“I think, given the circumstances, my family deserves to have a few secrets get out. I mean, we did kidnap you, right?”
“Hmmm.” I tapped my finger to my chin and eyed him speculatively. “That’s true. Though, I don’t think people are supposed to walk around strange houses with dark and dangerous men.”
“Do I look dangerous?” he asked, his eyes darkening and the grin becoming an almost predatory smile. It wasn’t intimidating, though. Quite the opposite, actually. I didn’t know what had gotten into me, but if he’d told me to drop my pants and bend over the railing, I’d have done it. Gladly. Maybe it was the stress? Or maybe it was him?
What the hell is wrong with me?
“Not really, but I’m warning you,” I said, holding up a finger. “Try anything weird, and I’ll make you regret it.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Does that mean I’ll get a spanking?”
Heat flooded my cheeks, and for the briefest second, I imagined myself bent over, Aurelius thrusting into me from behind and slapping my ass hard enough to leave a handprint. The pain would mix so deliciously with the pleasure. I blinked, shoving that fantasy aside, and extended my hand to his.
“Yes. Let’s have a look at this place. I accept the prince’s offer.”
He rolled his eyes and held out his hand. “Please don’t call me that. I’m just Aurelius.”
When I slipped my hand into his, I almost let out a sigh of delight. He had a few calluses, but for the most part his skin was smooth and warm against mine. His heat melted into my palm, and for a single instant it felt as though our hands had become one. If Aurelius felt the same thing, he didn’t show it.
As he led me down the hall, I wondered why I knew so little about this man. Delphine had always tried to stay updated on all the drama and discourse going on with shifters and fae. Even then, with the tidbits she liked to drop, very little was known about Aurelius Decimus outside of the dragon shifter world. He was mysterious. An unknown shrouded in more questions than answers.
“Where are we going first?” I asked.
“I thought you might like to see the original castle,” he said. “It was built not long after the royal family made the move to the new world.”
Unsure what that meant but curious, I followed along, peering into the rooms we passed and eyeing the décor. Soon, it became clear what he was talking about. The interior of the manor house was modern, if overly luxurious, but it became more ancient as we went, until we were in an old entryway deep within the house.
“Is this…” I trailed off, looking around at the ancient stone walls, the flagstone floors, and the dusty tapestries.
“This is actually a freaking castle,” I finally managed to say.
“It is, indeed,” Aurelius said with a smile. “Built into the very bedrock of the surrounding mountain. It’s been here for centuries. We only added the outward mansion façade in the late eighteenth century.”
I pointed down a stone stairwell. “What’s down there?”
Aurelius’s smile faded a bit as he looked down into the dark lower floors.
“Down there is the hatchery. It’s the deepest part of the castle, and the most guarded. It’s where every female dragon came to give birth, whether they were part of House Decimus or not. Then, for the first several years of life, all young dragons would live here, studying and learning about our history-how to shift and fly, how to be the dragon they were born to be. At least, this is where that used to happen.”
“Your numbers are shrinking,” I said.
“They have been.” He glanced at me. “There hasn’t been a single dragon birth in over twenty years. In fact, you’ve met the last dragon to be born with the ability to shift.”
“You?” I asked, frowning at him.
He shook his head and chuckled ruefully. “No. Not me. Vincent. He was the last to be born. His father, Benedictus Beatrix, sees him as a bit of a stain on the family name.” Aurelius looked at me warily. “You’ve probably noticed he’s a bit different.”
That was an understatement. Vincent was an intriguing person, that was for sure, but I didn’t think there was anything wrong with that. Hell, I was peculiar myself. I guess everyone was in their own special way. Vince was nice and polite-for a kidnapper, that is. Sure, he had strange tendencies like repeating his movements, and hyper-fixating on certain things, and he lacked tact and subtlety, but that was no reason to dismiss him as a stain on the family. Although, I could relate to that.
“I noticed,” I said.
“He’s become like family to us here, which is strange since his father is one of my father’s biggest rivals. His father loves him, of course, but he’s…” Aurelius sighed and shook his head. “He’s disappointed in the man Vincent is. He’d have been happier with a more strait-laced politico or businessman like himself. Vincent is more of a free spirit. Possibly a bit on the spectrum.”
“Interesting.”
It looked like there was even more about the dragons that I didn’t know.
“Come on,” he said, taking my hand again. “There’s more to see. It’s not getting too late for you, is it?”
Glancing at my watch, I found it was already nearly two in the morning. Rather than feeling exhausted, though, I was wired. I’d had a nap prior to Vincent stealing me away. And with the adrenaline coursing through my system from this whole situation, I didn’t think I could sleep if I tried.
“I’m good if you are,” I said.
He grinned. “Great. Dragons are fairly nocturnal. Wolves?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Somewhat,” I said, skirting the truth I wasn’t ready to reveal yet. “More crepuscular, but for the most part we keep normal human hours. Helps us blend in better. Staying up late doesn’t bother me at all, though,” I added, not wanting my time with him to end.
“All right, then,” he said.
Aurelius led me back into the newer portions of the home, showing me all the amenities-a game room with an antique pool table; a theater room with over two dozen leather recliners; even a fitness room with every kind of exercise equipment I could fathom. It was a lot larger than the gym Delphine and I went to. The place was absolutely massive. Knowing the dragons’ numbers were shrinking, the sheer size of the house filled me with a sadness I didn’t care for. It was like the place had been built for life and activity, but now that was fading.
“Not a bad place to spend time,” Aurelius finally said as he escorted me back to my room.
“You’ve got that right. It’s like a billionaire’s wet dream. Oops,” I yelped, clamping a hand to my mouth. “Sorry. No filter.”
Aurelius grinned, and his gaze slid down my body, then back to my eyes. Heat flooded my cheeks and between my legs. God, he was gorgeous. I wished he’d say something. The silence stretched on for what felt like years, when in reality it was only a few seconds.
“I like you, Elle. You’re a breath of fresh air, and I needed that.”
“Uh, well, I’m glad I could, uh, help with that,” I muttered.
“Hmm.” He grinned mischievously, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
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