Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 140580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Alric laughed outright, enjoying Cameron’s reaction so very much. “I have 35,926 books in my collection.”
Cameron whimpered.
“Most of them are of history, some of science.” Alric went and touched the spines of the ones nearest to him, but he kept his eyes on Cameron. Cameron, who really did look as if he’d fallen in love. “Some of them are my mother’s collection. I absorbed hers at her passing. Books were rarer in those days, as of course printing presses weren’t invented yet. Her books were either of art or religion. Not to my reading taste, but priceless nonetheless. I keep them here. You may read them, if you wish.”
Cameron went straight into his arms and kissed him soundly. “You could not get sexier right now if you tried.”
“I like it very much,” Alric whispered against his mouth. “How much you love my hoard. I can see your desire to read in your eyes.”
“They’re probably green with envy right now. God, I would have killed for this library as a kid. Who am I kidding, I’d do it as an adult, too.” Cameron looked around, a thought striking as he took in the shelves of books once more. “Gunter’s got a collection of his own going, I know, but that seems to have more of a purpose for him. More about work than pleasure.”
“You’re correct. Gunter’s hoard is different. But he enjoys knowledge, so we have books in common.” Although, according to his dear friends, Alric and Gunter were never allowed to be alone together for any stretch of time. Their personalities were such that they fell into a depressive spiral every time and ended up deep in their cups and spouting terrible, angst-ridden poetry to each other. After the last time, it had been unanimously decided to never let it happen again.
“Every dragon has a personal hoard? Do you visit each other’s hoards? Do you have hoard parties?”
Alric shuddered at the thought, his arms tightening around Cameron. “Hoards are a very private thing. It’s rare for a dragon to see another dragon’s hoard. We can be quite territorial about these things. I have only one servant who is allowed in here to clean. I will know if another comes into my hoard room.”
“How?”
Alric leaned forward and nuzzled Cameron’s neck with his nose before lifting his lips to his ear. “I can smell it.”
Cameron shivered, giggling softly. “And it doesn’t bother you that I’m in here?”
“No.” He could hear his voice dipping deeper, and he wanted to growl at his dragon, but right now the beast was happy. Cameron was in the hoard room. When Alric returned later that night, he’d still be able to pick up hints of Cameron in here, and it was right. Cameron in here felt right. But he couldn’t explain that, didn’t want to try to explain it to Cameron. While the mage might not be overwhelmed by the idea of joining the clan, Alric was sure he would be if he understood the depth of Alric’s possessive feelings toward the man.
Pressing a kiss to the edge of Cameron’s jaw, Alric straightened and loosened his arms only slightly. “I like sharing this part of myself with you.”
Cameron stayed in his arms but his head panned the room. “How are these organized?”
“If you ask me that question, I will inevitably start talking about my books,” Alric warned him, perfectly serious. “And if I start talking about my books, I will not stop before the end of the century.”
“I,” Cameron said with matching seriousness, “have the perfect way to shut you up if I need to.”
“Oh?”
Cameron leaned in and kissed him, swiping a bit at Alric’s bottom lip with his tongue as a tease.
“Oh,” Alric murmured in understanding. It was difficult to not smirk, but he did try. “You do have a point. Then, shall I give you the tour?”
Cameron’s smile was winningly innocent. “Yes, please.”
Alric went for the first of his collection, a storybook Dieter had given him as a young child and what had kick-started his obsession. It was ratty and worn now after many, many years of hands on it. But still a favorite.
And if Alric planned to be a bit long-winded to entice Cameron to employ his shutting-up tactic, well, that was entirely his business.
Alric looked up at the sound of the door to the War Room opening, signaling that his trusted friends were gathering for yet another meeting about this strange mage group. He and Dieter had been speaking for the past several minutes about the typical events and needs for the clan, waiting for the others to arrive.
Ravi walked in first, his usual smile in place as he gave a little wave to Alric. The dragon was pure trouble, but he was dedicated to his adopted clan.
Gunter followed, already in deep conversation with a mage by the name of Melissande. Her long blonde hair was pulled up in a messy bun, and her hands were animatedly moving around in front of her as she spoke. The mage had been mated to Karl for nearly as long as Dieter and Lisette had been together. She possessed a similar love of books and helped Gunter on some research projects on occasion, particularly when it involved magic lore.