Gwenvael bowed low, his dragon snout scraping the ground, his eyes focused on her rear. “Perhaps I can help you with that, m’lady.”

Briec didn’t even look at him as he slammed his tail into Gwenvael’s chest, sending him flying back into the trees.

Éibhear shook his head as he walked off in the opposite direction toward a clearing. “He really does bring that on himself.”

Briec waited until his brothers were away, then he focused on Talaith. “I’m scaring you, aren’t I?”

“What gave you that idea?”

“I can smell it.”

Eek!

“Don’t be ridiculous—” she began to lie.

“Talaith.”

“Oh, all right. I find you a bit…intimidating when you’re like this. You’re so very large and fangy.”

“Is that even a word?”

“Probably not.”

“Then what would give you ease, Talaith?”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“How do I make you comfortable with who I am? Because nothing will change the fact that I am a dragon. I can shift to a human form, but I am in no way human. And to be quite honest, I have no desire to be.”

“Does it matter whether I’m comfortable with you or not?” she asked carefully.

“Aye, Talaith. It matters greatly.”

Talaith let out a trembling breath, refusing to read any more into that statement than what he actually said.

“It’s just that so much of you looks, um, dangerous.”

“We are predators. We hunt. We kill. We feed.”

Talaith took a step away from Briec. “If that is supposed to make me feel better…”

“It’s supposed to let you understand who and what I am. But I’m not a monster, Talaith. I would never hurt you. Or anyone you care for.”

“I know.”

“Do you?”

“Aye,” she replied with all sincerity. “I do.”

“Well, that’s half the battle then, isn’t it?” It took Talaith a moment to realize he’d begun to walk around her in a circle. “The question is, sweet Talaith, what do we need to do to ease your other concerns?”

“Well…eek!” She jumped as his snout brushed against her back.

“Well what?”

“I…uh… I really don’t know…uh…what are you doing with that?”

The tip of Briec’s tail slid down her back, across her ass, and slowly down her legs. She wore leggings, but they weren’t made of thick material. So when his tail wound itself around her leg, she felt it to her very core.

“Briec, I—”

“Continue, Talaith. Tell me what scares you.”

Everything? “Well that’s a vast list.”

“I meant about me, or my kind, specifically. We’ll have to deal with the litany of your other fears another day.”

She glared at him. Arrogant bastard. “Well, your fangs are a tad unsettling.”

Briec’s head swung down until they were nose to snout. Then he pulled back his lips to reveal those huge, white fangs.

“What are you doing?”

“Go ahead,” he said through his teeth, “touch them.”

“Not on your life.”

“Talaith, you have to get over this fear.”

“No I don’t. I can run away. Screaming. Like a girl.”

His tail tightened around her leg and she knew he wouldn’t let her go until this insane nightmare was over to his satisfaction.

“Touch them, woman.”

Closing her eyes tight, she reached and felt around. Considering these were fangs, she couldn’t feel anything that hard.

“Talaith…that’s my nostril your hand is in.”

“Oh, by the gods!” Desperately wiping her hands on her trousers and squealing, her body now shook in disgust as opposed to fear.

“Try that again, shall we? With your eyes open this time.”

“Don’t you have some kittens to torture? Or some town to destroy?”

“Talaith,” he said with an exaggerated sigh, and she knew she was dealing with Briec the Arrogant. “You and I—I feel—are destined to be together.”

“Oh, good gods,” she groaned.

Briec went on as if he hadn’t heard her. “So in order for us to make this work, we need you to get over your tiny little insecurities.”

“Your arrogance makes my eye twitch.”

“Only because I’m challenging you.”

“No. I’m relatively confident it’s because you’re arrogant,” she barked. “No, no. Forget it, dragon. I’m not sticking my hand in your mouth.”

Sighing heavily, he sat up. “Fine. How about this then…”

Again she squealed as the tip of his tail unwound from her leg and suddenly appeared in front of her face. “Would you watch that thing. You’re liable to take off my nose or something!”

“Touch it.”

“Actually, I like my fingers attached to my hands.”

“Fine. How about touching my horns?”

“Well, this conversation just went horribly wrong.”

* * *

“You’re making this difficult.”

“I’m not sure what you’re trying to show me.”

Frustrated, Briec shifted to human and walked up to her until they were mere inches apart. “That you and yours are safe with us. You have nothing to fear. Nor does your daughter. And you never will.”