,” she reminded him fiercely, annoyed he’d even think otherwise.
“I should have stayed put. I didn’t. And she died, all because I couldn’t fight for myself.”
“Fight for yourself? Ailean you were too—”
“Don’t say I was too young. A dragon can never be too young to learn to protect himself. Not in this world. My sons and daughters will be able to fight from hatching.”
“Ailean, isn’t that a bit of a tall order?”
“No. My brothers and I came up with a training method that will get them started early. My hatchlings will be prepared for anything.”
Shalin felt for the future hatchlings of Ailean the Wicked. They wouldn’t have easy lives. Then she frowned for a moment when she wondered who exactly he’d fall so in love with he’d settle down and have hatchlings with. But she quickly pushed the feeling away when she realized it was none of her business.
“Did all this happen here?” she asked, trying to distract herself.
“Aye. Madenn’s kin were the ones who stayed with me. Her great-great-grandmother and aunts. My father wanted nothing to do with any of them. Although he spared them, he still felt nothing for them. My brothers could go either way, but I knew these people needed protection. Human males can’t stay away from unclaimed territory for long. It’s like this overwhelming need they all have to conquer anything they’ve even heard about.”
“So you stayed.”
“Seemed natural, really. I’d already spent so much time with them and they never told my secret. Eventually the entire village knew about me and no one said a word.”
“But didn’t you hate them? The humans?”
“For the actions of a few? No. Doesn’t seem fair to do that.”
He had to be the first dragon Shalin had ever heard say something like that.
“You look tired,” he suddenly told her.
“No. I’m fine.” And to prove it, she yawned.
Smiling, Ailean turned on his side and picked up the puppy from her lap, laying the little fur ball lengthwise on the bed. Then Ailean patted the mattress. “Come on now. Stretch out here.”
“But, the puppy…” Yet she was already stretching out on her side, facing Ailean, the puppy between them, her eyes rapidly closing. The day had caught up with her so quickly.
“He’ll be fine,” Ailean murmured, and she felt him take her hand. “And tomorrow, Mistress Shalin, we’ll discuss his diet.”
5
Ailean didn’t know what woke him up first. The two suns shining in his eyes—or the paw repeatedly slapping at his head.
Yawning, he glared at the little monster trying to claw him to death. “Oh, now you’re feeling fine, aren’t you?”
He yipped in answer and that’s when Shalin murmured in her sleep.
That’s also when Ailean realized Shalin was asleep on his chest.
Slightly terrified, Ailean desperately tried to remember if they’d done anything the night before. He didn’t think so and, when he looked down at her, she still wore the red gown from yesterday and the fur covering he’d brought with him still lay between them.
He let out a breath, but still didn’t know what had come over him. He might not have touched her, but all the things they’d discussed…
Ailean never talked about his father with anyone but his brothers, and those two never mentioned the old dragon unless necessary. Ailean definitely never discussed his mother and what happened that awful day. His own kin knew never to mention it. Nearly a century ago, one cousin drunkenly brought it up after a family hunting party and lost both his horns when Ailean snapped them off.
But Ailean had told Shalin pretty much everything. Gods…why?
The puppy yipped again and Shalin’s head snapped up from his chest. “Wha—where—?”
“You’re safe, Shalin,” he told her, seeing the confusion and panic on her face. When she looked at him, her panic seemed to pass and she smiled at him with real warmth.
“Good morn, Ailean.”
“Good morn to you.”
She turned a bit to look at the puppy, but she seemed more than comfortable cuddled up to his chest. “And look at you, Lord Terrify Me.”
The dog yipped again and Ailean said, “You best let him out, Shalin. Or there’ll be more mess to clean up.”
“Let him out?”
“Just open the door. He’ll find the rest of the dogs.”
“All right.”
He thought she’d roll away from him, but instead, she moved across him to get to the edge of the bed. Ailean gritted his teeth and willed his body not to react. It had to be one of the hardest things he’d ever done and he’d gotten in a fight once with a giant octopus.
“Will he come back?”
“I’m sure. He’s bonded to you, Shalin.” And he knew how the little bastard felt. Ailean knew if he left this moment, he’d probably come back, too.
“Come on, then, you little terror.” Shalin picked the dog up and walked to the door. Ailean heard it open and then Shalin’s strangled, “Uh…”
“What’s wrong?” He rolled to his side, raising himself up on one elbow, and looked toward the door. “Shit,” he barely had a chance to mutter before Bideven pushed past Shalin and stalked in, Arranz and the twins right behind him.
“You dirty bastard. Couldn’t keep your hands off her, could ya?”
Ailean slid off the bed and stood in front of his kin, the only thing holding up that fur covering his hand.
“I’m not quite sure what it has to do with you, brother.”
Bideven moved toward him but Shalin calmly stepped between them. “He never touched me.”
Arranz sighed. “Shalin, love, could you move? You’re in the way of some lovely violence.”
Giving no more than an annoyed sniff, she didn’t respond to Arranz and instead said again, “He never touched me, Bideven.”
“Then why was he here?”
“I needed help with my puppy.”
Arranz and the twins started laughing and didn’t seem inclined to stop while Bideven’s accusing gaze shot daggers at Ailean.
“You bastard!”
Shalin
