I screamed out my orgasm, nearly blacking out, clutching him with everything I had. He shook against me, finishing with two hard thrusts, and then stayed buried inside me.
His chest heaved, and he pushed his weight onto me, not asking if I could take it. I kissed his neck and draped my limbs around him, liquifying into the lounger.
We rested for a long moment in silence, limbs entwined.
“Did you honestly think I’d enjoy myself with a bunch of demons?” I asked softly. “What were you thinking?”
“They can make a person enjoy themselves.”
“Not me. Not anymore. I don’t even need the draught—when they put that magic on me, it makes me nauseated.”
He stroked his fingertips down my arm. “That’s good to know.”
“Your response was a bit overkill, though. Are all shifters that possessive?”
“Dragons are incredibly possessive when they…feel strongly,” he said, and butterflies spread through my stomach with that hitch in his words. I wondered what he’d been about to say. “Being that I’m an alpha, and me, I am worse than most.”
“What’s going to happen with your fiancée when all this ends? The curse, I mean.”
His brow furrowed. “My fiancée?”
“The one who owned the dresses in the tower. The faerie.”
He shook his head. “She has certainly moved on. As soon as the curse went into effect, we were scrubbed from everyone’s minds. This kingdom doesn’t exist to anyone but us and the demons right now.”
“Yes, but…after. Would she not meet you and care for you?”
His smile was grim. He lay beside me and gathered me into his arms. “I’m not sure she ever cared for me, in truth. She wanted certain things from me, and I wanted certain things from her. To escape, for one. We were compatible, and I’ve thought of her from time to time in these last agonizing years…” He paused and continued in a subdued voice. “But then you came. You told me that you saw your ex again, after you left, and felt nothing for him. It’s the same way for me. Suddenly, those feelings were just gone. There was nothing there. Not even a memory of anything there.”
“So you’re not cheating with me, then? And yes, I realize that was a question I should’ve asked before this, but… Well, I’m terrible, I guess.”
He chuckled. “She has certainly married another. Probably has children by now. She was a noble in high demand for her healing abilities. I would’ve helped her grow the plants that she used. I’m sure she found a noble faerie to take my place. So, no, I’m not cheating. That had absolutely nothing to do with my abstinence. I already told you why I was celibate.”
“Yes, but you lie.”
Hadriel ran in wearing an open white dress shirt and black slacks. He looked around wildly.
“Finley! Finley, are you in here? Knock once or something if you are.”
Nyfain tensed. He got up and walked around the tapestry as I hurried to put my dress on.
“Oh!” Hadriel sagged, a hand to his chest. “Master, it’s you. Thank the goddess for her mercy. Finley hasn’t returned to her room, and she didn’t take the draught earlier, and…”
“She’s fine. But she’ll need to go back to her room now. It’s past time.”
“Yeah.” Hadriel looked at the couch lying on its back. “What happened here? Did you guys battle for dominance or something?”
Nyfain didn’t answer. Apparently he wasn’t a kiss-and-tell kinda guy.
“Knock once or something?” I grabbed my books and walked out from behind the tapestry. “Why wouldn’t I just yell for you?”
Hadriel spread his hands with his eyebrows raised. “Maybe you had a gag or something, I don’t know. It’s the only thing that came to me. Come on. I’m actually enjoying myself for once. I’ve had three demons ask me to engage in sexual relations, and I have turned them all down.” He puffed up his chest. “I feel like a new man. Did you hear me just there? Sexual relations. I didn’t even say fucking. My mama would be proud.”
“Their lack of effect on the staff will be noticed,” Nyfain said softly, taking the books from me. He looked at the titles as we walked toward Hadriel. He paused on the one about frogs before sliding an inquisitive glance my way.
“What? I opened the book, and there was a pretty frog. I thought I’d read it.”
Nyfain gave me a lopsided grin. He didn’t say anything as he gave the books to Hadriel.
“Oh good, I get to be the donkey. Fantastic.” He took the books. “And not everyone is immune. Only the people who aren’t huge blabbermouths.”
“Finley showed up, and things changed. It’ll be noticed.” Nyfain kissed me before turning. “Stay safe. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
When he was gone, Hadriel walked me to the tower.
“Did you guys get it on when he was in that state?” Hadriel asked.