Stephanie just shakes her head. “Anyways, dinner's almost ready, but I want to tell you something in confidence. I met a new local today at the diner.”
I’m confused; she meets new people every day. “Uhh, good for you?”
Whap! Ouch! She just slapped me on the back of my head, and boy, she's stronger than she looks. However, I'll be damned if I’ll let on that it hurt.
“Will you let me finish?” She glares at me, exasperated. “She smells like one of us, but doesn't act it. It's really strange,” she whispers.
Now that catches my attention. If someone smells like us, there is no mistaking they are. No one has asked permission to join our clan, so for this local to not be alarmed while running into Stephanie is odd.
“Hmm, well, do you know anything about where she lives and works? I'll check her out,” I reply.
She smiles wide. “Yup, sure do. I know exactly where she works, what time, and who is training her.”
I look at her, waiting for her to continue. Times like these, she reminds me of her mate. She rolls her eyes, blowing out a breath. “Really, Brayden? I got her on at Joe’s Diner. She starts tomorrow at 7 AM. Guess I'll be seeing you for breakfast! Try not to scare the other diners.”
“Why would you do that?” I ask, perplexed.
“She has a kind and troubled soul. She needs a friend,” Stephanie replies.
That is the special ability Stephanie has. She innately knows things. That's probably why she is one of the destined mates of our family. We are the strongest, and need that type of special female by our side. Well, obviously not me, but my brothers.
The dinner bell rings, and I brush off my negative thoughts. I sit at the head of the table, with my mate’s seat vacant beside me. We all begin eating and my dragon is restless. I can't wait for the shift, because I'm hoping we sync back up.
After we all finish a short while later, I stand up. Night has fallen, and we should be able to fly undetected. “Friends and family. It has been since my father’s memorial that we have taken flight. Let us fly, but please remember there is a new tenant at the fall house. So steer clear and be careful.”
We all make our way down the path that connects our house to the Falls. We can shift anywhere, but the sounds and magic of the Falls help keep our noises silent. Not to mention, the woods that connect to them allow us to hide our clothes.
My dragon is ready, and explodes as soon as I initiate the change. I'm up in the air, before the others have time to completely shift. The Falls are down below me, and I turn to fly underneath the cascading water. The water feeds our power and flying directly into them is magical. Soon my clan surrounds me, and we make our way high in the sky. I glide, finally at peace, never wanting the night to end.
Nine
Leah
I pull up to the house and can barely contain myself. I jump off the motorcycle and unlock the door. When I walk in, I’m completely shocked. This has to be some sort of joke because this is not the same house from the ad. I turn to leave, but stupidly realize that the key worked. The outside looks like the ad, but the inside is beautiful.
It's a quaint house, but the kitchen has been updated. The dumpy, bare pictures I remember are a stark contrast to the fully-furnished rooms, filled with expensive furniture. I walk around and find that the house is already stocked with food, soaps, and towels; everything that I would need. Why would someone do this?
Trying not to freak out, and deciding to enjoy the night, I get settled in and bathe. After eating a sandwich and dessert, I walk outside and I can feel my skin start crawling. Sometimes I get this way; like a part of me wants out and free. The moon is now shining down on me, and I'm growing even more restless. Without thought, I immediately start walking through the woods, as if compelled.
I soon hear water and realize I must be getting close to the Falls. I am still under the cover of the woods, but the enchanting cascades come into view, and I lose my breath at the beauty. The whole view is like a picture.
As I stand there, I suddenly see a huge bird drop in the water. What the hell? When it emerges, though, I realize it isn't a bird but a gorgeous dragon. Instead of fear emanating from me, longing does. What would it be like to fly with this beautiful being? The golden dragon suddenly cuts its eyes over to me, and stares.
We look at each other for what seems like forever, until another dragon flies down beside it. I turn, realizing it's probably not smart for me to be down here. I rush back home and lock the door behind me.
I make sure all the windows are also locked, even though I know they could come through here if they wanted to. I go to bed, trying to clear my mind. I need a good night’s rest, seeing as I have a shift bright and early.
I arrive at the diner fifteen minutes early. It's a good thing, as I need to put on my work outfit. Pete, the owner who I had met yesterday, meets me at the door and hurries me into the bathroom to change, once we got my size sorted out.
When I walk out of the bathroom, Stephanie is there, tying her apron. She smiles at me, noticing that I'm already decked out in uniform.
“Look at you, hot stuff,” she says with a wink.
I blush, which makes her laugh. “You keep that up, and you'll get a lot of tips. Especially with your blonde hair and blue eyes.”
I look down at the menu, trying to memorize everything, and glance back up when she hands me my pad. “You ready? Pete’s unlocking the door.”
“Yup, sure am,” I reply. I really need something to keep me busy. I dreamed of that dragon all night, and can't get it off my mind.
We walk out and begin taking orders. The hardest part of the job is memorizing the menu. After about thirty minutes, I hear the door jangle, and turn to see the hottest man I’ve ever laid eyes on walking in. He has black, short hair, gold eyes, and his face is sharp, with chiseled features. My heart starts accelerating, and once again, something inside me is trying to claw to the surface.
He seems to be in a daze too, because he is still standing at the door, holding it wide open, staring at me. I am supposed to be taking the order of an older lady, and she clears her throat, trying to get my attention.
“Honey, I don't blame you for staring. If you don't go talk to him soon, I'll be more than happy to, and teach him a few things that only us old ladies know,” she says, wagging her eyebrows.
I can't help but blush, and burst out laughing. I'm sure she could! “I'll be back soon with your order.”
“Make sure he comes with it!” she whispers.
I chuckle as I walk toward the kitchen and put the order in the window. Stephanie walks up to me and says, “I know he's technically mine, but I'm swamped. Can you cover me?”
I nod and walk toward him, my heart pounding. His eyes are firmly on me, and I have this overwhelming need to taste him.
“Hi, how are you this morning?” I ask, attempting to act normal.
He stares at me and eventually smiles, tilting his head to the side, almost assessing me. If I thought he was hot before, he is drop dead gorgeous now. “I'm doing better than ever. You must be new, because I could never forget a face like yours. How long have you been here?”
Ahhh... he's a ladies man. Even though I know to be careful, my heart is trying to override my brain.
“Only a day, and you must use that line often. It just rolls off your tongue. What can I get you today?”
He jerks back like I slapped him. “No, I definitely don't use that line. What the hell? Have others been using that line on you?”
Did he just growl at me? Who does that… and why is it so hot? “I don't think that is any of your business, Mister Growly,” I retort, placing a hand on my hip, raising an eyebrow.
Stephanie comes over between us. “Hey, Brayden. What can I get you? Leah here was just helping me out for a minute.”
Brayden gives her a fierce look. “Leah was doing fine. You can run along now.”
Stephanie turns and grabs my hand, pulling me behind her. We head to the kitchen and
Stephanie makes his meal immediately, boxing it up. She walks out, holding her hands out to me, indicating that I should stay there behind the counter.
“Here you go! Your order, to go! Have a lovely day!” she calls, pushing him toward the door.
He stumbles, completely caught off guard. “No, I wanted to eat it here.”
“Dave called and needs you in the office, pronto. I put his order in there as well, and paid for it. See you later!” she half-yells, and shuts the door in his face.
I turn and focus back on my customers, completely confused as to what just happened. Why the hell am I sad that he's gone?
Ten
Brayden
If it weren’t full of humans, I would have put Stephanie in her place. How dare she keep me from Leah? My dragon is raging, and I’m struggling to keep him contained. Unbelievably, she is the same girl from last night that I can’t get out of my head. She smells of dragon, even though it’s faint.
I force myself to walk in the office, but my dragon is still trying to force a shift and go back to the diner. Gwen looks at me with concern. “Brayden, what’s wrong?”
For some reason, this just pisses my dragon off more, and I can feel my hands turning into claws. I swiftly walk past her and into the conference room.
“Heard you freaked out over a hot girl? It's about time!” Dave says when he sees me enter, and I have him up against the wall within seconds.
“You do not call her hot! Do you understand? She is mine!” I roar, and the walls shake from the power.
Jacob rushes into the room, looking for a threat. “Let him go, Brayden! You’re almost half-shifted. What the hell is going on with you?”
I reluctantly let him go, and Dave looks scared for the first time in his life. “Look, I'm sorry. I'm sure she's ugly.”
I move to rip him apart when Jacob steps between us. “This is over a girl? Brayden, did you find your mate?”
As soon as the word leaves Jacob’s mouth, I realize it's true. I thought I'd be alone forever, but she's finally here.
My dragon purrs at the word and finally seems back in rhythm with me. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, picturing her face. “Yes, I have,” I whisper.
“What? Who? That human? Impossible,” Dave stutters.
Jacob shuts the office door and sits down at the table. “Crap, Brayden. What does this mean? You're one-hundred-twenty-five years old. We find our mates before then.”
“Obviously, that's not the case. I found mine today, and this stays between us. She isn't human. She's dragon, but I don't think she knows. She's never shifted.”
“How do you know she's never shifted?” Dave asks.
“Because her dragon is faint, but definitely there. I can smell her, but I'm more sensitive to her since she's my destined.” Sometimes I forget that Dave is only fifty and still young in our world.
Jacob looks troubled. “You know this isn't good. You can't just go all dragon on her if she doesn't truly know. You'll scare her away. I'm sure there is trouble following her. Are you sure…”
“That is your future queen, so you better watch your next words. I don't care if a whole dragon clan comes knocking on our door. She is mine,” I stress, making sure everyone is clear.
“I didn't mean it like that, Brayden. I'm just saying, we need to be careful. Of course she is one of our own. You just need to take things slower than a usual mating. I don't want you to get hurt by scaring her away,” Jacob explains, trying to appease me.
“It doesn't matter. It’s inherent in me to tend to her needs. She already saw us last night at the Falls, and didn't freak out,” I slip out.
For once, both of them are smart and don’t saying anything in response to my last comment. We work the rest of the day, the subject not coming up again, but my mind is still firmly on Leah.
After a long, torturous day, I leave the office and there is no way in hell that I won’t be dropping by and checking on the new tenant now. I hope all the furnishings are to her liking, and I just need to get a feel for who she is. I own the place, so I should be able to check on her.
I head to the house and see an old motorcycle parked out front. Like we all expected, the person renting from us must be hurting for money. I knock on the door and my breath gets stuck in my chest when I see Leah at the door.
Her eyes open wide in surprise. She recovers faster than me, mainly because I'm still shocked by her beauty and smell. “Uh, hey there, smooth talker. Stalking much?” she pouts.
Man, I really want to lick that pout. My dragon is stirring. “Uh, actually I didn't realize you lived here. I’m the person you're renting this place from.” I wince at the words. This is just as much her house as mine at this point, but she doesn't realize it yet.
Her eyes widen and takes a step back. “Oh, I didn't realize. Obviously, you must be here wanting more rent. This place is so much nicer than the pics. I'm not sure how much more I can actually pay, but if I can't swing it, I'll find something else. It's absolutely gorgeous…” she rambles.
I really don't want to stop her rambling because it's cute as hell, but she's stressing, and I can't have her like that. “No, the rent stays the same, and the food was a welcome present. I just wanted to stop by and make sure everything is up to standard,” I reply, cutting her off. “Do you need anything...from me?”
She bites her lip at my words and I have to physically restrain myself from leaning in. My dragon is going crazy, but I can't scare her off. She finally looks down on the ground and whispers, “I won't sleep with you, if that's what you're getting at.”
Anger radiates from within, and both me and my beast are about to lose it. I breathe deeply, trying to calm down. Why would she think that? What the hell has she been through? I can see she's starting to get wary, so I rein it in.
“Darling, I wasn't even trying to insinuate that. I was honestly just checking in.” Saying those words are so hard. I really want to demand to know everything, and who all was involved.
Her shoulders sag in relief and that infuriates me even more. Whoever hurt her will pay the price.
Eleven
Leah
To say I’m shocked finding Brayden knocking on my door would be an understatement. His eyes look even more golden up close, and I'm having to restrain myself from jumping him.
I'm both relieved and disappointed when he says he isn't looking for the type of payment I alluded to. What is wrong me? Without realizing what I'm saying, the next words just fall out of my mouth. “Ummm, would you like to come in?”
His eyes light up at the suggestion. “Yes, I would love that.”
My heart starts beating frantically, and butterflies take flight in my belly. I’d expected him to say no. I step aside, letting him enter, and he walks past me, brushing my arm. A buzzing feeling springs to life where he touched, which causes me to stumble. In a flash, he steadies me, and the pleasant electric buzzing is everywhere he touches.
This isn’t normal, and panic consumes me. His eyes flash in understanding, and he immediately releases me, walking across the room.
Needing a minute, I ask, “Would you like something to drink? I think you know everything I have on hand.”
He smiles, which comforts me somehow. “I would love a beer, but I'll get it. You sit down and relax. Can I get you anything while I'm up?”
I’m not used to be taking care of, so I’m silent for a minute before responding. “Will you grab me a beer too?”
He smiles, and I lose my breath. Come on, Leah, get a grip. I hear him open the refrigerator, and then the beers. He walks back into the room and hands me a drink, while sitting on the couch. He glances at me, then pats the seat beside him. “Don't worry. I don't bite. Please, come sit with me.”
I sit beside him, sipping my drink. I wince at the taste and he tilts his head. “You have had a beer before, right?”
I blush and look down. “Actually, no. I just turned twenty-one three days ago.”
He seems to be shocked by my
statement. “So, you spent your birthday with family, and then moved here yesterday?”
I grimace. “No. I was on the bus, traveling here, on my birthday.”
“You were alone?” he inquires.
“Yes, but it's fine. I planned it that way,” I answer.
“Well, then we must celebrate your birthday the right way. Will you come have dinner at my place tomorrow night?”
I’m both shocked and giddy at the suggestion. I look down at the floor and whisper, “Yes.”
He turns, facing me, and moves closer. He puts his finger underneath my chin, tilting my head up so I’m looking in his eyes. “Don't do that,” he murmurs.
“Do what?” I ask, completely confused. Did he really not want me to take him up on his offer? My cheeks redden in embarrassment.
“Don’t hide from me. I will never cause you harm,” he answers, staring at my lips.
I unconsciously lick them, and he groans, moving back over to the other side of the couch, creating some distance between us. My heart hurts at the distance.
This guy is the definition of confusing. One minute, he’s hot and the next minute, he’s cold. I take another sip of my beer, picking at the label.
He stands up, guzzling the beer, and walks into the kitchen, throwing his bottle away. He enters the room again and gives me a tight smile. “I better get going, especially now that I have a celebration to prepare for tomorrow night. Do you work tomorrow?”
“Yes, I work the morning shift. I get off at three.”
He looks back before exiting. “Okay, I get off at five, so I'll pick you up at 5:30. Good night, Leah. Sweet dreams.”
With that, he shuts the door and leaves me alone, wondering what just happened. Oh crap! It sounds like tomorrow will be my first date ever.
Twelve
Scales and Flames Page 17
