Chapter 172
Vikter wasn’t sure what to think. He’d finally come to the realization he wanted her. The human. Becca. The way she touched his dragon, so carefully and without a single trace of fear or worry, had done him in. Even when she’d noticed his sharp teeth and realized he could have hurt or even killed her with a single claw swipe, she’d stayed.
He glanced into the night. He refused to acknowledge his dragon calling for the human. Lust. That’s what it was. He saw his reflection in the window and growled. This desire for her wasn’t going anywhere.
Razzy slammed his door open and raced inside.
“Vikter!”
“Why did you send the human into my office?” he asked, his temper under control for the first time in weeks.
He turned to face her and caught the flush of crimson on her cheeks.
“I’m sorry, Vik. I didn’t think you’d be in there. It was just a joke.”
She made a guilty face, shuffling foot to foot.
“Somehow I think this was your way of getting me to interact with our guests,” he said, reading more into his sister’s features than she would have wanted.
She stopped, her brows dipping low.
“You should have been there with me, welcoming our guests and celebrating like mother would have wanted.”
He nodded.
“You’re right. I should have been there.”
She opened and closed her mouth.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
He marched toward her, stopping inches from her.
“I’m sorry I’ve been so distant. I will try to give you more of the support you need.”
She threw her arms around him, hugging him tight.
“No. I’m sorry. I know you’re going through a hard time, but I have faith we’ll find your mate. Soon. I just know it.”
The image of Becca slipped through his mind. The dragon tried to convey something through their link, but Vikter shut him down. He didn’t want or need emotional attachments to anyone. His heart didn’t seem to care what he wanted. The very thought of Becca’s smile, her eyes… something warmed inside him. An emotion he wasn’t really familiar with tugged at his heart.
“I like Becca,” Razzy said. “Do you mind if I invite her over for dinner tomorrow?”
“I don’t mind,” he said, his body heating at the thought of having her near again.
“Good,” she sighed. “Drayken invited himself and Aunt Laina as well. The last thing I want is to have to deal with those two alone.”
She pulled back and met his gaze.
“He likes Becca. That should take his attention, keep him from annoying me.”
Vikter’s dragon roared to life at the mention of his cousin. Jealousy flittered through his veins, firing a new wave of rage. He bit back a growl and instead focused on the fact he’d have his little human back in his home. That was more to his liking.
“Are you ever planning on shaving again, brother?” Razzy asked, yanking on a clump of his beard. “You’re so handsome; when I can’t see your face, I can’t tell if you’re happy or not.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Good. I’d hate for Becca to think this is how you look all the time.”
She gave him another hug and turned to go. She stopped at the door and glanced over her shoulder.
“I don’t know what happened, but I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
Vikter picked up the tea he’d been given and waited for Gerri to show. He sat in the sunroom of the castle of the lion king, Alyx. Massive windows brought the outdoors inside. The view of the garden was better from this location than any other in the castle.
He had to talk to Gerri. She’d promised to find him a mate on her return to Aurora from her last trip to get Becca. He’d given up on that and didn’t want her to waste any more of her time searching.
“Vikter,” Gerri said, walking into the room. “So good to see you.”
Vikter stood and waited for the physical contact. Gerri had already told him she was a hugger. As predicted, she embraced him and patted his shoulder.
“It’s good to see you too, Gerri,” he said, sitting back and watching her fill a cup with tea.
“I know I promised to help you sooner,” she said, adding sugar to the tea. “Who knew I’d be going back and forth to Earth so many times?”
He cleared his throat, not wanting to sound accusatory since it wasn’t her fault he hadn’t found a mate within the time he needed.
“I came to ask you to disregard my request.”
She frowned.
“What do you mean? Forget about it?”
“My days are numbered,” he sighed. “Your time is better spent finding someone else a mate.”
She slammed her teacup on the table.
“Are you seriously giving up on life, Vikter?”
He blinked, shocked at the change in the older woman. She’d gone from pleasant and sweet to angry and demanding. Her voice rose to a growl.
“Not necessarily giving up,” he said, unable to stop the bitterness in his voice. “Not like I have a choice.”
Gerri stood, shook her head, and walked to a window before turning to face him.
“Look at you.”
Vikter winced. He knew it had been a mistake coming to see her without cutting his hair or shaving.
“I’ve looked at myself.”
“You hard-headed little fire-breather.”
She glared at him.
“You think any woman will want a man who takes such little care in his grooming?”
She shook her head.
“I’m not saying a beard or long hair is bad, but this,” she said, waving her hand up and down in front of him, “is a mess.”
He jumped to his feet, not liking the way she spoke.
“I’m not looking to impress anyone.”
“Clearly,” she snapped. “Forget about a mate for a second, Vikter. Have you stopped feeling? Have you stopped desiring women? Lusting?”
Becca’s hips swaying in his office came to mind. Not fucking now.
He so didn’t need that while standing in front of Gerri getting torn a new asshole.
“My needs aren’t important,” he ground out.
The fact that she made him question how Becca viewed him didn’t sit well.
“I came to tell you to stop the search for a mate.”
She lifted a brow.
“Too late, you stubborn man-child. Although, any woman would have to be a saint to want to deal with you looking like something the cat dragged in.”
She lifted her gaze to the ceiling and growled.
“I swear to all that’s holy, I need to add stipulations in my contracts. Must. Use. Common. Sense.”
Vikter let the barb slide and instead turned from Gerri.
“I don’t know what to tell you. Even if you found someone in time, I don’t think I’m in the right frame of mind to be anyone’s mate.”
She pursed her lips and glowered.
“You listen to me, you scaly little boy. If you mess up my match in any way, you’ll regret it. I don’t care what you want at this point. This is the misery inside you talking. It’s the anger and frustration from what you perceive to be your upcoming demise.”
She folded her arms over her chest.
“Hear me and hear me well. You will be mated. You will have a long life. If at any point you start to think like this again, I will smack some sense into you until that brain of yours is back in normal working order. Got it?”
He did. He didn’t want to give in to her manipulation, but the idea of Drayken getting Becca because Vikter looked like shit didn’t sit well with him. It was time to go home and shave. He’d deal with whatever female Gerri had in mind later. Becca consumed his thoughts. Only Becca.