It is our way. He roars. I watch as his nostrils flare and smoke plumes from them.
Jerking my chin in the air, I look down my nose at him. “I hate it. Take me back down, I no longer wish to be here with you.”
You are mine, Hillevi. He growls even louder.
“Fine. Know that when you take me, every time, it will be against my will,” I warn.
He shifts into dragon form and before I can utter another word, I watch as he runs past me toward the opening of the cave. He jumps out, his giant wings expanding, and he flies away.
QUEST
Gliding down to the ground, my stomach churns with each inch I grow closer to land. She has made her stance clear, this is what she wants. My heart is hers, owned by her, so I shall give her, her desires. Even if that means it is without me.
You are free, Hillevi. The words are a whisper in her mind. She slides off of my back, taking a few steps away from me. I want to shift into my human form, but I decide against it. Instead, I stand still as I watch her walk away. Just when I think that she is not going to turn to look back at me, she does.
“I love you, Quest. Know that.”
Before I can respond, I watch as she continues to march away from me. I should go after her. I should demand that she stay. I should take her back to my nest and keep her there, always, even if she hates me for it. She is mine and there will never be another for me, but her.
Chapter One
HILLEVI
What is it, my dróttning says? Asshole. Yes, that is it. Quest is one of those. I hold on to him, somehow, I’ve forgotten what it feels like to soar high in the skies the way that only he can. I thought that I would never forget, but five years is a long time to stay grounded.
You are angry.
If the wind weren’t so forceful, I would roll my eyes at his statement. I am angry. I am beyond angry. He has bartered for me, knowing that my konungr was desperate. Taking advantage as only he can. Now he wishes to breed me like the beast that he is.
It is fine.
What am I useful for if it is not to bear him a brood?
That is how you truly feel? That I would only want you for an heir and not for any other reason?
I growl. “I hate it when you do that,” I shout.
He laughs but doesn’t apologize, which makes me that much angrier. It doesn’t take us long to fly into our, no his, cave. I refuse to think of it as mine, even though I will likely be there for the rest of my days.
You will, Hillevi, he assures me.
“Will you stop it?” I scream.
He glides us into the cave, landing softly. I let out a sigh as I slide off of his back. Looking around, I notice that not a single thing has changed in here. In fact, there is still a wardrobe in the corner that once held all of my clothes.
“They are still there,” he says softly.
Spinning around, I’m taken aback by his human form. It has been five years since I’ve seen it. He is tall, taller than any human man. His skin is so deep and darkly tanned, it has a red hue to it. Then there are his eyes, his haunting eyes. His orbs are red in color.
QUEST
She watches me silently, her eyes drinking me in. I don’t move, allowing her plenty of time to get her fill of my physical human form. Inhaling, I smile to myself. I can smell her desire. She wants me, at least her body does. I cannot deny that it gives me hope for the future—our future.
“Do you not have any clothes to put on?” she snaps angrily, though the way her nostrils flare I know that she is anything but angry with me.
I shrug a shoulder then clear my throat. “I could, but why? It is just us,” I say. “Nobody will see anything, not that I care anyway.”
Hillevi rolls her eyes to the ceiling of the cave, then lets out a growl. “Things will need to be different this time, Quest,” she announces.
“How is this?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
She inhales a deep breath, then drops her gaze to her feet before she slowly brings it back up to meet my own. “We’ll eat at a table, we’ll dress, and you’ll treat me with respect.”
She lifts her chin, looking down her nose at me as if she has some kind of choice in all of this. She does not. However, if she wishes to think so, then by all means she may. I will make some concessions for her, though clothes will not be one of them.
“Your wish is my command, at least when it comes to seating. The rest, I cannot promise,” I offer with a grin.
She shakes her head once. “No women, Quest. I will not back down from that. I feel as strongly about it now as I did five years ago.”
Licking my lips, I growl when her eyes darken at the sight of my tongue. Some parts of my body do not convert to a human’s. My tongue is one of them, it is split in the center, even as a human. I recall many a woman enjoying that aspect of my physique, especially Hillevi.
“No women?” I ask.
She narrows her eyes at me, arching a brow, but doesn’t say a word. Instead, she waits. I let out a grunt, then sigh as I lift my hand and wrap my fingers around the back of my neck.
“This is all you ask of me? A place to sit and no other women?”
“And clothes,” she adds.
Shaking my head once, I grin over at her. “What is more important, clothing or women?”
“Quest,” she grinds out.
I take a step toward her, then another, and another until I’m directly in front of her. Lifting my hand, I extend my finger and slide it along her plump lips.
“There will be no others, Hillevi, there will also be no clothing, not for me. I would prefer you in your natural form as well, but I will not demand it.”
Her tongue peeks out and I hear her hitch of breath as it touches my flesh. Pressing my lips together, my nostrils flare and I’m unable to stop the smoke from escaping them before it swirls around us.
“Why are you willing to forego women now, Quest? It was so important to you back then, you said it was the way of your people.”
I hum, slipping my hand around the back of her neck, holding her there as I gently massage her. “It seemed very important, Hillevi. In the end, it was not. Losing you was not worth the extra bed play.”
She looks to the side, then slowly brings her gaze back to meet mine. She doesn’t say anything, though I can tell that she has many things on the tip of her pretty pink tongue. Lowering my head, I touch my lips to hers but do not deepen the kiss.
Releasing her, I take a step backward and walk over to the wardrobe. “Look through that, see what you want, what you don’t. Give me a list and I will get supplies when I go out in a little while.”
“You’re going out?” she asks.
Nodding my head, I tilt my head to the side. “I am, Hillevi. You need actual food, it is my duty to provide for you.”
Without another word, I turn from her and walk away toward the back of the cave. Sinking down to the stone floor, I lean my head back against the wall and let out a sigh as I close my eyes.
I need to rest for a moment, need to force myself to restrain from taking her immediately. I wish for her to fall in love with me again, to make our heir out of love and not obligation, to have a real life—the one we should have always had.