“You bit me.”, she smiles.
“Yeah. That’s how dragons claim their mates.”, I tell her.
“Can I see him? Your dragon?”
“Yeah, but later ok. You’ve been in here with me for a while and the others are probably worried. Get us home Winnie.” I tell her and then kiss her one more time. My hip starts burning and then I am awake in an unfamiliar bed.
The pain in my hip is sharp and I sit up quickly trying to decipher what’s causing it. I pull the waistband of my pants down and see an infinity symbol with a feather. I look over to see Reegan smiling softly at me.
“Well, I didn’t know it happened in the dreamscape as well, but now you’re stuck with me Asher Hayworth.”, she giggles.
“What? This is the mate mark?”, I ask her. “Where’s yours”
“If the burn is anything to go by, left shoulder.”, she answers.
I move the neck of her oversized sweater out of the way and see it. It’s a beautiful dragon that takes up her entire shoulder blade. It's beautiful. My dragon purrs with the satisfaction of seeing his depiction on her skin. The purr must leave my mouth because Reegan giggles again.
“Are you...purring?”, she asks.
“Yeah, my dragon is happy.”
“And are you?”
“More than you know.”, I tell her and then pounce on her, kissing her deeply.
“Well, I take it she found him. Aw, and look, they mated.”, Aldair says entering the room.
I break the kiss and look up seeing for the first time that the room is packed full of people. Everyone is in here. Marcus stands by the door with amusement in his eyes. Bentley holds a look of both shock and longing.
“Took you long enough, Beauty. Is that a bite on her shoulder? Asher, did you bite her?”, Trent hisses.
“Uh, yeah. That’s how dragons mark their mates.”, I tell him with a look that conveys he’s a dumbass.
I go to get up. Two weeks of sleep makes you have to pee badly. Bentley and Jaymeson help me up and once I’m acclimated, I head off to the bathroom.
“We’ll meet you downstairs.”, Jaymeson calls and as they head out I hear Bentley say to Reegan, “I knew you could do it, Princess.”
What happened between the two of them? Two weeks ago, he hated her. Now? That’s not hate I see in his eyes. When I’m done in the bathroom, I make my way downstairs and into the dining room. There’s so much food and I hear my stomach rumble. Trent’s parents are here as are the king and queen but my parents are both absent. I feel a small pang in my chest in their absence but let it go. We all sit down and eat while I’m filled in on what’s been happening in the last two weeks. A lot of what I hear surprises me.
Why would my dad defend someone that tried to kill me? Given, I threw myself in front of the magic but still. I’m more surprised by the revelation that Calista had been spelled. I tell them about the dreamscape and how I was trapped. I describe the woman but know she’s a mystery. Trent and Aldair share a look I can’t quite decipher. I could be describing any of a million people but who else other than the weaver has access to dreams? I’m tired of mysteries.
When asked if we wanted to see Calista I responded, “Not tonight. Tonight, I want to eat and be with my family. Fuck Senior Hayworth and whatever he has planned. I’m not dwelling on any of that tonight.”
“I agree. Let’s just enjoy being together tonight.”, Reegan says.
Everyone concurs and we all end up congregating in the great room sprawled out on the floor on pillows. It's the only room big enough to accommodate us all. When it’s time for bed, Reegan asks me to sleep with her. Trent and Kalan agree because they’ll have time with her later. She and I shower together and then even though we both slept for two weeks, we fall asleep easily, knowing that we are both ok.
Chapter 4: Bentley
I didn’t want to leave Reegan. Even after seeing her awake and ok, my heart still can’t fathom leaving that beautiful temptress. Marcus made us leave the room to give Reegan some time. I can’t sit in this house and not be near her, knowing she’s probably up there, in that room, fucking Asher. I want to be the one fucking her. I want to mark her as mine and never let her out of my sight again. Since it kills me staying in the house, I decide to do the next best thing. I need to get some answers. That’s how I end up in front of my uncle’s house.
“Nephew, what are you doing here so late? Did something happen? Is Asher ok, Miss Winthrope?”, he asks as I enter the house.
“They’re both fine. They woke up earlier today.” I respond, walking past him to the bar where I pour myself a healthy drink.
“That’s good to hear. So then why are you gracing me with your presence? Why aren’t you with your friends? Not that it isn’t good to see you but I’m confused.”
“Reegan is my mate. I’ve spent so many years hating that girl and she’s my mate.”
“Your parents thought as much when you were a child. I never had the pleasure of meeting her until she came to the academy but I can see where she’d be the perfect match for you.”
“What really happened the night my parents died?”
“Why are you asking me this now, after all these years? I told you what happened.”
“You did. But everyone has secrets, Uncle. What are you hiding?”, I ask pointedly.
“Have you spoken to Marcus?”, he responds with a sigh.
“No. Should I have?”
“Maybe. I think any answers you seek lie with him.”
“Now you sound like Reegan.”
“She’s a very smart girl. You could take a few lessons from her.”, he winks.
We sit for a few minutes in silence. Was Reegan telling me the truth this whole time? I still can’t believe my parents would deliberately leave me. Don’t get me wrong, Uncle has been an amazing parent to me. He took me in after that night and taught me so much about myself. When my incubus powers started leaking out, he helped me learn to control them. I’m contemplating this when my uncle starts to speak again.
“What have you found out from Calista and Miles?”, he asks.
“Nothing super useful. Senior won’t let us anywhere near Miles so we can’t get anything from him, and Calista doesn’t remember much of the person who spelled her. She admitted to not liking Reegan and feeling like she was trying to take away what should be hers but she swears she’d never willingly try to hurt her.”, I explain.
“And do you believe that?”
“I wouldn’t, except for the fact that her magic wasn’t sent with the intent to kill but Miles’ was. Kalan was able to read the magic that spelled Calista. It was strong and foreign but not so much so that it couldn’t be removed.”
“Hmmm. So then, what about the magic on Asher?”, he purses his lips.
“That was definitely Calista. It was blood magic. She claims that she was told to do it if she wanted to hang on to Ash; if she truly wanted to be with him because he was meant for someone else. When Reegan showed up, she knew then that was who she was warned about.”
“Interesting. Who would know that Miss Winthrope was meant for Asher? How would they know?”