Page 113 of Playing with Fire

“Yes,” Quinn hissed, as did his cobras.

“Be calm, little Samuel. There are four male humans in the truck outside. We’ll have no problems keeping even a full clutch of eggs warm.” My grandfather-in-law pulled out a bottle from his pocket. “Should heat become a concern, we can have a unicorn in short order.”

“No.” Pulling me closer, Quinn dug his fingers into my back hard enough I held my breath. “Mine.”

The possessiveness in his tone and hands startled me almost as much as my reaction to him. The grandfather-in-law needed to go away, and the fool gorgon kept distracting Quinn.

My mouth on my husband’s throat recaptured his attention, and I mimicked one of his growls. His, far more sensual than mine, spread intoxicating heat through me. “We need to get rid of those gorgons so I can take you.” I gave him a light lick to give him an idea of what I had in mind. “Home,” I added as an afterthought.

“You’ll have plenty of time to stretch your wings after the hive’s been dealt with. We must rescue the living eggs and the little whelp.”

Quinn chuckled, a low, breathy sound, and nipped my ear. “Soon,” he promised in a whisper. “Soon, I’ll take you.” I felt him smile. “Home, of course.”

Of course. If we could ditch the grandfather-in-law, the tunnel would do, too. So would the cavern, and the entry, and the woods, and…

Quinn cheated.

How had I not noticed him pop a sedative until after he kissed me? The gel capsule hit my tongue, and with a throaty chuckle, my husband stroked his hand down my side to my hip and dug his fingers in hard enough I gasped and swallowed.

I wouldn’t blame myself. Any sane, hot-blooded American woman with functioning ovaries would have fallen prey to him. It hurt to pull away from him. “You bastard.”

A smile curved his lips. “You should have been paying more attention to me then, my beautiful.”

Why had I asked the CDC for sedatives? At least I’d been careful in the dosing; according to Kevin, within a minute, the pill would numb me and leave me pliable but conscious—perfect for what Quinn wanted. A tingle spread from my stomach, and as it reached my extremities, the slow burn of my desire winked out, and my breath left me in a sigh. I slumped against him, surrendering to the inevitable. “Cheater,” I mumbled.

Quinn worked his arms beneath my back and knees and lifted me up. The stone bands circling my wrists parted. The clever man used his downy-soft tail to arrange me to his liking—and my comfort—in his hold. Useful thing, his tail.

I’d have to remember that later—and find out if he could take on his wings and beautiful crimson cobras without the help of gorgon dust. As though aware I admired them, the serpents cooed at me.

If real snakes didn’t coo, I’d be greatly disappointed. I loved their sounds, from the rasp of their scales to their soft hisses.

“I will keep you safe,” he promised.

I didn’t want to be safe. I wanted to help him. “Not fair. I want to help.”

He ducked his head and kissed my brow. “You’ll be able to help soon. You’ll have the most important job of all. You’ll protect the eggs. You’ll keep them warm. You’ll help the petrified surrogates, and should any of them have eggs, you’ll save them. I can’t do that.”

Unable to understand why he couldn’t hold them, I asked, “Just hold them?”

“That’s all you have to do.”

Quinn’s grandfather cleared his throat. “Are there any bedrooms upstairs? If so, that may be the best place for your bride until we’re finished.”

“No. She should watch. She should be nearby in case any of the eggs live. The little whelp may be afraid of us males, too.”

“It won’t be safe with her drugged like this, little Samuel.”

With his cobra’s hissing and spitting venom, Quinn shot a glare at his grandfather. “I’ll keep her safe.”

Score. Who knew I’d enjoy the idea of someone wanting to protect me? When I could get my body to do what I wanted, I’d have to remind him I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself. For the moment, however, I’d enjoy every minute of his possessive protectiveness. “Your snakes can’t do that,” I informed my grandfather-in-law.

“I’m aware. Believe me, little one, there are few things little Samuel does better than me. He has good reason to be proud of his snakes. Even his father is jealous. While asps are plenty lethal, crimson hooded cobras are fit for a future king.”

“Ha, you won a round against your crazy family, Quinn.”

He rewarded me with another kiss. “And to think I was worried about how you would react.”

“Are you serious? My husband can become an incubus. I have no problem with this.”