Can't Get Enough (Dragon Kin) - G.A. Aiken Page 0,8
his face. “Tell me!”
Sitting back on his haunches, he released her, holding up his claws. A placating gesture. Seemed the little innocent had quite a temper. “Just…calm down.”
“I won’t calm down,” she promised, scrambling back to her feet and away from him. “Just tell me.”
“Someone told Adienna about the kiss I gave you outside the school. She seems to believe you’ve betrayed her.”
The rage went out of her, replaced with confusion.
“I don’t understand. What do the North dragons have to do with Adienna? Or with me for that matter?”
“We can talk about this later.” He wanted to get her back to his home, where he knew she’d be safe.
“No. You’ll tell me now.”
Gods, where was the mouse he was used to? The shadow who silently followed Adienna? The female calmly ordering him around was far from the Shalin the Innocent he’d heard about all these years.
“Fine. Adienna sold you to the Lightnings.”
“She…” Shalin sat back on her haunches and stared at him. “She sold me?”
“Aye. To old Tinig. I’ve fought him in battle. I took his eye. It just made him look crazier.”
Taking in a deep breath, Shalin nodded. “She sold me.”
“Shalin—”
Shalin held up a claw to silence him. “And you,” she looked directly at him. “You took me from the Northerners.”
Ailean nodded solemnly, completely comfortable with his role as hero and rescuer. “I couldn’t let this happen to you, now could I?”
Years later he’d admit—he never saw that tail coming.
Covering his jaw where the sharp tip of her tail had slashed him, Ailean glowered. “Is there a reason you did that?”
“You brought war to our people and you stand there looking smug?”
“I brought war?”
“Yes. You.” She shook her head, turning as she did. Ailean took a step back to avoid that tail. He wasn’t frightened, but he wasn’t stupid, either. “I have to go back,” she finally said and looked as if she were seconds from taking flight.
Ailean grabbed hold her arm. “What are you talking about?”
“I have to go back, Ailean. It hasn’t been that long.” She glanced up at the sky to confirm. “And if your brothers haven’t killed them yet, I can fix this.”
He knew from her words and her expression what she planned to do. Sacrifice herself for the greater good of her people.
“You’ll fix nothing, Shalin.”
She tried to walk away from him. “Ailean—”
Ailean yanked her back, harshly, making sure he had her attention. He did.
“You’ll. Fix. Nothing.”
“Get your claws—”
He gave her a hard shake. “Listen well, Shalin. I’ve created this, but I’ll fix it. But I’ll be damned if I let you sacrifice yourself because of that mad bitch.”
“She’s not mad, Ailean. She’s mean. Meaner than you or I.”
“I don’t care.”
“You have to know she won’t stop. She won’t stop until I’m gone or dead. I think gone is better.”
“So you’ll…run?” The word was foreign on his tongue. Male or female, young or old, his Clan never ran.
“Why not? I’m quite speedy. And I have this odd love of having my neck attached to my body.”
With a growl, Ailean turned, dragging her behind him.
“What are you doing?”
“We’re going to my home, if I have to drag your pretty ass there myself.”
“But won’t your family be there?”
Finally, his full anger snapped and he turned on her. “You think you’re not safe with my family?”
Now Shalin held her claws up in a placating gesture. “That’s not what I mean at all.”
“Then what do you mean?” he demanded.
He watched her gather her courage before saying, “You’ll be putting them at risk, too. Adienna will stop at noth—”
Amazed she seemed more concerned with everyone but herself, Ailean calmly cut in, “If Adienna crosses my family, she’ll soon learn how little her royal title means.”
“Ailean—”
“We’re not discussing this any more. You’ll come with me.”
Her mind turned. He could see it, see her trying to figure anyway out of this. Her gold eyes furtively glanced around, desperate, but he only had to flash a fang to make it clear how far he’d go.
“Fine,” she said with an absurdly tragic sigh. “I’ll come with you. But…my father. He’s not safe.”
“I’ve already sent two of my cousins’ mates to protect your father.”
“Only two?”
“Trust me. These two…your father will be fine.”
“Knowing my father, he’ll want to go to the queen. To see if he can fix this.”
“And they’ll go with him when he’s ready. His own personal guards. No one will get near him.”
Shalin sighed again, and Ailean knew he’d won. At least he’d won this particular argument. He sensed other fights wouldn’t