Embers (Scales 'N' Spells 4)

What if they hadn’t noticed the light or the way it seemed to strangely sparkle? What if they’d hesitated another heartbeat longer? Dimitri would have been gravely injured and possibly even killed. Gunter would have been hurt far worse than he had been.

So much was riding on Nikki’s ability to give everyone key insight and information they all needed to locate the Jaeggi, while at the same time keeping the team safe. Sure, there was going to be another mage along to help with the spells, but they were the one who’d spent all those years with the Jaeggi. They were the one who had the most experience with their spells.

And they were the one who knew the least about magic.

Which meant they really needed to focus right now.

Nikki managed to read a few paragraphs before their mind wandered off to think about the scorching kiss they swore they still felt aftershocks from. The impulsive dive into the storage closet mere feet away from Alric’s office had been a welcome surprise. They’d not thought Gunter had an impulsive bone in his entire body. Or did he truly think Nikki doubted their feelings, their attraction, for him? That was nonsense. It was too silly even contemplate. They had been very clear how they felt about Gunter. Right?

At least, Nikki thought they had been.

But Gunter wasn’t really doing anything. He seemed stuck at the same level, not progressing at all. It was as if something held him back, and it was always him who disengaged first. The kisses and romantic evening flights and the hand holding were all very nice indeed. Nikki wasn’t at all complaining about them. But they also wanted more.

Gunter was smoking hot, alright? And Nikki was dying to get their hands on him. If they’d possessed the slightest clue on how to seduce Gunter and get him into the mood, Nikki would have already had the dragon naked and lubed up. Their own inability to make it happen just put another layer of frustration on their already itchy libido. The closest they’d come was that moment in the storage closet, which had been hot as sin—and just short of the goal line.

It didn’t help that Nikki was also a little emotionally frustrated. Gunter didn’t seem to understand Nikki’s investment in him. They had taken one look at Gunter while the world had been exploding around them, Jaeggi screaming, dragons roaring, magic flying everywhere, and they had just known Gunter was theirs. He’d been their white knight in glinting spectacles. Stern expression and blond hair falling in his eyes, Gunter had the look of a warrior who would vanquish all foes and carry them off.

Of course, his dragon with deep red scales and large, wise eyes had been impressive as well. For some reason they could never fully explain, Nikki had always felt safe around Gunter and his dragon. He felt cherished and cared for, and somehow needed.

Gunter needed them.

Ugh, Nikki wasn’t sure how to get any of that through Gunter’s head. But surely sex would help? Nikki had to try something, at any rate.

Maybe that was why they couldn’t focus. They’d rather sit here and plot how to get Gunter naked. It was a more enticing thing to focus on than the very dry analytical information about every spell ingredient.

Seriously, far too many numbers and dry facts. Nikki was retaining nothing of it.

Nikki hadn’t been able to concentrate in Gunter’s room. They’d naïvely thought being in their room would help, for some reason. Boy, had that not worked at all.

A brisk knock on the door had Nikki sighing in relief as they tossed the book aside. Thank god; pretending to study wasn’t going anywhere. They’d much prefer to spend their time with Gunter. They knew that knock. Gunter was at their door.

Nikki ripped the door open but managed to not leap at the dragon. Playing hard to get might be utterly out of their reach, but they could play it cool. A little. Maybe. “Hey!” Nikki greeted, somehow managing not to bounce on the balls of their feet like an overly excited puppy.

“Good evening. I’m not disturbing you, am I?” Gunter inquired. His eyes landed on Nikki briefly and then quickly darted away again. He touched one arm of his glasses, resettling them on his nose. His long fingers then fluttered to the collar of his shirt before dropping down to his side. His other hand clenched around an old looking book he carried. Was he nervous about something?

“Nope. I was trying to read some of the spell instruction book Lisette gave me,” they replied with an absent wave over their shoulder in the direction of the dreaded thing. Most of the book was interesting, but that one chapter…it might take a month to get Nikki through the equations chapter.