Chapter 19
Kier peeked at the witch beside him and noted the uncertain crinkle to her forehead as he led her further down into his mountain.
He’d informed her when she’d first arrived that she wouldn’t be permitted to enter this area, and for good reason. Yet now he was willingly taking her this way.
He would’ve thought more deeply on his change of mind if it wasn’t for the humour that surged in his chest. He brought the end of his snout closer, without making it obvious that he was sniffing her.
She smelt lightly of desire earlier.
He’d first caught it in the book alcove.
Hard to miss that when he’d become sensitive towards her and her surroundings. His cock had thickened behind his seam in reaction to the subtle, tantalising smell of her. It was the first time he’d experienced it or had been given any sign that she might reciprocate his growing fondness.
Her arousal had ebbed swiftly upon his approach, but it hadn’t lessened his enjoyment of the knowledge that she might desire him in return. Even if it was only a little.
Or not at all, he coldly reminded himself. We did accidentally misunderstand each other over me giving her a bath. Perhaps it was just the idea of a male, any male, washing her naked form that gave her such a reaction.
But it humoured him all the same, as he doubted he would’ve cared if it meant he could see and touch her.
He’d like to find out just how malleable her breasts were against his palms, and what colour her nipples might be.
How squishy her soft thighs were under a hard knead, and if she liked them palmed in a rough caress or a gentle one.
She’d likely prefer something more human-formed for that. Which would require revealing his human face to her again, as humanoid creatures tended to be put off by claws, fangs, tails, wings, and scales. There was also his thick, rounded muzzle as well – apparently hard to kiss.
Which brought up the question... did he mind showing her?
When she peered up at him with a thoughtful expression as she followed him, Kier lifted his gaze up and away.
She has already seen it.
Briefly.
Brief enough for him to forgive... but apparently not enough to deter from such thoughts.
He’d already pondered over his new attraction to the pretty female, already went through the horrified emotions before just coming to accept it over the past two days.
He could desire someone if he so chose. He could find them beautiful, both inside and out, if he wanted to.
He could look past the fact that she was the same species as his enemy, since she’d done much to prove she wasn’t deserving of such a title.
However, up until a few moments ago, he thought it better left to his mind than as an action. To secretly and quietly pant after her skirts, with no intention of learning what lay beneath them.
Could I bed her? His dick confirmed it, while his heart and mind were still conflicted on such matters.
The witch’s steps stumbled as she threw a curious gaze into an alcove they passed, her onyx eyes wide. It was small, perhaps big enough to fit a horse-drawn carriage, which was purposefully intended. Upon the ground lay a bed of coal, which he shrunk his form to laze on for sleep on most occasions.
Dragons slept in all sorts of ways. Some on their backs, others on their sides or bellies. Some under a heavy and cold pile of treasure, enjoying the pressure. Others on a rise above their treasure to watch over it in slumber.
Kier had always enjoyed heat as he rested. But he was also partial to his riches, so he often went between the two.
As they passed another alcove, her chestnut brows came together at the glitter of coins, gems, and anything shiny he’d found upon his travels. “Why do you have two treasure rooms?”
Mirth tickled his chest. “I dare you to go rummaging through the first.”
Her eyes slitted suspiciously at him. “Why?”
“If I tell you, you won’t do it, and then I won’t be gifted with the sight.”
Her lips pursed before she shrugged. “Guess we’ll both never find out.”
Kier tsked. She was a fun sucker.
She can suck something else, though. His dick pulsed at the thought of her full, plump lips around him.
“Fine,” he bit out. “The first is merely an illusion that encases clay. If someone touches it, they become entrapped.”
“Ohh, you devious snake.”
It was his turn to shrug. “It prevents theft.”
“Who would steal from your lair? Only someone with the ability to fly can enter.”
“Exactly. And other dragons have sticky paws. They might try to steal a small gem or coin, knowing I likely won’t notice it missing. If I allow such a thing, my treasures will shrink bit by bit.” He grinned as he stated, “Selene has the stickiest. She’s a horrible little gem thief.”
He was elated when the little witch smiled, warmth entering her eyes. “Sibling rivalry?”
“Always,” he grated. Tenderness swirled in his chest as he continued, “We used to make a game of it. My sisters would take pieces of my hoard, unique ones, and leave them in obvious places within their own, then wait for me to discover them.”
Naturally Kier would get mad over it, but the giggles he received had always curbed the worst of his ire. It was intended to be fun. He didn’t wish to ruin the light-hearted play by getting overly sour, especially as, over the years, such pastimes had become infrequent and rare.
But Selene still played the game.
Kier stopped at the second-last alcove and gestured a paw to it. She peeked inside and gasped loudly.
“Holy shit,” she blurted, her face and tone radiating awe.
“You have quite the mouth on you,” he stated plainly, finally voicing the comment he’d wanted to say from the few times she’d sworn.
Her gaze shot to him, face deadpan. “So? Got a problem with that? Or does it offend your prudish ways?”
Kier had to gnash his fangs to hold back his teasing remark, although he couldn’t stop his grin from forming. It can be put to better use. Although he really did adore that snippy tone. It held a superior note, as if he was the problem.
“No, such restraint is only for humans. We dragons sincerely don’t give a fuck.”
Carwyn beamed at him with her own grin before bringing her gaze back to the alcove. Then she licked her lips nervously, flicking her wary gaze back to him.
“Are you sure I can enter?”
“I wouldn’t have brought you here otherwise.”
He wasn’t going to dangle something tantalising in front of her then dismiss her. Unless it was to be playful. But he didn’t feel like being that kind of teasing right now, not when he was peering at her in a rather soft way.
I knew she’d like this place, being a witch. The joy in her expression made something tender form in his chest, and suddenly he wondered why he’d never shown her beforehand.
She gave the tiniest giggle as she whisked inside and immediately reached her hand out to a large, drooping pink leaf.
She stepped to the side to touch the underside of a green spotty stalk of a different species of plant, greeting it.
Her hands ventured everywhere, sensually caressing healthy greenery as she explored it all.
Some flowers were in bloom, as were some herbs and special fruits. She bit her bottom lip as she cupped a hand beneath a rare flower that was difficult to procure, and her eyes gleamed exactly how he expected a witch’s would. With greed and hunger, with the desire to steal.
Such an expression would have disgusted him a week ago. Now, heat coiled low in his belly as he longed for such a gaze to peer up at him instead while she took something else, something far more erotic, from him.
His groin tightened and lust simmered beneath his scales as he watched the low torchlight flicker a golden halo over her skin.
She walked towards the shallow pool in the middle, where vines and flowers cascaded into it. The alcove smelled damp, lush, and full of life. The air was rich with the dewy scent of minerals and plant matter, all of which he knew to be good for the body.
Sometimes lairs were handed down, partially carved.
Kier himself had scented this pocket that was rich with ochre and carved this alcove himself.
That was why the walls had a clay-based reddish brown to them in some spots, and he was lucky he managed to redirect a nearby underground spring leading to the ocean to drain into this space and create a pool.
As he followed her inside the decently sized area filled to the brim with plant matter, dew-clad foliage brushed over his scales and rustled lightly. Cool droplets clung to his scales.
“Why do you have all this? I already thought some of the ingredients you have in the healing room were odd.”
Kier lifted a paw to pinch a leaf and rub it between his fingers. “I like collecting things. Books, treasure, powerful ingredients. Consider herbology a pastime to fill in my many years of existence.”
“There’s so much variety,” she murmured, drifting her gaze around every inch of the room. “How? Some of these I don’t even know of.”
Something dark tickled his chest. “Everything has a cost, even my aid.” Carwyn spun to him with a brow raised, and he chuckled. “I’m rather selfish, deep down inside. I help, then demand payment. Books on cheese, rare plants, gems.”
Recognition sparked in her eyes. “So that’s why you have so much reading material on useless crap.”
He tilted his head. “None of it is useless to me.”
Kier would take anything. Payment was payment, and he didn’t like his own kind thinking they owed him a favour. He’d prefer to be done with the transaction, rather than having pests coming in to check if he needed aid.
It was partly why he began gifting her things, as he didn’t like the cost of her sacrifice outweighing what she was gaining.
If Selene opened her eyes, the witch wanted her freedom.
But she was courting death every time she dived into his sister’s mind.
Relinquishing tiny parts of his hoard would never truly compensate for such a risk.
Then again, that was in the beginning.