Midnight Magic, page 102
When I started school, my life was miserable, filled with so much hatred and torment. The only good I had was the memory of my father and his dream for me.
Well, Dad, I did it. I graduated school just like you wanted me to.
Now, as for the rest of my life, I guess I need to figure that out all on my own, and I will, but I’m in no rush. Things are good with my guys and at the shop. I think I’ll enjoy having an open schedule for a while. Stay up until the early hours of the morning and sleep until late afternoon.
The sun comes up in the sky as the three of us lie in bed, naked and sweaty.
The notion of never being alone again puts a smile on my face. Not only do I have two amazing and loving boyfriends, but I have a best friend who is a ghost and who, on many occasions, has threatened demonic possession over anyone who tries to bully me again.
And I believe him.
So as I shut my eyes, knowing the three of us will sleep the day away, I do it with a smile.
My life has changed in the best way possible, and I can’t wait to see what else it brings me, but I know it will all be good.
Because life is only what you make of it… and I plan to make a million good memories.
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ABOUT QUELL T FOX
Quell loves to write both paranormal and contemporary romance.
Do you enjoy reverse harem? She's got it.
MM? She's got it.
Maybe you're into some step-daddy romance? Well, she's got that too!
When she isn’t dreaming up hot and spicy love stories she can be found laughing with her nice-bootied husband, mothering, and creating anything and everything from resin crafts to crocheting and painting.
SCALE OF BETRAYAL BY FIONA STARR
UNTITLED
Scale of Betrayal by Fiona Starr
COPYRIGHT
Scale of Betrayal © 2022 Fiona Starr
Edited by: Innovative Indie Services
UNTITLED
Scale of Betrayal
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Can love tip the scales?
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Dragons have been banished from Diablo Falls since before I was born. And now it’s up to me to be the emissary, the one who negotiates our return. Lucky for us, I’ve been paired with Morland Harris, one of the few humans living in Diablo Falls.
He’s hot AF and our attraction is electric. That always helps to smooth things over—in the boardroom and the bedroom. But when I discover a dark secret that puts his family in direct conflict with mine, no amount of electricity can bridge the growing divide between us.
Some things can’t be forgiven… or can they?
SERAPHINE
My grandfather escorts me into the conference room to meet the Diablo Falls government officials he’s been working with over the past several months. Bringing dragons back to Diablo Falls has been my grandfather’s dream since the day we were banished, though not everyone in the clan is as excited about it as he is. I’m not nervous at all, but as I step inside I am overcome with a sense of something looming; I can’t tell whether it’s good or bad, but it’s got my guard up.
The facts that led to our banishment have always been muddy. A series of terrible fires in the town and the surrounding forest were blamed on unruly adolescent dragons. Emotions were high, and judging from the recorded history, there wasn’t much rational deliberation going on at the time—on either side. Several residents of the town died, and a couple of historic buildings were destroyed. When talking to a long-lived, and even immortal population, death and loss takes on a different weight.
The dragons and the Diablo Falls police each ran their own investigations, and for our part, there was no evidence that the fires were actually started by dragons. But by the time any evidence could be presented, tensions were so high and anger so deep that the dragons decided to leave before things escalated further. Between hunters stealing our dragon eggs and all the vitriol being aimed at any and all dragons, it was just better to step aside until a time when tensions cooled.
Well, that time has arrived.
After one of our stolen eggs produced a hatchling who imprinted on a resident of Diablo Falls—a resident who is now a dragon-shifter who very much refuses to join the dragons and be banished, it seems the time for conversations has come.
I’ve been coached several times on this meeting, and the focus is on the future—not rehashing the past or placing blame. I’m here to figure out the best way to bring the dragons back to Diablo Falls. Personally, I miss living here, but if we aren’t welcome, then I’m glad to stay far away in the Oleander Mountain range to the north.
My grandfather leads us to a pair of seats at the end of the table and motions to the man leading the Diablo Falls team seated on the other side. “This is Morland Harris. Morland, meet my granddaughter, Seraphine Valfensys.”
Morland stands to greet me, his hand extended across the table. “Seraphine, it’s nice to meet you.” He’s tall and broad-chested, with warm hands and a strong, clean-shaven face. My hand disappears in his firm grasp, something that always makes me smile; my human form is petite. If he knew how large my hands were in my dragon form… His deep brown eyes hold mine a moment longer than expected.
I hold his gaze and smile. “Call me Sera, please.”
Something about his gaze feels intense, like he’s probing, and I wonder for a moment what kind of supe he is. Is he a psychic? Is he reading my mind?
I shake hands with the others as Morland introduces them, but I barely register their names. I flash a glance over at my grandfather and ask him about Harris, sending my question about his supe status to him with my mind. He responds with a little shake of the head—no—never missing a beat as he continues the introductions around the table.
We all sit down, open our bags, and take out our notes, each of us preparing for the meeting when my grandfather takes over and begins to outline the progress to date on the discussions. The great Romeo Valfensys’ rumbling, sonorous voice disappears into the back of my mind as I watch Morland Harris, this intriguing man who has stolen my attention.
MORLAND
Every time I chance a look at Seraphine—Sera, I catch her looking at me, a tiny smile quirking up one corner of her mouth. Something about it feels mischievous and brazen, as if she’s just dared me to do something scandalous. Her gray-green eyes watch me with an intensity that says she doesn’t miss a thing. I find myself thinking about her long sandy hair which spills over her shoulder in a warm cascade. And her skin, which is fair and smooth, flawless. I wonder what it would feel like to run my hands through her hair and over her silky…
“Wouldn’t you say? Morland?” The elder dragon peers at me, his gold-rimmed monocle pressed into one eye. I can tell by his gaze that he knows I haven’t heard his question.
“Sir?” I try to focus, but I can feel the smirk on Sera’s face growing with my discomfort.
Valfensys clears his throat. “The caves above the falls. I was sharing that the plan for the dragons to reclaim what was once our territory remains the best choice.”
I glance at the others seated around the table. I’m stalling, resisting the urge to make eye-contact with the elder dragon’s granddaughter. I can feel her gaze on me. “Um… Yes. That’s right. The council agrees. The dragon lands have remained untouched since the dragons left Diablo Falls. There’s been no objection to your people taking your old territory back.” I nod at the others then turn to look at her.
Her eyes lock on mine and my vision tunnels, focused solely on her. The room seems to get smaller. She arches a brow at me, her smile wide. Holy fuck, this is going to be one hell of a long meeting.
SERAPHINE
The driver opens the door to the waiting car, and my grandfather gets in, off to his next meeting with more folks in town. He’s excited to bring the clan back to Diablo Falls, and it’s thrilling for me to see him so invested in the prospect.
“It’s nice that you have your grandfather with you.” Morland shoves his hands into his jeans.
It takes a moment to realize what he means. Then I remember that he’s human and very much a mortal and it’s not uncommon for someone his age to have lost his elders by now. “Is your grandfather no longer with us?”
Morland smiles sadly. “No. He and my father disappeared years ago, actually. They were archaeologists—always chasing the next big find. One day they went off after some treasure and we never heard from them again.”
“How terrible. I am sorry.” I try to imagine my parents and grandparents being gone from my life, and from our shared telepathic connection. The hole their absence would leave feels enormous. It isn’t like I have never lost someone. Dragon shifters have died before; we’re not invincible, just very long-lived.
“Thanks. It was a long time ago.” Morland shrugs one shoulder and looks away like a little boy ashamed of sharing his feelings.
Something in the gesture makes me want to wrap my arms around him and tell him that time doesn’t matter when you’re missing someone. That there is no shame in mourning a loss. That the memories he has of his family are all he has and there is nothing wrong in truly embracing them.
Then I realize what I’m thinking and stop myself. What the hell, Sera? I’ve just met this man; why am I so invested in his feelings? Then I remember the way his eyes held mine across the table in the meeting, the heat from his gaze, and the quiet sound his heartbeat made as it sped up in his chest.
My dragon side is very sensitive to the bodies of other animals and there is no doubt that he was reacting to my presence. I feel powerful and imagine taking him to my bed and doing all kinds of things to him… I shake the thought away and change the subject. “You said they were archaeologists? What did they study?”
“Paranormal beings and magic, actually. It’s how our family ended up in Diablo Falls. My father’s family comes from a line of witches and mages. There’s a necromancer in there somewhere as well, I’m told. My grandfather worked with the team studying Atlantis. He published some papers about their magic systems, and how they controlled water. He was convinced there was a point in history where all magic sprouted from a single origin. The Atlanteans are some of the oldest magic users in the history of history.”
“That’s interesting. Did you know there were dragons in Atlantis? A race of amphibious water dragons, actually. My grandfather collects information and artifacts about them. It’s a bit of an obsession of his.”
Morland nods, appreciatively. “He never mentioned it. You should bring him to my office, then. The archives are sure to contain artifacts and reports; I have all kinds of stuff.”
“Really? I am sure he’d love that.”
“I’m heading there now to get copies of the old territory maps for your grandfather. Would you like to join me? You could check out the archives and bring the maps back yourself.”
I look at my watch. I don’t have to meet my grandfather for another few hours. And I admit, the idea of some one-on-one time with Morland Harris has me very, very interested. “Sure. That sounds great. I’ve got all afternoon,” I say innocently, though I hear my internal voice—the one that’s reading my thoughts as I inspect his wide shoulders and his muscled arms—whisper, Shame on you, Seraphine.
MORLAND
Back at my office, I open the door for Sera to enter and follow her inside. As she passes me, a hint of her perfume teases my senses. My office is located in a three-story town house in the center of Diablo Falls. The ground floor serves as my public office, with a meeting space for when I conduct official town business. I lead her through my office to the archive space in the back of the building. The room is crowded and messy, and for the first time I realize how dusty it has become. Several rows of floor-to-ceiling shelves fill the space, on them are countless bins, book stacks, boxes, and artifacts from all over the paranormal world.
“Wow. I am not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it.” Sera laughs.
I nod and laugh a little myself. “I bet. I’ve been to one of the dragon archives before, your people are meticulous when it comes to record keeping.”
“Is there an order to it?”
“Somewhat.” I step around a bookcase and eye the labels on one of the shelves. “I think it’s partly organized by region, and then some of it is organized by paranormal race.” I glance her way and shrug. “I think.”
“Yikes. This might take a while.” Sera steps around the bookcase and her foot catches on a piece of wood on the floor. “Oh!” She stumbles forward, right toward me.
I catch her, cradling her in my arms. Our eyes meet and there’s a moment of breathlessness between us. A lock of her hair has fallen across her eyes. I lift the hair off her face and trace a finger down the side of her cheek as I guide it back into place. “There. Much better,” I whisper. Her eyes, which I thought were gray green earlier, are like a galaxy of silver-blue stars. Her irises catch the light and seem to swirl as I watch.
She doesn’t attempt to stand up. She lets me hold her as she holds my gaze.
I blink, attempting to clear my vision. “Your eyes,” I say.
“Hmm?” she says.
“They’re changing.” I can feel my pulse racing through me. My cock stirs in my jeans. Sera’s body is warm in my arms. I’ve heard that dragon shifters’ bodies maintain a higher temperature than humans, but I’ve never actually felt one before. The heat emanating from her is inviting.
“It’s probably all the dust.” Sera’s hand slides up the back of my neck, her nails move through my hair, raising goosebumps all over my body. “Well, there’s nothing for it.” She pulls me down until her lips meet mine.
SERAPHINE
When I was younger, I used to be self-conscious about my attraction to men. But now, I say fuck it. I’m a grown woman, a powerful dragon, and if a man and I find chemistry between us, I don’t care if he sees the storm inside me—I take what I want.
His lips are soft on mine, tentative at first, but when I lick the corner of his mouth he plunges into me, his tongue moving with mine in a delicious dance. He pulls me closer to him, holding me in his arms, his breath hot as he moves his mouth down, under my chin, taking my neck one inch at a time.
A soft moan escapes me as his lips continue exploring. He moves to my ear and into my hair as I wrap my hands around his neck.
He growls into my hair. “You smell amazing.”
I slide from his arms and stand on my feet, arching up on my toes to reach him. I run my hands over his chest, pressing my fingertips into his firm pecs, which are sadly hidden by his dress shirt and a thin undershirt beneath.
He wraps a hand around my waist and pulls me to him. His cock is hard and presses into my belly. I place my hand around the shape of him inside his pants and hold it there, letting my heat permeate.
“My god,” Morland whispers.
I grin. “It’s a good day for dragon relations,” I’d say.
He pulls back and stares at me, his brows arched. “I wasn’t expecting our negotiations to go so well, I admit.” He smiles and nips my bottom lip then plunges once again into my eager mouth.
MORLAND
There are so many ways I want to take her. My cock aches to be inside her, but I won't hurry this. Not with her. Sera is unlike any woman I have known. She’s got a presence about her—her dragon nature, perhaps, that makes all of this feel dangerous and exciting. There’s no doubt my body wants her, but my mind is rapt; waiting to respond to her every whim and whimper.
Sera wraps her leg around mine and grips my shoulders, pulling herself up to maintain our kiss. The difference in our heights is awkward. I cup her ass in both my hands and lift her up, enjoying the feel of her as she wraps both her legs around me.
“Is there a couch around here?” she asks. Her body presses against my cock and I groan with pleasure.
I gasp and have to fight for breath. “How about a bed? I live upstairs.”
She bites the skin on my jawline. “Right now, please.”
SERAPHINE
I am so hot for this man that I fear my panties will never recover. He’s strong and sexy, his body tight and hard, his eyes like warmth itself. His mouth tastes clean and his skin feels like silk. I want him, and I am going to have him.
I press myself against him, grinding against his abdomen as he climbs the stairs with me in his arms. His biceps bulge as they work, holding me as we move closer and closer to his bedroom. The residence part of his house smells like coffee and aftershave, but I have no idea what it looks like; I don’t even try to look. All I care about is him. His hands, his mouth, his tongue, his cock—he’s awoken something in my body that’s been asleep for a long time.
