Her Dragon (Book 2 of The Circle Series)

CHAPTER 10:GOLD DRAGON CLAN I

AMADEO

“While I eat, you’re going to answer some questions.” This is déjà vu of the last time I was here. I pull her onto my lap and raise my fork to her mouth.

“I am?”

She nods while chewing. “Why do you have to leave suddenly?”

I bring another forkful of food to her mouth, and she shakes her head like a child, so I pinch her side. “Eat.”

Her fingernails dig into my thigh in response while her anger crackles between us. She doesn’t get loud or irrational, but she’s effective in making her intentions known. I wrap my arm tightly around her waist and keep her firmly planted on me maneuvering her to sit with her back to my front.

She could get out of this position if she wanted to with her magic, but I know she doesn’t feel comfortable showing it to me yet. “A few more bites, and I’ll give you what you want.” Kissing my way to the back of her neck, I swirl my tongue over her marking spot at the top of her spine and graze the skin lightly with my teeth. I wonder if she knows this is where dragons mark their mate? She shudders and finally presses back into me. She could say or do whatever she wanted to mask her emotions, but her body betrays her and trembles with each kiss on her delectable skin.

“The Elders have my niece in custody for questioning. They believe she is responsible for my brother’s death and have allowed no one to see her. They’re making an exception for me tomorrow.”

“I had no idea you had a brother, Deo. I’m so sorry for your loss.” Concern is etched across her pretty face as she turns to me.

I feed her a few more times before answering. “I also have a sister, Elena. You remind me of her sometimes.” I smile.

“And what about your brother?” She places her hand on my chest, and I relish in her touch, understanding how rare it is for her to be like this.

“Ignacio was King of the Onyx Throne until the Revolution.” I stare at the gold ring he left me with the square black stone and the rows of small diamonds that flank each side. “He could be rigid in his beliefs at times, and it was the cause of a lot of our disagreements, but he was my older brother and I loved him. Nacho* was found poisoned a few months ago and I’ve been trying to find who is responsible, but the Elders have been tight-lipped about the investigation.”

“Why do they think his daughter has something to do with it?”

“She was dismissed originally because she had a solid alibi. Now, the Tribunal is claiming they have footage of her walking in and out of his office with a mug in her hand. Traces of tea were found in his system, along with the poison. The security cameras conveniently weren’t working that evening when the original investigation was done. And they never found the mug.”

“That’s odd. Were dragons used to scan her memories?” I nod. “How do they account for the fact that her alibi checked out and her memories didn’t show her there? And where did the footage come from?”

“One of my first questions will be about the footage. Vivi is innocent, but she is a hybrid. Her mom is a witch on the Council. Also, you know Dame Amira? Well, she is my sister’s mate. The Elders know my niece is connected to two of the most influential witches in the world. It’s why they haven’t allowed her mother to see her.They’re forced to look into her again because of the new evidence, but they’re disregarding everything they know about our family. My brother’s work also involved imprisoning criminals and sentencing many to death. He had his share of enemies.”

I don’t expect her next question.

“Both your siblings’ mates are members of the Witch Council?” She c***s her head slightly to the side. “Why is your family so attracted to witches?”

“Why are you all so attracted to black dragons is the better question?”

She giggles, making her appear younger. I haven’t heard her laugh like that before, and I desperately want to listen to her do it again.

“I wouldn’t know,” she grins mischievously. We continue to eat in silence for a few minutes. My brother’s death has been plaguing me for months.

“Why are the Elders invested in this case? Lawyers and advisors would be involved with it until a trial. No?” Her fingers make their way to my hand on her lap, and she traces my gold thumb ring.

“My brother was an Elder. I’m surprised you don’t know more about dragons considering your studies and your ancestry.”

“My ancestry?”

“Your family are descendants of the Golden Throne.”

She scoffs. “That’s a myth. It’s never been proven.”

“Gold dragons were one of the oldest dragons to roam the earth. Their fire could produce gold, and they originated in Italy, where your family is from. Your last name is Dragone. How much more proof do you need?”

She laughs again and shakes her head a bit in disbelief. “The Gold Dragon Clan is extinct and with it the Golden Throne. I might not know about the intricate politics of the Tribunal, but I know about magic and the various dragon clan abilities. I can’t make anything turn into gold and only recently have been able to produce fire because of the ritual. If there is any relation, it is far removed. It doesn’t even count at this point.”

With the revolution, entire clans became extinct. I’m pleased she knows some dragon history, but she has a lot to learn. The more powerful dragon clans do have special abilities. Black dragons’ breath is poisonous.

“A drop of dragon blood counts. Our numbers are dwindling. Only about 100 dragons are left, and for the last twenty years, the Tribunal has been trying to locate all dragon shifters or those with dragon blood to bring them together and have dragonlings.”

“I didn’t realize there were so few dragons left after the Revolution.” She squirms in my lap, trying to make herself more comfortable, and my d**k stands at attention.

“Yes, and unfortunately for us, it’s also difficult for female dragons to get pregnant. It can take several decades, and most only lay one egg in their lifetime.”

“Your mother had three children, though.” She looks at me strangely. “I read once that female red dragons were known for being highly fertile, and males were known to produce multiples. I never considered why you have some red in your dragon, but this makes sense. Your mother was a red dragon.”

“You’ve never seen my dragon.”

“I have,” she replies softly. “At the Packhouse. I think your dragon showed me what you look like in my mind. Maybe your beast sensed my non-existent dragon blood.” She laughs rolling her eyes.

My beast probably wanted to show off for his mate, but I don’t say that. Not when she’s being playful.

“One day, I will show you your family tree, and then you will eat those words, pequeña dragona (little dragon).”

“Mhmm,” she murmurs, her eyes shining brightly.

“So stubborn.”

“Me! Have you met yourself?”

“Your eyes are an abnormal color for a witch, but not for a gold dragon. They remind me of honey. So sticky and damn sweet.” Her face flushes pink as my lips hover so close to hers. I cup her cheek with one hand and lick her bottom lip. When I pull back, she frowns. “And your aunt has the same color eyes as you, and you’re both powerful seers, which is a mental power similar to that of dragons, but Giada didn’t inherit it or your eye color.”

She doesn’t answer, but I can tell she’s thinking about it and making the connections.

“If Giada and you both had a child with a dragon, I’d be willing to bet yours would more likely be a dragon shifter and carry more dragon DNA than hers.”

She stands up at the mention of children and spins around, putting some distance between us, and I don’t like it. Her face is scrunched up, and the armor she uses to shield herself from the world is back in place.

“That’s what this is about?” She looks horrified and I’m confused. “I knew it,” she whispers more to herself than me. “All this talk about dragon babies and my blood. I knew your story about the Witch Council was complete bullshit.”

“What are you talking about?”

I stand up and she takes a step even further back. Her eyes that were so bright and filled with warmth moments ago are now cold.

Fuck, what happened?

“If the Tribunal sent you here to seduce me and try to have a dragon baby, you’re wasting your time. I don’t want children. I never have.”

*Nacho is the common short form of the name Ignacio. This is not a typo :)

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A/N:

Amadeo and Valentina are spending some quality time together learning about dragons and his family. What did you think of this chapter?

I'm also looking for your help! Which powers would you like to see in the future? I have two characters who will be making appearances later in this book.

1. The ability to produce pain and pleasure

2. Invisibility

3. Control of the elements

4. Control of the senses (sight, touch, hearing, smell, taste)