Everlasting Bad Boys. Cynthia Eden

of ribs before she finally lifted her gaze from her book.

      “What you reading, then?” one of the twins asked.

      “It’s a book on the Northland pirates. The ones who come down along the coast and raid the small towns there.”

      “I heard about them. Oh, I’m Kyna by the way. This is Kennis.”

      Kennis greeted Shalin with a grunt, since she had a mouthful of food. Shalin had never met the twins before, but like every other dragon in Dark Plains, she’d heard of them, the pair having cut a bloody swath through the enemy during the last battle against the North dragons. They were feared as much by their own people as by their enemies.

      “So go on,” Kyna insisted, “tell us about the pirates.”

      Shalin glanced at the book and shrugged. “Well, there was this one story that was kind of interesting about how one of the raids went horribly wrong.” Shalin leaned in a bit and proceeded to tell the cousins what she’d read, adding in some additional details about the town and the Northland pirates that she’d read in other books. Since the twins never looked bored the way most others did when she spoke for longer than a minute or two, she kept talking.

      “He knew, then,” she said.

      “Knew what?” Kyna all but demanded.

      “He knew he either had to cut her throat or watch his men die.”

      It was the silence Shalin noticed first. Neither Ailean nor Ailean’s kin were ever quiet. Yet for a brief moment she thought that only she and the twins remained. But when she glanced around, she gave a little start of surprise. They were all watching her. If she hadn’t known she had Ailean’s protection, she’d have feared for her very life, the way they all watched her.

      Then, finally, from the back of the room someone snarled, “Well…go on, then!”

      “Aye,” one of his many—many—aunts demanded. “Finish the story.”

      A chorus of “ayes” followed and Shalin briefly debated making a run for it.

      “You best finish,” Ailean murmured near her ear. “They’ll tear this castle down around us until they get what they want. Besides,” and the smile he gave her nearly had her melting in her chair, “I’m dying to hear the end as well.”

      Realizing she really did have their undivided attention and that she didn’t much mind, Shalin continued. “But for the captain neither of those options worked for him. But if he was going to save them all, he’d have to move fast…”

      The dinner ended and his family went off on their own, heading out to check Ailean’s territory or simply enjoy the quiet night before the storms came. Storms were blowing in from the east, but it was the rainy winter season in Kerezik, so no one was particularly surprised or worried.

      Ailean silently watched Shalin head up the stairs to her room, the puppy in her arms.

      “Don’t even think about it.”

      Ailean turned away from the tantalizing sight of Shalin walking away to that of his twin cousins, Kyna and Kennis.

      “Don’t think about what?”

      “Now that is an innocent face, isn’t it, Kyna?”

      “That it is, Kennis. That it is. You’d never think he has nefarious plans for Shalin the Innocent.”

      Ailean rolled his eyes and laughed. “I do not have any plans for anyone.”

      “Not sure I believe that, cousin. Who can resist a female with the moniker ‘the Innocent’?”

      “Your lack of faith in me, Kyna, hurts.” He held his hand to his chest. “Deep inside.”

      His cousins, two of the greatest Battle Dragons he’d ever known, laughed and each punched one of his arms. He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pain.

      “They have a point, though, brother.”

      Forcing himself not to rub where the twins had hit him, he focused on Bideven, who stood over him. “What are you talking about?”

      “You with a fresh, untried female under your roof. I’m concerned.”

      Ailean pushed away from the table he’d been leaning against and stood tall. “Concerned?”

      “Aye, brother. Concerned. Shalin the Innocent is not like your other—”

      “Whores?” Kyna added helpfully.

      “Aye. She’s not.”

      Ailean felt his rarely used anger growing. “I never said she was.”

      “But I saw how you looked at her.”

      “I have eyes. I was looking. It doesn’t mean that I’ll—”

      “Take advantage?”

      “I don’t take advantage. I’ve never had to before.”

      “She’s naive, Ailean. Sheltered. She’s never been away from her library and her books before.”

      “And?”

      Kyna stepped between the two brothers who were now toe to toe. “And she might misunderstand or expect more. More than you’re willing to give. No one wants her hurt. Least of all you, I’m guessing.” She rested her hand on his chest. “You have the biggest heart of us all, Ailean. But sometimes you make the mistake that everyone thinks like you. Or us. She’s not like us. She’s cultured and that, isn’t she, Kennis?”

      “Aye. Cultured and soft.”

      Kyna brushed her hand against Ailean’s jaw. “Breakable, Ailean. So be careful what you do.”

      He took his cousin’s hand, kissed the back of her knuckles. “You’ve a good heart yourself, little cousin.”

      She smiled, seconds before she slammed him hard across the face with her free hand. “Don’t try and sweet-talk me, you wily bastard.” But she grinned just the same.

      “We’re off, then,” Kennis informed them all, heading toward the door. “We’ll go up north a bit, make sure there’s no other surprises from the Lightnings. We’ll be back later tonight.”

      “And if you find more of them?” Ailean asked. “More of the Lightnings? What will you do then?”

      Kyna grinned as she followed after her twin. “Then we’ll have more horns to add to the ones already on our den walls, won’t we?”

      Ailean turned back to Bideven, but his brother did no more than sniff in disgust before storming off.

      “What is wrong with him?” Ailean snapped, knowing Arranz stood behind him.

      “Don’t know. He’s been strange all day. So are you going to fuck her?”

      Ailean sighed and walked off.

      “It was just a question.”

      4

      It really galled him that his own kin thought so little of him. Thought he’d take advantage of Shalin or any female merely to sate his lust without a care for the female. He didn’t need to take advantage of anyone and it insulted him anyone thought he would.

      Passing Shalin’s door, Ailean heard her cooing to her new puppy. Her scent had him pausing a moment. She always smelled so…delightful. Enticing.

      His knuckles almost struck the door before he stopped himself.

      Gods, I am weak.

      Before he did something foolish, Ailean went to his bedroom, stripped, and got into bed. He ignored his desire to crawl back down the hall and scratch on Shalin’s door like that puppy. He’d leave her alone. He would.

      An hour into that chant, and the knock