Crown Of Hearts
Chapter 16: I will burn you

Chapter 16: I will burn you

The next morning, Alexander woke up to the sight of the man that was sleeping by his bedside.

Events of the previous night replayed in his mind as he took in Damon’s sleeping face, glad that he was fine and unharmed.

"Damon..." He called his name as his hand found its way into his long silver strands of hair, caressing them gently.

Damon’s eyes opened moments later, surprise and relief flashing through them once he saw that Alexander was awake.

His eyes darkened once they noticed the bandages around his torso.

"You are not to do something like this again." Damon said seriously, the worry in his eyes evident as his eyes met Alexander’s.

Alexander smiled faintly.

"Is that an order, your highness?" He asked and to his surprise, Damon learned in and placed a kiss on his cheek.

Alexander blinked, his mind registering the small action.

Damon smirked once he saw his flushed expression.

"Call me your highness again and the next kiss will be on your lips." Damon said and Alexander was lost for words.

This man was...

"Damon..." He uttered his name and the man feigned a very hurt look, cutting his statement midway.

"You really don’t want me to kiss you." Damon complained.

"I did not say that." Alexander replied totally flustered.

"Then you want me to kiss you?" Damon asked, his eyes sparkling and it didn’t take long for Alexander to know that he had fallen into a trap.

"I..."

A knock at the door saved him from having to give a reply in which he could find himself stuttering, something that he never did.

Alexander was still getting to terms with this whole thing in-between him and Damon and yet the man still took every opportunity to tease him.

Alexander still felt like he was being pursued and he strangely had no problem with it.

He watched Damon stand up and head to the door.

Whoever it was had said something that displeased this prince.

"What’s wrong?" Alexander asked.

"One of the dragons that attacked the castle survived with several injuries and it’s locked in the dungeons below the castle." Damon replied.

"I could have preferred to stay with you but I have to go and interrogate the beast." Damon added, the reason why his mood was sour becoming evident.

This man didn’t want to leave him.

The new piece of information warmed Alexander’s chest.

"You should go. I will be fine." He assured and with one long lingering look, Damon turned and left.

Damon made his way to the dungeons with Eamon following closely behind.

The man had offered to protect him while Alexander recovered from his injuries and Damon had agreed.

"What color is this dragon?" Damon asked his companion as they made their way down a rugged staircase that led underground.

"He is a black dragon with a few silver scales." Eamon replied as he recalled the beast his men had felled the previous night.

Damon frowned...this was a powerful dragon that they were dealing with. The closer a dragon’s colour to black, the stronger and pure blooded the beast was.

There were only a few of those remaining.

"Do you have a name?" Damon asked as he reached for a touch, illuminating the path ahead.

"No, not yet. The beast lost consciousness as soon as he transformed to his human form." Eamon replied.

"Is he properly restrained?" Damon asked as he briefly glanced at Eamon.

"Yes." The man agreed as they both stopped at a cave that had a big man meticulously restricted with huge chains that had some obsidian infused into them to ensure he remained weakened and did not make an attempt to escape.

His appearance was indeed that of his inner beast.

He had a pair of smokey grey eyes that were surprisingly calm as he looked at them and a head full of long midnight black hair.

The dragon male stood tall and proud, his stance authoritative and superior.

Prideful indeed.

Damon glared at him while Eamon’s expression was neutral.

Damon hated dragons for all the right reasons. They were destructive, egoistic creatures that believed they were born to rule over every living thing on earth.

"What’s your name?" He asked the dragon who eyes seemed to linger on Eamon before they darted back to him.

"Valerion Flameborn." The man replied and Damon tried to hide his shock at the revelation but failed.

If this man was indeed Valerion, then he couldn’t have left himself get captured.

Valerion was the name of the most pure bred dragon in existence and it was common knowledge even to the humans.

Damon had grown up listening to tales of the great beast that had so perfectly traumatized humans with just his shadow.

His hatred burned even though he tried to keep his face passive.

"If you are indeed Valerion, I know a thousand people that could want to see your head on a spike." Damon hissed and the dragon threw him a mocking smile, a subtle tilt of his lips. His metallic grey eyes were cold and devoid of emotion like he didn’t really care.

And he didn’t.

With one disdainful look at the monstrous creature, Damon turned and left while Eamon stayed back to inspect the dragon’s restraints.

Valerion held his breath to avoid inhaling the scent of the man that was standing in front of his cell, quietly scrutinizing him.

"You...who are you?" He asked, his head throbbing along with his heart as he gave in and let that intoxicating masculine scent seep in his nostrils.

This man smelt like sandalwood and a hint of pine. Fresh, warm, woody and slightly sweet.

The scent messed with and effortlessly triggered all his senses as his eyes met those sharp coffee brown ones that were regarding him with a calculative look.

No...this couldn’t be happening. This human male could not be his mate.

Valerion’s mind denied the reality and yet his heightened senses told him that he had made no mistake.

He had gotten himself a second mate after hundreds of lonely years. Normally, it could have been a cause for celebration because few dragons were ever so lucky but not today. Valerion had found his mate in a human...male.

He wasn’t sure which of the two was more alarming as he looked into those chocolate brown eyes that were still studying him.

"I am Eamon." He finally replied and Valerion’s eyes burned, the hostility in them surprising Eamon.

"Once I am out of here, I am going to burn you alive... Eamon." The dragon hissed and Eamon’s brows furrowed slightly into a faint frown, not quite understanding what he had done to enrage the dragon.