Her body relaxed a fraction. "When can I see him?"
"Has he ever met you? Because I've been taking care of him for the last three months and he's never mentioned having an aunt."
Pain flashed across Delaney's gaze but was gone before Rhydian could blink. "My sister didn't want to risk me getting into trouble via association, so she never let me meet Rian. But he's the only family I have left now." She stood tall again. "Which is why I'm going to take care of him, no matter if it means living with a dragon clan or not."
For a split second, Rhydian was sympathetic. The only family he had left was a cousin and second cousin, and now Rian.
His beast chimed in. She could be our family, too.
Stop. I'm not talking about this right now.
"Rian's life has been chaotic recently, what with all that happened to his parents and afterward, so I need to prepare him to meet you." He took a step backward and motioned down the corridor. "However, I'll show you to a decent set of quarters to spend the night. You'll be near my security forces, though, so I'd advise against wandering off."
Delaney snorted. "Advise? You can just tell me plainly that I need to stay in my room. I thought dragon-shifters were more forthright than humans? Or at least that's what I've read."
Her response fascinated him. And stirred something he hadn't wanted to do in a long time—prod and tease her. "What you read about and what is reality are two different things. Or should I ask you if leprechauns are real? Or, maybe ask if you've found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?"
She grunted, and Rhydian nearly smiled at the sound. "That means you're a miner or sheep farmer on the side, right? Like all the Welsh."
He grinned. "I think that's still better than being a potato-eating, gold-hunting drunk."
She waved a hand in dismissal. "If you say so. At least I'd be rich, have a plate of chips, and be having a good time."
Rhydian laughed. The female was clever. "While I agree I like that scenario, the Welsh have you beat on one thing, Delaney. They have the best flag in the world."
Delaney rolled her eyes. "Yes, there's a bloody dragon on the Welsh flag. But unless you're a red dragon, it's a bit of a blow, aye? Because it means only red dragons are revered."
Rhydian was a black dragon, but he wasn't about to give the female the advantage. "You'll just have to wait and see what color my dragon is." He
gestured again with his hand. "Come. I'll show you to your quarters."
As she walked past him, her scent of summer and sunshine filled his nose. His beast growled. Why did you suggest we leave the room? We could've kept her here, talked to her, and maybe she'd have let us kiss her.
No, dragon. Whether you think she's our true mate or not, I don't care. We can't afford to disrupt the clan by taking a human mate. If she wants to find one in another male, then so be it. We'll have Rian to raise, and that's all that matters.
Liar. You know you want her, too.
With more than thirty years of practice, Rhydian knew how to keep some of his thoughts private.
There was no way in hell he'd let his dragon know that he'd like to put Delaney in a hold again when she was naked, and then he'd slowly torture her before he bent her over and took her from behind.
There was something about her gumption and defiance that stirred his desire. Which he could never act on.
So he needed to stay away from Delaney Murphy as much as possible, and never be alone with her again.
Which, of course, was going to be difficult given how she was Rian's aunt. But if the boy was present in the same area, Rhydian was positive he could forget the female and focus on Rian's welfare only.
He said to the female, "If you let me know what you eat, we can pick up some groceries on the way to your quarters."
"So there's a supermarket inside the mountain?"
He said dryly, "Yes, we even have electricity. And those strange contraptions called phones."
She rolled her eyes—she seemed to do that a lot. "I'm not stupid. There are lights above us, so of course you have electricity. Although no mobile service. I couldn't get a signal in that room."
"You'll be briefed later on what services we have." He paused. "Provided you want to stay, of course."
Delaney searched his gaze. "What's that supposed to mean?"