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  “And it backfired.”

  Ēostre sighed as she thought back to the century before Fafnir’s death. Saul had felt utterly betrayed when the two elder dragons proudly informed him of their decision, but he’d been a good sport about it, agreed, and said he would do his best to earn Brigid’s love. Easier said than done when the self-absorbed female dragon snubbed him at every turn.

  “Brigid was a… willful child. Headstrong. She saw the betrothal as an opportunity to toy with Saul. You see, at the time, Fafnir and Maximilian were certain her age factored into her refusal. They believed she would change if given time to travel the world as our young often do upon reaching adulthood so they waited eagerly to put their theory to the test. Before they could, Fafnir was killed by a traveling dragonslayer.”

  “You mean, like, a knight in armor and all that?”

  “Yes, Chloe. This happened in the late 1800s… There were and still are humans who realize we exist, but their numbers are few and the stories, as well as the training, are passed through their families. From parent to child, they teach their methods to kill all of us without discriminating good dragon from bad.”

  “I didn’t mean to make you rehash all of those memories, Ēostre. I’m sorry.”

  “No.” With a sad smile on her face, Ēostre shook her head and turned her eyes to the nearby window. The starlit world beyond their living room reminded her of long nights in the grass beside her beloved with their cub tucked between them. How she missed those days. “My memories are precious, and sharing them with you brings me joy.”

  Saul stepped into the room, oblivious to the weight in their discussion. “Mother, would you mind giving us a moment? I need to speak with Chloe alone. We’ll be right back.”

  Ēostre waved him off and rose from her seat. “I intended to retire to bed early this evening in any case. Don’t trouble yourselves over me.” With a pause by Saul to kiss his cheek, she bid them both a good night and ascended the stairs to the upper level.

  Since Saul didn’t trust his daughter with more than a window, afraid she’d sneak out for late night flying lessons, Ēostre slept in the only other second floor bedroom with a full-sized balcony. The second story view overlooked stretches of grass and beautiful California valley. It was difficult to believe it was the same territory she and Fafnir once claimed centuries ago. Still, it remained unchanged in many ways, remote and out of the way of humankind.

  Not that she had anything against humans. Her third most favorite person in the world was a human. Chloe had been mortal once before Astrid’s magical blood mixed with her own.

  And then there was sweet Astrid, who was half-human, half-dragon, a perfect blend of both worlds with the advantages of both races and seemingly none of the flaws.

  How could other dragons like Tlaloc not understand how amazing human beings could be once they saw past their differences, prejudices, and hatred for one another? For every wicked mortal, there were fifty who were better, but convincing her fellow drakes of such seemed an impossible feat.

  “Grandma?” Astrid called from beyond the door. Her small fist knocked gently.

  “Yes, my love? Come in.”

  Astrid cracked open the door and peaked inside. Typically, she turned in hours before the adults. “I noticed your lights were off. Are you going to bed early? May I sleep with you tonight?”

  Ēostre eased into a sitting position and rolled her right shoulder. She winced when the muscle protested, but at least it was no longer tender and swollen. A little magic made everything better.

  “Of course you may. Come.” She patted the empty space beside her and pulled back the sheets. Astrid wasted no time in wiggling into bed beside her and snuggling close.

  “Grandma?”

  “Yes, sweet?”

  “Was Grandpa like Uncle Max?”

  “Very much like him in some ways,” she told the child. “And they were the best of friends for as long as I knew them both.”

  “I wish I’d met him.”

  Ēostre squeezed the girl close and kissed her golden head. Me too, my sweet. Me too.”

  Once Astrid’s peaceful face went slack and her chest moved in the tranquil rhythm of sleep, Ēostre took her mobile phone with her to the balcony. There, she lowered into one of the patio chairs and dialed Max.

  “Happy birthday, Ēostre. Pleasant night with the family?”

  “You remembered?”

  He laughed. “I could never forget your birthday Ēostre, but you beat me to the call. Was the day enjoyable at least, or did you spend it working hard?”

  “I purchased my dress for Duhane’s party, spent time with the family, and then Astrid joined me in bed.”

  “Ah. I do not know whether to pity or envy you, then I remember Brigid’s wild sleeping habits and sleepless mornings of her tossing and turning beside me.”

  “I will not sleep a wink for most of the night,” she agreed, “but that isn’t why I called you.”

  “Oh?” His chair creaked with movement, and soothing notes of jazz filtered into the line. She easily pictured the man comfortably seated behind his office desk, a snifter of brandy beside his keyboard, music playing in the background. Shirtless. Clothed in only a pair of boxers — if he was clothed in anything at all.

  “I am ready to win our little wager, Maximilian. For my completely selfish act, I have decided I want you to take me to the beach. I want reservations at Catalina Island’s best hotel.”

  Dead silence came from the other end of the line until she picked out his measured breaths and finally, seconds later, his laughter.

  “How is that a truly selfish act? Did you know you are the only dragon I have ever known to sunburn?” he inquired.

  “Because you’ll be my Speedo-clad manservant,” she crowed triumphantly.

  Maximilian’s stunned silence sent her into a fit of childish giggles. He finally ended it with a gently uttered, “I don’t own a Speedo.”

  “Then you’ll buy one. If you can throw away an undisclosed sum on zebras for Astrid, you’ll buy a tiny swimsuit to wear beside me. Come prepared to apply sunblock.”

  “Ēostre.”

  “Clear your Saturday and Sunday. G’night,” Ēostre said. She crawled into the bed and beneath the sheets, satisfied with the outcome. Max would live to regret his challenge, and she would be the victor.

  “I hope he’s prepared to lose one of his treasures,” she mused to the quiet bedroom. “Because I intend to win.”

  ***

  Maximilian upheld his part of the bargain and agreed to humor Ēostre’s idea for a spontaneous weekend getaway. After enduring a dull cocktail party honoring his acquaintance in the Senate, she deserved it.

  They reached Catalina Island sometime after two and passed the time until check-in by lounging in the lobby with fancy tropical mixed drinks from the bar. Ēostre balanced her tablet over her lap, peeking up on occasion for a stealthy peek at Max.

  Good. Her victim was none the wiser, absolutely ignorant to what she had in store for him.

  “I can hear you cackling, Ēostre. What are you doing?”

  “Oh, nothing,” she assured him.

  “I can’t believe this is how you chose to spend your wager,” Maximilian mumbled under his breath. “Of all the things to do.”

  “You told me it must be truly selfish, and trust me, I’ve only just begun to use this to my advantage.” Smiling sweetly, Ēostre sent Maximilian to the front desk, where he paid the exorbitant fee for their two rooms overlooking the ocean.

  If she’d been wise, she would have told him one for the pair of them was enough, but in hindsight, that seemed like too much at once.

  This is so silly of me, Ēostre thought. Where has all of my common sense gone? Max’s presence gave her flutters in her tummy, and whenever he was near, it was as if she had a head filled with sawdust. She smiled as she watched him converse with the hotel employee, receive their keys, booklets, and return.

  Andrew lurked nearby and monitored the exch
ange. All of his squad members had accompanied them to the resort island, dressed down in casual wear so as not to draw attention to themselves or their charge. They were eager to enjoy the amenities during their downtime as they rotated on and off duty. According to her dear friend the governor, time-and-a-half, excellent rooms, and a free trip to the beach weren’t enough. He’d paid them each double the salary for the job with a bonus.

  Max was such a handsome man, and an even handsomer dragon, but what she loved most about her dear friend was the kindness in his soul. Power, fame, and fortune never changed him, and unlike most of his fire-breathing kin, he took great pains to control his raging temper. With his ability to befriend anyone, he would have made an amazing silver dragon.

  Ēostre struggled to suppress her anticipation, but once they split to their individual rooms, she found she was brimming with nerves. Nudity had never bothered her. It was natural and normal. Stripping from her clothing to transition to her dragon form was one thing, but wearing a sexy garment to highlight her assets and draw the eye was another. According to Chloe, Ēostre was bound to have the attention of every man on the beach drawn to her.

  Looking at herself in the mirror, she was certain Chloe was right. The silver strips covered barely anything at all yet still managed to support her breasts and push them up.

  “Last chance to back out,” she murmured to herself. The idea was tempting, but the thought of losing the bet spurred her competitive spirit back into gear.

  She pulled on a floral cover-up and stepped from the room to find her travel companion waiting awkwardly in the hall. His bare chest was already bronzed from hours spent poolside at his manor, and every inch of him was sculpted to masculine perfection from his chiseled pecs to his trim waistline. Her eyes scanned downward, skimming the carved indent of hip muscle above the band of his shorts.

  “That isn’t a Speedo.”

  “If it’s good enough for Daniel Craig, it’s good enough for me,” he retorted. “Besides, I think this is, ah—”

  “Much better,” Ēostre agreed, sharing his sentiment after another appreciative look. The black shorts — tiny, tiny shorts — clung to his hips and defined upper thighs like a second skin. So well, in fact, that she thought he looked better than James Bond.

  Ēostre may have been a dragon, but she was also a woman, and she knew a fine human man when she saw one. Between Max and Daniel Craig, there could be no competition, the point proven when a young woman practically salivated over him in passing. The girl, no older than her twenties, stumbled into a wall corner after rubbernecking to keep Maximilian in her view.

  Ēostre giggled into one cupped hand. “The young one clearly agrees. Now come. Let’s abandon your security team and sneak away.”

  “I heard that,” Vincent said. “For his safety, we prefer to keep Governor Emberthorn within our view at all times.”

  “If this is what you call ‘invisible’ you are failing at it terribly,” Ēostre fussed at the young man. Technically, none of the security team members who followed Maximilian for his “safety” were young at all, each of them a shapeshifter in his or her forties with a youthful physical appearance.

  “We promised to be unobtrusive,” the agent said, an irritated edge seeping into his professional tone. “Which is what we’ve done, Ms. Feuersturm.”

  Ēostre blew out an exasperated sigh. “There is nothing you can do for him that I cannot do myself. For the love of the Ancestors, I’m accomplished sorceress. There is no bullet in this world capable of causing Maximilian harm.” Pride surged into Ēostre’s voice, making the words come off in an unintentionally flippant tone. She regretted it at once.

  “We’ve established that, my friend, but they are for looks as much as practicality. Was it not your idea to hire my own private security team until Ian has established his own men in the Secret Service? Discretion is key, Ēostre, more than anything at this point in my career.”

  “You’re right. Forgive me, all of you,” she said. Thoroughly chastened by her own conscience and Max’s cool, irrefutable logic, she flashed the three-person shifter squad an apologetic smile. “It would appear even I am prone to moments of poor decision and ill temper.”

  “No harm, no trial,” Andrew said, chuckling. “We get it. Our presence is intrusive, and you want to enjoy a holiday without us lurking behind you. We’ll endeavor to grant a wider berth for the rest of the weekend.”

  The wolf’s bright, toothy smile eased the heavy weight forming in Ēostre’s stomach. She couldn’t have forgiven herself if her rare surge of draconic arrogance had alienated his bodyguards.

  Thankfully, Hotel Avalon was a brisk stroll from the shoreline, and within a hundred-yard walk, their bare feet were on beach. Ēostre carried her shoes in one hand and enjoyed the sensation of hot, dry sand shifting beneath her toes.

  “That feels amazing,” Max muttered. “But I’m not sure about this being an entirely selfish venture for you.”

  If you knew how damned good you look in those shorts, you wouldn’t question it, Ēostre thought.

  It didn’t take long to discover the perfect spot on the beach. A single umbrella shaded two lounge chairs only a few yards from where the water lapped against the sand. The turquoise waters sparkled beneath the late afternoon sunshine.

  “I wasn’t joking, and I don’t believe I made the terms of our wager,” Ēostre reminded him.

  She pulled off the cover-up and settled down on the cushioned lounger. Once she removed the bottle of sunblock from her beach bag and passed it to Max, she rolled onto her stomach and set her cheek in the crook of one elbow. “Chop chop, my friend. This was your idea.”

  Max didn’t respond, and she didn’t dare to look. Instead, she continued to hide her face, long after the first touch of his fingers brushed past her back. He took her hair and guided the long, silver braid to the side of her shoulder to expose the expanse of her back.

  After he unfastened her bikini top, Ēostre heard the bottle’s contents shaking then squirting over one of his palms. “You’ll have to forgive me if I’m heavy-handed. I haven’t done this in a while.”

  “So you’ve done this before?”

  “Once or twice,” he answered with a mysterious air to his deep voice.

  From the moment his hands touched her skin, Ēostre knew she wouldn’t regret her decision. Fingers covered in cool sunblock glided over her back and kneaded the lotion into her flesh. They swept up to her shoulders and down her sides, dangerously close to skimming past the sides of her breasts and breaching the minimal protection offered by her swim attire.

  And more than anything, Ēostre wanted to roll onto her back to invite him to finish a more thorough lotioning of her body. To feel his hands easing beneath the bikini triangle to cup skin against skin.

  Heavy-handed? No, his hands were as magical as their dragon forms.

  Her nipples stiffened, and despite the ambient temperature of the hot and sunny summer day, his touch made her shiver. Ēostre tried to convince herself it was the chilly lotion, then his hands descended again.

  It was the closest she’d come to orgasm without sex in a long while.

  “Ēostre?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Are you all right? Your back is stiff as a board,” he commented.

  She cleared her throat and relaxed beneath his strong hands, letting him work out the kinks and aches acquired over a week of driving, sitting at a desk, and of course, that persistent twinge she’d felt ever since Astrid crashed into her. “The lotion was a little cold is all. I’m fine.”

  “Well,” he said in a husky voice, “I think I’m done with you.”

  One peek at Max over her shoulder was enough to renew the scintillating tingle gliding over her body. For a split second, she saw fire in the eyes raking over her from head to toe, making her feel like the world’s most desirable woman. Once Max tied her bikini top again, she rolled to her back and accepted the bottle of sunblock.

  “But you’re not finished,”
Ēostre said playfully. With her knees bent, she raised one leg from the beach chair, wiggled her foot at him, and grinned with unmistakable mischief. “I have legs, my friend, and you are my helpful manservant.”

  Something dark and turbulent passed over Max’s hazel eyes. The change nearly made Ēostre renege on her command and cancel the bet altogether, and then it was gone, prompting her to wonder if it was a figment of her imagination. As he reclaimed the SPF 30, their fingers touched again, and a spark leapt between them.

  “Very well then,” Max finally murmured. He pulled up the adjacent lounge chair and sat on its edge. Leaning forward flexed the muscles in his abdomen, further defining the dragon’s natural athleticism and how it translated to his human body. Behind her shades, Ēostre’s eyes flicked to the trail of rust-colored hair below his navel and lingered where it disappeared beneath the waistband of a sinful pair of male swim shorts.

  Keeping her hands off of him in public was bound to be more difficult than she expected.

  ***

  “Will I be feeding you grapes and fanning you afterward?” Max joked. Playful comments and remarks helped ease the sense of panic building in his chest. On one hand, he’d never felt a tug toward any female dragoness the way he did toward Ēostre. On the other, she was the widow of his closest friend.

  Did she have the capacity to feel again for another dragon and to open her heart to him?

  “Maybe I have that planned for later.”

  Ēostre raised one leg from the lounge chair, bending it at the knee. Once she did, Max’s strong hands closed around her calf then began smoothing lotion up and down her shin. His caress traveled to her ankles and skimmed up in a repetitive, circular pass, gliding over sleek flesh until he reached her knee.

  A vision played through his head of having Ēostre on a private beach, stripped of her swimsuit, her body arched beneath him in ecstasy. He imagined how it would feel to kiss his way up her shins, to set his bulk between her slim, creamy thighs, and part them before burying his cock in her receptive embrace.

  As Ēostre’s tension diminished, another kind grew beneath Max’s tight-fitting black shorts. Her relaxed body remained at his mercy, and her eyes were closed. Shit. He had to get his mind back in the game and off of the things he wanted to do to her. Childcare legislation, animal rights laws, decrepit female judges, crooked senators. He flooded his mind with thoughts of those things, leaving no room for fantasies about Ēostre screaming his name.