Page 40 of Ancient Promises

“To be fair, the vehicles had insurance and they just asked me to pay for the deductible, but the door was pretty pricey. I definitely didn’t want them sparing any expense when it came to your safety.”

“You’re adorable.”

He grinned down at her.

“Yes. Yes, he is,” a masculine voice said from outside the unit.

He spun with a snarl, dropping his phone.

“What are you doing here, Zihndyr?”

Chapter Sixteen

Eivross loved seeing Diem in the storage unit with his treasures. Hell, she was now his most valuable treasure. Watching her eyes light up as she looked at the books made him fall in love with her a little bit more. He couldn’t believe he actually had a truemate who loved books as much as he did.

He thought once more about his idea of working at the school library. He’d done a few online searches and knew the path to becoming a school librarian wasn’t an easy one, but for the first time in his life, he felt like he had a purpose. Before he met Diem, he’d been captain of the guard of a nest run by a power-hungry mad hatter and wondering every day if it would bethe dayhis brother would actually snap and kill him and the whole damn nest.

Now, he had Diem. His main purpose in life was making her happy and keeping her safe. But being able to share a love of books with kids? Now that was something he could definitely get on board with.

He was about to tell her that he wanted to meet with the principal and discuss the library when a voice he’d hoped to never hear again pierced the silence.

“What are you doing here?” Eivross demanded, spinning with his claws and fangs at the ready. “How did you even find me?”

“I know everything, big brother,” Zihndyr said.

His brother was wearing all black and was in his human form. Males dropped next to him, all dressed similarly, all looking ready for war.

Eivross looked at his phone as he grabbed it off the ground, wondering if it was tracked.

“No, of course not.” Zihndyr waved a hand as if he’d read his mind. “I had spies watching the town. You’re so dramatic; as if I’d resort to doing a phone track when you could just as easily disable it. It was far more fun for me to watch you from a distance with my spies. I knew it was just a matter of time before you left the town, thinking you were safe to do so.”

Eivross gave Diem a gentle push to move her behind him and stepped out of the unit. “What do you want?”

“Her.” Zihndyr pointed a clawed finger at Diem.

She let out a disgusted snort. “We’re mated now. You’re here for nothing.”

A creepy smile flashed across Zihndyr’s face. “Didn’t he tell you?” His brother took a step forward, scales flashing on his cheeks.

Eivross stepped to the side to block him from getting closer to her. “She knows everything.”

“I doubt that,” he said with a dark laugh. “What I mean is that perhaps you didn’t tell her that for our people, the mating mark is only good as long as the male who gave it is still breathing.”

Eivross’s claws lengthened, his dragon writhing in his head at the threat.

“News flash, asshole,” she said, her voice low with her beasts, “I don’t care what you think about our mating, but I would never choose you. I would never go along with whatever insanity you’re planning. You need to fuck all the way off.”

“You’ll learn,” Zihndyr said. “You’ll learn and you’ll obey. One way or another.”

Eivross let out a deep roar and ripped his shirt off, letting his wings out. “This ends now!” He spun and reached for a hidden section of the unit, where he kept a stash of weapons, pulling a sword from its sheath.

“Run,” he said to Diem. “Don’t try to help me, just get to safety.”

He leaped away from the unit and slashed at his brother, who took to the sky with a cackle. “You’re just delaying the inevitable,” Zihndyr called, pulling a sword from a sheath between his wings. “You’ll never defeat me. I’ll keep coming until I kill you and take your mate.”

Eivross roared and flapped his wings, drawing close to his brother, their swords clashing with a loud clang. He dodged and fought, knowing that he had no choice but to defeat his brother. Diem’s life was on the line, and nothing was more important than her.

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