myself around powerful people. But there are four male nagas with human mates, and they just want to be normal families. Their defenses are tested nearly on a weekly basis. Someone is always trying to get to them. Most are low-time poachers, human and supernatural alike. Disgusting, awful people, but sometimes…”
“Sometimes, it’s something more,” he finished.
“Exactly. And now, I have this…guy.” I gestured at the door, indicating Raphael. “And he’s running from his own demons, people who have done terrible things to him. If I declare him a mate to the naga, I do two terrible things to him.”
Cassius had no response, gesturing for me to continue.
“I give him all my enemies for starters. Then I take away his freedom. I don’t want forever with anyone. It’s a burden I have run from for a century. I don’t want to pop out kids for my kind. The others can breed. I’m more than my womb. But if I declare him a naga mate, he’ll be expected to stay by my side for the rest of his life. Does that seem fair to you? To be bound to a woman who might never want you? Might never think it’s safe? Hell, he might not even find me attractive. I don’t know what’s going on in his mind. It’s happened before. A naga can make the wrong choice when it comes to these things and create a mate bond with someone who is totally wrong for them.” When I was done, I sagged into the chair. “It’s not as simple as you think it is.”
“You’re right. We’ll work on finding a way to protect him without going to the last resort, but Kaliya, you need to be ready to make that call because something is going to force you to one day.”
“I know,” I whispered.
There was silence as we stared at each other until Cassius relaxed and looked over my head toward the door.
“He’s not a bad guy,” the fae said finally. “You could have found worse.”
“Wow,” I huffed, shaking my head. “Really? Are you going to invite us to a dinner party with your fiancée next?”
“I was considering it. Are you really thinking about ignoring the breeding compatibility between you and him?”
“For as long as I’m able. If I’m forced to acknowledge it, so be it, but I’m never going to force a mate bond with him. Adhar told me to do that, and I wanted to reach through the phone and strangle the old bastard. He’s…”
“It’s always scared you, the mate bond,” Cassius pointed out. “Was he really so tactless to tell you to just do it and get it over with?”
“Yeah,” I spat out. “Which is funny because when I was fifteen, he saw how much I hated the parade I had to endure. Did I ever tell you about that?”
“No, I don’t remember hearing about a parade.”
“Long story short, when a naga is entering adulthood, he or she is taken in front of all the other eligible nagas to see who they might be able to mate bond with. We’re required to open our mouths so others can see if our fangs drop. It’s pretty humiliating.”
“Sounds like it. Also sounds like a fae coming out party.”
“Coming out? Are you all gay now?”
“No…coming out into society party. Being presented to the royalty of the court, meeting your peers as eligible to marry another member of society.”
“Ahhhh. That. Yeah. A bit like that. Old, weird, humiliating traditions that refuse to die.”
“Yes.”
Leith came in twenty minutes later, and I was almost sad to end the peaceful silence that Cassius and I had found. It was relaxing.
“Terry is here and…him and Raphael…”
“We’re coming,” Cassius said, sighing heavily. I was the first out the door, walking fast. As I drew closer to the kitchen, I heard the growling and stomped in.
“Raphael, leave the werewolf alone. Terry, this is Raphael. He’s a friend of mine. Kind of. Can I call you a friend?” I asked the last question to Raphael.
“He smells off,” Terry muttered, glaring as he walked around the counter to his side of the kitchen. “A touch of something in his human scent. I don’t like it.”
“Really? I didn’t catch that. Tell me more.” I sat down innocently and was happy to see everything calming down as Cassius walked in with Leith. “Everything is fine. Terry was just going to tell me about something he caught in Raphael’s scent.”
“Ah…” Cassius looked between both men, down at Leith, to me, then shook his