She steeled herself and headed forward, ducking under a low doorway and heading to the left, following a secret passage toward the enemy base she’d discovered early on.
When they’d first showed up at the laser tag arena, she’d wondered what the hell Landon had gotten her into. But after a few games together on the same team, Vex had instantly been hooked. And not just on the idea of getting to shoot people.
It was the atmosphere, the sounds of kids having fun, and the excitement of never knowing what you were going to run into or find in all the nooks and crannies the place had.
Granted, the kids already there had initially looked at her and Landon—showing up in the middle of a lazy afternoon out of nowhere—like they were crazy to be doing this. But after they’d made friends, everyone had been getting along and just having fun.
So after the first few games where she’d gotten the hang of things, she’d insisted she and Landon go on opposite teams so as to make things fair. After all, two adults on one team seemed overkill.
And if she were honest, the thrill of never knowing what corner he was going to be around was more than a little exciting.
“I got you!” someone screamed from somewhere distant, and Vex crawled on her hands and knees through a dark tunnel, following her natural sense of direction through the mazelike place.
So far, her and Landon’s teams were tied two to two.
And she intended to show the dragon who the real commander was around here.
She exited the tunnel, keeping her laser close while she followed a winding trail of black tubes that snaked back and forth, looking everywhere for her nemesis who was oddly sneaky in spite of his size.
Suddenly, a young boy appeared around the corner, and crackly pew-pew sounds went off as he fired at her. Vex quickly ducked behind a wall, then poked out to fire.
The kid’s chest plate blared, signaling he’d been hit and would be out for ten seconds, and the kid ran off, apparently not interested in trying a second round against Vex and her fae reflexes.
Wise choice, little human, she thought to herself as she made another left, eager to find the base and destroy it before Landon could even catch her.
After all, maybe he was out on the field, commanding his troops right now. She had to press the advantage while she still could.
The corridor opened into a little area with another crawlspace at the end, and she knew she was close.
Suddenly, she felt someone watching her, and she whirled around behind her, ready to fire. But before she could even press the plastic trigger, her own chest harness blared just as a towering, familiar figure appeared from the shadows next to the entrance she hadn’t been watching.
“Got you,” Landon said with a smug grin as he came up to her. The straps and harness necessary for the game didn’t even fit around his big shoulders, so instead, the thing just hung around his neck.
In the bluish neon hue of the blacklight, his dark hair was even more pitch black, framing his tanned face. But his eyes were stunning like little blue nebulas lit by the eerie glow as he appraised her.
She had five more seconds to retaliate after her equipment reactivated. But as they stood face to face, all alone in this quiet corner, it was hard to not get swept up by more than just the fun and games.
“For now, yes. But your forces will never win.”
“Having fun?” he asked, that winning smile making him devastatingly handsome as he ran a hand through his thick hair, making it stand up.
Her timer went off, and she poked her gun at his chest and fired. This time, his buzzer went off, meaning they both only had two lives left out of three before they had to go back to the base to “respawn.”
“Oof, you shot me,” he said in mock offense. Somehow, they were getting closer to each other, and she had to crane her neck slightly to look up at him.
“Yes, you had your guard down. I had to take advantage of the situation.” They both ignored the annoying beeps, gazes locked on each other. “And yes, I am having fun.”
“Which part especially?”
“Winning, as my team will surely do while you’re busying yourself with me right now.” Though, that was a lie. Just being with Landon, forgetting the heaviness of the world for a moment, was what she really enjoyed.
That and seeing all the kids, both her cohorts and the enemy team, having fun, made her feel a little like a kid again. A call to a childhood she’d never had.
To her shock, Landon clicked the trigger on his gun, and her armor went off. One life left.
“What is this treason? Firing at me when I wasn’t even ready.” She scoffed.
“We both know you’re going to shoot me once your gun is activated again.”
“Of course I will. With pleasure and urgency.”
But even though her mind was counting the seconds until she could take another of Landon’s “lives” away, she felt herself getting more and more caught up in the heated tension building in their obscure little corner. Around them, the sounds of lasers and kids yelling and small footsteps running back and forth echoed over the vaulted ceiling, but even still, the world seemed to be getting smaller.
“Now it’s your tur—”
She poked her plastic laser into his chest point-blank and fired, cutting him off.
“Both one life left. Your move, dragon,” Vex said. But as much as the game called to her, she couldn’t stop looking down at those sculpted lips.
“There’s only one move I’m considering right now.”
“And what would that be?” They were chest to chest now, the cheap plastic harnesses clinking against each other as they faced off.
“Should I tell you? After all, we’re on opposite teams.”
“Maybe we could reach an amicable cease-fire,” she said.
“I don’t think the kids would agree to it.”
“If you become my prisoner, then perhaps we can end this war.”
Landon smiled at that, and in turn, a traitorous grin crept onto the corners of her mouth.
“I’ll never surrender. Never give up until you’re mine, Vex.”
But even though his tone was playful, the words shocked some deep part inside her, the strange truth of what he was saying hidden behind the triviality of the situation.
And when he reached up a hand to touch the back of her neck, she raised her laser to his chest, finger on the trigger even though the sensation of the tips of his fingers was making it hard to focus.
The moment was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming from two directions, and a moment later, a young boy appeared from one doorway while two of Vex’s teammates emerged out of the corridor behind her.
Billy and Timmy spotted the kid from Landon’s team first, and they raised their lasers to fire. But in a blur, Landon moved in front of his teammate, taking the shots, and his chest piece blared again, informing the dragon he was out of lives now.
“I got Landon, woo-hoo!” Timmy shouted.
“Let’s go get their base.” Both boys ran down a side passage, disappearing into the darkness
Landon, who was making a hilarious display of falling to his knees, gasping for breath as he looked up at his teammate, reached a hand up.
“Frankie… don’t let my… sacrifice… be in vain,” he said with a strained voice, acting the part of a sacrificial teammate too perfectly to not be hilarious.
Vex giggled, then stopped herself, then couldn’t help giggling again.
It was an odd sensation. She wasn’t sure she’d ever giggled about anything in her life until now.
Frankie set his jaw firmly, nodding. Then he disappeared, looking determined to avenge his captain and happy to still be in the game.
Only then did Vex start to laugh in earnest, and Landon propped himself on his elbows, looking up at her curiously. She came forward, offered Landon a hand, and helped the overdramatic dragon to his feet while tiny, annoying tears of mirth made her vision blurry.
“Well, our little stando
ff didn’t exactly go as planned,” Landon said with a shrug. The annoying beep of his equipment was barely audible over the sound of her heart filling to bursting with fun and happiness.
She never knew life could be so good, so simple, though she knew the feeling would be temporary.
“You truly are the silliest dragon ever, Landon.”
He smiled at that, a genuine look of happiness creasing the corners of his gaze. “Hey, I don’t care what it takes so long as it makes you smile.” That raw, crackling, tense energy was warming the air around them already.
“I’m learning pretty fast that only one thing makes me smile.”
“You mean one dragon?”
“Don’t let it go to your head, Landon.”
To his apparent surprise, she took off the harness and put it over her shoulder, finding it difficult to focus on lasers and points when just being around Landon was making her heart race.
“I think I’m ready for the next thing of whatever you had planned,” she said, watching him as he took his harness off and took hers and her laser, holding their stuff.
“What about commanding your elite troops toward conquest and glory?”
“I’m pretty sure everyone forgot about tactics the second the game started.” She came up to him, wrapping an arm around his big, strong muscles, feeling the slight thrill in her at the feel of him. “And besides, I think I’m ready to just have some time with you.”
“How about ice cream? There’s a place just down the street from here.”
“Sounds cold. Yuck.”
Together, they headed back through the dark passages, making for the exit, lost in their own little world as kids ran around them.
“You haven’t had ice cream yet?” Landon asked with a gasp of mock offense.
“It’s just ice, right? Combined with some sort of pregnant animal’s excretions?” She scowled. “I prefer cake.”
“Oh, are you in for a surprise.” He surprised her even more, though, as he leaned down and kissed her cheek, the move so swift, so romantic it caught her completely off guard.
Life with Landon itself was already full of too many surprises to count. But she couldn’t help anticipating each new one, eager to know what was around the corner.
11
Dozens of different colors and flavors called from behind chilly glass as Vex and Landon waited to be called next in line, and she carefully scented the air, trying to determine which flavors would be most delicious based on how they looked.
“How are humans supposed to choose when there are so many options?” she asked, unable to pick just one.
Landon wrapped an arm around her side, and for once, she didn’t feel the knee-jerk response to bat him away whenever he was being a lovey-dovey sap.
In fact, it was kind of nice.
“How about we both get a three-scoop bowl, and we can share so you can try more flavors?”
“Hm.” As absurd as the idea of sharing sounded, she had to admit that he made sense. After all, she did want to try as many options as possible.
She went with her initial instincts and chose a variety of selections she felt would give her the largest range of taste options. Landon surprised her by choosing several she hadn’t even considered, and he wondered if he was picking flavors he liked or just trying to make selections based on her preferences.
He paid, and they exited the building, ignoring curious stares from the people around them as they came into the bright sunlight. Warmth poured over her, strange and unfamiliar compared to the gray coolness of the Blur, and she wondered what it would be like to experience all of the human seasons—spring, summer, fall, winter—alongside the attentive, lovestruck dragon she was starting to get feelings for.
Feelings? Vex shook her head, trying to ignore the warmth in her chest as Landon pointed to a pair of plastic chairs.
“Sit or walk while we taste?” he asked.
“Walk.” After so much time in her past without the freedom to go where she pleased, Vex found that she liked to be moving around as frequently as she could manage.
“Which one will you try first?” he asked, nudging her and falling in step beside her as she appraised the three scoops of creamy, sweet-smelling ice cream.
“Chocolate chip cookie dough, though I’m not sure how this counts as cookie dough after having tried Jo’s.”
“You mean ‘borrowed?’” He gave her a knowing grin.
“I intend to pay her back.” Someday, she thought.
She took a spoonful with the plastic one the shop provided, and instantly, sweet iciness mixed with a hint of chocolate and the flavor of unbaked cookies melted into her mouth. She groaned a little at how unexpectedly tasty it was. For a moment, she just savored the sensation of it.
“Here, have some of mine. I suggest trying this one,” Landon said.
Not at all self-conscious about sharing now, she reached over and grabbed a spoonful of yellowy ice cream with colored sprinkles. “What is it?”
“Birthday cake.”
“Well, that’s an absurd idea, birthday cake in ice cream.” But when she tried it, the flavor was even better than she could have conjured with magic, sweet and light and tickling her tastebuds all at once.
For several minutes, they strolled side by side, tasting each flavor and discussing the pros and cons of all. His personal favorite was double fudge brownie, and hers probably was the birthday cake, though it tied for first place with another flavor he’d chosen, blueberry bubblegum.
Why did life have to seem so easy, so nice and delicious and full of good things with Landon around? Why did her dreams of conquest have to contrast so harshly with the happy, unreachable possibility of life at such a nicer pace?
“What’s on your mind, Vex?” Landon asked, licking his spoon and making her blush at the thought of other things he could do with his tongue.
“A lot of things.” She diverted her gaze forward, noting the clean buildings around them. The humans going to and fro. The warm breeze wafting over them, smelling of restaurants and places she’d never thought or cared to visit until a certain man had shown up in her life. “Thinking about my crew. Thinking about us, about you. Why were you interested in me in the first place anyway?”
“I suppose my answer would be like most who have found their one and only. I just knew.” His clear blue eyes were even clearer in the sun, like mountain spring water illuminated from within.
“So ever since I freed you, you were just waiting?”
“Something like that. I knew you needed space after everything that happened. I wanted you to take the time to figure out what you were looking for.”
She sighed, the sensation of her arm brushing his electric as they walked. “I suppose I’m still looking for it.” She peered up at him, and he was watching her intently. “The presence of a certain someone hasn’t made focusing on my goals particularly easy.”
“I think you like the change of pace.” He sent her a knowing glance, and she bristled a bit at the presumption she could want an existence as delightfully mundane as this.
“What do you mean by that?”
He shrugged. “All of us have things we want. Things we fight for in our day-to-day lives. It keeps us going even when times are hard. But I also think it’s important to slow down. Give ourselves time to recharge and step back so we can focus on what’s really important in life.”
“Which is?” She pointed her spoon at him, taking another mouthful of ice cream.
He paused, gaze locked on hers, his intense, relaxed expression focused. “Love.”
For a moment, the air went still around them, the world coming to a stop as she saw the raw honesty in his face. It made her feel a million things—want, curiosity, annoyance, excitement, even wonder—all at the same time as she pondered what on earth she could say back.
Then with a nonchalant wave of his hand, she was snapped back to the present. “But everyone has their own opinion on what’s important. That’s just mine.”
Vex felt glued to the sidewalk, the gravity of his words still hanging like bricks levitating off the ground around her. And when he took a step forward and realized she’d stopped, he turned around to face her.
There were so many unsaid things between them.
There were so many reasons they couldn’t be together.
Her heart could yearn, but her mind knew better.
“Did I say something wrong?” he asked, looking concerned.
“No, probably just the ice cream or something,” she said, waving away the uncomfortable emotions inside her. “Too much fun, perhaps.”
“Well, what would you say to dinner back at my place? I have a new recipe I’d like you to try.”
She smiled at that. How could someone so caring, so attentive, simply jump into her life and try to make all the bad things go away?
And why was he too damn late?
“What about Dallin and the others?”
“Out of town for the night. I wanted to make sure we could have time alone if you wanted. We can have them over for lunch or dinner tomorrow.”
All alone with Landon? The idea had merit in too many ways to count.
“Well, let’s not keep that new recipe waiting,” she said, trying to not blush as he moved up to meet her.
Then he leaned down and claimed her lips with a kiss sweeter than any ice cream she’d tasted.
If only she could allow herself a life that sweet.
After dinner, where Vex enjoyed everything Landon served her, eating eagerly and with a pleasure that made him warm deep inside, they moved to the living room.
Landon sat down on the couch, motioning for her to join him.
She put her hands on her hips instead. “Wait, but I thought—”
He patted it again insistently. “Later. Right now, I just want to hold you close.”
She blushed violently. “Why? But. I—”
“Just come on,” he said. “You’ll like it.” He grinned. “I’m not some easy dragon. You gotta woo me if you want to get in my bed.”
Dragon Reformed (Reclaimed Dragons Book 3) Page 8
