by Mary Abshire
One emotion she’d shown had surprised him. After he complimented her, she blushed. Didn’t she believe she was an attractive woman? Didn’t she think she could charm any man she wanted? He wondered if she’d had poor experiences with men. He suspected as much after she’d told him she’d grown tired of dating. He’d also silently cheered from her words. Maybe he could prove he was an honorable, loving man, the kind she could fall in love with.
He straightened, staring at her empty seat. Love. For a long time he’d dreamed of falling in love with the right woman and having children. The dream had died after he couldn’t find another dragon or human carrier of the gene. Over time, he’d hope to at least meet a human who’d love him the way he would in return. He quickly learned that hope seemed pointless. Women he’d met were selfish and dishonest. He’d completely given up the fantasy of a loving woman after his dad had asked him to return home to help with the upkeep of the land so he could care for his mother. Since he’d moved home, love hadn’t entered his mind until last night.
Marcel sighed heavily as he headed to the stove. It was crazy to consider falling in love with Lynn. Yet, he longed to explore the possibility. She was unlike any woman he’d met. He wanted to learn more about her. Even if she were a normal human, he’d gladly spend every day loving her if she felt the same way about him.
Smiling as he hung the towel over the oven handle, he contemplated if she could love him, a dragon. He suspected he had a good chance with her since she’d shown an attraction to him. The way she gazed at his chest and her bodily response to the hug was proof. Her little joke about age and flirting with him before going upstairs were possible signs she had an interest in him, too. She seemed curious to know more about dragons, and his past. The knowledge had probably surprised her, but it hadn’t scared her away. Maybe, just maybe, she would accept his love.
He strode out of the kitchen and headed for the library since he wasn’t sure how long she’d take to clean up. He’d spent the morning going through books and had found a couple good ones. He’d discovered several about the history of dragons. Although they covered European dragons, he learned more about migration and wars between families. He’d also found the journal showing his family lineage. Since he’d uncovered some valuable information from the old books, he hoped to find more.
He walked in and proceeded to the rectangular table. He’d left a couple piles of books on it. One lay open at the end of the table. He’d been reading about dragons moving to North America when his stomach had insisted he eat. Since he’d left the chair out, he took a seat and closed the open book. While he found it interesting, he needed to stick to researching bloodlines and the reserve.
The poor condition of the stack of old hardback books on the right matched the condition of the ones he’d looked at earlier. He took the first one from the top and set it in front of him. The cover fell away from the spine after he opened it. Turning the yellow pages, he spotted the table of contents. He skimmed through them and learned the book was mostly about the biology and research of dragons. Again, he’d enjoy reading the book, but it would have to wait for another time.
After setting the book aside in the pile with the ones to return to the shelves, he pulled out another book from the stack on the right. The spine creaked as he opened the book. He quickly noticed this one didn’t have a table of contents, so he used his thumb to flip the pages. Some started falling out of the spine. Pausing on a page, he skimmed through the faded words. The writer talked about following dragons and hunting them. Marcel turned to another section and more pages separated from the center. As he read another page, the writer spoke about how to kill dragons. Marcel shut the book and then pushed it aside.
“Oh, wow,” Lynn said.
He lifted his gaze to find her standing a foot from the doors. “Please, come in.”
She studied the right side of the room with wide eyes, then shifted to the left side. She wore the same skin-tight jeans he’d seen on her body the night before. Instead of wearing her ripped blouse, she wore his maroon shirt. It was tied in a knot near her right hip. Dark spots on her shoulders indicated her long hair had dripped on it.
“This is a big library, for a house,” she said as she headed for the table with slow steps.
“I added this room and section of the house about twenty-five years ago. It took a while to complete.”
“Did you do it all by yourself?”
“I had some help from people on the reserve, but not much.”
She stopped at the opposite end of the table and pointed to the shelves. “Are all these books from your family?”
He rose from his seat. “Well, they were passed down to me. We didn’t have many when we first moved here, but over the years, my parents collected more books. I’ve added some, but they’re on the other side of the room.”
She lowered her gaze to the books on the table. “They look pretty old.”
“A lot of them are. I don’t know what they are about until I skim through them.”
“Find anything interesting?”
“They all are. If you want to know more about dragons, there’s plenty of material here.”
“Wow.” She moved closer to him, but kept her attention directed at the table. “Can I help you research?”
“Yeah, sure. Maybe after we get back we can go through more books.” He stepped closer to her. “Would you like a different shirt to wear? I have some white ones.”
“Oh, no, this is fine. My other shirt was too ripped up, and there’s a big slice across the front of my jeans. I hope you don’t mind that I kept your shirt to wear.”
“Not at all.”
“I had to use some of your shampoo, too. Oh, and I found some medical supplies under the counter, and Neosporin in one of the drawers. I hope you don’t mind, but I went ahead and applied new bandages. I can pay you for staying here and using your stuff once I get my wallet back.”
“Please, don’t worry about it. You’re my guest. Remember?”
“I feel like I should give you something.”
He held up a palm to her. “I’ll accept more hugs, but not any money.”
Clearly, she’d been brought up with good morals. While he appreciated that she wanted to do something in return, he refused anything of monetary value. Her company and any kind of physical contact meant more to him.
She took in a deep breath and smiled. Her gaze lowered to his chest, and then she veered her attention to the windows. “Looks like it could rain later.”
Once again, he sensed she enjoyed looking at his torso, but thought it wrong to do so. She could look at it as much as she wanted and he wouldn’t mind. Why hide her attraction to him? In a small way, she was like other women, trying to hide something. But in this case, he’d grant her this tiny weakness. For now.
He twisted to the window. More clouds blanketed the sky. “The forecast called for rain tonight.” He turned to face her. “We should probably get going.”
“Are you leaving like that?” She pointed at his chest.
He glanced down. Jeans covered his legs, but he didn’t have any socks, shoes, or shirt. He chuckled. “I guess I should finish dressing. I’m so used to running around naked or in my shorts…”
He shot his attention to one of the recliners near the window. He’d left a shirt draped over one of the sides and socks on the seat. He headed to claim them.
“Can I ask you a personal question?” she asked.
He stopped at the chair and snatched his white shirt. Facing her, he started to don it. “Sure, you can ask me anything.”
“I, uh…I noticed you have a couple of scars on your back…”
He tugged the shirt down his torso. She was chewing on her lip as she stared at him. What scars were on his back? Then he remembered the three large ones and how he’d got them.
“Oh! Oh crap, I forgot about those. I’m so sorry. You must find them hideous.” He chided himself silently, wishing he’d remembered them so he could’ve hid
them.
“No! No! I never thought that.” She shook her head. “They look like they were painful. I was curious…” She shrugged.
“I was in a fight in my true form. It was a bad fight.”
Her eyes widened. “What?” The one word came out in a whisper.
He grabbed the socks form the chair before stepping closer to her. “My brother, Michael, and I were in a fight for our lives in western America. I was young as a dragon. I’d reached adulthood only months earlier. My brother had taught me things, but I was still inexperienced.” He stopped a few feet from her. “Anyway, we were living together in the west, away from our parents. We ran into a family who...let’s just say they had claims to land and women. My brother was interested in a female dragon and this other family didn’t like him. One of them found my brother and the female dragon together one night. He hadn’t had sex with her, but the guy had seen enough. He must have gone to tell his brother because the two showed up later to fight. It was still dark out, so we changed and fought as dragons. Because I was young, one of them managed to hold me down and tried to rip out my spine. If it weren’t for my brother, I might have died that night.”
He lowered his head as he recalled that terrible night. The pain had been excruciating, and no matter how much he’d fought, he couldn’t get the dragon off of him. Michael had saved his life after he killed the other dragon. The one who’d tried to kill Marcel flew off. Fearing for their lives, Marcel and Michael left the area and had moved up north.
Her caramel brown eyes remained wide. “What happened to your brother?”
He gripped the socks in his hand. He rarely got to speak about Michael. “About a year later, when we were in what’s now called Montana, a group of dragons attacked him. He was always a bit of what you’d call a lady’s man, so he often got into trouble. This time, the family made sure he wouldn’t do anything with their daughter.”
“Marcel, I’m so sorry.” She shortened the distance between them. Her eyes glistened as if they were filling with tears. “That’s horrible. I can’t imagine…”
He inhaled deeply. Part of him still felt guilty for not being able to help his brother. He should’ve seen the signs of what the family was doing. They’d set up Michael by using their daughter. They’d lured the couple to a spot where they were waiting nearby. Then, they’d attacked Michael in his human form. They’d beaten and stabbed him to death. The girl had snuck away the next day to tell Marcel what had happened and where to find the body. She’d been shaken up and had thought they were just going to beat up Michael since she’d been promised to another dragon.
“The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were difficult. Many families became protective because they wanted to ensure their bloodline would continue, but only with another bloodline they approved of. My brother and I were treated like illegal immigrants because we’d moved from Europe when we were toddlers and had left our parents. Many looked down upon us,” he said.
“That’s still horrible to lose a sibling like that.”
He nodded. “Yeah, it felt worse than getting clawed in the fight, but here I am now. And you’re here. And I have to admit it’s nice having your company. I don’t mean that because you’re a beautiful woman either.” He separated his socks and shook them out.
“Why do I have this feeling you’re not like your brother?”
He chuckled. “Oh no, I’m nothing like he was. We were very different, but I learned a lot from him.”
In the short time he’d lived with his brother, he’d met a lot of women. He’d met one in particular he’d considered settling down with, even though she was a regular human. But after he’d learned she was cheating on him, he’d ended their relationship. If it weren’t for his brother, Marcel wouldn’t have been educated in the ways of women. His brother had taught him many other things, but above all, Michael had helped him figure out what he wanted in life and realize he wouldn’t get it. But now, he might actually have a chance to get what he’s always dreamed of.
“Thank you for sharing with me. If I’m being nosey, just tell me and I’ll shut up,” she said.
He grinned. “You’re not being nosey. I think you’re as curious about me as much as I am about you. Ask whatever you want. I welcome your questions.” He bent to slide a sock on one foot.
A smile formed on her face. “You’re not like other men I’ve met, and I mean that as a total compliment.”
While he put the sock on his other foot, he debated if he should ask what she found appealing about him. He would like to know, but maybe this wasn’t the best time. “Shall we go check on your car and get your belongings?”
“Yeah.” She nodded.
After he straightened, he gestured toward the open doors. “Follow me. I keep my shoes and car keys by the door. I’ll grab them on the way out.”
His confidence rose as he headed out of the room. He had her attention. He was building her trust. She was attracted to him. The signs were looking good. He was on his way to winning her. He just hoped he could do it before she would have to leave.
Chapter Seven
Lynn stared out the window while Marcel drove. The woods looked miles deep. Tall trees offered a wealth of shade over the road. The scenery made her feel at peace.
A breeze blew in her half opened window and tossed her hair from her face. The cool air soothed her warm skin while the refreshing smell filled her lungs. She could easily understand why Marcel enjoyed living on the reserve. It was peaceful and beautiful. He didn’t have to deal with traffic, crime or the chaos of city life. But living alone for so long had to get lonely.
She thought about what he’d shared with her in the library. She’d almost cried when he talked about losing his brother. Marcel missed him. She could hear it in his voice and see it in the way he lowered his head when spoke about Michael. Though, she found it interesting that Marcel mentioned learning from Michael. From the way Marcel talked, Michael must have fooled around a lot with women. Lynn doubted she would’ve liked Michael. In the short time she’d known Marcel, he hadn’t given any indication he was a lady’s man like his brother. Marcel hadn’t tried to charm her, sweet talk her, or touch her. No, Marcel had been one hundred percent respectful. Sure, he’d complimented her, but he’d seemed genuine about it. She didn’t sense his flattery was an effort to get inside her panties.
“Are you alright?” Marcel asked.
She turned her head toward him and a strand of hair blew in front of her face. Tugging it behind her ear, she said, “Yeah, I’m fine.”
Marcel steered the Jeep with one hand on the wheel. With his arm extended, she couldn’t miss staring at his muscles. The other arm rested on the side of his door, his elbow sticking out the window. His white t-shirt didn’t hug him, but it fit well enough for her to admire his pecs.
“You’ve been quiet since we left the house,” he said.
The old Jeep made a rattling noise in the back after he drove over a small bump. The vehicle didn’t have a disc player or electronic windows and doors like modern cars, but the leather seats and interior were clean. If she had to guess, the Jeep was at least twenty years old. Aside from a few dents and rust spots, the SUV looked in good shape.
“I’m just admiring the scenery,” she said as she shifted her attention to the front window.
“It’s beautiful in the Fall when the leaves change.”
“I remember a little bit from being a kid and coming to stay with my grandparents in the Fall. I loved watching the leaves fly around. The trees are so big here.”
“Do you know why your grandparents sold their property?”
“Why?”
He nodded. “I’m just curious. Most people have lived here their entire lives. Land is passed down from one generation to the next. I’ve only heard of a few times when land was sold and it was from someone dying or merging with another property. The reserve is big, so anything is possible. I’m just trying to figure out why they’d want to leave.”
&n
bsp; “I don’t know, or at least, I don’t remember.” She took in a deep breath. “They were old, so maybe they couldn’t keep up with everything anymore. I remember my father helped them move to an apartment in Toronto. My grandmother died before my grandfather. I think I was about nine when he died. Their deaths were maybe two years apart. I didn’t get to go to the funerals, but my dad went. After that, my parents didn’t talk about them much.”
Life had changed completely when she’d moved with her parents to Chicago. Her dad had taken a better paying job. Since they lived far from her grandparents, they didn’t visit. She’d missed staying with her grandparents, the picnics, stories, and playing in the woods with them. Even after they’d moved to Toronto, her parents hadn’t made any effort to visit her grandparents. Her parents were too busy working while she spent time in daycare. Then her grandparents died not long after they moved from the reserve. Life went on like normal. Lynn still thought about her grandparents every now and then.
“Hmm…” He rubbed a hand over his mouth and cheek while he used his other to steer. “It seems odd they’d sell their land if it had been passed to them from their parents. Why not keep the property and leave it to your parents like everyone else here?”
“I can only guess they moved to get closer to us since we lived in Chicago. They seemed to like it here. I know I did when I visited. It’s so beautiful here.”
“If they’d left the land to your parents or to you, would you have moved here?”
“In a heartbeat. Well, I would’ve had to make sure I could afford to live here. I’m sure my grandparents were surviving off the government or inheritance. I don’t have either of those.”
