“Don’t be a fucking moron,” Maverick hissed.
I grinned. Such a caring bear. I loved how he never missed an opportunity to cheer me up. Insults were care bear’s love language. It was the only explanation I had for the continual disrespect he showed me.
“Love you too, furry butt.” I made some cute little kissy noises, so he knew I meant it.
The bear threw me a glare that promised pain and suffering, both of which I needed to keep me on the straight and narrow.
I planned to lie low for now. No point in making it too easy for the mage security dickheads. Not that they stood a chance of catching me. But it amused me to think of them casting their pathetic attack spells while Brenda sliced and diced.
“Please make yourselves comfortable,” the dragon dude said. I immediately threw myself down onto a red velvet sofa and stretched luxuriously. Damn, if the beds were this soft and squishy, I might bring my pet back here for a vacation. This place was way nicer than the shitty vampire dorm.
And besides, after hearing the enraged voicemail Montgomery sent Maverick earlier, informing him his employment contract at Starfall Academy had been terminated for crimes against humans (utter bullshit) and murdering mages (much deserved), I doubted I’d be welcome back on campus.
Rasmus might get away with it as nobody knew who he was when glamoured, but Kai had blown his chances of a stellar education, although he probably gave no shits. Of all of us, he’d endured some of the worst discrimination from the mages and wolf shifters.
“Can you help us find our mate?” The dragon dude didn’t react to Maverick’s blunt question. Instead of replying, he plucked a bottle of elkwine from a shelf and placed it on the shiny gold table, along with glasses.
“Drink first, and then we talk.”
I snatched the bottle up and poured myself a glass of the liquor before handing it to Maverick.
“I’m cold,” I explained. “My magic reserves are low, so I can’t warm up. Fancy a cuddle?”
He bared his teeth at me, which I took to mean no. Since I genuinelywascold, I threw him an adorable little pout. Sadly, that didn’t work either.
“Mean.”
“I apologize,” the dragon said. “Dragons don’t feel the cold. Let me light a fire for you.”
“He’s not that cold,” Maverick scoffed, throwing me some side-eye. “Don’t go to any trouble.”
The vampire smirked but didn’t defend me. Kai had already checked out of the conversation. He stood by the window, staring out like a trapped bird. Or goldfish. Yeah, goldfish suited the vibe better.
“No trouble at all.” The dragon heaved a ginormous log from the basket by the obscenely ostentatious fireplace and tossed it onto the grate.Impressive.No way could I have lifted that log. Not without rupturing a disc.
The dude was one giant slab of muscle. Tall too. He had to be at least seven feet, which put him a couple of inches taller than the bear. With his pale blond hair and hulking frame, he reminded me of a guy I’d seen in a human movie. Thor?
“Have you got a hammer?” I asked, remembering that in the movie, Thor had wielded a giant hammer. Everyone turned to stare at me. “What?” I shrugged. “It’s a perfectly reasonable question!”
Olaf, not Thor, ignited the tree trunk in the grate with a stream of dragon fire. Smoke wisps curled from his nostrils when he dropped his giant ass into a leather armchair. It creaked alarmingly under his considerable weight but didn’t collapse.
“Do you have to buy special furniture because you’re so, um, heavy?”
Maverick rested his head in his hands and groaned while Rasmus stared at a painting of a dragon in flight as if it were the most interesting masterpiece he’d ever seen.
“I’m so sorry. The incubus has no filter. Please ignore him. We all do,” Maverick gritted out eventually.
Olaf chuckled. “It’s fine.” He swallowed a mouthful of elkwine and sat back in his chair, huge thighs spread wide. Was that an alpha dominance thing? From Maverick’s disgruntled rumble, I guessed so.
Kenji blinked into the room and trotted next to the fire. He flicked his tails and chittered at Olaf, who nodded.
“In answer to your question, no, I do not know where your mate is being held, but I can offer some background to why she’s been taken.”
My shoulders slumped in disappointment at the dragon shifter’s words. The sight of so much gold no longer interested me. What was the point in being surrounded by pretty baubles when my mate was missing?
“Explain,” the bear growled. Like me, he was on the verge of exploding. Count Jugular too, if his twitchy red eyes were any indicator. Although he could be thirsty. It had been a while since he fed from our mate.
“If you need a snack,” I whispered to him, “I can take one for the team.” He cocked an eyebrow at my suggestion.
