Chapter 38

~Kamari~

I longed to get back to Nivillia. And Aneth was my only way back. While the others were out on a hunt, I set my sights on Aneth. Before he found out what I was, he would fight Koa; he was much more aggressive. I got him to kiss me, yet I wasn't sure what he was waiting for. Had he not fought Koa before?

Ugh! It was killing me. I wanted to yank his dragon out and make him do something other than reading. Now I see why it annoys Nye. But good goddess, he looked heavenly as the streams of sunlight cut through the trees. He sat cross-legged against a tree. Koa and Nye had an edge, but Aneth would be the one people would feel free to walk up to.

It reminds me of that gusty little boy that raced up to Nye. I giggled, wondering if he had ever finished that cute toy. "I can hear you breathing, Kamari."

I sigh and pop out of a bush. "Well, you could have said something early." Aneth smirked as he read, " I heard you a while ago, but I thought you might like to gaze at me for a while." I raised a brow, sauntering towards him. "Oh? I think it's something you like as well." Through lowered lashes, Aneth looked up from his book, "It's not what you think it was."

"Really? Did you not enjoy it?" I try to coax him into being flirty. Come on, give a girl a bone already! I scream to myself. Aneth chuckles warmly, "It was merely an observation, Kamari, although," Aneth drinks me in as he did last time, "I can't say it didn't affect me."

I kneel beside him, take the book he's reading and throw it. His eyes lock on me, "Aren't you supposed to be back at your nest?" Aneth crosses his arms over his chest, "You do need to behave, little one."

Oof, that word was new, I say internally, fanning myself from how much I liked it. "I have been good–"

"Until it comes to me." The statement felt like a challenge. And I wanted to win; I wanted Aneth to do something to solidify our bond. "You've kissed me multiple times," I shake my head, "You're not scared of me. So why are you holding back?"

 Aneth smirks down to his lap, "Is that what you think I've been doing, little one? Holding back?"

"Yes." Frustrated, I said, "Why else wouldn't you challenge Koa?"

"You." Aneth's one-word answer confuses me even more. He seems to read my face and continues, "You seem not to remember your own words. Those who subject themselves to the same poison repeatedly gain immunity." My eyes widened, and my mind reeled every time I snuck chances to kiss Aneth. He never said no or pushed me away. Son of Drake! He's been doing it on purpose! I double-blink as he sees the realization in my eyes.

"But I thought I could only poison when invoked my other side." My mind was pounding with questions. Aneth happily answers them, "Not entirely. Koa and Nye have all but consumed you into their systems now. You can do them no harm. I, on the other hand, had no immunity whatsoever."

My brow furrows, "Why didn't you tell me any of this? I could have helped." Aneth raises a brow, "Koa and Nye may be my Dragon brothers, but that does not mean they will react kindly to what I've been doing," the smirk that taints his lips all by makes me shudder as he says, "Especially when it has to do with your lips." Aneth was right; I knew Nye and Koa wouldn't sit by and let Aneth slide by the rules. I couldn't say anything to either of them, "You are my mate, of course, I won't rat you out." I smile at him warmly.

"I didn't think you would," Aneth's eyes draw to my lips, and I bite them on purpose, "So are you immune yet?" I ask, and Aneth wears a smile that taunts me into misbehaving. He says, "If I tell you yes, will you stop finding moments like this to kiss me?" Aneth searches my eyes.

I pressed my lips together; maybe I was too hopeful for him to break any rules. I sigh, "Yes, I will stop," I say, glancing to the ground. When I look back at him, I catch a glint in his eyes; my heart spikes when I see the tease of a smile at the corner of his lips.

"Then I say no," Aneth leans towards me, making my heart hammer in my chest and my blood boil with excitement. Those amber eyes trap me, and I can't help but lean into him as he says, "In fact, I think you need to up my dosage."

My breath quickens, and not a second later, he pulls me onto his lap and kisses me with passion I've never felt from him before; it leaves me aching for his touch. I wrap my arms around his neck, cradling his head and deepening the kiss like water as if I were parched for it. When I part from him to take a breath, I whimper, "Why are you making me wait like this? It's horrid." 

Aneth lifted my chin to look at him, "Trust me, I'll be with you soon," my eyes widened, hardly believing what he was saying. I gaze at him with wide, hopeful eyes. Aneth could have stayed away from me, but he didn't. Aneth took the time to be patient and figure things out for himself; he never gave up; he just found a way to be with me. It just took much longer, and now that I thought about it, my poison must have made him weak until he built an immunity for it. 

Books probably relieved him, and now it all made sense to me. There was no way in Kadea's hell I was letting his undercover mission slip. Koa and Nye would probably beat Aneth at the same time. I admired that Aneth was able to do it. He faced having to deal with a double-edged sword if he was found out. 

I pause before tempting another kiss, "So about your magic blocking ability. How does that work?"

Aneth leans back, "The stronger our bond, the stronger my ability. Blocking Javall's magic last time proved to be difficult."

"Huh?" 

"Although I don't show it, he's quite the mage, and my body wasn't quite ready for the power he wields. I blocked it anyway, for you." I caress Aneth's cheek, admiring him. "But," he starts as he brushes his lips against mine, "Once you're in my arms, Kamari, nothing will be able to break through my defenses."

I giggle devilishly, "Oh, I wouldn't say that. I'm planning on ruining you." Aneth smiles with a glint of mischief. I adored being like this with him, but I knew it couldn't last; I found out what I needed to, and now I had to be good and repress my desires for Aneth. But before I depart from him, he holds him close. The sound of something breaking the surface grabs my attention, and I run to the shore. When I see Ryuu and Koa, my heart pounds harder. Ryuu smiles at me, and I wrap my arms around him; he chuckles warmly, "Have you missed me, Mother?"

"Yes! You leave for far too long–" As I look up at him, I realize he's grown taller and more muscular?! "What-How?" Koa sees my confusion, "As I told you before, Serpents grow incredibly fast; Ryuu can now breed."

"What?! No! That can't be right! I had you not only three months ago." Now I felt sick to my stomach. Where were the days I got to spend time with him? Barely, I didn't get to be with him a lot. Koa was with him damn near the whole time. Koa and Ryuu look at her, puzzled. Koa speaks first, "Kamari, in Dragons, it's far different. Because we grow so fast, we aren't held to the ages of humans. You seem to forget your welp is more Dragon than human." He smiles. I give him a meek one back.

"I guess you skipped your whole childhood, even your teens, and went straight to manhood." I shook my head; it was so crazy! But it's something I'm going to have to get used to. I smile up at him, "I'm sorry; I guess this is something I should be proud of," I hug Ryuu tightly and realize Ryuu could have died in all that time he was in the water. Yet, he defined the odds and made it to complete growth. I part from Ryuu and could see the pride on Koa's face—such a proud father. "You will always be my little whelping, though, mwah!" I kiss Ryuu on the cheek, and he scrunches his face, "Ugh," he wipes my kiss off with a smile.

I walk with them up to shore. I watch as Aneth appears, and Ryuu lets out a playful hiss as he runs up to him. Ryuu had a playmate with Aneth; he didn't try to bond with Nye often, but Aneth accepted him. Koa slips his hand around my waist, and he starts to nibble my neck. I chuckle softly, "Not even five minutes on land, and you're already trying to get on my back?" I whisper seductively. Koa's low growls make me quiver, "I never need to try. Have you not noticed that your connection to me has been more potent since Ryuu was born?" Good goddess, even his smell was too much; I tried to control myself while my Ryuu was on the surface. "Yes," I say breathlessly. Koa chuckles darkly, "With every whelp we have together, it will become stronger. So no, my little harlot, I don't have to try for you to want me."

Ugh, I hated and loved the cockiness in his voice, "Would you have sex with me in the open in front of our son?" Koa's eyes glow, and he grabs my head between his hands, "Oh, I plan to make you an example." When Koa kisses me, everything except my yearning for him is shoved away. But Nye's roar from above breaks the spell. Koa looks to the skies with irritation, and he rolls his eyes. "I grow tired of air dwellers." 

I smile at Koa, "Awe, are you jealous?" Koa scoffs, "I'm the one who lays with you every night. I am Jealous of nothing."

 Nye walks through the brush towards us. He side-eyes Ryuu and then crosses his arms with a smug smile. "Do you know your whelp has still been visiting Nivillia?"

My eyes widened, and I became speechless, "Wha-What?"