Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 93267 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93267 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
“S-sure,” Gregori stammered. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was a dream come true. After all the struggles they’d had, it was astounding that he was sharing this moment with Salem, hearing these words come out of his mouth.
“Unless you’d rather wait…”
“No!” Gregori lurched into a fully sitting position and cupped Salem’s cheeks, forcing his mate to meet his frantic gaze. “We will do this now. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment. I don’t want to wait another second.”
“Good. I’m done making you wait for me. Is there anything we need?”
Gregori searched his mind, but there was nothing they needed. Just some magic, the words for the vow, and the words for the spell. Oh!
“Champagne!” He launched himself out of bed and snatched up his pants, which had been left on the floor.
“What? Champagne?”
“Yes, I want us to celebrate the moment properly. I’ll run down and get a bottle of champagne from the wine fridge in the kitchen.”
“Brilliant idea!”
As soon as he had his pants on, Gregori zipped over to the bed and captured Salem’s mouth in a quick kiss. “Don’t move and don’t run off to bond with another dragon while I’m gone.”
Salem cackled and shoved Gregori away from him. “No way! You’re my perfect dragon.”
With those words blooming in his heart, Gregori darted out of his apartment and down the dark halls of the Valerii compound to the kitchen. A low work light burned over the giant stove and the entire place smelled of sugar and cinnamon. Someone had been up late making a dessert. Ooooh…or pastries for breakfast tomorrow.
He moved with ease in the dark room, skirting the center island to head straight for the tall wine fridge in the far corner. He snagged a bottle of champagne with his right hand and snatched up two champagne glasses from a cabinet with his left hand. They would have to do a formal ceremony later with the entire clan, or at the very least throw a celebratory party, but tonight’s bonding with just the two of them couldn’t be more perfect. Salem was the only one he wanted.
With his prizes in hand, Gregori raced back to his bedroom, but he stopped on the threshold as Sam’s voice stretched through the room.
“It’s two in the fucking morning, Salem. What couldn’t wait until morning like a normal human being? Damn doctors don’t understand the importance of sleep.”
“I need your help. I want to bond with Gregori tonight. There’s a spell, right? You and Dimitri cast a spell. What is it?”
“What?” Sam squawked. “Bonding? Now? Like, right fucking now?”
“Yes. We don’t want to wait. We can do the big party later. I just want to make him mine right now.”
Oh god, this mage was just melting his heart into a useless pool of goo. How was he supposed to continue? All he wanted to do was gather Salem up in his arms and wrap his entire body around him. Even his dragon was purring and crowing. It wanted to fly to the highest peak of the compound and roar to the world that Salem wanted to claim him.
But it was two in the morning.
As happy as his clan would be for him, none of them wanted to be awakened at this early hour.
Gregori quietly closed the door behind him and crossed to the bedroom, where he found Salem pacing with a bedsheet wrapped around his body like a toga and his cell phone held out in front of him while Sam was on speaker.
Sam’s laughter started as low snickers and finally grew to loud maniacal cackles.
“What?” Salem demanded.
“Mom is going to be sooooooo pissed at you. This is the equivalent of running off to Vegas and getting married by an Elvis impersonator.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“I’m not! You were always the I’m never gonna get hitched child. The disaster dater. She had hope for me, but you? Never.”
“Whatever. Mom and Dad will be here for the party. It’ll be fine.”
Sam snorted. “Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that. I’ll be the one watching the shitshow with a bucket of popcorn.”
“Sam!”
“Fine. Fine. I’m texting you the words for the bonding spell right now. I don’t understand why you didn’t just ask Gregori in the first place.”
“But it’s a spell. I thought only the mages would know it.”
Sam scoffed a second time. “Those dragons are born knowing the words. I’ll let him explain about the vow.”
Salem spun around, his mouth hanging open. He didn’t even react to the phone in his hand flashing as Sam ended the call. “You know the spell?”
Gregori closed the distance between them and pressed a little kiss to the tip of Salem’s nose. “Dragons are born knowing the words to the spell.”
Salem groaned and threw his hands in the air. Grabbing up the bedsheet so his makeshift toga was away from his feet, he climbed back into the bed and crawled to the center before flopping down.