Chapter 15

FIFTEEN

Samantha

“Whoa,” I murmur as I stare at the road in front of us and the chaos in every direction.

Zane and I had started driving in one of the company cars nearly an hour ago, and we still hadn’t made it to the restaurant. Part of that was simply due to the fact that this city was huge, and the restaurant was on the opposite end of the city from Specter Inc., but part of it was that the entire city had lost its mind.

And all because of those damn dragons.

Smoke curls up in the sky like a threatening omen, always just ahead of us. Fire crews and police officers race by us at random, using their lights to get through traffic. Cars are everywhere, but luckily for us, most of the people are headed in the opposite direction. You know, away from the burning buildings and the riots.

Over the radio, the reporter continues to give updates. The dragon appears to have moved on to the next town. With it gone, the fire crews are working tirelessly to get the fires under control. Unfortunately, before leaving, the dragon tore open the store fronts on dozens of shops in that same area, which has led to rioting. Rioting combined with panicked citizens means all hands on deck with the police. The one glimmer of hope is the news conference with Evander Pierce, which we’re told will shed some light on the dragon situation. And on and on.

I turn the radio down, listening just in case of danger, but feeling more relaxed now that I have the most important information. The skies are clear of enemy dragons. We can handle the rest.

“The world has changed so much from when I last walked the earth. I think, perhaps, dragons slept too long this time.”

I glance at Zane. He’s literally on the edge of his seat, staring out at the buildings, cars, and lights. I try to imagine what all of this must look like to him, and I figure it must be overwhelming. Heck, I’m from this time period, and it’s a bit overwhelming.

“Mankind developed specific technologies, like the light bulb, the things you see that glow in our buildings, and those inventions, and others, helped us to grow leaps and bounds as a society.”

His pale blue eyes swing to me. “Were you also able to cure all injuries and illnesses? Were you able to stop murder and cruelty?”

For some reason, I can’t handle the weight of his gaze. I look back to the road, tightening my hands on the steering wheel. “Our doctors have made incredible discoveries that have helped to heal a lot of injuries and illnesses that used to result in death, but we haven’t found a way to heal everyone. Not yet. And as for murder and cruelty? I’m afraid those monsters still haunt every society on earth.”

“ Hum ,” he leans back in his chair, “that is disappointing. But perhaps in the next lifetime.”

I smile. “You’re a cup half full kind of guy, aren’t you?”

“Cup half full?” he asks, quirking his lips.

“It means you see the bright side of things. That you see the good in everything.”

He reaches over and tucks my hair behind my ear, sending goosebumps racing across my skin. “When I have you in my life, everything is good.”

I shake my head, feeling embarrassed. “You don’t even know the me in this lifetime. I could be someone you don’t even like.”

He laughs, like that’s the funniest thing I could’ve possibly said. “Samantha, do you truly think I have loved you each and every lifetime, for more lifetimes than I can count, but this time I will not? Do you know how silly you sound?”

And it does sound kind of silly when I say it out loud. Still, I say, “If Aydan was here, he would tell you I’m stubborn, unorganized, temperamental–”

“No, if Ayden were here he would tell me that you’re beautiful, smart, kind, and that he loves everything about you. Then he would punch me for the thoughts I am having about you right now.”

Boy, is it hot in here?

I keep my focus on the road.

Time ticks by. Random cars have been abandoned in the middle of the road. I pass a building that’s still smoking, but where the flames seem to have been put out. My hands clench the steering wheel more tightly, and my eyes dart around the street. I feel like I’m walking into the mouth of a monster.

“You will be okay. I am here to protect you. I will not allow anything to happen to you,” Zane says. Reaching forward, he takes my hand and holds it between us on the middle console. “We shall rescue your friend and return to your home, safe and sound.”

For some reason, his touch calms something inside of me, something so deep and powerful that I shudder. “How do you do that? Is it an ice dragon thing?”

“Do what?” he asks, lifting a brow.

“Make me feel calm.”

He smiles. “I make you feel calm because I am your mate. We are connected. The cool ice that runs through my veins flows through you when we touch, through our connection.”

I sigh. “Biology again.”

Of course it is. I mean, I kind of already knew that deep down. Zane feels like he belongs to me, and I feel like I belong to him. I think even Aydan and Evander know. For them, they’ve been as close to relaxed as they can be with me around another man.

Whatever this is between us, I can’t fight it forever. Inevitably, we’re going to end up together. I just want it to be, ideally, when the guys feel as comfortable with him as I do. The last thing I want to do is hurt Aydan and Evander.

I can be patient.

Glancing over at him, I see his gaze blazing as it runs over me, and something inside me tightens. My breath comes in and out faster and faster, and Zane groans, his hand tightening around mine.

“Do not. Not yet. Not until you are ready. Because once things start between us, I will not be able to stop them,” he says, his words husky.

For the millionth time this trip, I focus back on the road, steering around another abandoned car. More cars drive on the opposite side of the road, trying to get as far from this end of town as possible. I don’t blame them.

We come to another smoldering building. The fire crews must have been busy out here, even though the mostly brick buildings probably helped control the fires more than anything else.

Turning a corner, I slow, feeling uneasy. The shop windows have been smashed in along the entire road. People are climbing in and out of one shop after another, creating another problem on the already chaotic street. On the bright side, I spot a store called Cliterishous, an adult toy shop, and I remember it. We’re getting close.

“Of course,” I mutter.

“What?” Zane asks.

“The people have taken advantage of the fact that the cops are busy with other problems to rob the shops here.”

He stares. Confused.

I try to think of the right words. “People are… stealing and causing problems.”

“Disappointing but not unexpected,” he says quietly.

Sweat trails down my back. “In these kinds of situations, I feel like humans end up becoming more dangerous than anything else.”

Zane chuckles. “You forget you are a dragon, not a human. Should there be a problem, you will shift, and you will destroy anything that would seek to bother you. With me by your side.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“You should. You are a dragon queen. You reign over me and the rest of your harem. Other dragons see you and know that to tangle with you is to bring the wrath of us all. Once we have the storm dragon, you shall see how things change. How the other dragons cower before us.”

Some of the tension leaves my body. “You’re right. Kind of. As scary as all of this is, I’m a dragon. I can handle some issues from humans. I’ve just spent my whole life being careful, listening to my instincts, and never putting myself in dangerous situations.”

“Why?” he asks, looking confused.

“I’m a woman,” I tell him simply.

He still looks confused. “You are a woman…”

Oh, he really doesn’t get it. “Women always have to be more cautious than men. We have to be aware of our surroundings at all times. We have to anticipate dangerous situations, so we don’t end up in them in the first place. Out of all the animals in the world, there’s nothing we fear more than men themselves.”

His brows draw together. “I forgot about such human problems. Males of all species do not treat females the way they should.”

“No, they don’t,” I say, frowning at the group of men in hoodies, carrying televisions and other electronics out of a store. Then another thought occurs to me. “If female dragons end up with the same mates each lifetime, why do the other male dragons bother trying to steal us each time?”

He gives me a funny look. “Because just the chance to have a mate is worth the fighting for them. And because it is always possible that a female will take another lover, and a male will finally have his chance. Nothing is written in stone, after all.”

Across the street, a little supermarket has been broken into. A man literally comes running out carrying two hams, with sausage around his neck. It’s not funny, but I snicker, pointing. “I don’t blame him. With the price of groceries lately that might be my pick of the stores to rob too.”

Zane gives me a funny look. “I do not understand.”

“You will the first time I take you grocery shopping… to buy food in trade.”

His eyes light up. “Trading with you was always my favorite. There was never a time you went home without some pretty trinket that caught your eye.”

“Really?”

He nods. “There have been more than a number of stories about dragon females and their love of treasure. We males don’t care about sparkly things, we only care about giving our female what she wants.”

I try to ignore how hot my face feels. “There are a lot of stories about dragons having hordes of gold and gems. I’d never heard of it specifically being female dragons.”

He lifts a brow. “How do you think I stole your heart the first time we met?”

I can’t seem to take my gaze off of him. “Oh?”

He explains, “When I first came upon you, I was smitten, but your fire dragons would not let me near you. I spent months leaving treasures for you until you rewarded me with a conversation. It lasted all night and into the morning. I drank in your laughter, I thrived beneath your smile. And when we were done talking, you allowed me to court you, much to the unhappiness of your fire dragons. But even they knew, that first lifetime, that you needed more dragons in your harem to stay safe, and I was tolerable to them.”

I smile, steering around another abandoned car. “So, I can be won over with shiny things. Like a crow… like those really smart black birds. Interesting.”

“You should be proud. Crows are wise and wonderful creatures.”

It’s impossible not to laugh. Zane just has such a different way of looking at things. I know part of it is that he doesn’t understand this modern world, but part of it is just who he is. I can tell.

We turn another corner and find a thicker throng of people in the street. I pull my hand from Zane’s and put it back on the steering wheel, then slow but keep going. People shift out of the way, shouting and thumping my car as I drive past them. I check to make sure the doors are locked, even though I know they are, and keep going, my nerves screaming.

“Are we getting closer to your friend?”

I spot another familiar building, one with a sign that says ‘In Stitches’ and appears to be some kind of fabric store, then nod. “We’re almost there. We just have to get through this safely.”

“No,” he corrects me. “These people just need to be smart enough to get out of our way, or else they will force us to take on our other forms.”

His words calm me just a bit as a huge, tattooed man thumps my window with his hands, screaming and cursing. I wince, continually pressing the gas pedal, even if we’re crawling. It’s too dangerous to just stop.

“Would you like me to kill him?”

“What?” I ask, confused.

“The man that scared you. Would you like me to kill him?”

It’s an oddly sweet offer. “No, let’s just keep going. We’re almost there.”

I just pray that Dahlia is okay. As scary as this is for me, I can turn into a big bad dragon, and I’ve got an even bigger bad dragon at my side. I can’t even imagine how she’s feeling.

“You’re worried about your friend?” His tone is gentle.

“Yes, I am.”

“Do not fear, we will reach her soon. And should anyone threaten her, we will show them the power of a true dragon’s wrath.”

I wish I was as confident as him, but I have to pretend to be. For Dahlia.