it. And it’s because of your stunts that—”
“And now that you’ve seen what I’m actually capable of with a sword, I would have thought you’d thank me for not embarrassing your pawn, your secret weapon, Blake Ward. I could have done much, much worse to her or had an ‘accident’ during our sparring, like you were planning on her to have with me, but I didn’t because I play fair. How is Blake? It’s such a shame she can’t ever come back here. Ever.”
“Someone will take you down, and then we will all—”
“Excuse me, I’m on a date with my boyfriend, and listening to the hysterical ramblings of another council member isn’t on the agenda today. Enjoy the game.” I pulled on Darby’s hand and spun around him.
“You won’t always be able to hide behind the dragons, Mr. Moore. One day they will put their people first and leave you out in the cold. You will get your due punishment then for disobeying your council.”
“Councilman, if anything you asked of me was by our laws, I would gladly accept my punishment. But everything was against our laws, and the gods, and the woman I love, so no matter how it plays out, I have no regrets. I appreciate the dragons and their protection, but my faith is in Tamsin, and that’s where it should be.”
“I love you too,” I breathed in his ear. I threw up a barrier to keep out whatever anyone might say from our ears and also block us from view before kissing him in a way no one should see right then.
“Gods, I love you so much, agra,” he moaned, as I ground my body against his. “Does my girlfriend want me?”
“Yes.”
“Does she need me?”
“Always,” I panted as his hand moved under my shirt. “Do it. Do it right here where no one can see, but they’re all here, Darby.”
“Dirty fairy,” he growled, sucking a mark on my neck as his hand changed course and slid in my jeans. He had started doing that with my neck now that I let him near it again. I wasn’t sure he was really into it, but it was more he was relieved I would trust him near my neck. Maybe a reminder he wanted me more than my blood?
Hell if I knew what was going on in anyone’s mind. I barely knew my own most days.
It was ridiculously hot that he fingered me right there where no one could see us, but we could see them. He liked it too from how hard he was. I started to take care of him, but he held me off.
“No, I want to be this wound up for you all day, since I have something special planned tonight. And you’re going to need to eat a lot, Tamsin. You’ll need your strength.”
I groaned. Just groaned. That sounded fantastic.
I checked that the councilman and his people were gone before taking down the barrier.
“Well, you two were doing dirty things,” Natalie teased, blinking at whatever state we were in. “Was it good?”
I snorted. “Always. And yes, we like to have fun.”
“That we do, agra,” Darby chuckled, hugging me to him and kissing my neck. “That we do.” He let me go and tended to the grill, building me a big plate and Izzy a smaller one. Mel took over when she arrived with Colton and a few of her cousins.
“So, explain this to me again, and I promise I won’t be a smartass,” I said in between bites. “It’s basically American football, but with runes.”
“Yes, your throwing banana peels on the ground, flying brooms, and other snarks were not appreciated, as this gets intense fast,” Mel drawled.
“You said an ice rune and I’m sorry, my mind immediately went to—”
“Yeah, yeah, but you can be sort of demeaning at times, Tams,” Izzy cut in. “They train hardcore, just like you do, and deserve respect.”
I felt two inches tall to get a lecture like that from Izzy. “I don’t mean to be, I really don’t. I don’t ever feel apart of any of this and always the outsider. I’m not one of you. I still forget I’m not human, and this is all a lot, even after a year. It doesn’t make sense a lot of times when you guys explain things, and I get snarky when I feel stupid and left out.”
I flinched when I realize everyone around me had frozen during my ramble. I cleared my throat and took too big of a