Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
“Thought you’d appreciate that,” Vasily said.
Amaru launched himself off the bed and zoomed into the hidden room. Vasily followed slowly, coming to stand behind Luka. He pressed a kiss to the back of Luka’s neck and earned a happy sigh. This was their private space, hidden away from the rest of the world. They came here when the days felt too long or the worried looks of their clan grew too heavy. The odds had been stacked against them from the beginning, but this room had always reminded them they still had a chance.
The room itself was simple, with a large, comfortable L-shaped sofa and coffee table. There were some large pillows tossed about on the floor. Bookcases lined the walls, the dark wood shining under the warm glow of the recessed lighting.
The shelves were nearly filled with albums, picture frames holding weird items, and other keepsakes.
Amaru zipped from shelf to shelf, peering at the items, his frown growing deeper until he finally turned toward them. “I don’t understand. What are you hoarding?”
“Love letters and other tokens we’ve saved over the years,” Luka replied. “Those books hold all the letters we’ve written back and forth to each other.”
“And a few grocery lists,” Vasily added.
Luka rested his head against Vasily’s shoulder, tipping his face up toward him. “Only because you doodle the cutest hearts and dragons on the lists for me. I had to save them all.”
“There’s another album in there with all the ticket stubs we’ve saved from trips to the movies, theater, and concerts.”
“Except for this ticket.” Vasily released Luka and walked over to a shelf that held only a black frame with a large theater poster in the center. “This was our first date.”
It looked very old. Something that would have been seen in a different time, the paper now yellow with age. Obviously hand drawn, too. It looked like a woman and man in some kind of a loving pose with a rose offered to the woman. The date at the top was March 3, 1749.
“That was not our first date!” Luka marched over and wrapped his arms around Amaru. “He likes to think it was our first date, but it wasn’t.”
“It was,” Vasily persisted.
“You weren’t even planning to take me. You were going to take Ilya, but he broke his foot. I was your…what…second choice? Third choice?”
“That doesn’t matter. We went and it was the beginning for us. Everything started to change after that date.”
Luka hummed, a light smile teasing the corners of his lips. “Maybe.”
“I want to add to your hoard,” Amaru chirped.
“Of course.” Luka kissed his temple. “We can’t wait to start adding memories with you to our hoard.”
Amaru reached out and grabbed the front of Vasily’s T-shirt, pulling him in closer. “And I think the very first addition we make to the hoard for all three of us should be a sex tape.”
Vasily choked on air.
His brain stopped working and no longer knew what to do with air. It was still stuck on Amaru’s words.
“You want what?” Luka screeched.
“A sex tape. Nikki told me about it. You record us having sex the same way you recorded me breaking the curse today.”
Luka squeezed his eyes shut, his face turning bright red. “I know what a sex tape is,” he said, his voice strained. “But I’m thinking your time with Nikki should now be chaperoned.”
“I’m thinking I’ve seriously underestimated stuffy Gunter and his sense of adventure in bed,” Vasily muttered. “Not that I want to think about that.”
“Well, I guess we should add a recording of our bonding ceremony too.” Amaru paused and cocked his head to the side. “But I think we should do the sexy time thing first. As practice. In here. Surrounded by all your love.”
Vasily bent his head and captured Amaru’s sweet lips in a deep, tender kiss. “Our love,” he corrected. “I love you, Amaru, and I want to spend centuries worshipping you and taking care of you.” He lifted his head and kissed the man who’d been by his side for years. “And I love you, my dragon mate. My Luka. Our time together is still in its infancy.”
“We have so many years ahead of us. We are now complete.” Luka kissed Vasily again and then Amaru. “I love you both with everything that I am.”
“And I love my dragons! When I touched you both in my dreams, I knew I’d found my mates, but I never thought that I’d be this happy.”
Vasily straightened and shrugged one shoulder. “All right then. Let’s make a sex tape.”
The party was in full swing for the bonding ceremony. Gregori had honestly feared he’d never see the day Dimitri and Sam could bond with each other. He wasn’t the only one in the clan, either. It was likely because of that the party was even more boisterous than usual. Relief lifted their spirits. The worst hadn’t happened, Sam was fully healed and able to use magic, and he and Dimitri would now have centuries together instead of decades.