As we land, I realize Kael’s taken me back to the exact same broken office building as before. It has working sinks but not much else, and instead of filling me with relief that there’s running water, I eye the trashed cubicles and concrete flooring with a tired eye. It’s convenient, but it’s not comfortable. It’s not home. I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever have a home again.

The moment Kael sets me down and loosens his claws to free me, I sink to my knees. I’m overwhelmed by everything, and I can’t help the tears of self-pity that begin to flow.

You are upset, Kael announces inside my mind, his thoughts blasting through like a cannon. Tell me what bothers you.

Tell him what bothers me? Where do I even start? But I don’t want to talk about it. “Nothing,” I say, sniffing. He wouldn’t understand anyhow. “I just want a blanket and a warm bed.” Neither of which I’m going to get here. I look around the barren office space, miserable. I hate it here.

But you liked this place, he replies, clearly confused and snooping in on my thoughts. You were pleased with the water.

“That’s the only good thing here.” I wrap my arms around my torso, hating that even though I’m clothed, I’m still freezing. A thin, worn T-shirt and jeans aren’t going to be enough to keep me warm through the night. I should be grateful that I have clothes, at least, but the wind has picked up and it feels cooler than the last few days. I don’t know what I’m going to do if I don’t find something warmer.

I don’t know what I’m going to do this winter.

Or for the rest of my life.

Normally I’m pretty good at focusing on what I can control. But right now? I feel like I’ve lost my sister and my best friend…and the only safety I have. Amy and Sasha are going to be lost without me. Sasha’s going to have to sleep with her fist-happy friend, and Amy… I don’t know what my sweet, fragile sister is going to do. I wipe away more tears. I can’t seem to stop crying. This isn’t me, but I feel so…helpless and out of control.

I can warm you, Claudia. I will hold you all night. There’s a husky note in his mental voice.

Oh brother. The last thing I want right now are dragon snuggles, since a dragon’s why I’ve been totally abandoned by humankind in the first place. I turn around to give him a piece of my mind and see that he’s in his human form, striding toward me with black and gold swirling in his eyes. He’s also very obviously ‘excited’ by my presence. I know what that means. I shake my head. “Oh no. Not right now.”

The black swirling in his eyes immediately flicks away, returning to the calm gold. No? You do not wish me to warm you? You enjoyed my mouth on you before. I heard your cries of pleasure and tasted your juices. I would do so again if you would let me, Claudia. You were pleased when I tasted you. The look on his face becomes coaxing. Shall I show you?

Did I think it was cold in here before? Now I’m all hot and flushed, thinking about our last meeting. I did like his tongue on me. Far too much. And I liked the way it felt when he had laid me down on the tile and oh so gently pushed inside me with that huge cock of his. That had felt incredible. It was all the stuff that came after that ruined everything. “I just want to sleep, thank you very much.”

He tilts his head, studying me. I understand this. I will hold you while you sleep so you are safe. Before I can protest, he immediately flashes back to dragon form. In the next moment, I’m drawn against the big golden body and tucked against his foreleg. One wing extends and moves to cover me, shielding me from the high winds. Sleep, Claudia. I will keep you safe.

“I’m not safe here with you, either,” I protest. But warmth is surrounding me, and I do feel safe nestled against him. The long, endless day has worn me down to shreds, and I know this isn’t a fight I can win—or one I even want to. Cradled against a dragon’s warm foreleg is much more comfortable than the hard concrete floor. I close my eyes and relax.

As I drift off to sleep, Kael noses my hair. Sleep, Claudia. All will be well.

He doesn’t mispronounce my name anymore. Huh.

When I wake up, I’m deliciously warm. I roll over in bed, curling up against the pillows.

A large nose touches my hair. Do you wish to eat, my mate? Do you have needs?

My eyes fly open. I sit up, realizing that I’m cradled against Kael’s gigantic, scaled forelimbs instead of pillows. He’s nuzzling my filthy hair as if it’s the greatest thing ever. And I’m weak and terrible, because I feel snuggled and loved.

Dang dragon. Being with him is so very confusing. I run a hand over my face, trying to shake away sleep. “W-what?”

Do you have needs, my mate?

Eeeek. “Can you not say that? Please?”

Can I not say what? I hate that he sounds adorably confused.

“That I’m your mate? And um, that stuff about needs.” I wave a hand in the air as if it’s no big deal, but the truth is, whenever he says that, I don’t think about food or water, I think about…dirty needs. Pretty sure that’s not what he means.

I think.

You are my mate. His thoughts are loud in my head, clear as a bell. I claimed you and gave you my fire. My venom. It has linked you to me. Our minds are as one. Now you can take my seed and I will not burn you.

I sit up in his arms, struggling to process what I’m hearing. “Venom? So you did poison me? You dick!”

Why are you offended? I have shared my life essence with you to bond us together. Now you are safe.

“Yeah, but you didn’t ask.”

You accepted me into your arms. Was that not permission? I can feel the earnestness in his thoughts.

And…crap. I’m starting to feel a mix of guilt and frustration. “Is casual sex not a thing with your people? Can’t we just have sex because we want to, not because we want to be forever mated or anything?” I’m still angry about what happened during sex, but I’m starting to resent him less for what he did. If that’s how his people think things go down, of course he’s not going to see a problem with it. “I thought we were having casual sex. Just for fun.”

But you are small and fragile. He noses my hair again and then sets me down gently on the ground as if I am the most precious of objects. Only a bonded mate can take her male’s seed.

“So you bonded me to you? With venom?” My hand goes to my throat, and my neck still feels hot. Actually, all of me feels rather flushed and feverish, though I’m starting to get used to it. “All so you could jizz inside me? Seriously?”