Time Shift

by J. L. Weil

  He gave my shoulder one last squeeze. “Good. Are you ready to talk about the dragon in the room?”

  Now who was being funny? “There’s a dragon in the house?” I joked, but no one laughed.

  “I want to know every word he said to you. Don’t leave anything out,” he insisted, twisting back around and stretching out his legs on top of the coffee table.

  Damn. I could barely remember what we ate for breakfast and he wanted me to recall word for word a conversation I had with a freaking dragon under duress. Sure. No sweat. Leaning my shoulder into the couch, I searched my memory. “Uh, nothing really. He wasn’t very forthcoming with a lot of information, and I was in shock. He did have a warning for you though,” I recalled.

  His face grew tight. “What kind of warning?”

  “He said something about there being other dragons and faes in the area.”

  Devyn cursed, and my eyes swung to his. His jaw was tense. “I’m beginning to think there isn’t a place on Earth safe for you.”

  “Maybe it doesn’t matter where we are, especially when I have you.” Wow. When did I become the voice of reason?

  Devyn lifted his chin. “Valid point.”

  My objective hadn’t been to stroke his ego, but it didn’t really take much.

  “We need to go into town tomorrow and get some supplies and clothes,” he said.

  “Yeah. I’m not sure if I can wear this shirt another day.” I plucked at the material. I had no problem spending his money. My sad bank account wouldn’t buy me more than a single outfit. “How is it you have money?” I asked.

  He lifted a brow, draping an arm along the back of the couch. “When you come from a world with magic, it’s easier to come by.”

  I assumed he didn’t mean by working for it like the rest of us. “Are you telling me you are spending counterfeit money? Isn’t that against the law?”

  Wood from the fireplace crackled and popped as I waited for him to explain. “Not where I come from.”

  I rolled my eyes. “If we get arrested, I’ll never forgive you.”

  “Relax. It’s safe. Just like I can prevent humans from seeing things like Wrath and Fury, the currency has a glamour around it as well. No one will ever be able to tell.”

  It actually did make me feel better about not getting caught, but it still felt like cheating, and I wasn’t comfortable with the deception.

  “No frowning,” Devyn said, seeing the scowl on my lips. “Come here,” he whispered, opening his arms as he studied me from under thick lashes. The light from the fire danced across his rich complexion as his lips curled. I found myself spellbound as I moved into his arms, his warmth reaching into my core.

  “Devyn,” I breathed, staring up at him with so much emotion inside me. I was falling for him more every day.

  His fingers trailed gently over my bottom lip, and he leaned toward me, as if on the verge of capturing my lips with his. “I think you should take this gunk off your face.”

  I had completely forgotten, and his reminder presented an opportunity I couldn’t resist. “Is that so? Well, I was thinking your face looks as if it could use some gunk.” Grabbing the back of his head, I rubbed my cheek against his, smearing my nearly dried mask all over him. I laughed as I leaned back, seeing the green goo transferred onto his skin, but it was his expression that had me in hysterics.

  My laugh trailed off as he leaned in close enough for me to see my reflection in his gaze, causing my breath to hitch. “You’re going to pay for that,” he murmured, his breath fanning over my face. He smelled so good, a mix of woods and something exotic, something not of this world. It was as intoxicating as the Shaman himself.

  Unable to help myself, I lifted my head and placed a kiss at the hollow of his neck. He drew a quiet breath in, curling his fingers into my hips. As if for the first time, I realized we were alone in an isolated cabin—no parents—do distractions—no interruptions.

  The mud mask was completely forgotten. It didn’t matter that I looked like a martian from Mars. The gleam in Devyn’s eyes had a way of making me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world. He dipped his head to the side, intending to trace his lips along my jaw, but I shifted so our mouths met. And then we were kissing.

  I ran my hands through his silky dark hair, needing to touch him. My heart stood still for a few beats, before quickening in time with his as I melted into him. He groaned, lowering my back onto the couch. My whole body tingled at the feel of his weight pressed into me. Our lips never broke contact.

  Sliding my fingers underneath his shirt, I marveled in the hard muscles of his chest and stomach as they bunched under my touch. The material was only in my way, and he seemed to sense my frustration. Breaking off the kiss just long enough for him to lose his shirts, he grinned above me, his eyes bright. With the end of his shirt, he wiped the majority of the mask off my face. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”

  His words rendered me speechless. I couldn’t think. All I could do was feel. Lifting my chin, I locked eyes with his luminous ones. I knew I was testing his self-control, but I didn’t care. These stupid rules of the Second Moon didn’t apply to my life now. Convincing Devyn otherwise was my challenge. My arms tightened around him. “You’re not going to rip my clothes off and have your way with me, are you?”

  A dark chuckle rumbled from his chest. “Don’t tempt me.”

  I lifted up, pressing my hot lips to the pulsing vein in his neck, resting my palms on his golden skin. “The thing is, I want to tempt you,” I murmured, rolling my hips, knowing damn well I was playing with fire, but lucky for me, one of my abilities was flame.

  A low groan sounded at the back of his throat, creating an ache inside me. He pushed off me with a sigh, raking a hand through his hair. “I know you do. But part of keeping you safe is not touching you. I’ve already put you in danger.”

  I’d admit his lips were dangerous, but the other stuff was just fae crap. I might have been able to push him, and the thought did cross my mind, but there would be regret afterward. I refused to let my first time be tinged with remorse.

  So, I settled for his arms instead. It was there I felt safer than any place in the world I could dream.

  Chapter Five

  The drive into town took thirty minutes at least. Devyn ran his fingers over the rental car’s steering wheel with an experienced touch, taking the next turn with ease. I’d never been a fan of shopping and malls, much to Mom’s disappointment, but had spent my fair share of time trying on clothes thanks to Hannah, who dragged me to every store in Seaside Heights.

  Shopping in another country was strange. Nothing was familiar, which made looking for stuff twice as hard, and for a girl who wasn’t keen on the process to begin with, it was overwhelming.

  I missed my normal, functioning life as I stared at a display window. The mannequin wore a pair of distressed jeans and a breezy summer white top that scooped low at the breasts. Strappy white wedges adorned its feet. I bit my lip, knowing the price tag would make me cringe. Regardless of how much money Devyn might have, I couldn’t frivolously throw it away. Saving a dollar was ingrained in my mind.

  “Are you going to try it on, or just drool over it all day?” Devyn had snuck up behind me.

  “Don’t do that.” I frowned.

  “Do what?” he asked, as if innocent.

  I shoved my hands into my pockets. “Be so sneaky.”

  He chuckled. “I can’t help it. I’m light on my feet.”

  It also didn’t help that I felt jumpy. “Let’s get this over with,” I mumbled and began walking again. It wasn’t as cold in town as in the mountains, and the warmer climate was a nice change.

  The grin on his face spread as he matched his strides with mine. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you’re super pumped about shopping.”

  “You know me so well,” I said dryly.

  “Did you want to go in that store?” he asked.

  I snuck another glance over my should
er at the trendy boutique and shook my head. Fashion statements weren’t something I needed to be worried about right now. I just wanted to stay alive. “I think I saw a department store a few blocks over.”

  “Lead the way, Kitten.”

  I rolled my eyes. We passed a coffee shop on our way, and I couldn’t help but stop. I grabbed his hand and dragged him inside. Pausing just inside the little shop, I inhaled, savoring the familiar aroma. It gave me all the feels.

  Devyn pulled his brows together. “Is this your way of telling me you need a pick-me-up?”

  I nodded, unable to speak yet. The patrons of the cute café were staring at me—the weird American who got misty over coffee. What they didn’t understand was how close to home this place made me feel.

  I got my coffee. “I needed this,” I moaned, after taking a sip from the to-go cup.

  “If there is one thing you don’t need to worry about, it’s a coffee shortage.”

  “Do you have coffee on the Second Moon?” I was curious about the food. Was it a lot like ours? I pictured something more exotic, since nearly every fae I had met was uncanny.

  “No need to worry, when you’re ruler of Katsura, you can bathe in the stuff if you want.”

  I scrunched my nose. “Maybe I could absorb it faster that way.”

  He gave me a sideways glance. “And I’m the strange one.”

  I pushed at his arm playfully with my hand. There was still so much I didn’t know. Was there technology? Did they have reality TV or TV at all? Were there malls? “Tell me more about where you were born.”

  We moseyed into a large department store. “You want to know if we have places like this?” he asked as his eyes swept the three-story building. “We have markets where you can buy, trade, or barter for items from fruits to jewels. There are specific places on the Second Moon you would go, depending on what you needed. Oils and medicines can be found deep in the Willowland woods. Weapons and metals are forged in the center of Thornland. Of all the regions, Katsura would be the closest to any city or town on Earth.”

  My kingdom … by birthright—even though I didn’t have much of a claim to its throne other than by blood. Why would the fae of Katsura accept me—a stranger? Even with my nine tails?

  I nibbled on my lower lip, stopping to run my hand over a pile of dark blue jeans, the material soft under my touch.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” Devyn said, doing that weird connection thing. “And you are the rightful heir. The people of Katsura have no love for Ryker or Talin. They will welcome you. They will support you. They will love you.”

  I wished I shared his confidence, since he would know better than me.

  Devyn decided we should split up to divide and conquer, grabbing what we needed. “Meet me back here in an hour, and try not to destroy the store.”

  “I can’t make any promises. What if there is another dragon attack?” I proposed hypothetically.

  “I won’t be far,” he said, giving me a stern eye.

  “Yeah, yeah,” I mumbled, walking away.

  Searching through the racks like a girl who didn’t have time for fashion, which was a pretty accurate assessment, I piled T-shirts and jeans—my wardrobe staples—into my arms. I then moved onto the lingerie section, because this girl needed a change of unmentionables like three days go. Gross.

  I hated the word “panties.” Like “moist,” it made me cringe.

  With an armful of stuff to last me a week, I checked my phone, seeing I had about ten minutes before I was supposed to meet Devyn downstairs. I ran through my mental list of items in case I had forgotten anything.

  When I went to meet up with Devyn, he was already waiting for me in the exact spot we had departed. “Did you get what you needed?”

  “Well, they don’t have a wardrobe section for three-tailed foxes, so I improvised.”

  “Cute. Let’s make a stop for groceries before we head back to the cabin.”

  An hour later, the cart was packed with groceries, and I swung two large bags stuffed with jeans, T-shirts, a pair of hiking boots, and other clothing essentials as I walked. It felt like my birthday again. We strolled to the car, a frisky breeze blowing my hair as the sun dipped behind the mountains. It had been a nice day. No drama. No worry. Lots of coffee. And a lightness in Devyn’s eyes that normally wasn’t there.

  He slipped the shopping bags out of my hands, tossing them into the trunk with the bags of food, and then we were on our way back to the cabin.

  The landscape was breathtaking—craggy mountainsides, dark skies, white, powdery snow blanketing the ground as the car glided over the road. There was something magical about being tucked away with Devyn in the mountains, like living in a snow globe. And no, it wasn’t the dragons.

  Suddenly our encapsulated world shattered, reality rushing back in as Devyn swore.

  I blinked, glancing over at the tense Shaman. What had I missed?

  And then I saw it. Up in the sky, two dark figures soared over the rental car. The dragons came straight at us, and I highly doubted we could outrun them. As long as one of them didn’t spray us with a stream of flames …

  Too late.

  One of the dragons opened its mouth, sending a blaze of fire into the air with eerie precision. “Holy shit! Are we under a dragon attack?”

  “It looks that way.” A muscle drummed at Devyn’s jawline as he punched the gas.

  The top of the car was engulfed in flames, licking over the metal. “Any chance this car is fireproof?” I asked, feeling the temperature rise a hundred degrees.

  “No more than we are,” he replied grimly.

  Maybe these dragons would like a taste of their own medicine. They weren’t the only ones with fire abilities.

  Devyn’s foot had the pedal pressed to the floor. “Don’t even think about it. I’m not letting you go up against two dragons. That would be suicidal.”

  My lips turned down. “What is the point of having abilities if I can’t ever use them?”

  He shot me a smug smirk. “That’s why you have me.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  We were only a minute or two from the cabin, and the pair of fire-breathing faes still homed in on us like a laser beam. Most of the flames had faded, but the metal was still scoring hot.

  Devyn turned the wheel and propelled us into the steep driveway. It had frozen over from a storm while we’d been in town, and for a split second, I thought the car wasn’t going to stop as we slid straight for the edge. I started breathing again only when the car came to a sudden halt.

  “Stay here,” Devyn demanded, as he so was fond of doing.

  I balked at this idea. “Uh, hell no. You’re not leaving me here.”

  His arm twitched as his hand went for the door. “I’m not leaving. I’m just going to talk.”

  I snorted. “Aren’t we a little past talking?”

  Devyn nodded to the right, near the house, and my gaze followed. I expected a massive winged creature to be perched on the roof, staring down at us with seedy eyes.

  I was wrong.

  A man dressed in dark gray leather pants and a black shirt stretched taut against a defined chest stood beside us, but it wasn’t his clothes I really took notice of. A white light rimmed his entire body, casting a pearly glow on his skin, and as I looked closer, I noticed his flesh had a scaly pattern to it. Tattoos? No.

  Dragon.

  My pulse quickened.

  He was one of the dragons that had attacked us, but in his human form.

  Shit.

  Chapter Six

  I turned to face Devyn. “And what happens when talking doesn’t work?” I asked, assuming the worst.

  A muscle ticked at his jaw, waves of frustration rolling off him. “I guess we’ll find out, but whatever happens, you don’t put yourself in danger.”

  “You’re beginning to sound like a broken record, a really loud, scratchy, annoying—”

  “I get the point.” Shaking his head, he grabbed the door handl
e and pulled, stepping outside into a possible trap while I sat confounded in the boiling car. I waited for him to whip out Wrath and Fury and go into ninja mode, only to be disappointed.

  What is going on today?

  How can my predictions be so wrong?

  Devyn moved closer to the man, drawing a wary glance from the dragon. I plastered my nose to the glass and craned my neck, scouring the sky for the other dragon. There had definitely been two, so where was the other one?

  I tuned into the conversation, using my enhanced fox ears.

  “Sin Eater, you’re trespassing on our territory,” the dragon said.

  Devyn cocked a brow. “Am I? Funny. I didn’t realize this world was divvied up into sections.”

  The dragon’s eyes swung over Devyn’s shoulder to me, and the disdain there made me recoil. “We wouldn’t have a problem if you hadn’t brought the Kitsune.”

  Devyn glared. “Leave her alone.”

  “She can’t stay. We won’t have the trouble she will bring here.”

  The Shaman’s eyes panned away before returning back to the shifter. “Irim, that’s why I’m here. I’ll take care of anyone who would think to harm her.”

  So the dragon shifter had a name, Irim.

  “There is a price on your head. Tell me why I shouldn’t collect.”

  A sound shrieked over the mountains, and my gaze flashed to the sky. The other dragon shifter circled the cabin, and it sounded as if he was all for turning us in.

  Over my dead body.

  Wrath and Fury appeared at Devyn’s back in a cross formation, the glint of the snakes’ eyes shining in the waning light. He lifted his hands, wrapping his fingers around the hilts of both blades. “I’ll give you two reasons.”

  “You’re making a mistake. The dragons want no part in your political war, but if you bring it to our doorstep, you leave us no choice.” Irritation leaked into Irim’s deep voice.

  Devyn stood with his feet planted. “We won’t be staying long, and as you know, I’ve always considered the dragons our allies.”