Playing With Fire - Katie MacAlister [30]
‘‘Are they always like that?’’ I couldn’t help but ask.
Aisling smiled at me. ‘‘Pretty much so. They’re arrogant to a man, and bossy, and they always think their way is the only way. . . .’’ She tossed a fond look toward the dark-haired green wyvern. ‘‘But they’re also absolutely unswerving in their devotion. I know this whole thing with Gabriel has probably made you feel like the rug has been pulled out from under you, but he really is a sweetie, and I doubt if you’ll have the trouble with him that I had with Drake. He was absolutely impossible when I first met him.’’
‘‘I heard that!’’ the man in question said, interrupting his argument long enough to shoot a potent glare at Aisling.
She blew him a kiss, then excused herself and went off to the bathroom.
I started to edge my way out of the room. I made it to the stairs before Gabriel turned his head to notice I was nearly out of the room.
‘‘Mate!’’ he said, frowning.
‘‘Mate?’’ A voice came from behind me on the stairs. Cyrene stood there, her face puzzled as she glanced around the room. ‘‘You can’t mean . . . May? A mate? A dragon’s mate?’’
‘‘I thought you were tired and taking a nap,’’ I said, hurrying up to her.
‘‘I had a quick bath instead. I feel much better, although I’m confused about what’s going on here. Did that delicious Gabriel call you ‘mate’?’’
I opened my mouth to explain, but found it hard to put things in a manner that sounded like anything but mindless babble. ‘‘Er . . .’’
‘‘That is correct,’’ Gabriel said, moving over to stand next to me. He didn’t touch me, but he didn’t need to—to my embarrassment, I found myself leaning toward him, as if he was a lodestone and I was a magnet. ‘‘May is my mate.’’
‘‘But she can’t be!’’ Cyrene said, shaking her head as she marched over to us.
‘‘She can’t?’’ Gabriel asked, looking from her to me. ‘‘Why can’t she?’’
Gods, he was handsome. That warm brown skin, those liquid silver eyes, along with a strong jaw and gently squared chin that for some reason made me feel suspiciously weak in the knees. But he was a dragon, a wyvern, and I was Cyrene’s shadow. I moved a step away and tried to ignore the sorrow that filled me.
‘‘Why can’t she?’’ Cyrene looked at him as if he was insane. ‘‘Because she doesn’t like men, that’s why. She’s never had sex.’’
My face burned as I closed my eyes for a minute, fighting with the desire to shadow. ‘‘Cyrene, no one is interested in this.’’
‘‘Well, I certainly think Gabriel is going to be interested if he’s under the delusion that you are his mate! I know it’s hard for you to be open about this, but evidently there is a major misunderstanding about you. We owe it to them to be truthful; these people are our friends, after all.’’
‘‘István broke your neck,’’ I pointed out, momentarily sidetracked from the hell my life had suddenly become.
‘‘Yes, but I’m sure he didn’t mean it,’’ she said, turning to him. ‘‘You didn’t, did you?’’
István nodded, frowned, then shook his head. ‘‘I thought you were attacking Jim.’’
‘‘There, you see? You know I would never want to put you on the spot, dear Mayling, but now is not the time for shyness. Do not be afraid to admit the truth.’’
‘‘Oh, gods,’’ I swore to myself, sinking into the nearest chair. Why me? my mind shrieked. Why did Cyrene pick now to bring up this issue?
‘‘I . . .’’ Gabriel looked as stupefied as just about everyone else. ‘‘Are you sure?’’ he finally asked Cyrene, his confused gaze on me.
‘‘Oh, yes,’’ Cyrene answered, taking up a position next to me in order, undoubtedly, to show support. ‘‘I’m quite sure. May’s never been with a man physically, even though more than a few have wanted her.’’
‘‘The things I miss while I’m in the bathroom,’’ Aisling murmured as she took her seat again.
I hunched over, dropping my head to my hands in mortification, regretting to the very depths of my being the day I had the bright idea of telling Cyrene that I had never had, and never would have, a sexual relationship with a man. ‘‘Please, Cyrene! No more!’’
‘‘So wait, she’s a virgin?’’ Jim asked in an awestruck voice, coming