Dragon Fever: A Dark Kings Novella Read Free Page B

if she was lonely. What they didn’t understand was that she preferred her solitude. She wanted to be on the outside looking in. There she saw the veracity of people and the world. The lies were harder to hide.
    She opened her closet and pulled out the clothes, shoes, and clutch for the night. Then she went to her jewelry case. She only chose a few standard pieces that could be worn with anything.
    Rachel lifted the lid and touched the pearl necklace that had been passed down from her grandmother before looking at the pearl studs that once belonged to her mother. When she saw the locket peeking out from beneath a small box, she sighed.
    Her hand shook when she grabbed it. She let her thumb stroke the ivory rose amid the onyx before she pressed the button on the side. The locket popped open. Slowly, she opened it. Then she sank onto the bed and stared at the pictures inside.
     
    * * * *
     
    For three hours from his position on the sofa, Asher listened to Blossom Engel going on about meetings, dinners, tastings, and other such sordid affairs he would have to attend at the World Whisky Consortium.
    “How the fuck does Con do this every year?” he mumbled.
    Ms. Engel continued without hearing him. He’d already gone through half a bottle of Scotch. Right now, he was ready to fling himself over the balcony if Blossom didn’t immediately vacate the premises.
    “That’s enough,” he said over her.
    She paused from her seat on the ottoman, lifting her brows as she gazed at him over the agenda book. “Sir? I don’t think that’s wise.”
    “I need tonight to myself.”
    “What you need is rest. The next few days are nonstop.”
    He briefly closed his eyes. “I know.”
    “I thi––”
    “I think I’m going to strip out of these clothes and walk around naked,” he interrupted.
    There was a bit of hesitation, as if she were deciding whether to stay or not. After a few seconds, she cleared her throat. “As you wish.”
    He dropped his head in his hands. He couldn’t help but smile as he wondered what the unflappable Blossom Engel would do if he shifted into a dragon right then. Knowing her, she would continue on as if nothing had happened.
    It was no wonder Con used her.
    “The hours of three to five on Friday have me a bit concerned,” she said, a look of consternation crossing her brow. “I may need to shorten one meeting or move the other because of the overlap.”
    “Whatever you think.” He got to his feet. “Ms. Engel, you’re a delight, but I really need some time to myself.”
    “Just a few more minutes, sir.”
    “You said that an hour ago. Now, Blossom, we’re going to be spending a lot of time together. Give me tonight.”
    Whether it was because he’d used her given name or that he left her no choice, she softly closed the agenda and stood. “I’ll see you at eight thirty in the morning, sir,” she said before exiting.
    Asher released a long sigh and sank onto the couch. The quiet was just what he wanted. Thirty minutes later, it was too quiet.
    He looked out the window at the lights coming on all over Paris as night fell. The longer he stood staring at the darkening sky, the more he wanted to feel the wind gliding over his scales as he soared with the clouds.
    Irritation against the Dragon Kings’ circumstances began to swirl. He realized how easy it was for other Kings to hold such hatred for the humans. After all, they had given up for their survival only to have the noose continue to tighten around them.
    This was their planet. From the dawn of time dragons had roamed this world, ruling all. They could’ve easily killed the humans when they appeared, but they hadn’t. The Kings had made room for them.
    And where had that gotten the Kings?
    Where once they ruled freely, they now hid.
    Where once there were millions of dragons, there was now only the remaining Dragon Kings.
    Where once magic pulsed liberally over the world, it was now confined to a few distinct places.
    Where once the