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"N-now?" I squeaked out, surprised by how willing I was, not just for the bite, but what it would mean.
"Mmm, no," he said slowly, scraping his fangs once more before pressing a chaste kiss to my pulse. "No, tonight we have guests and dinner. And you will dance with me, and I'll watch you dance with others. And tonight, I will share your body in this bed with the rest of your mates,blodyn bach. Because we've all waited too long for you to be selfish, as much as we might like. But soon, yes?"
He leaned back, catching my gaze, waiting for my answer.
Yes?
A cool stone slid over my chest, down to kiss between my breasts, as if Hywel had directed it there. I shivered and panted slightly, and still he waited for my answer.
It came, breathless but clear. "Yes."
Hywel beamed at me, and it was his arms around my waist that kept me upright.
"I don't…I don't have any treasure to give you, but Excalibur—"
Hywel turned me and slanted his mouth over mine, swallowing the offer. His tongue traced around my mouth, and he shook his head, nose nuzzling against mine. "Excalibur chooses its owners. No, you've given meplenty, mate. Besides, we have many years ahead of us to collect and exchange gifts," he said, kissing my cheek.
I circled my arms around his shoulders, holding him to me, closing my eyes and breathing in that soot and lavender scent of him. Hywel purred, hands stroking my back.
"Courage, my pretty morsel," he whispered.
I nodded against his chest, my arms sliding down over his shoulders, hands trailing to his own, our fingers tangling as we stepped apart. Hywel's scales glimmered under his pale skin, and for a moment I wanted to ask him to transform back into his dragon form, to escort me down to dinner, huge and terrifying. I would be afraid of nothing with a dragon at my side.
He grinned, sharp teeth glinting and pointing out the obvious. Ididhave a dragon at my side. For as long as I wanted one.
"Ready," I said, nodding my head and linking my arm through his.
* * *
"Oh, Nireas, please,"Hazel Nix laughed, tugging her giant lover by two of six arms away from the collection of instruments on the balcony. "They're managing fine, and we never get to dance together."
"That's because I'm a terrible dancer," the giant murmured, but the young woman only laughed and drew him toward the stairs as the shadow musicians continued to play merry tunes for our large party.
The vampire and the handsome young man who looked bookish and human danced past Asterion and me, whispering in one another's ears. Laszlo and Hywel were dancing too, using the steps of old-fashioned courtiers, ones I'd seen centuries ago. Esther spun by, the quiet enchanted stone man chasing her skirts, and what I suspected was an invisible partner crowding closer to her front.
Amon the sphinx, Hunter the orc, and my own werewolf Conall stood together, heads bowed.
"They don't look as though they're plotting war, do they?" I asked my own partner, Asterion, nodding toward the small cluster.
Asterion huffed. "More likely gossiping."
I laughed and craned my neck to watch the men as we turned away from them. "Gossiping? That seems awfully frivolous."
"We monsters are not much better than the gentlemen we seek to emulate," Asterion said, shrugging.
"Hmm, I'll reserve my judgment on that," I murmured. I did not mind human men, or what I remembered of their company, but they didn't measure up to the society I kept these days.
"Should you like to know what they're speaking of?" Asterion asked, nodding to the others.
I raised my brow. "Are you trying to get out of dancing with me, Asterion?"
He rumbled, a pleasant vibration sinking into my chest and gentling at the nerves that came and went this evening. "Never," he said, arm tightening around my waist. "I won't retreat from you now,théa. I hope you knew as much when you drew me into your body."
I flushed at the words, flattered and aroused, my hand on his chest gripping at his collar, tempted to drag him down for a kiss, even with so many others around us. And then it occurred to me that was exactly what I should do. I rose to my toes, unclenching my fist to slide my hand up his vast chest, around the wide neck and to the soft fur at the back of his head. Asterion's eyes widened as I drew his mouth to mine, our dance faltering while we gave focus to this new pursuit. Asterion's lips were only briefly frozen against mine. He groaned and I sighed, opening to him, knees turning soft as his tongue swept in, overwhelmingly thick and deftly teasing at my own.
"Ah, I see you are a favorite at last, Asterion," a sweet voice called.
Asterion lifted his head, gazing down at me in a way that sapped all remaining strength from my muscles, before glancing up and nodding at Esther, who must've been the one to speak.
