in front of her. He was wearing a loose pair of linen pants that’d fallen low on his hips, revealing the mesmerizing tattoos that had moved in strange patterns over his pale skin. Halting directly in front of her, his hand had reached out to cup her chin so he could study her with a blazing intensity.
And then he’d said one word.
“Mine.”
She jerked herself out of the past.
“A real dragon,” she managed to choke out, wishing she could forget the absolute sense of rightness that’d filled her at his possessive claim.
“Baine.”
Tayla studied the small gargoyle in shock. “You know him?”
Levet gave a dismissive wave of one clawed hand. “We have mutual friends, although we have never been formally introduced. What did the monster do to you?”
“Nothing,” she said.
It was true. He had done nothing more than lean down and brush a burning kiss over her lips. But it’d felt like…everything.
She was still reeling from his touch when the older dragon had stood and shoved aside the heavy throne he’d been seated on. There had been a short but angry conversation between the two males in a language she didn’t understand, although she’d managed to work out that the dragon closest to her was named Baine, and that the older dragon was his father, Synge.
While they were quarrelling a robed servant had arrived to lead her to another cavern that had been shrouded in satin curtains and finely woven rugs. “I was taken to his harem and I decided that I didn’t particularly care for the role of concubine.” She shrugged. “So I left.”
Levet made a sound of disbelief. “You…left? And the dragon just let you?”
She wrinkled her nose. She’d been in a mindless daze when she’d been urged through curtains and into the vast room that was filled with beautiful fountains and even more beautiful women. But the second she’d realized exactly where she was, and what would be expected of her, she’d panicked.
“I didn’t ask for his permission.”
“Sacrebleu,” Levet breathed. “That’s impossible. No one can escape from a dragon lair.”
“I was lucky. I happen to have a talent for creating portals.” She licked her dry lips. Had she heard something downstairs? Was Baine already in the house? “I kept on the move for years, and then when I decided to open this teahouse I had it wrapped in disguise spells that should have kept me hidden.”
A strange expression seemed to ripple over Levet’s bumpy little face.
“Oui.” He cleared his throat. “As to that.”
She frowned. “As to what?”
“Do you recall that we discussed using my magical services to discover your perfect love-match?”
“I recall telling you that I have no desire for any love-match,” she said with a sharp impatience. “What does that have to do with the disguise spells?”
“It is vaguely possible that I—”
“Imp.” The powerful sound of Baine’s voice echoed through the air. “Enough games. Present yourself to me.”
That toxic mixture of fear and excitement thundered through Tayla, draining the color from her face.
“Oh…hell,” she muttered.
“I am sorry, ma belle,” Levet told her, his wings fluttering as he moved around her to head down the hallway. “I will make him go away.”
She reached to grab his shoulder. “Are you nuts?” she hissed. “You can’t confront a full-blooded dragon.”
“This is my fault. I must fix it.”
His fault? Tayla had no idea what he meant. Levet hadn’t known that she was being hunted by a pissed-off dragon.
Before she could demand an explanation, however, he was slipping from her grasp and heading toward the stairs at a surprising speed.
“Levet,” she muttered, her hands clenching in frustration. Dammit.
The foolish gargoyle was going to get himself killed.
She was torn between dashing after the retreating demon to try and halt his idiotic burst of heroism, and leaping out the window so she could lead the dragon away, but the decision was taken out of her hands.
“Hello, imp.” The dark, enticingly accented voice wrapped around her like a caress.
Or maybe a noose.
Stiffening, she sucked in the intoxicating scent of exotic spices and sheer male power.
She hadn’t sensed him entering the house, but Baine had the sort of magic that allowed him to disguise his presence. Which meant he’d deliberately allowed her to feel his heat from the gardens. Dammit.
Now her every nerve ending screamed in response to his sudden appearance.
Accepting it was too late to flee, she slowly forced herself to turn and face the male who stood in the center of the hallway.
The breath was jerked from her body as she reacted to his sculpted