Chapter Eighteen
After we arrived at my new manor, I took Vasren upstairs to the main suite.
“Will you give me a moment?” I waved at the couch in the attached sitting room.
“Yes, of course.” Vas sat down, his hands going to his thighs to rub them.
Had I ever seen him this nervous? Perhaps the first night I had brought him home. Vas had sat on my pathetic little bed in that tiny, sad apartment, and rubbed his thighs just like this. I had known then that he'd be mine. But even with my great intellect, I hadn't foreseen this.
I went into the closet. Although the furnishings had been sold to me along with the house, the clothing had been removed.
So, the golden rods and long dressers were empty.
And so was the safe. The wall panel was even set to the side so the new owner would know where the safe was, and the combination for the lock was set within the open safe.
I set down my satchel with a heavy thud, put the combination to the side, and withdrew several boxes of gold coins.
Most of the coins were from my stash in Tabaa, but some were the proceeds of the sale of my house there, and the rest were what remained from what I'd stolen from this very safe.
How satisfying it was to fill the safe with more gold than I had taken from it a month prior.
A month and a few days. That's all it had taken to make this massive life change.
I wasn't finished yet, but the first steps had been taken.
The Dream Dealers had been dealt with, and there, in that house, I might find clues to other such groups.
I wouldn't make the mistake of thinking I had killed them all.
If they had found me before, they could find me again.
After the boxes of gold coins were stacked neatly in the safe, I set the fire tube atop them.
It seemed so long ago that I had commissioned the murderous Chelli brothers to create the fire tube.
The weapon produced flames comparable to a Dragon's.
I had used it only once—to kill the very Chelli who had created it.
It had turned him into a blackened skeleton.
The memory of his corpse haunted me, but it was far better than being haunted by my dead kin.
I would welcome more ghosts into my mind.
Already had. And I would sleep well despite their residence.
Perhaps in the arms of my Dragon mate.
I closed the safe, set the panel into place over it, stood up, and went into the sitting room. Vas turned toward me as I entered. Tension radiated from him. I knew he hoped I'd take him to bed, but that wasn't going to happen. No matter how much I wanted it to.
Instead, I went to the doorway, listened a moment to make sure my crew had arrived, and then shouted, “Someone bring me a bottle of wine!”
“Yup!” a shout came back.
I leaned against the doorway and waited, my back to Vas. A few moments later, Drellan ran up to me, shirtless.
Drellan handed the bottle to me and glanced over my shoulder. “We're almost done, boss.”
I would have complimented him on such speed.
After all, they had to pack the cart, ride here, and start unpacking with Vas and me in the lead.
But Vasren's driver had driven slowly—I had a suspicion it was at Vasren's instruction—and my crew packed light.
They each had a trunk. The only exception was Cesha, who had an additional trunk of security items.
“Good,” I said. “Settle in. Take whichever rooms you wish.”
“Really?”
“Yes, of course. The bedrooms are for all of you. But don't fight over them. I need you to get along.”
Drellan stared at me, his whiskers lifting. “Boss . . .”
“I know.” I patted his broad, furry shoulder. “Welcome home, Drellan.”
He grinned at me. “Welcome home, boss.” And then he ran off. Not back downstairs but toward the other bedrooms. He was going to claim his favorite before the others even knew they could.
Smart man.
I chuckled as I closed the door. Then I paused. Vas was watching me. “What is it?”
“Nothing. It's just . . . I've wondered how you rose to power. It's not just your intelligence or your fighting skill. You know how to make people want to follow you.”
I went to sit beside him and offered him the bottle. “All but one. You, I followed.”
“Have you already forgotten how I chased you to another continent?”
“No, nor have I forgotten your vow to hunt me down if I ever ran from you. I believe you said something about burning down kingdoms.”
Vasren winced. “That was the mating magic. Dragons are volatile while it's settling, and we remain temperamental for several years after that.”
“Years?”
He pulled the cork and took a swig. “Yes, but I can control my urges again.”
“Again?”
“I've often had to control myself around you, Kat.” He handed me the bottle. “From the very beginning, I wanted to pick you up and take you somewhere safe.”
I took a drink instead of answering.
“I know you don't like it when I get protective, but I can't help it. It's in my nature. Perhaps you could accept that part of me, and I will accept part of you in return?”
I smirked over at him. “Nicely said, Vas. All right. Yes, you deserve the same consideration as I'm asking from you. I will accept you, you will accept me, and we'll see what kind of compromises we can make for everything else.”
“Agreed.” He laid his hand on my thigh. “Can I kiss you again?”
“No.” I grinned at his disappointment. “Not yet.”
Vasren perked up and took the bottle back. “I see what you're doing now—making me wait for it.”
I shrugged. “It worked before.”
His expression softened. “Yes, it did. But this time will be different, Mate.”
“Why?”
“Because this time, the man I'm chasing is you, not just a small part of you. You'll be harder to catch. Downright evasive.” Vas lifted my hand and kissed it. “And I suspect the hunt will be all the sweeter because of it.”