by Selena Scott
“That’s just cruel. Can you imagine a five year old who can’t fully control his shift with sharp scales? That seems like a serious design flaw, dragonkind.”
“Nah, the sharpness helps you learn how to control your shift when you’re a kid. You get tired of scraping yourself.” Amos reached up and pulled his wife down on his lap. “You need more rest. And food. And water. And juice.”
“We’re doing fine,” Lucy said, pressing a hand to her rounding belly. They’d found out a month ago that they had another on the way. “What I really need is to make love with my husband.”
They turned and looked at Drake, trying to gauge how far out they were from nap time. He was dancing from foot to foot, swiping blocks aside with his dragon tail.
Amos sighed. “I’ll fuck you tonight, hatchling. I promise.”
Lucy was just leaning in for a kiss, when another knock came on their apartment door. “Jeez Louise, give it rest, Ms. Tisdale.”
Amos firmly planted a hand under his wife’s ass and helped heave her into a standing position. Lucy knew that had been something he’d loved about her first pregnancy, how many times he’d had to lift and carry her while she got used to the weight of carrying a dragon egg in her womb. Much denser than a human baby. She knew he was looking forward to it with this pregnancy as well.
Lucy schooled her face into a tolerant expression and pulled open the door, expecting to go toe to toe with Ms. Tisdale. But her face dropped into one of pure surprise when she saw the Oracle leaning against the door jamb.
“Barefoot and pregnant really suits you,” he grinned at her.
Amos was immediately padding into the living room as soon as he heard a man’s voice instead of Ms. Tisdale’s, Drake on his hip. He stopped cold the second he saw the Oracle there.
Much to Lucy and Amos’s surprise, Drake instantly held out his arms for the Oracle.
“Wow,” Lucy said. “He doesn’t usually like strangers.”
“I’m not a stranger,” the Oracle said, walking into the apartment and holding out his arms for the baby. “We had plenty of chats while he was getting ready to hatch. I really had to talk this guy out of the egg.” He turned back to a stunned Lucy and Amos. “You’re welcome for that, by the way. He wanted to stay in a whole other week.”
“You’re really gonna have to explain how your gift works someday,” Lucy said, sitting on the couch next to Amos.
“Trust me,” the Oracle said. “You don’t wanna know.”
Still the same old Amos, he cut to the chase. “Are you here to bring us back?”
The Oracle made a high pitched sort of noise and nodded his head from side to side. “I mean, eventually. But I have something I need you guys to do first.”
Lucy leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest, smiling when she found Amos in the same position.
“Oh really,” she said.
The Oracle nodded toward their blank TV screen and they all turned to look. It blinked on and frenetically scrolled through channels as the Oracle shuffled through his mind for what he was looking for.
“You’ve gotta find this man and convince him to come to the dragon realm.”
The screen went dark and then lit up on a man’s face. His long dark hair fell in waves to his shoulders. Light eyes were shaded under a hand as he looked out at something in the bright light. His sharp jaw was stubbled.
“Uh, yum,” Lucy said and grinned cheekily up at her scowling husband.
“Who is he?” Amos asked.
“I actually don’t know,” the Oracle said, leaning back in the chair.
Amos and Lucy looked at one another in surprise. The Oracle actually looked a little frustrated. Something they’d never seen before.
“There’s some kind of block around him. I don’t know anything about him. All I know is that the revolution has stalled. We can’t go any further and every time I search for answers, all roads lead to this guy.”
Amos scratched at his chin, trying to be casual. “What do you mean the revolution has stalled? Is Solar alright?”
“Yeah,” the Oracle nodded. “Solar is good. If not a little grumpy. I don’t know if he anticipated babysitting Zara quite so much after they rescued her from Dalyer.”
Lucy leaned forward, so relieved to hear that Zara was doing alright.
“But Solar’s good. It’s Dalyer. He’s holed himself up somewhere in the mountains. Even I can’t find him. Yet he’s still able to send messages to his troops who are ravaging the countryside. We need help. And I think this guy is it. I can’t give you his exact coordinates, but I know he’s out in the Coeur D’Alene area.”
Amos nodded, taking it all in. “I think we can probably do that for you.”
Lucy shrugged. “It has gotten tricky, raising a dragon in Brooklyn. Might be time for a change of scenery. Maybe a little more space for the kids.” She patted her belly.
“Although, it comes at a price,” Amos said.
“What?” the Oracle asked suspiciously.
“We’ll do it. As long as you stay and babysit while I have my way with my wife.” With that, Amos stood up and snagged Lucy’s hand. Dragging her toward the bedroom. She laughed in delight and stumbled along with him.
“Extortionists!” the Oracle hollered after them. “You’re lucky I like your son so much! And you’re having a girl by the way!”
Amos shut the door on him and turned to Lucy. Tears had filled her eyes.
“A girl,” she whispered holding her hands out to him.
“A girl,” he whispered back, his voice filled with wonder. “I hope she has your eyes.”
“I hope she has your heart,” Lucy said. Then thinking more, “And your poisonous tail spike. That would really come in handy with any over-frisky boyfriends.”
Laughing, they fell to the mattress together. Kissing, and rolling, and becoming one.
THE END
Click here to read the next 3 books in the Dragon Realm Series. Also available as a complete box set
