She took a plate, looked at the array of choices, and tried to decide what to eat. After a few seconds, Maria asked, "Don't you like anything here?"
Victoria glanced at Maria. "No, no, that's not it. I just take my time."
She grinned. "Do that here, and you might never eat again."
An older man that looked a lot like Jose, but with threads of silver in his black hair, walked up to Maria and put an arm around her shoulders. A dragon tattoo peeked out from under his short-sleeved shirt. "Some of us have manners, unlike your family, Maria."
Rolling her eyes, she motioned toward the man. "This is my mate and Jose's dad, Jorge."
Jorge nodded at her. "Although my mate isn't completely wrong about if you take too long, you won't get anything. Dragon-shifters tend to eat a lot—you burn a ton of calories when flying—and there never seems to be enough food. Everyone will hold back for now, but as soon as you're not pregnant anymore, then all bets are off."
Both of Jose's parents kept mentioning her pregnancy so casually, despite the fact it hadn't even completely sunk in for her.
For the first time, she wondered if she wasn't already pregnant, would Jose's family have accepted her so readily?
The music suddenly switched to some 90s rock and a woman yelled somewhere, "This is war, Gaby!"
"And the girls are at it again," Jorge muttered. "You think that after they hit twenty, they'd have grown up a little."
That's right—dragon-shifters hit full maturity at twenty. Which, of course, brought up more questions. Needing a distraction from the talk of babies, she blurted, "So if a dragon isn't considered a full adult until twenty, how does that work exactly? Do human laws not cover them off the clan's lands?"
"They do. We have no choice but to follow them, no matter how stupid they are," Jorge bit out.
Maria sighed. "Don't get him started. There isn't much difference at that age, to be honest, when it comes to human and dragon laws. The only main difference is that clans don't allow our matings—the equivalent of marriages—before twenty, just in case a true mate is nearby. Some do mate without finding them, but no one wants to risk the younger ones regretting a rash decision to mate at eighteen or nineteen."
She barely knew Jose's parents, yet she couldn’t help but ask, "Do any dragons from PineRock visit the surrounding human cities to look for their mates?"
Jorge shook his head. "Not in recent history, although I suspect Wes wants to change that." Jorge paused as the song turned upbeat, and he smiled. "But this conversation is kind of heavy for a family dinner. Grab some food, Tori, or else my son will start lashing out, wondering why we didn't take care of you."
As she loaded her plate, she warred with that idea. On the one hand, part of her liked the fact Jose wanted to take care of her so badly. On the other, she wondered if it meant she'd never have true freedom again.
Or at least as much freedom as a human mated to a dragon-shifter could have.
"Tori."
Looking up, she met Jose's gaze and everything else faded away. The warmth and pure joy at seeing him made her heart skip a beat.
As soon as he was at her side and touched her lower back, a sense of peace came over her.
Hm, maybe that's what happened between true mates—everything just came easier.
In the next second, Gaby dashed past, out the back door, and another woman about the same age ran after her. Jose snorted. "Most of my family is behaving. Those two give you a glimpse of what it's like when everyone's not on their best behavior."
She glanced up at Jose. "I look forward to the day when everyone isn't on their best behavior."
Both he and his parents chuckled, but Jose was the one to reply. "You may regret those words one day, love. You just may."
As she leaned against Jose's side and ate a forkful of some kind of rice, she didn't think she would.
Chapter Ten
The next few weeks whirred by in a blur. Victoria spent most of her time in the cabin with Jose or at his parents' house, with a few trips to see the doctor and the head Protector when needed.
Things were too good to be true, and in many ways were like a dream. She had a man curious about her, wanting to learn every little thing, and spoiling her more than she'd ever been in her life. Not to mention she lived with a clan of freaking dragon-shifters. Being able to see a dragon launch into the air at any moment would never get old.
And yet with each day that passed, she waited. Something would have to happen because everything was too damn perfect.
One morning she was getting ready in the bathroom when she heard glass breaking from somewhere inside the cabin. And it sounded more than merely something falling from a shelf—it was as if someone took a sledgehammer to a window or an entire crate of dishes.
She just caught herself from shrieking and debated what to do. She didn't have her cell phone with her, the tiny window in the bathroom wasn't big enough for her to climb out of, and it wasn't as if she could investigate anything since she wasn't trained in any sort of self-defense or weapons.
Something she was going to work on after today.
So she turned off the shower, dried off and dressed in record time before sitting on the floor with the door locked, and listened closely. However, she didn't hear anything else break or even footsteps walking down the hall.
Still, she didn't want to risk someone lying in wait. Given how much she loved her books, her imagination rattled off one scenario after another, none of them good.
Her best option was to find something to use as a weapon—only as a last resort—and wait for Jose to come home.
With a long-handled wooden bristle brush she used for exfoliation in hand, she waited, sitting on the floor. After a while, her butt started to hurt from the hard tile and her stomach churned, letting her know it was time to eat again.
Even when there could be danger, her little dragon baby wanted food.
At least that was the same, and it helped to keep her from panicking. If nothing else, no one would hurt her physically until at least the baby was born. That was something she'd learned from her daily lessons—dragon-shifters treasured children.
Yet as the minutes ticked by, she started to reflect on how much she'd left unsaid. If she died today, she would've had a huge regret—not telling Jose how much he'd come to mean to her.
Which meant if she survived the day—she hoped no one would come back—she should find a way to tell him.
Eventually she heard a roar and Jose's voice bellowed through the house. "Tori! Where are you?"
Standing up, it took a second to balance. Ignoring the pins and needles in her feet, she unlocked the door. "Jose?"
He was there within a matter of seconds, holding her slightly back from him by the arms, and checking her out from head to foot. "Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Victoria had stayed strong as long as she could, but tears started to trickle down her cheeks. "I-I'm fine, but I heard broken glass. And not like one cup being dropped, but as if an entire crate had fallen."
He pulled her against his chest and gently stroked her back. "I want to calm you down first, love. Then I'll tell you what I saw."
Closing her eyes, she leaned against his chest and breathed in his now familiar scent of pine, dirt, and a musk that was uniquely Jose. "You were clearing trees again today, weren't you?"
"Yes, but that's not important." He kissed the top of her head. "After today, I'm taking more time off."
For a few beats, she allowed the silence, soaking up his strength. Then finally she took a deep breath and lifted her head. "Tell me what happened."
He growled. "Someone broke the front windows. They tossed rocks inside, with notes attached. As well as wrote a message on the front door."
She had a feeling she knew what the message would be, but she forced herself to confirm it. "What did it say?"
"Go home, human. You're not welcome here."
Searching his gaze, she asked, "Is that the true message
or a censored one?"
"That's the message, although I'd wager the ones wrapped around the rocks aren't as nice."
She laid her head back against his chest. "I knew everything had gone too smoothly."
"Don't worry, Wes will handle this." He paused and then asked, "I wasn't here to protect you. I'm sorry, love. It won't happen again."
She shook her head. "You can't watch me every second of every day, Jose. Besides, dragon-shifters like strength and fortitude. I'm going to have to learn a way to protect myself and force myself to interact with more than your family, the doctor, Cris, and my tutor."
He growled, "Not until this matter is solved. There's no way in hell I'll let you wander freely, possibly walking right past someone who wanted to harm you."
She met his gaze again, her tears forgotten. "And I'm not stupid, Jose. I stayed in the bathroom, knowing it'd be foolish to come out and try to take care of any sort of intruder on my own. But I need to learn how to defend myself. And before you mention the baby, just know that Dr. Carter says everything is going fine. I won't break from a few basic training exercises, not this early."
"We'll see. Right now, I need to get you to Cris and Wes."
He scooped her up in his arms and she squeaked. "I can walk, Jose. It'll only make me look weaker to be carried by you."
"I won't budge on this, love. And it's not weakness, but a message that if anyone threatens you, then they threaten me and my entire family."
At his flashing pupils, she believed his words were truthful and not merely hyperbole.
Not wanting to poke an already irate dragon, she leaned against her man, soaking up his heat and scent, and tried her best not to gasp at the damage to the front room. The windows were gone and the rocks weren't tiny things, but rather large stones that she probably couldn't even pick up. They'd crushed most of the furniture in the room, and even put a hole in one wall.
And to think, if she'd been in this room, they could've killed her.
So much for dragon-shifters treasuring children. Someone's hatred of her was stronger than protecting her unborn child.
Victoria swallowed and Jose picked his way around the glass and grunted. "So now you understand the danger, right? If they'd killed you…" He trailed off, his eyes flashing even faster, until his gravelly voice continued, "This goes against more than one clan law. And I won't rest until we find out who did it."
Anger churned inside Jose, making him want to drop Victoria off with his parents and go find the fuckers who dared to threaten his female.
The second he'd seen the front of the cabin, his heart had stopped beating. It had become crystal clear that Victoria was more than just his true mate or the mother of his child. She was the love of his life, and the thought he would never get to see her smiling face again or to suffer her teasing had created a giant, gaping hole in his heart.
But as he held her close against his chest and kept his eyes and ears out for any more attackers, he knew now wasn't the time to tell his female how he felt. First and foremost, he needed to ensure her safety.
His inner dragon spoke up. We need to do as she asked and get her trained.
I know. But if Wes can't let the clan know this is unacceptable and against our laws, then a few self-defense lessons will mean nothing.
Wes will find a way to protect her.
Jose wished he was as confident. Wes had been clan leader for about three years and had yet to face any real trials to his leadership.
Not that Wes was weak or hadn't earned his place. ADDA had difficult trials and interviews to ensure the clan leader would not only be able to keep a group of dragons in check, but also understood the importance of being allied with the American Department of Dragon Affairs.
However, in addition to what had happened today, Jose's sister was right now about to pick out a human male and possibly find another human to stay on PineRock. Wes needed to deal with the discord and violence quickly.
As he walked toward the main security building, Victoria remained silent the entire time and it killed him. She always liked to tease him when alone or ask him questions about his kind.
The silence told him that his brave human was scared. Which made him hold her a little tighter against his body.
Reaching the Protectors' headquarters, he noted the car parked in front of it. Fuck. No doubt Ashley Swift was here to check up on Victoria.
He murmured to his mate, "We may have a problem, love. I think Ashley's here."
She looked up at him. "Isn't there a back way into the building? I'm sure Wes can think of a way to delay my meeting with her, even if he has to lie and say I have extreme nausea or something."
"Considering you haven't had any yet, and she knows it, that would only raise red flags. That human is too perceptive."
"We'll think of something."
With a grunt of agreement, Jose went around the back and up the stairs to Cris's private office. He pounded his foot against the door—ignoring Victoria's cries to put her down already—until the head Protector opened the door. She glanced between Jose and Victoria. "What's wrong?"
"Let us in first."
Cris stepped back and let them in before closing and locking the door. Everyone knew her office was soundproofed and protected from any sort of listening devices or cameras, so Jose said bluntly, "Someone attacked our house and could've killed Tori."
Cris's pupils flashed. "What? Sit down and tell me all the details. Leave nothing out."
Jose eased into one of the two armchairs in front of Cris's desk, keeping Victoria in his lap as he explained the damage and message—he hadn't read the ones on the rocks, wanting to leave the scene as is for the Protectors. When he was finished, Cris cursed and said, "The fact no one reported the incident to me, even with your cabin being in a heavily populated area, worries me more than anything."
He'd thought the same thing, too. "Wes needs to know, and then you need to tell me how you plan to protect my mate."
For all Cris's bravado and borderline arrogance, her gaze turned apologetic toward Victoria. "I'm sorry this happened. I swear I didn't purposely allow someone to possibly kill you."
Victoria nodded. "I know. You've been softening toward me."
Cris rolled her eyes. "Don't push it, human."
When his mate smiled, both man and beast calmed a fraction. If nothing else, she was less afraid and in shock than fifteen minutes ago. "What are you going to do, Cris?" he demanded.
"I'm going to brush aside the dominance in your voice this one time, due to the circumstances. You two are going to stay here and I'll post my second-in-command right outside the door. I know it's hard to wait—especially when your dragon must be demanding heads, Jose—but you need to stay here while Wes and I figure out what to do."
His dragon growled. Of course I want to catch the bastards, but I won't leave Tori until she's calm again, not to mention safe.
Agreed. Jose replied to Cris, "We'll stay, but I'll feel better once Dr. Carter checks her over, just to be safe."
Victoria didn't try to deflect, but merely nodded. "I know that'll help calm your dragon, so that's a good idea."
He blinked. His female had been targeted, could've been killed, and here she was, worrying about him and his inner dragon.
He loved her so fucking much it hurt.
And after today, he wasn't going to hide it anymore.
Cris murmured, "I'll leave you two alone for now," and exited the office.
Barely noticing the head Protector's departure, Jose cupped Victoria's cheek and turned her head until her eyes caught his. He murmured, "I know this isn't the time, but I have to tell you, Tori. I love you. The thought of losing you—neither my dragon or I can bear it."
She raised a hand to his jaw, searching his eyes. "I've loved you for a little while now, too, Jose Santos. I just didn't want to scare you off."
He was gentle, but still tightened his grip on her waist with his other hand. "Nothing you could do, short of killing me, will
take me from your side."
"Don't even joke about that."
"I'm sorry, love. But it's hard for me to not be out there, seeking retribution, for what was done to you." He leaned his forehead against hers. "Just know that this dragonman isn't going anywhere. You're my female, and I love you with everything I have."
She kissed him. At first, her lips were gentle against his, but as soon as he could slip his tongue into her mouth, it turned more frenzied. He needed to taste her, feel her, remind both man and beast that his mate was alive and in his arms.
And while kissing her helped soothe his soul a fraction, he wished he could claim her properly, relearning every curve and valley of her beautiful body.
However, vibrations from the door—signaling someone knocking—stopped him from going further. He was about to bark for them to go away, but then remembered they wouldn't be able to hear them.
Victoria murmured, "It's probably for the best. We can celebrate each other later, once we're alone and safe."
He brushed a few strands of hair off her face. "Then I'll just keep telling you how much I love you until then."
Her cheeks flushed. "You say that as if it's some sort of hardship. But it makes my belly flip every time."
He took a quick, rough kiss and said, "I love you, Victoria Lewis."
This time, a chime sounded, a reminder that someone was at the door. She stroked his cheek and then maneuvered off his lap. "That's probably Dr. Carter."
After checking via the peephole and confirming it was, he let the doctor in.
And even though Victoria answered the doctor's questions and did whatever he asked, her gaze kept darting back to Jose. At the love and wanting there, he managed to pace a little less and he could better control the urge to leave the room to find the bastards who'd attacked his home.
It was his job to stay with his mate. He'd trust Wes and Cris to find the culprits.
Chapter Eleven
The Dragon's Choice (Tahoe Dragon Mates Book 1) Page 9
