Unexpected Sting by Viola Grace (good romance books to read TXT) 📗

eye candy. Iam very forthright about what I like and what I don’t.” Shechuckled. “I wouldn’t want any of them in my bed, but it is fun tolook.”

“Oh, like the dark elves.”

“Yeah, those guys are highmaintenance. They are anchored to the court and have limited traveloptions. I could get one anchored to me, but it would be adisaster. I will leave that to Nessa. At least Tynan anchors themboth if she needs it.”

“I don’t understand what youmean by anchor.”

“If I wanted to have a mate,husband, whatever, I would need to link my power to my intended,and he would have to be able to take the spillover when it happens.There would literally be nowhere else for my power to go. He wouldbe the first point of egress for the energy.”

“You are worried about that?” Hesaid it like it was a minor thing.

“I don’t want my significantother exploding in a fireball.”

“What if you didn’t have toworry about that?”

She turned toward him.“What?”

“I can take whatever you have torelease.” He trailed his fingers down the lace on top of herbreasts.

Stinger looked at his earnestexpression, and she sat up and straddled him. “You have such aserious and honest expression that I want to take you up on youroffer. Are you really a weird deviant?”

He ran his hands up her thighs.“No weirder than you.”

She flexed her face, and then,she had an idea. “Would you sign a contract in case ofpregnancy?”

He blinked. “What? I havealready told you that I would.”

She thudded her head against hischest. “I know, but I can only go by personal experience in myfamily, and my mom has had a rough time. I am already older thanshe was when she went travelling and came back pregnant and had torebuild everything with no support.”

“I spoke to Abrax, and he didn’tknow she was pregnant.”

“He screwed her brains out forthree weeks, and her period never interrupted the festivities? Hewas obviously not a medical-related deity.”

Arthur winced. “Yeah, that isn’treally a good bit of cognitive action there.”

“She doesn’t regret it; she goton with life, but I had to hear about it from aunts and uncles myentire life. She always assumed it was fairly consensual, and I amglad that it relatively was.”

“Relatively?”

“She was still abducted anddumped at his feet. She threw a tantrum, and he stopped her. Shefound that hot, and off they went. Is that pretty much how hedescribed it?”

“Yeah. How did you know?”

“She remembered it a few yearsago. When my power kicked in. She told me about it when I was of asuitable age, but she couldn’t remember his face, so that part ofhim was still a mystery.”

“You think I would blank yourmind?”

She shook her head. “No, but Idon’t have any bargaining chips here, so all I need is somereassurance via a contract. I like contracts; I know how to enforcethem. Nana Baker showed me some curses I can use.”

He sighed. “So, you will haveunprotected sex with me if there is a contract in place before wedo anything? That doesn’t sound good.”

“What is a marriage license? Acontract that binds both parties for tax purposes and gives minorprotection under the law. A breeder’s contract would give me anoption for recourse in case.”

He blinked. “You are willing tosign a breeder’s contract? That gives me more rights to the childthan you. It would have my name, and I would be responsible foreducation.”

She nodded. “Yeah, that is it. Iam willing to sign that.”

“So, I thought you wanted abinding contract that would hold me liable in case a child wasaccidentally created, but you want to actively try to have a childwith me. Is that accurate?”

She bit her lip and nodded.“It’s about time. The more we talked about it, the more I realizedthat waiting doesn’t make sense, and if we actively try and have achild, it will make Nana Baker happy and thwart whatever Abrax hasgoing on. It will also save the lives of a lot of condoms.”

“Well, I mean if it will savecondoms.” He smiled and ran a hand through her hair. “So, which oneof us summons the contract.”

“I think it has to be you.” Shemoved to dismount, but he summoned the breeder contract behind herback.

He sighed. “I think you willhave to dismount so we can read this.”

He watched her go. “Rememberwhere you were.”

She snorted and sat next tohim.

“Okay. So here is thedeclaration that I am entering a contract with you to produce achild to act as my heir. My responsibilities will include financialsupport, education, visitation, and proper introduction to magic.Your responsibilities will include maintenance of the child, makingsure that it knows the traditions of my bloodline, and introductionto any family around the world whom it needs to be introduced to.”He frowned at that. “Oh. Right. Mom’s from Japan, so there is anoni enclave that you might need to visit.”

She blinked. “You arethat kind of ogre? Okay. More research. Good to know.”

He smiled. “Now, for the actualcontract requirement, you need to make yourself available to meuntil we know you are pregnant.”

“Wait. It actually saysthat?”

He nodded. “It does. That is whyI was so surprised at your willingness to engage in this.”

She blinked. “Is there a penaltythat will occur if I don’t?”

“Hm. Yes. A blinding lust willfill you that won’t be eased until you come to me.”

“Oh. Good. What is your opinionof it?” She hated part of herself for it, but she couldn’t think ofanything she wanted more than seeing a smaller version of Arthur inher arms.

Chapter Seven

Stinger had a community now, unlike hermom. She would know what was going on, and she already knew thatthe important members of his family would be pleased.

“It is biased toward giving themagus what he wants. I am going to fix it for the modern age.”

He scribbled at it, and the textchanged.

“I have changed the blindinglust into persistent attraction—”

“Which I already have.”

“I have changed the item aboutkeeping yourself attractive during pregnancy to keeping yourselfreasonably healthy.”

She grimaced. “Fine. It’s onlyfor forty weeks.”

Stinger listened to his changes,and they were less onerous and the consequences less humiliating.“Right. It sounds normalish. Thanks for rewriting it.”

“I didn’t want to be called