by Marcy Jacks
Unfortunately, Jason did have to go through the bazaar. He couldn’t spot Kraigan anywhere, and his gaze scanned the place over, eagerly searching out that red head of hair.
Nothing. Kraigan was proving himself to be hard to find for a man who was actually so large around the shoulders and so damned tall.
The faces that had had looked Jason over with scorn when he’d passed by the first time with Kraigan beside him now stared at him with shock and surprise as he rushed past them.
No doubt, the first time he’d gone by them they’d assumed that he was being guided by one of the dragon warriors because he’d been caught in a crime, but now it was different. Now they obviously didn’t know what to think.
He didn’t care. He didn’t care whatever it was that went through their heads as he imagined all the things he would say to Kraigan to make him understand that Jason hadn’t meant to offend him and that he didn’t want their night to end this badly.
Only to smooth things over so that he could get his cream, of course.
He’d just rounded a corner and noticed Kraigan standing there when he skidded to a halt. He then immediately ducked back behind the corner from whence he’d come to avoid being seen.
Kraigan was standing there with Tatsu. What were they doing?
Jason held a hand to his chest, as if he could command his heart to stop beating so damned fast and to get control of his breathing. He realized then that he could slightly make out the things they were saying.
They were somewhat far down the hall and so engrossed in what they were talking about that neither of them had realized Jason was there.
Even though he’d come incredibly close to giving himself away just a moment before.
Jason made his way over to the edge of the hall, and he carefully peeked around the corner.
His breathing hitched again when he realized how close the two were standing.
Though he could barely see around the corner, he knew that a good portion of his face was sticking out beyond the edge of the stone hall. All they would have to do would be to turn their heads and they would see him. See the little intruder who was spying on a private conversation.
“I’m sorry. I meant no offence,” Kraigan said, his gruff voice softer than Jason had ever heard it.
He sounded genuinely sorry. Why could he never sound that sincere when speaking to Jason about anything?
Then he realized what Kraigan was apologizing for.
Tatsu’s arms were crossed, and though the warrior was so close in size to Kraigan that it was almost the same, the man’s ducked head and posture made him appear somewhat smaller.
“But him? Why choose him? I thought you hated him.”
“I don’t despise him that much.”
Jason glared at the man. Oh, wonderful. Kraigan did not despise him so much?
Asshole.
“He’s a human. Do you have any idea what will happen to him if it’s discovered he’s with a dragon? Much less a dragon warrior?”
“Javik has been doing well enough with the female,” Kraigan said.
“Javik’s being careful,” Tatsu snapped back.
Wait. They were speaking of Athy.
Son of a bitch. Jason knew it! He fucking knew that rotten bastard had intentions on his sister! Athy had claimed it was harmless flirting. Ha! He would have a word with Javik later.
“You know what happened to Dravick’s mate, don’t you? You’ve seen that.”
“And I’ve also seen what the dragons have tried to do to Jason. I’m not a fool,” Kraigan said, snarling his words and snapping his teeth at the other man.
Jason shivered. He’d never seen him so angry.
“But why him?” Tatsu asked, and this time his voice sounded weak, wounded. There was enough pain there that Jason felt for the man, even though he supposed he was Tatsu’s competition in some strange way.
“I don’t know,” Kraigan said with a sigh. “It matters not anyway. He has no interest.”
Jason had never said that.
He didn’t like the way Tatsu’s eyes flared with hope. “He said that?”
Kraigan shrugged. “He said enough.”
The hope in Tatsu’s eyes was too much. The way he stepped even closer, and the way Kraigan did not step back, made everything in Jason’s body flare up. He felt as though he was ready for a battle.
But still, he was compelled to watch, frozen in place when Tatsu’s hand came up and slid behind Kraigan’s neck.
Kraigan might not have stepped back, but he did reach his hand up and take hold of Tatsu’s, pulling it back and away from him.
Tatsu’s confusion turned back into that wounded sadness. Kraigan shook his head.
“I’m sorry. I told you there’s nothing there.”
The silence between them was thick. Jason was held in place by the strength of it as Tatsu looked away, nodded, and walked away.
There was so much wrong here that Jason wanted to step out and shout that he was sorry as well, even though he hadn’t done anything to purposely harm Tatsu. Jason was not at fault for this. He may have lied to himself about being at fault for Kraigan’s earlier foul mood, but this truly had nothing to do with him.
Kraigan was clearly in pain from hurting his friend, and Tatsu was in pain from bearing the brunt of another rejection.
Was it Tatsu’s warrior pride that kept him from saying anything more? From staying and talking things over with Kraigan so they could both come to an understanding?
Had it been Kraigan’s warrior’s pride that made him believe that Jason had rejected him when he’d said he could not stay in Kraigan’s room?
That had to be it, and when Tatsu was gone, vanishing around the corner and in no danger of being wounded again by Jason’s presence, he stepped out from his hiding spot.
Kraigan did not turn to look at him as Jason approached. “I thought you wanted to stay with the other servants.”
Jason abruptly halted. He’d thought he’d been silent, not making any noises at all as he’d approached Kraigan, but the man had known he was there?
“How did you—”
“It’s my duty to know where you are.”
Jason’s face heated. He was humiliated to have been caught spying. “When did you realize I was there?”
“A moment ago. I felt your eyes on me when Tatsu turned and walked away.”
He wondered if he should believe that. It could have easily been a moment before that when Kraigan realized they had an audience, choosing to not hurt Jason’s feelings by allowing Tatsu to kiss him, like the man had clearly wanted to.
Then again, Kraigan assumed that Jason had no feelings for him at all.
His cream.
“I left my cream jar in your bedchamber,” Jason said. “I was coming back to get it when I saw you speaking with Tatsu.”
“I see,” Kraigan replied, still stoic and cryptic. “Very well, let’s go and get it.”
“No, wait,” Jason said, making a quick grab for Kraigan’s arm.
He didn’t realize how that must’ve looked until Kraigan stopped and turned to look at him.
Jason, right there, both arms outstretched and grabbing Kraigan’s arm and wrist like some desperate lover.
He quickly let go. “I mean, can we at least talk first? About what happened. I think I hurt you, and I know we don’t get along at the best of times, but I don’t like knowing that.”
Kraigan stared at him, as though waiting for Jason to come right out and admit that this was another joke.
“I’m being serious,” he said.
Kraigan sighed and rolled his eyes. “You are unable to hurt me anyway. Do not worry yourself over such things.”
“I don’t mean physically,” Jason said, irritated with Kraigan’s presumption since Jason was fairly sure that if he put enough effort into it he actually could hurt the man.
Not that he wanted to, though.
“I mean your feelings. I think I hurt your feelings.” Jason’
s face and neck and ears heated up like fire just from him speaking those words out loud. He found himself shifting around on his feet, completely uncomfortable with the entire thing. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
He looked up, and Kraigan’s eyes were wide, staring down at Jason as though horrified by the words he’d just heard.
Then he shook his head. “I have no feelings to hurt. Don’t presume such things.”
Jason didn’t get it, and he frowned up at the man. “What are you talking about? Yes you do. Everyone does.”
“I do not.”
“Are you serious?”
He didn’t need to ask. The look on Kraigan’s face said that he very much was.
Unbelievable. And Jason thought he had a hard time discussing his emotions. Kraigan was a rock in comparison to him.
Which meant that Jason was going to have to tread carefully in this. Kraigan wasn’t a feelings guy, so that meant that, when he brought Jason to his room for sex, it wasn’t just for the sex. He’d hinted and assumed that Jason would want to stay the night.
A guy who protected his feelings so carefully that he didn’t even know he had them didn’t do that without a good reason.
And just like that, a swell of protectiveness surged up in Jason in regards to Kraigan. “Maybe we can talk back in your room. It’s kind of drafty out here,” he said and then shivered because he actually was a little cold.
Kraigan stared at Jason as though he was still suspicious of him, of his motives, but he still nodded. “Follow me.”
Jason did so, eagerly.
Chapter Nine
Kraigan didn’t understand most people. That was his main reason for not liking most people. He liked Tatsu. Up until recently, he’d been a man that Kraigan had understood. Their shared hatred for the humans was one thing they’d bonded over, but now...
No, he didn’t get it. The man had spoken of feelings for Kraigan, and had attempted to act on them, when Kraigan looked at Tatsu as a brother. Kraigan would have been proud to have called Tatsu his brother in another life, and this one, but now it seemed they could not be near each other without that terrible itching sensation assaulting Kraigan through his clothes.
Jason was another matter. Whereas he’d once sworn to himself, and to others, that he cared nothing for him, that he was a little wretch that Kraigan only enjoyed tormenting, now it was different.
Though he still enjoyed the game, now a vulnerability had presented itself that Kraigan had never before experienced. He didn’t like it, and it seemed to center itself entirely around Jason.
It enraged him whenever someone threatened the man. It made him want to murder people to this day when he thought of those dragons jumping on Jason, sent after him by the man Jason had once claimed to have feelings for.
And it also made a spot inside of his gut and chest warm up, to swell with a pride he’d never before known, when he thought of Jason’s bravery when they had been trapped outside of the nest, fighting to get back before the humans, or the werewolves, could find and kill them.
Kraigan would be dead without Jason. That much was true, and though Jason was no warrior, Kraigan found himself giving just an inch of respect to him, as though Jason were a warrior.
At the very least, he was no coward.
No, that wasn’t right either. At Jason’s very worst, he was still a man brave and honorable enough to risk his life for a man he did not like, and that made Kraigan wish to be in his company even more.
Now Jason spoke of feelings and had appeared so distraught and hurt over the idea of something that really only existed in the weakest part of a man’s mind could ever be hurt.
Ridiculous, but he did not point that out as he and Jason walked back to his bedchamber.
Kraigan was unsure of the anxiety that built inside of him with every step he took, closing in on a space that they had just left less than a half an hour before.
He opened the door, letting them both inside, but did not close it as he walked over to his bedside table and took the cream jar from the surface, where it had been forgotten.
He’d turned to present it to Jason when he heard the click of the door. Jason faced him, his hands behind his back as he worked the lock, sliding the bolt and keeping them both inside.
“What are you doing?” Kraigan asked.
“We said we were going to talk.”
There was none of the unsure man from before in Jason now. Now, he looked as though he knew what he wanted and that he was going to get it, come dragons’ hellfire or ice.
“What is there to talk about?” Kraigan asked, approaching Jason and holding out the jar.
Jason took it, opened it, and applied some of the cream to his eye. It swelled more and more with each passing minute, a black and blue reminder that he needed to find those two idiots and beat them senseless.
“When I said I couldn’t stay here, I didn’t mean I couldn’t stay with you. If you want me to stick around from time to time, you can ask, and I’ll say yes.”
Kraigan did not understand.
Jason looked up at him and then sighed and shook his head as he twisted the cap back onto his jar. “You still don’t get it. What I mean is, if you want me to be your boyfriend, then I will be. I’m fine with that. But I want to take it slow. I’m not about to move in with you after we had sex twice.”
Ah, now he thought he understood, and Kraigan crossed his arms. “To be clear with you, I am no one’s boyfriend.”
“You’re not?” Jason asked, shoulders tensing and eyes widening.
Kraigan shook his head. “That’s a child’s word. You would be my lover, potentially a mate if it were to get far enough. You would not be my boyfriend, nor would I be yours.”
Jason’s shoulders relaxed as he blew out a sigh, and Kraigan realized just then that they had come very close to another misunderstanding.
“All right, that seems very fair, and if you ever want me to spend the night, then I will, but I don’t think I can move in with you.”
“I don’t understand why not,” Kraigan said. “Novik had Adam in his bedchambers from the very start.”
One of those smiles pulled up on the corner of Jason’s mouth, and Kraigan knew he would have issues with this. “Adam didn’t have much of a choice in that, but either way, you really want me here, don’t you?”
Kraigan’s shoulders bunched, against his will and without his knowledge.
Jason raised his hands. “I’m not attacking you or making fun of you. I like it. It’s a good thing. It means that you like me.”
“I fucked you once already and asked you to my room for another go. It should have been obvious that I like you.”
Jason shook his head, but he was still smiling. “We’re going to have to work on this.”
Kraigan didn’t see what needed work, but then Jason was stepping forward into Kraigan’s space, the same way Tatsu had done.
This, however, was welcome. He sensed none of the awkwardness that he was about to hurt a brother by turning him away, by not accepting his advances.
Kraigan was very interested in accepting Jason’s kiss, and his hands moved of their own accord, slipping around Jason’s slim, firm waist and holding their bodies close as their mouths inevitably opened for each other.
* * * *
Jason spent the night in Kraigan’s room. The entire night. Like all the time until he had to return to his duties. Even though he still meant to get back to his own shared room with the other servants at some point to at least keep up appearances, he couldn’t seem to get away from Kraigan and his roaming hands.
Jason really didn’t want to get away from him either. Those hands were amazing, and they did all sorts of things to him that made him squirm and ache in the best possible ways.
Jason was just glad that this misunderstanding had been cleared up. Though they’d agreed to take things slowly, especially since it was somewhat dangerous for humans to be seen with dragons lately—on the first morning back,
when Kraigan insisted on escorting Jason again just to make certain he wasn’t accosted or harassed—he knew there would be no keeping this secret.
That became especially obvious after another week or so of not getting back to his bed in time and needing to be escorted back in the early morning. The others already seemed to know what was going on, though no one said anything. The memory of what had happened to Aaron, and the suspicion that it had been one of them to snitch, was still too strong.
Even without the guys talking about it, with Kraigan always insisting on being near for his protection, it would be a matter of minutes before word got out to the dragon population as to why this very eligible and very handsome dragon warrior was constantly following around a human.
And Kraigan was most definitely handsome. He didn’t exactly smile much more than he had when Jason first met him. That mean scowl that seemed stuck to his face was always there, always warning people away, but he was still something to look at, something Jason’s eyes couldn’t help but admire.
Why had he never noticed before how good looking Kraigan could be?
“Did you ever notice it?” he asked, turning to Adam.
They were eating their lunch in the great hall, the one grudgingly shared by dragons and humans alike, but because of Jason’s work schedule, regular lunch time had ended about an hour and a half ago, leaving the servants to get their meals in now that they had the time.
Adam swallowed his bite of sandwich and stared at him. “Notice what?”
Adam was not a servant. Being mated to the commander of the dragon warriors, who was also the king’s cousin, gave Adam that privilege. The fact that he also, strangely, had turned out to have dragon blood in him made it easier for the rest of the dragon population to swallow. The proof of his dragon heritage was swelling in his lower belly.
Jason did his best to avoid looking right at it. It was a strange sight, seeing a man pregnant. He was just glad that he had no dragon blood in him for that to happen. He shivered just thinking about it.
He needed to get his thoughts back on track. Adam was staring at him. “Kraigan. Did you ever notice that he’s not bad to look at?”