How to Date a Dragon

by Ashlyn Chase

  That stopped her momentarily. “Uh… yeah. I wondered about that. They’re green most of the time, like now, but I thought I saw them turn gold a couple times.”

  “It’s what happens when I begin to shift.”

  “Shift?” She shook her head slowly. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying I can change my form. Several centuries ago, as a way to survive, some dragons found a wizard and convinced him to use his magic to help them blend in. I’m descended from those dragons. I understand the Asian dragons found a way to do the same thing, but I’m not sure how. We look human most of the time, but if necessary, we can return to dragon form.”

  “Any time now, you can give up and tell me you’re joking. I won’t hold it against you if you admit it—soon.”

  Damn, she still doesn’t believe me. But at least she didn’t appear ready to run off, so he blundered on.

  “I have a few advantages in my alternate form. As a dragon, I’m fireproof. It comes in handy when fighting fires—I just wish I could let my chief in on that little fact. And my vision improves tremendously. Think about the first time you saw my eyes glow gold.”

  “It was during the fire. I couldn’t see you well under all the protective equipment you were wearing, but I did notice your eyes.”

  “I had to shift when I was inside the building. The fire was so hot, and flames were everywhere. If I hadn’t taken on my alternate form, I might not have survived, and I certainly couldn’t have seen through the flames and smoke to find my way out.”

  She reached out and touched his cheek. Her expression was deadly serious. Maybe he was reaching her, at last.

  “You don’t have to go through this alone, Drake. We’ll find you a good doctor. I’ve heard with medication they can treat all kinds of delusions.”

  Oh, crap. We’re back to square one.

  “Bliss, honey. I’m not delusional. I can show you my dragon transformation, but I don’t want to scare you. If you see me as a dragon you might be afraid, but I can assure you, I’d never hurt you.”

  “I believe that. If you didn’t hit back when that awful biker chick was kicking you in the ribs, I don’t think you’ll hurt me for giving you a little ribbing. Although, you might rib me back. I’m pretty sure that’s what you’re doing now.”

  He dropped his head and let out a deep breath in a whoosh. I’m still not getting through.

  After a long silence, she lifted her chin. “Okay. Prove it.”

  “Really? You’ll let me show you my transformation?”

  “Sure, why not?”

  “Think about it. If you see something you really don’t believe in, it’ll change your perspective forever.”

  Bliss flopped onto her back and threw her hands in the air. “Do you want to show me or don’t you?”

  “You won’t be scared?”

  She rolled back onto her elbow, propped herself up, and looked him right in the eye. “I won’t be scared.”

  “Promise? Because it would be perfectly normal to be a little bit nervous.”

  “I’m not perfect, nor am I normal.”

  “You’re joking again.”

  “That’s how I cope.” After a long pause, she worried her lip. “Okay. I guess I’m a little afraid for you, but I’m not afraid of you.”

  That was good enough. This is it. Now or never.

  Drake got up off the bed and backed away a few feet. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his dragon form. His back vibrated, letting him know his wings and tail were ready to emerge. When he opened his eyes, he saw Bliss still on the bed and not running for the hills. The shimmer he knew could be seen in his eyes colored his vision for a matter of seconds. He transformed briefly but didn’t flap his wings or tail. He truly didn’t want to scare her.

  Her eyes had rounded and grown huge throughout the process. Perhaps she wasn’t moving because she was frozen in fear. He’d made his point and didn’t need or want to impress her. All he wanted was her trust—and for her not to doubt him anymore. He quickly closed his eyes and concentrated on his human form. The tingling stopped and the glow faded.

  As soon as he could speak with his human mouth he asked, “Are you okay?”

  As if she couldn’t quite make words come out, her mouth moved a little before she said, “I… I guess.” She shrugged a shoulder, but he thought he saw it tremble.

  He wanted to gather her close and hold her, but he didn’t know if she’d welcome him. He had never let a human see his transition before. Hell, he wasn’t supposed to let anyone see it now.

  Maybe if I just tell her that… “I’ve never shown this side of me to anyone else.”

  “G—good. I imagine it would scare the pants off most people.” She backed away for the first time since they’d begun talking.

  “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “Oh, yeah. I’m good.” She grabbed her clothes with shaking fingers.

  “Bliss, there’s more I have to tell you.”

  She groaned but didn’t stop pulling up her sweatpants or fastening the drawstring. “Uh—can we do it later?”

  “Not really. The whole reason I had to tell you about dragons was to warn you.”

  “Warn me?” She finished tying her drawstring, then dragged her T-shirt over her head. “I thought you said you’d never hurt me.”

  “I won’t. I promise you have nothing to fear from me.”

  “Then why do you have to warn me?”

  “Because I’m not the dragon who means you harm.”

  She froze. “Are you saying there are more who do?”

  “Just one. Possibly.”

  She jammed her hands on her hips. “How possible is this possibility?”

  “It’s a pretty good possibility. Remember the biker chick who kicked my ass?”

  “Fuckin’ A!”

  “I know…” He started to stroll toward her until she held up one palm to stop him.

  “I need a minute, Drake. Maybe a whole lot of minutes. This is a crazy amount of information to process.”

  “I understand. Please don’t be afraid. Let me help.”

  “Help? What can you do to help? If you’re fireproof, I expect she is too. And you can’t possibly stand guard over me day and night.”

  “I know. That’s why I need to come up with another way to protect you.”

  “Can you… you know, breathe fire like in the legends?”

  “No. My family lost that ability centuries ago, but I don’t know about other clans.”

  “There are clans? Is that because you’re Scottish, or… Oh, fuck it. I don’t even know what questions to ask.”

  “I’ll answer any questions you have, later. Right now it’s important to come up with a plan to keep you safe. I can’t lose you, Bliss.”

  “Especially not to someone like her. I imagine that’s why she wants to get rid of me—so she can drag you off to Hanalei or wherever it is that dragons live happily ever after.”

  “I can’t lose you to anyone, Bliss. Not for any reason. I wouldn’t have told you any of this—and you can’t imagine how many rules I’ve broken—but it was important that you truly understand the danger. I’d never forgive myself if I could have warned you but didn’t because of my own cowardice.”

  She stroked his cheek. “A coward is one thing you’re not, Drake Cameron.”

  ***

  It had taken Drake another hour to calm Bliss down to the point where she could sleep. The one thing he wanted most was for her to be safe. When he suggested she move back with her parents, even temporarily, she about lost her mind.

  He couldn’t tell her what to do. He could only make suggestions and hope she’d see the wisdom in listening to him.

  She moved in his arms and mumbled something unintelligible, as if having a restless dream. Drake stroked her hai
r until she calmed down and her breathing returned to the long, slow breaths of deep sleep.

  He couldn’t tell her that he was under orders from the Supernatural Council. They had expressly forbidden him from sharing any knowledge of their existence. He had also been told not to reveal his own paranormal identity, but he had promised Bliss he’d be honest with her, need-to-know basis or not. And yes… she needed to know.

  However, one promise kept and one broken with each competing part of his life had seemed half as bad before. Now he wasn’t sure he hadn’t blown it with both.

  Warning Bliss had been the right thing to do. How could he have explained the danger to her without revealing the existence of dragons? She had to know that Zina could probably breathe fire from twenty feet away. His family lost their fire-breathing abilities when his uncle tried to burn down the City of Chicago. But he didn’t know if Zina’s clan was affected too. He didn’t get the impression that Mother Nature punished all dragons equally.

  Bliss also had to know that dragons could fly and that Zina could spot her from the air.

  Drake would never forgive himself if anything happened to the woman he loved… especially if he hadn’t told her what she was up against. Knowing Bliss, if Zina confronted her again, Bliss might say something she’d regret. If Zina let her live long enough to regret it.

  Just because he hadn’t seen Zina didn’t mean she hadn’t seen him. His skin had tingled several times when he was out on a job, battling blazes large and small. The sensation could have been a reminder that he was mortal now, but it seemed like more than that. Why hadn’t his warning sense kicked in when he was rescuing Bliss’s computer?

  Maybe he was still fireproof but could be killed in other ways. Maybe Gaia was lying to him… but why? His uncle and mother had died within weeks of each other. It had made no sense at the time, but now it did. His mother had done nothing wrong, but the link between clans would explain why she became mortal as soon as her brother did. He died of a heart attack, and she had been in a car accident.

  Just in case, he’d have to remember to listen to his chief from now on. The other guys relied on the chief to keep them safe, and now he should too. The last thing anyone needed was a firefighter’s funeral to attend. He had to find Zina and stop her. With Vulcan’s help, he might be able to pull it off.

  Drake needed to get some sleep, but he couldn’t stop imagining all the possible scenarios. Unfortunately, he couldn’t come up with any in which Bliss would be safe and that the Council would approve. Her survival was completely up to him… and her.

  He had to get her to understand. Perhaps in the morning she’d be thinking more clearly and would agree to go somewhere safe. But where? She’d refused to move back in with her parents and nixed the idea of living with one of her brothers’ families—and Claudia wasn’t open to guests. That left his place. But he’d had tingles when he returned to his studio apartment to change his clothes and pick up a fresh uniform, so he had to assume Zina knew where he lived. She had probably been watching him, so his place was out too.

  There had to be someone. A maiden aunt who’d enjoy the company, perhaps? He’d explore that idea and others in the morning. If he could make her concentrate on her real business and forget about working at the bar, that might help. She had completed her designs and placed them in a safe-deposit box, hadn’t she?

  Wait a minute…

  What if he could get her to stay with Sadie? The woman was a psychic. She might be able to warn Bliss ahead of time if someone was coming after her.

  Drake felt better. Just having an idea that might work helped.

  He curled his arms around Bliss until she was snug, being careful not to wake her. She cuddled into him and sighed. At last his eyelids became heavy and his mind, well, lighter than it had been.

  ***

  Drake sat across from Sadie, hoping the psychic would hear him out. He had ordered a White Russian and set the one-drink minimum on the table in front of her. If all else failed, he could simply ask her for a reading. Maybe the cards would provide some insight.

  “I’m hoping you can do me a favor, Sadie.”

  “You came bearing gifts, so I’ll see what I can do.” She lifted the White Russian in a mock toast and took a sip.

  “Bliss is in danger.”

  “I know.”

  Wow. Either she really is psychic or Bliss had said something to her. He was fairly sure Bliss wouldn’t talk about dragons and such—especially when she had sworn not to. However, she still claimed to be questioning her own sanity.

  “How much do you know?”

  Sadie set down her drink and began shuffling her tarot cards. “I knew getting mixed up with you was going to bring her stress. I told her as much, but her heart chose you anyway.”

  “Her heart?”

  “Of course. Don’t tell me you think she’d go through all this for just anyone—or simply to be nice.”

  He smiled. No. Bliss wouldn’t put up with anyone’s crap “just to be nice.” She would, on the other hand, tell another guy who’d put her through this to open his Hall-Snark card.

  “I appreciate knowing that, but now I need to know how to keep her safe. I was thinking that maybe she could stay with you for a while. Perhaps you could use your psychic ability to give her a heads-up and keep her out of harm’s way.”

  Sadie puffed out a breath.

  “What’s wrong?” Drake asked.

  “I live in a room the size of a closet.”

  “Oh.” Damn it. On to plan B. “Maybe the tarot cards can give us another idea.”

  She nodded. “I’m glad I don’t have to convince you of their value… or my abilities. That much is refreshing.”

  “I’ve heard your accuracy is pretty amazing.”

  She squared up the cards and laid the deck in front of him. “Cut it.”

  He picked up about half the pile and set it to the side, then piled the other half on top. The whole time he was thinking of Bliss, so he figured he must be imparting some kind of positive energy into the cards.

  Sadie shuffled them again and then fanned the cards out in front of him. “Pick three, but don’t turn them over.”

  He did as he was asked, taking cards from different areas.

  Sadie flipped them over and muttered something under her breath.

  “What?” He didn’t tingle, but he could tell from her expression there was some kind of bad news in the cards.

  “They’re all reversed.”

  Glancing at the cards, he saw every one of the pictures had landed upside down. “I guess that’s bad?”

  “Not always.” She gathered up the remainder of the cards and shuffled the deck again. Sadie set the pile in front of him and he cut it again.

  She shuffled and fanned out the rest of the cards. “Pick three more.”

  He did the same thing as before. Sadie flipped them over and sighed.

  “What? Is someone going to die or something?”

  “Not that I see here, but there are a lot of sinister events revolving around you. Bliss is better off where she is.”

  “You’re not just saying that because she serves you drinks, are you?”

  Sadie reared back, her eyes wide. “How could you even think that?”

  “I’m sorry.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I’ve had very little sleep and I’m not myself.”

  She relaxed, but the frown remained.

  “Can you tell me what the cards indicated? What made you think she was safer here?”

  She lowered her voice. “I know more about the paranormal than you might think.”

  She knows? “I see. But I don’t understand what that has to do with Bliss.”

  “Don’t you realize how much protection she has here that she wouldn’t have anywhere else?”

  Dra
ke glanced over at the bar. Two shapeshifters and a wizard were chatting casually while keeping up with a basketball game on the overhead TV.

  “Shit. You’re right.”

  “Of course I’m right. What better protection could she have from a misguided paranormal being? Here she’s surrounded by a number of super-strong, super-protective supernatural friends. Each one of them believes in the value of their shared safe place. That means no one messes with their status quo.”

  Drake felt like an idiot. Why hadn’t he thought of that before?

  “You’re too close,” she said, as if she’d heard his internal question. “You feel like you need to be the one to protect her. The thing is, every one of them would be happy to help. All you need to do is ask. Let the others know the scope of the problem, and they’ll give you all the support you need.”

  “Is that it? Is that all the cards can tell me?”

  “What else do you want to know?”

  “Are you telling me to avoid her for her own good?”

  “No. Not at all. Just don’t spirit her away from the safest building in the city.”

  “But what about at night? I can’t always sleep here.”

  Sadie lowered her eyes and smiled, as if she were in on some kind of secret. “Even at night there are protectors here.”

  “What kind of protectors? You can’t be talking about the family from the third floor.”

  “No, not the Balogs. But there are… others.”

  “Others? What others? Does Anthony live in the building?” He had always wondered where the vampire owner lived, but he didn’t think there was an apartment on the fourth floor. He’d only seen two buzzers. One for the second floor and one for the third.

  “It isn’t important that you know who they are. They don’t want to be bothered, and if you go poking around, you might not like the consequences.”

  “Huh?”

  “Leave it alone, Drake. You have enough to worry about.” She began to gather up the cards but stopped when he laid his hand over hers.

  “Wait. These sinister events… Is there more than just the increased number of fires? Are there others involved in setting those?”

  Sadie replaced and leaned over the cards, studying them for a few moments. “I don’t see a whole lot of different events, and all of them seem to be perpetrated by one individual.” She pointed to the Knight of Swords. “One very dangerous, determined individual.” She gathered up the cards, marking an unmistakable end to the discussion. “Watch your back, Drake.”