A sick satisfaction purred inside me. Anger and arousal swirled, and I climbed to my feet, careful to stand on my good foot. “You don’t own me. You’re just the one-night stand that never ended!”
He laughed wickedly. “Yet, your body is aching for me, mate. I can smell you. Is it what I said about being chained to my bed? You want that, don’t you? Perhaps your truest desire is to serve me.”
I slapped him. It was like someone else had possessed me. As soon as my hand landed on his cheek, I gasped and snapped out of my fury-fueled rage. “Oh, god. Oh, no. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean… I’m sorry, Blaise.”
His back was as stiff as a tree trunk as he jerked away from me and stormed out of the bathroom.
I sank into the tub and held my face in my hands as I cried. I couldn’t believe I’d struck him. I couldn’t believe I’d said the things I’d said. What was happening to me? I wanted to run after him and apologize. To top it off, his feelings were clearly projected to me, and I could feel his pain as he left. It was as strong as my own, maybe stronger. He was hurting, and it was my fault. I’d picked a fight because I was a coward.
The worst thing, the absolute worst thing, was that above his pain, what he really wanted most was to come back and make sure I was okay. He was still worried about me, even after I’d assaulted him. I was such an incredible bitch. He was doing everything he could to make me comfortable and care for me, including sending me home—because I demanded it. If only I could have retreated to my ignorance so I could still be angry with him and sorry for myself. It would be easier that way because then I’d be able to walk away blissfully ignorant of how much I was hurting him. And I did have to walk away. Now more than ever, it was obvious a woman like me was far too broken.
15
Blaise
When Cherry and Cezar came to get Chyna, not a word was spoken. They could feel the tension, I was sure. It was so thick, it was hard to breathe in my own castle.
My mate left, but the feelings that had blown up between us still snaked around me, taunting me. I’d lost control of my temper. I’d gotten angry and raised my voice to her like my father did to my mother. I had not struck her as my father would have done. But I could hardly claim that as a victory.
Every well-meaning plan I’d constructed in my head had blown up and flown off. I’d meant to convince her to talk to me and get to know me, to show me what she expected from a relationship. I wanted to be a good mate for her. I wanted that so much.
I sank into one of the chairs outside on the dock with a flagon of Armand’s special brew and chugged a hefty amount, hoping to numb the pain. I needed to mend the gaping hole in my heart.
How pathetic is a dragon imbibing while waxing poetic to himself about his own aching heart, brother? I called out randomly to Remy.
Coming.
I didn’t wait for him to arrive before upending the flask of spirits and finishing it. I wasn’t in the mood to share. Not when I’d preferred to drink myself unconscious or dead. I’d lost my queen. She had not even looked back at me when she left. She had kept her head down and had been so closed off. I tried to invade her head to get a glimpse of what she was feeling, but there was nothing there for me. She was guarded, cold. She must hate me.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed before Remy landed on my dock and then strode up to me. I pointed him inside for clothes, and when he came back out, he was dressed in a pair of my jeans.
“You might run a vacuum around the place once in a while, bro. What happened?”
“I would like to know that myself.”
“You don’t know what happened?”
I let my head fall back and stared up at the sky. How had it become night already? The stars were out and bright, unobscured by city lights like some places in the new world were. “Do you ever miss the old kingdom, brother?”
Remy snorted. “Is that a joke? Do I miss the place where we ruled over our kingdom as the most powerful dragons in the land and all respected and feared us? Where our very names spoken aloud conjured up visions of such power and might that our subjects were left trembling? The place where commoners prostrated themselves at the mere sight of us?”
I grunted. “Chyna does not want to clean.”
“O-kay. No big deal, right?”
I looked over at him. “It is a big deal, apparently. I tried to explain to her what mates are and how the female is in charge of the home and birthing younglings. No, wait…I did not even have a chance to mention younglings. The conversation never got past caring for our home.”
“You’re not making any sense.”
“She said she will not wipe my ass. As though I would ask her to do such a thing. Never.” I tossed the empty flagon away from me and grinned when I heard it smash to the ground. “The disrespect she has for me. She cares nothing for me at all. She does not want to be mated to me. She does not want to be my queen.”
“Because she doesn’t want to clean?”
“I suppose. I don’t know. Maybe she just doesn’t like me.”
Remy blew out a heavy breath and sank farther into his seat. “Well, what did she say? Her exact words, bro.”
“I…” I wracked my brain. What had she said? “She said something…”
“Weren’t you listening?”
“Well, of course, I was listening!” I stood up and stumbled away from him. “She said she did not want me.”
“Because of the housework?”
“Why do you keep talking about housework?”
“To show you how stupid you sound.”
I charged at him and knocked him backward. The chair broke under us, and I let another broken thing in my life fuel me on, even if it was just furniture. I punched him in the face, and then he was somehow on top of me, throwing his own jab at my chin. My movements were slow and hindered by Armand’s brew. It was easy for Remy to get a couple more good shots in before hoisting himself up and walking away.
“You are a fool. You have a mate. Why are you fighting about birthing younglings and doing housework? If she does not want to cook or clean, then she will not cook and clean. What is the big deal?”
“What are you talking about? We were just talking about how amazing the old world was. Women took care of us. Our mates should want to take care of us.”
“Flaming scales, Blaise. Of course, the old world was nice. We were younglings. And then we were royalty—males who were catered to as younglings are. Having everything done for you is a privilege, but our life is here now. Females here—human females—are not the same as dragonesses of the old world were. They work. They take care of their families. And we are no longer kings. You really cannot get over the change?”
“I did not want anything to change.”
“None of us asked to be here. The old world crumbled, brother. We flexed our power too much and turned some against us. We were being hunted and slaughtered one by one. Do you think living like that is better than having a mate who will not wipe your ass?”
“I do not want my ass wiped! For the last flaming time, I will wipe my own ass!”
“Well, fortunately, the toilet paper here is so much better than what we used in the old world.”
I held my composure for a second and then laughed. “You are an idiot.”
“You are the real idiot. You do not need a mate to clean up after you and feed you like you are some overgrown youngling. You are a warrior dragon. Care for yourself, brother.”
“I can do that. Maybe. I just thought… I assumed that if I found a mate, it would be like the old world. A little bit.” I looked back up at the sky. “I do miss it sometimes. The power and the freedom.”
“Don’t we all, brother.”
“What if that is not the real reason she does not want to stay with me?” The thought had been there, niggling me for a while. What if she could see the evil that had been bred into me? What if she could see into my soul and did not like what she saw. And who would? The dragon who had sired me, my fathe
r, had been called the Demon King. Perhaps she could see a sign of that in me, and that sign told her to run.
“Your cock is not as big as mine, but I am sure she will grow used to it, Blaise.” Remy shrugged, fighting a grin.
I scowled. “Leave.”
“Yeah, yeah. I am going, Puny Penis.”
“Enough of that.”
“Why? What are you going to do about it, Teeny Weenie?”
I dragged myself to my feet and shifted. I am going to kick your ass.
He shifted and took to the sky. That’ll be the day, Dinky Dick.
Remy knew what he was doing—fighting with him took my mind off my mate for a few minutes. Unfortunately, it left another gaping hole in my castle wall that no one but me was going to clean up.
16
Chyna
“I’m not leaving you here alone, Chyna.” Cherry stood over me with her hands on her hips. Damned if everyone wasn’t trying to boss me around. She and Cezar had insisted on staying the night with me, but the next morning, I was feeling much better.
“I’m not listening to you and Cezar go at it like a couple of horny toads for another night. Thanks, but no thanks.”
“I’m not comfortable with this. Someone tried to hurt you. It could have been intentional.” Cherry blinked away tears and shook her head when she saw me start to object. “No, don’t say it. It wasn’t an accident. If someone didn’t pour gasoline all over that little hut you were going into, how did it get there?”
I stared up at the ceiling and reminded myself that she was my sister and I loved her. “Cherry, no one could have known that I’d go in there and drop a lit match. Hell, I haven’t even lit that lantern for months. If that was a murder attempt, it was a pretty damn feeble one if you ask me.”
“Don’t say murder!”
Groaning, I shook my head at her. “You’re being a little overly dramatic again.”
I shot Cezar a pleading look, and he stepped forward and wrapped his arm gently around Cherry. “I think it’s time we go, mate. Chyna will be okay.”
Cherry looked like she wanted to argue with him, but then a faraway look came over her face and she nodded. “Okay.”
“What? What was that? Did you deliver some dragon form of Xanax to her?”
Cherry narrowed her eyes at me. “You’re lucky I love you. We’ll leave you to your own devices tonight. But not until after I’ve cooked you something and done the sheets in your guest room.”
“You don’t—” I stopped myself. “Actually, yeah, do the sheets.”
She giggled as she passed by her mate and trailed her hand over his chest. “Come help me, big dragon.”
“Come on, guys. If I have to hear you two fooling around one more time, I’m going to hobble out into the swamp and pray that something does kill me.”
“Alright, alright.” Cezar held up his hands. “I will do the sheets, and Cherry can cook you something.”
“I’ll do the sheets. Your cooking is better.” Cherry rubbed her belly. “And I always add too much salt to everything. It’s making my ankles swell.”
I reached out for her stomach and blinked back tears when she moved closer so I could rub a spot over my future niece or nephew. “I love this little dragon egglet, but I’m tired of your salty cooking, too, Cher.”
Cezar laughed and nodded. “Thank god I learned to cook.”
Cezar busied himself in the kitchen while Cherry disappeared down the hallway to take care of the bedding. I stayed quiet for a bit, thinking about Cezar cooking.
“Why did you learn to cook?”
He looked up from rummaging through the fridge. “I was hungry?”
“I guess Blaise never got hungry enough.” I said it lightly, not meaning to insult his friend. I wasn’t sure I wanted to open a can of worms right then, either. I’d been doing everything I could to stop thinking about him. Wasn’t working.
“Ah. Your question is not about cooking, is it?”
“No, it is.” I busied myself pulling my hair up into a ponytail. “I was just curious.”
“Sure.” Cezar grabbed a pot from the pot rack over the island and looked up at me. “A little history lesson?”
I maneuvered on the stool so I could face him more. “Yeah?”
“In our old world, the place from where we came, we each belonged to different kingdoms. There were many, a bit like this world with its countries. Each kingdom was, is, unique. My kingdom, and most other kingdoms, had progressed and made changes with time. Dragons live long, long lives, but our species is not all that different from your kind. With each new generation, some of the older beliefs got modernized. None of the kingdoms had reached where this world is currently. Not before we left, anyway, but many kingdoms were on their way. One kingdom, however, was run for many years by an evil, brutish dragon king. A sadist. He was much feared and was dubbed the Demon King.
“His kingdom, his subjects, did not progress, mostly because he forbade change or growth. The Demon King preferred to rule through tyranny and oppression, and his younglings were groomed by him to rule in a similar manner. They were taught his brutal ways, yet they did not possess the dark heart of cruelty the way their father did.” He looked at me pointedly.
“Blaise?”
“And his twin, Remy.” Cezar sighed. “They came to this world still very much believing in those old ways. They’ve grown and changed much, perhaps as much as they can—without a reason to change more, that is.”
“History lesson over.” I didn’t want to hear that he thought I could give Blaise that reason to change. I didn’t want to hear anything else to make me hate myself more for leaving his house and him.
“Blaise is rough around the edges, Chyna, but I have known him for many years, and I am certain he is a good male. I believe he would do anything he needed to do to please his true mate.”
“What are you making?” I hobbled over to the recliner in front of the TV and plopped into it, fiddling with the remote.
“Spaghetti. A lovely dish that did not exist in our old world.”
“No spaghetti? What a shit hole.”
Cezar laughed out loud, like I’d hoped he would, dissipating the tension. “You are humorous.”
“But I’m funnier, right?” Cherry winked at me while walking up behind Cezar and slapping him on the butt. She trailed the scent of laundry detergent.
“Of course, mate. I was just telling your sister about some of the ways the old world was lacking. In some kingdoms more than others.” Cezar kissed my sister and smiled lovingly as they locked eyes. “And the worst part of all was that it lacked the amazing, breathtaking beauty of my mate.”
I fake gagged, but Cherry preened. Her smile was so radiant it was almost too bright to look at. She wrapped her arms around him and sighed. “How did I get so lucky?”
Tears burned the backs of my eyes as I stared a hole into the TV, desperate to blot out the happy lovefest going on in the kitchen. I wished they would leave already so I could be alone. I needed time to lick my wounds in private and think about all that had happened. In such a short period of time, a matter of days, my whole world had upended itself, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever be the same.
“Chyna? You okay?”
I put the recliner foot down and stood up. I’d taken to using a crutch to keep the pressure off my bad foot. I grabbed it quickly. “Um, yeah. I’m good. I just need to go…to the bathroom.”
I knew that by the end of my pathetic sentence, they could tell I was having trouble holding back the floodgate of tears, but they didn’t follow me. Cezar made sure to keep Cherry at his side so I could have a few minutes to myself, and for that I was grateful. I shut myself into my room and sat at the edge of my bed trying to get it together.
I was beginning to realize that things would never go back to the way they were pre-Blaise. Old Chyna was gone. She’d wanted to jumpstart her life, like Cherry’s, and it had started all right, with a momentum all its own.
17
&nbs
p; Chyna
A week had passed—a very slow week—and my foot was almost as good as new. It felt good enough to bear weight finally, and I could wear a normal shoe. I’d started getting back out to my little projects, even. I hadn’t yet braved the remains of the hut farthest from my house, though. That place could wait until I didn’t get chills every time I thought of it.
Despite my body healing and feeling better, emotionally, I was having a tough time. It was overly apparent that feelings didn’t heal at the same rate as cuts. I thought about Blaise constantly. If there was ever a moment when he wasn’t on my mind, it was like my body had physical withdrawals.
I’d become testy and impatient with everyone around me. Cherry had decided to stay away from me “until I got it figured out,” she’d told me. Other friends who’d shown up to check on me had just stopped coming around. Visits had become phone calls and then silence. I was fine with it. If they thought my mood was sour, they hadn’t even scratched the surface.
I decided enough was enough. I was going back to Blaise’s. I needed to—to talk. I told myself it was to talk, but I was craving him like a fiend. Waiting a week had been my aim. I’d told myself that if I could resist for a week, maybe the cravings would fade, even just a bit. That hadn’t happened, though. If anything, they were stronger. Some moments, it was like I could feel his desire, too.
When Cherry called me, she caught me climbing into my boat. She actually cheered. “You’re going to him, aren’t you?”
I wanted to deny it, but I couldn’t get the words past my lips. “I need to talk to him.”
Fire Breathing Blaise (Dragons of the Bayou Book 3) Page 7