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Tianlong stared at our intertwined fingers, disgust and indignation twisting his pretty features into something ugly.

“Aren’t you going to ask me about your sister?” he asked. “Isn’t that the real reason behind this sudden meeting? Divide and conquer.”

I just stared at him. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, nothing, just your friends and some silly little scheme where they thought they would catch my nephew unawares while you had me distracted. Foolhardy is the word for it though that feels like an understatement.”

Shit. The guys. They’d been discovered. “What have you done with them?” I asked him through my teeth.

He smiled at me, his eyes on mine soft, intimate.

Dom’s hand clutching mine was bordering on pain. I stroked a thumb against him to calm him, and he relaxed his hold a bit.

“Me?” Tianlong asked, enjoying himself. “I’ve done nothing to them. I’m here with you. Drake on the other hand… I can’t speak for him.”

I stood and both men stood with me. “Where are they?”

“Why should I tell you? What will you give me?”

“Watch it,” Dom growled at him.

“How about this?” Tianlong asked, and it was practically a purr. “I’ll tell you for another kiss. I still remember the taste of you. This time we’ll see if I lose myself enough to let you draw blood again.”

I was clutching Dom, holding him back and hoping he didn’t really lose his temper because I knew I couldn’t t hold him back then.

“Enough!” Dom finally snapped. “I don’t know who you think you’re dealing with,” Dom continued, voice filling the room so heavily that it felt like we were swimming in it. “You’re in my territory, speaking to my mate. Did you think I’d come here unprepared for you? You’re not that special, and certainly not as clever as you seem to think. There are four slayers outside the door right now. Their weapons are primed and ready for you, and they’ve been waiting their whole lives for this rare chance.”

It was a casual lesson thrown out—pay attention.

Something crossed Tianlong’s face, and I didn’t know him well, but I thought it might have been a rare showing of fear.

“You’re powerful,” Dom continued, magic crawling out of him with every word, “and very old. But do you think even you could leave this room let alone this building without my permission? This is my kingdom. My will alone rules here. I could end you now with one word.”

“You play a dirty game, druid.”

“Arch to you, and yes, always. I play to win. Now what’ll it be? Will you give us Jillian’s sister and our men back or will your long forever end tonight?

“You’re willing to start a war over this?” Tianlong asked like he couldn’t quite believe it.

Dom had truly shocked him.

Me, too. Though I should have been prepared for the extra tricks up his sleeve, as ever.

“Are you?” Dom asked without hesitation. “It doesn’t matter if you are, you won’t be around to see it. But yes, you’ve just insulted my mate. For that alone I’m willing and ready. Now again, what’ll it be? I’m losing patience.”

Tianlong took a long time to answer, just glared at Dom like hatred alone could solve the mess he was in. Finally he pulled out his cell and said, “I’ll arrange it.”

He had a long conversation over the phone as we watched, but we didn’t know the language so we didn’t catch what was said other than to notice that he was becoming more agitated the longer he spoke.

He hung up and stared at me, taking his time to speak again. “I’ve arranged for the men to be dropped off here, but your sister is another matter. That issue is out of my hands. Drake refuses to let her go, but he’s agreed to meet with you,” at this he glared at Dom, “though not in druid territory.”

Dom protested that, but I didn’t bother. “When and where?”

“It would be nice if you told me the real plan instead of leaving me in the dark,” I said to Dom sometime later.

We were waiting at the hotel valet for the guys to be delivered. My meeting with Drake was in two days at a remote location in the desert. Tianlong had tried to negotiate for me to go alone, but much as I would have done it, Dom refused and negotiations had taken hours. We’d finally settled on meeting Drake with only Dom and Sven as my backup.

Afterward, Dom had shown the other man he wasn’t bluffing by having his four dragon slayers escort him off the premises.