Reclined on the black leather sofa, a tumbler of scotch in my hand, impatience heated my pulse and ate at my control, yet I didn't give in to it. Instead, I continued the polite conversation with Nabu, discussing the more mundane issues we faced with attracting resources to Muspelheim.

"The Unseelie Queen continues to provide fodder for the labour and meat auctions, though rarely anything adequate for the fertility temples. Despite that, she's met her quotas according to the deal we struck," Nabu said, sipping his scotch.

I swirled the amber liquid, inhaling the warm smokiness that smelled like home. Weak to a dragon's pallet, still, the scent made for a pleasant beverage.

"Do you anticipate any issues from that quarter?"

Nabu wrinkled his nose. "They will betray the pact at some point, especially since we fulfilled our end of it by assisting them with setting up the last of their stone-bound portals in the largest cities around the planet. Such a limited use, binding it with the earthen matrix"—he shrugged—"but it gives them the toehold back on Earth they've been wanting."

"We'll let the Asgardians handle them when they get greedy and harvest too many. It keeps our hands clean, even though they will probably have broken the deal by then," I told him.

"Yes—" Nabu's cell rang, and I fought the leap of anticipation flaring through my senses. "What can I do for you, Ms. Latifi?"

His eyes met mine as we heard her musical voice answer, the submission in it all but leaping through the phone to wrap around my cocks. "Um, Mr. Deabru gave me your card. He said you could offer a deal that would wipe the debt I owe and still let me keep my house. He said that you owe him."

Nabu quirked an eyebrow, and I saw the question in his expression. I flicked a finger and inclined my head. I hadn't mentioned her to him, but he knew what I wanted.

Nabu's lips twisted. "Indeed, I do owe him, as he's given us this opportunity to resolve your debt amicably. Would you care to meet to discuss the terms?" Still looking at me, he mouthed, "Do you want her here? Now?"

I nodded and tapped my watch.

"Yea... Yes. When do you have time available?"

"How soon can you get to the Smith Tower?"

"Here in Seattle?"

Nabu rolled his eyes and soundlessly whispered, "Is she always this quick on the uptake?" and I glared at him. "You are located in Seattle, aren't you?" he asked her. 

The attitude in his tone had my fists clenching.

Both of us heard the shaky breath before she replied, "Yes. I can be there in an hour."

"Suite six, floor sixty-six. See you in an hour." Nabu hung up and raised an eyebrow. "Found yourself another sheet warmer? Or is she for the fertility temples?"

I growled, and he held up a hand.

"I need to know what kind of deal you want with her, my prince. I'm not just jerking your tail, although that's a benefit I'm not ignoring. What does she owe?"

"Her parents foolishly overextended themselves, taking out multiple loans well beyond their means to the tune of two million and had no intention of paying the money back. Theirs were one amongst many in that large debt purchase I finalized several months ago when we needed to gain more collateral for you to offer deals."

Nabu sipped his scotch. "Yes, I recall. We've made numerous agreements to bring females to the temples from that so far. It's worked out quite well. What's special about this one? I don't remember her file in the ones you sent me."

I stood and walked to the window, looking out through the cloaking mist to the city below. "No, I held hers back. Her name is Inanna."

Nabu sucked in a breath. "As in..."

I turned to face him. "Yes. Through her mother's line. A descendant. Fully human, but a descendant nonetheless. I confirmed it with her mother's blood and hers."

"Why is it her debt? You said it was her parents that took out the loans. How do we have leverage on her?"

Nabu's eyes had narrowed, but I ignored it, declining to acknowledge the feeling his suspicion stirred.

"I spoke to her mother and father. They denied the heritage and refused to entertain even the idea of a deal. They challenged me and lost."

"They're dead?"

Although his tone told me he knew the answer, I still replied, "Yes."

"When?"

"Last week."

Nabu raised an eyebrow. "And when did you meet her?"

"Two nights ago."

"You managed two nights with her without hurting her? No offense, my prince, but you are not of a meagre size. How did a fully human female... is she experienced?"

I snorted a laugh. "With great fucking difficulty. And no, not remotely. She'd never even received oral sex. Seriously, it's a wonder females don't flock to us more than they do, given the selfish, rudimentary sexual skills of human males."

"So she's going to need the usual supplement package to improve her immune system, healing, muscle tone, bone density, and skin elasticity. Will you be instructing her or do you want her sent to Claw's fertility temple?" Nabu made notations on the holographic datapad projected above his wrist.

I shoved a hand through my hair and paced the length of the room. "As much as I despise the thought of another touching her, I can't instruct her. I don't trust myself to hold back. You have no concept of what torture it was to keep a fully human shape and not fuck the life out of her. Yet that's what would happen. I'd kill her if I took her now." I turned to pin Nabu with a glare, my voice dropping to a growl. "But any male that touches her, they're dead, so be sure Claw is aware of that when he does the booking offerings for her. No dragons. None. Everything else is acceptable, but if she gets hurt more than just regular bumps and bruises from training, Claw is done. I'll fucking bite his head off."

Nabu smiled and held his hands up. "No touching. Got it, boss. Anything else? She'll be here soon."

"Put the children clause on the contract, but I insist she be on contraceptives while she's at the temple. The only child I desire growing in that fertile little body is mine," I snarled.

Nabu grinned. "Yeah, I had a feeling you intended to breed her, especially after knowing she's compatible."

"Just fucking get the deal done, Nabu. I need to see her safely on Muspelheim today."

He bowed with a flourish of his hand, a cheeky grin on his face. "You know she won't recognize you as yourself. Not since you met her with that ugly mug you are currently sporting. You'll have to win her, charm her all over again.

I traced over the wound I'd invented to help disfigure the features of this shorter, more human form. "Stop dissing my scar, Nabu. You're just jealous you didn't think of it and went with the weird 'fell on my face as a boy' routine. And it will be a joy to seduce her once again, but frankly, I'm betting she'll remember as soon as I get my tongue back in that delicious cunt of hers."

Nabu held up a hand. "Please, my prince, for the love of Tiamat, do not start waxing poetic about her various body parts. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get dragon jizz out of leather couches? I'm just pleased you have another chance to have a child and consort. Maybe you'll have a daughter who will accept me as her consort, and I can torture you as your son for the rest of eternity."

I punched him on the shoulder. "As if I'd let a future daughter of mine anywhere near your scandalous ass."

"My prince, you wound me." He grinned. 

I snorted. "Not yet, but I certainly will."

His wrist chimed. "She's here."

I opened a portal to Muspelheim and started to step through. "Don't disappoint me, Nabu."

"Never, my prince."

The portal shut behind me as the warm, gritty air of home wrapped around me. Shedding the clothes and human form, I let the change take me, expanding into my sinuous dragon. I stretched my neck and tail, the spikes down my back raising as I spread my wings, roared my presence and launched myself into the glorious red skies. Time to do a tour of my realm, to ensure everything was in order, lest my demons forget who ruled them.

It was good to be home.

A/N: This brings us to an end, but the story continues with ENTANGLED, available starting Tuesday!! Check out the cover and let me know what you think!