Mage's Choice (Stand Alone Tales Book 15) Read online

  She sat and sipped at the water that had been brought for them. “So, how did you meet the magical people around here?”

  He smiled and took her hand, rubbing her palm with his thumb. “We did not arrive quietly. There was a shooting star, a pulse of magic, and then we were standing in a crater in a mage’s backyard. We explained who we were and how we had arrived, following a beacon that wouldn’t be set off until five months from now.”

  “From now?”

  “Yes. Five months from today, the mage that we will introduce you to on Saturday will gain enough magic to send out the beacon that provided us with our second calculation point in space. It let us arrive here within your lifetime.”

  “Wow. So, someone called you?”

  He chuckled. “And we arrived ten years before he sent the signal.”

  She widened her eyes. “Which is how he knew to send the signal. Wow.”

  “Yes, he has been trying to get a protector for this world, but no drakes reside in the area. I am the first of my kind on this world.”

  A server came by with a loaf of bread and a small crock of butter. Krys grabbed for it. She was hungry.

  “So, what is the community here like?”

  “Bloodthirsty, backstabbing, but generally mostly good people. Everyone is looking into gaining a leg up for the next generation. They are obsessed with maintaining their family status and obtaining the best mate to increase the chances of more power in their children. They have lots of sex but minimal reproduction.”

  “Ah. So, with me, you really got lucky.”

  He grinned. “In so many ways.”

  Their meals arrived, and they went quiet for a few minutes until he looked at her. “Can I try yours?”

  She nodded and loaded her fork with pasta and flecks of bacon. She held it out to him, and his eyes gleamed as he opened his mouth for the fork. When his lips closed around it, she had a flashback to being fed from his mouth to hers. She clenched her thighs together and retrieved her fork.

  His eyes widened as he chewed. When he swallowed, he looked at her plate. “That is really good. Can I have some more?”

  She laughed. “Order your own.”

  He looked around and got the server’s attention. When the man came over, Kelnen ordered another plate of the carbonara, and the server nodded and went straight to the kitchen.

  She snickered and continued eating.

  Around the restaurant, she could see a few folks looking at them and whispering.

  She glanced over at Kelnen, and he smiled. “Would you like to try some of mine?”

  She exhaled and shrugged. “Sure. But just a little.”

  He nodded and sectioned off a small bite of the meatball before twisting two noodles onto the fork and spinning it around and around.

  He held it out to her, and she leaned forward, taking the bite quickly without getting too lewd. Her eyes widened, and when she had managed to get it down, she said, “That sauce is really good.”

  He chuckled. “I know. This is one of my favourite places to eat. The servings are huge, which is good as I am eating for two.”

  She laughed. “Yeah, I guess you are.”

  He smiled.

  “So, Kelnen, what have you enjoyed most about being here?” She felt like she was interviewing him.

  He tilted his head, and his slow smile reached into her soul. “This morning, when I got the read notice on the email I sent to your inbox.”

  “Be serious.”

  “Fine. The day you came into work and I heard the bells. My heart pounded in my chest, and it was all I could do not to charge into your office and take you up against the wall.”

  She shivered. “Okay. Any questions for me?”

  He finished his spaghetti, moved close to her, and asked, “How did you feel when you got home?”

  She swallowed. “My shower was nearly cold, so the timing was good. I dried off, curled up on my bed, and I cried because I missed you two already.”

  He squeezed her hand. “The moment you were gone, I wanted you back.”

  When the server returned, the new plate of angel hair was put in front of Kelnen, and his depleted plate was whisked away.

  Krys finished her meal, and she settled back with her cup of tea. “So, how do they think of you around here. Are you a mage or something else?”

  “Ah, they know I am a drake. It is not a secret. Apparently, my kind holds some attraction for the females here, but none of those who offered were you.”

  She mentally exhaled. It had been a concern.

  He squeezed her hand. “I would like to ask you to bind to me by whatever means you prefer.”

  “Oh. What are the options?”

  “There is an energy binding which we have already completed. A formal binding which would involve the energy exchange in front of witnesses. A legal binding which involves a trip to the courthouse, or a formal event that would be completed in front of the mage society with a grander reception.”

  She frowned as he tucked into his second plate of pasta. “So, is this a proposal of sorts?”

  He smiled. “It is. Will you be my legal partner?”

  “I would, with a few caveats.”

  He slurped up a noodle, and he looked at her in surprise. “What caveats?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I think I am going to have to see where you are living now. It sounds mercenary, but there are things I have to check out.”

  He nodded. “Understandable. May I tell you what I am offering?”

  “Uh, sure.”

  “A financial trust to be set up in case I am ever out of contact and you require funds. A trust to be established at the birth of the child. The house to be transferred into your name at the time of our legal connection and funds to run it for the duration of your lifetime.”

  She blinked. “Do I get a parking space?”

  He laughed and gestured for her to take some of the carbonara. “Of course.”

  “Sorry. I let my fork get away.”

  Kelnen smirked, and he loaded his fork, aiming it toward her. She caught the trailing edge of the noodles with her tongue before enveloping the remainder of the tines with her lips.

  He groaned, and his eyes sparked. “You are very good at that.”

  “I have been eating pasta all my life. I don’t let it get away.” She went to wipe some of the cream off her chin, but he beat her to it with his mouth.

  Her breath locked in her lungs as his tongue finished with her chin and licked across her lips. She felt her body respond violently to the taste of him once again. She clenched her hands into fists to keep from grabbing onto him and holding him against her for another three days.

  He finished licking at her, and he raised his head. “You had a little bit of something there.”

  She was nearly shaking. “When did you start teasing?”

  His smile was slow. “When I didn’t have to use my skills for blowing up an asteroid. I think teasing will be fun. I plan to do it often.”

  She groaned. “I am rethinking my demand list.”

  He laughed. “I would expect nothing less. Just remember, this time, I don’t have to send you home in three days.”

  She blinked and looked at his face, trying to figure out how she would deal with them in her world. The thought didn’t stress her out like she thought it would. Part of her brain was very excited about all the possibilities.

  He fed her again, and she started laughing when he managed to get the sauce all over her face.

  They were in a public space, but he licked and sucked at her skin as if they were alone in a private room.

  He leaned back, and the flames in his eyes were back. When he beckoned for the server and handed over cash, the young man bowed and left them.

  Krys looked at him. “So, now is for the trip to your place?”

  He nodded, not speaking.

  He slid out of the booth and then extended his hand t
o help ease her off the seat.

  She stood, and he held her against him for a moment before sliding her hand around the crook of his elbow for support as they left the restaurant.

  “There were a lot of people in there staring at me, and that was before you went after my face like a new puppy.”

  He chuckled. “The sauce was very good.”

  “It was very good.” She laughed.

  He tucked her into his vehicle, made sure she was buckled up, and off they went. It was time to see where Kelnen had spent the last ten years.

  Chapter Eight

  The house was enormous. There was no doubt about it. The house was far larger than her apartment. “What kind of house is this?”

  “I believe the technical description is a manor house. It comes with fifteen acres, and I have room to spread my wings.” He was waiting for her to exit the car.

  “Right. Both of you. Do you both come out at home?”

  He shrugged. “It depends on if there is a reason for us to split.”

  She looked in his eyes, and she got out of the car. “I really want to see you both again.”

  Kelnen pulled her into his arms, and in a flash, they were inside the house. There was another burst of light, and she was leaning against a bare chest with another one behind her.

  She looked up and pulled Kel down for a kiss. “I really missed you.”

  His participation left her shaking, and Nen’s hands were busy with her clothing. She let their touch take over her senses as her body woke with a ferocious shriek and reveled in the attention of her mates.

  There was another flash, and they ended up on a large bed. Nen left them for a moment, but when he returned, he had embraced one of the more recent developments of humanity, lube.

  Kel pressed into her from the front, Nen slid in after a pause to let her relax into the pressure, and soon, Krys was in between while they slowly and carefully thrust into her, or as carefully as they could be when they were both shaking as they tried to restrain themselves.

  Krys gasped and whispered, “Guys, you can just let yourselves go. There will be another day for slow and careful. There might even be more than one.”

  The words wove their own spell, and she was pinned and ravaged on both ends, crying out as her orgasm struck over five times. It had been a while.

  Krys woke up, pinned between them, but they weren’t inside her anymore. Nen was wearing a towel, so he had washed up at some point. She must have moved a bit because their grips on her flexed.

  She shifted and smiled at the familiar ache in her body. She had rather missed it. Hell, she had missed them. Crying at random times at home had taken a toll on her. She had only been able to keep herself under control at work. At home, the cracks showed.

  Krys was wide awake. It was only near eight, and she had hours before she needed to get home to sleep. She wanted to enjoy being near the guys, but there was an entire house to explore and no guards waiting to keep her in Kel’s portion of the building.

  She tried to ease out from between them, but Kel gripped her hips.

  “Where are you going, Krys?” He spoke softly.

  “I am going exploring.”

  He nodded and eased out of bed, pulling her gently out of Nen’s grasp. “He’s tired. He wears the bulk of the energy expenditure to keep us together. Don’t worry, he’s with us. He and I are fused now.”

  She blinked. “Oh, right.”

  They walked out, and after she made a stop to the bathroom to tidy herself up, she walked out, and he took her on a tour of the house.

  Krys marveled at how her previous experience with them had burned out a lot of her modesty.

  Down the hall from the master bedroom, there were six guestrooms, which was plenty for her little addition. Three bathrooms served the other rooms, and there was a study at the end of the hall.

  “The library is downstairs where the heaviest warding is.”

  She snickered. “You know I have no idea what you are talking about.”

  He blinked. “Right. You have no education in energy manipulation. Nen will be able to help you there. He is an excellent mage.”

  She nodded. “That, I was aware of.”

  He looked at her, and then, he snorted. “Oh, of course.”

  Krys chuckled, and they headed for the kitchen. She examined their fridge, and she was surprised to see that there were plenty of raw ingredients for meals. “If you have all this, why did we go out to eat?”

  He stood behind her, and she heard him rumble from above her, “Because if you were here, cooking would be the last thing on our minds.”

  She patted his thigh absently. “Yeah, but give me a few months, and I will be over here and messing up the kitchen constantly.”

  He nodded. “I am hoping to shorten the timeline.”

  She turned to face him. “How much shorter?”

  He looped his arms around her waist. “We want you here now and forever.”

  “But... work.”

  “There is nothing in the company charter or contract that prohibits consensual relationships between employees at any level, they just need to report it to HR in case someone notices and makes a complaint. So, as long as we don’t engage in obvious PDAs, we will be fine.” He smiled. “And if there are any complaints, I will deal with them.”

  She scowled. “What would you do?”

  “Nothing sinister. I would just remove the memory so that there wouldn’t be a lasting effect.” He looked down and lifted her arm. “I could rig it to the bells. If your bells clash hard, the memory for a stranger won’t stick.”

  “Speaking of the bells, when can you take them off? I have tried everything, but they don’t even budge.”

  He smiled. “Nen has to remove them, but I don’t think he will. He likes knowing that you are moving around happily nearby. So do I. Maybe he has caught my fascination.”

  She looked at him and shook her head. “You want me to move in right away?”

  “We can move all of your possessions tonight if you like. Give you a ride to work in the morning.” He smiled hopefully.

  “Take me home tonight. I will think about it and have a decision by tomorrow.”

  He threaded his fingers through her hair. “Are you sure that you won’t stay the night?”

  She smiled. “We have reconnected. You know where to find me, and I know where to find you. You are a short flash of power away.”

  Krys had a thought. “Where did my clothes and wallet end up, by the way?”

  “They are folded in the bedroom.” He stroked his hands down her back. “Can I fly you home?”

  She blinked. “Can’t people see you?”

  He grinned. “No. The non-magical folk around here don’t have the senses for it, and the magical folk know that I exist.”

  She nodded. “I am going to have to say goodbye to Nen first.”

  He inclined his head. “Of course. Stay out of grabbing range. He is deceptively fast.”

  She smiled. “Yeah, but that got better by day two.”

  Kel chuckled and followed her up the staircase and over to the bedroom. She saw her clothing folded neatly with her bag sitting on top of it. She quietly got dressed before she tiptoed over to the bed, where Nen was still sleeping on his side. A pillow was where she had been lying before she left. She came up behind him and kissed his cheek. “Good night, Nen. See you in the morning.”

  He was really quick. He grabbed her and rolled her to her back, pressing her down into the bedding. He kissed her, and then, he whispered, “Don’t leave. We have been so lonely since you left.”

  She touched his cheek. “One night. I need to process things for one night.”

  His eyes were still sleepy and a little unfocused. He nodded. “Fine. One night, but tomorrow, you stay.”

  She looked into his eyes and inhaled the scent of him. “Tomorrow, I will stay.”

  He smiled. “Promise?”
/>   She nodded. “Promise. Now, get some sleep. You have been putting out a lot of effort.”

  He rolled to his back, and she poked his chest. “You have to let me go for tonight or tomorrow night won’t happen.”

  “But you promised.”

  “But tonight I have things to do. Lists and plans to make. Demands to make.” She smiled. He grinned and let her go.

  She grabbed her bag and headed for the doorway with her shoes in her hand. Kel got out of her way.

  Kel spoke softly when they got to the landing and turned toward the main entryway. “What did you do there?”

  “It was a trick that I picked up during the time with you two. It buys me five minutes of a break. I would suggest that we go now. It has a rebound effect that is a little intense.”

  “You were doing magic there?”

  “It wasn’t magic; it was a breather. I just used what was inside him and linking us together to activate his sleep center and dampen his hormones, but it only lasts five minutes.”

  “Did you ever do it on me?”

  She shook her head. “No, it doesn’t work on you. Can we go now?”

  He was amused, but he led her outside and picked her up, holding her against his chest.

  An amused voice said, “Isn’t it a strange time of night to be going for a naked flight, Kel?”

  A dark-haired man in a business suit with a golden man in a grey suit were standing near the house.

  “My apologies for intruding, but I have felt a lot of power flowing around tonight, and it got me curious.”

  Kel nodded. “Olmin, Argo, this is our mate, or partner, Krys. Krys, this is the mage who assisted our adaptation.”

  She nodded. “Hiya.”

  Olmin inclined his head. “Pleased to meet you. Where did they pick you up?”

  “Ah. That would be at work. They had to wait until I came back from meeting them beforehand. It has been a cognitive adjustment, but I will complete it tonight, and tomorrow, I will send them a list of my demands... and we will negotiate.” She smiled brightly.

  The blond—Argo—asked, “Miss, do you know what he is?”

  She started laughing and laughing.

  He inclined his head to the visitors and said, “I will return in a moment.” And he bent his knees and launched them skyward.