Chapter 18

EIGHTEEN

Evander

The city passes by my window in a blur of movement. Beside me, Aydan taps his foot over and over again, a sure sign that he’s nervous about the news conference. Luckily for him, all he has to do is go dragon. The rest is up to me.

I’m not even nervous. This I can handle.

Because this isn’t my first rodeo. From the day I inherited my grandparent’s assets, I’ve been in the spotlight, my every move scrutinized, my every word impacting my various companies. It was a stiff learning curve, and I feel that I’ve mastered it. Even if I never thought I’d be having a press conference to talk about living dragons.

“So, what? Flash them a pretty smile and feed them shit?” Aydan asks next to me.

I give him a serious look. “You’ve done this before?”

He waves me off with a laugh. “That’s what all you guys do.”

It’s hard to deny it. Being rich and powerful means that everyone wants a piece of me. I could spend all my days in litigation just for being honest, so I’m not. I dance around the truth and commit to nothing, unless I have to. I don’t go so far as to have my attorney read over everything I say before I say it, but I do choose my words with care.

“Do you know the plan?”

Aydan rolls his eyes. “It’s not hard. Wait for your signal, then go dragon. And don’t let them see me in human form beforehand.”

“Right. You got it.”

My thoughts stray where they’re not supposed to: Sam. She’s back at base with fucking Zane, and I don’t know how to feel about it. Zane and Sam ending up together feels like… gravity. Like something I can’t stop no matter how I try.

With Aydan, it truly felt like we were competition, like one of us would win her for our own. Every time I looked at him, I felt this deep sense that it was him or I. Until we’d shared her. Then, it felt like everything clicked into place.

I want to keep fighting him now, but the deep anger is gone. Now, I feel like we’re two dogs fighting over a bone. A bone we’re going to fight over every day, because it keeps us from being bored. It’s a strange feeling, and a big change from before.

All of this is just a lot. Too many relationships changing. Relationships I never imagined happening sliding into place and becoming very important in my life. Even freaking Granger is starting to feel more like my brother than an irritating little bug.

I don’t know what to do with all of this, and it’s driving me out of my mind.

Turning to Aydan, I hesitate. Talking to someone about this would help a lot, but I’ve never been the type to talk about my feelings. It feels wrong. Like wearing a suit that’s too tight.

Those deep blue eyes of his meet mine. “What?”

“Nothing,” comes out automatically.

He lifts a brow. “It’s something.”

I struggle to find the words. “Zane.”

“Ah.” He looks back out the window. “Zane. Right.”

“I mean, we can’t just… let them be together. Right?”

He’s back to tapping his foot. “I kind of want to smash his face in and forbid Sam from being near him, but I saw how well that went with you.”

I snort. “So, what do we do?”

Aydan runs his hand through his blond hair. “Honestly, I think we slow things down between them as much as possible, but…”

He doesn’t say more. “But?”

“But, I mean, don’t you get the sense that he’s telling the truth about us, her, this harem, and him? The more I think about it, the more it makes logical sense. Unfortunately, I’m not exactly driven by logic.”

“Logic? Try your dick.”

He gives me a look. “Like you’re out there strutting around because you think so much.”

I grin. “You’re right about that.” Then my grin falls away. “So, we try to force them to slow down. We try to stay in control for as long as we can. And if everything feels right, we eventually accept what’s happening.”

“Right.”

We’re silent for a long minute before he says, “But this storm dragon stuff is shit, right?”

I laugh. “Absolute shit.”

“There’s no way there’s some giant dragon, bigger and more powerful than you or I, just walking around the street waiting to be awakened.”

Except that Zane seems to be right about a lot of other things. Maybe he’s right about this too.

“Not a chance,” I say, with a wave of my hand as I try to ignore my nagging thoughts.

The car stops. I can already see that the news stations are set up along with my stage and podium on the grass. This space was chosen with care. There are no buildings nearby, just a large hill next to a large parking lot that leads to some walking trails owned by Specter Inc. It’s an area that can easily be secured and Aydan can shift out of sight on the other side of the hill.

I spot dozens of my security guards, and those are just the ones I can see. I also know there are more security guards sitting in cars in every direction, and snipers out of sight but skilled enough to handle anything that anyone might throw at us. Overhead, I’ve already warned Aydan about the jets.

We’re also close to Specter Inc., so we shouldn’t have to worry about the asshole dragon who had caused some chaos in the city, and we’re close enough to fly to Sam in minutes should trouble arise. Not that I was worried. The doctors had already informed me that brown dragon was an hour out of town. And, luckily for us, even with all the trouble, the reporters are willing to show up for a good enough story.

“Get out here,” I say, “then go hide over there and wait for the signal.”

He gives me another one of his infuriating looks.

“If you want,” I concede.

He opens the door, ducks down, and climbs out as fast as he can, slamming the door behind him. I watch him trot into place. The partition between the back of the car and the front lowers. The two huge security guards glance back at me.

“Proceed.”

They drive right up to the crowd where more of my security guards join these ones, jogging up to my door and opening it. Cameras flash all around me, and I resist the urge to squint, knowing how stupid it’ll look in all the papers and online later.

Reporters are already trying to shove their mics in my face to get some kind of scoop, but my team keeps them back the best they can as I make my way to the podium. I climb the steps and stop in front of the microphone. Cameras continue their blinding flashes and mics stretch toward me like giraffes. I wait, as I always do, for it to get quiet.

Then, it does. Everyone is waiting and staring.

Keeping my face blank, I begin. “Specter Inc. would first like to acknowledge how difficult these recent events have been. Lives have been lost, and our hearts go out to those who have been hurt or lost loved ones due to the recent emergence of dragons. We have started a fund that will help any victims of the dragons.”

I wait, letting my words sink in. Luckily, there hasn’t been an excessive number of deaths, but any deaths are tragic.

“With that said, the public should be made aware that Specter Inc. has been researching the possibility of dragons for a long time. We never had anything outside of theories, but many of those theories have been proven correct. The research conducted by Specter Inc. presents a way forward, even in the face of the undeniable difficulties that we are currently experiencing.”

The flashing of the cameras is obnoxious, as are the shouted questions. The throng of people who only care about getting the best scoop are irritating. But this is all part of the job. I know that, even if I don’t like it.

I stay silent until everyone settles down once more. “Specter Inc. has also been in contact with some of the first dragons of our generation. These dragons are not only capable of learning, thinking, and communicating with us, they intend to get along with mankind.”

“Then why are they attacking us?” someone shouts.

“Some of the dragons that have come in contact with humans have been asleep for a very long time. They don’t know how things work. For now, we have a handful of dragons who are willing to work with us, but we hope to create relationships with all the dragons in the future, and establish boundaries that can help us coexist peacefully.”

“And we’re just supposed to believe that Specter Inc. has a relationship with several dragons just because they’ve been spotted over your base?” a man says, pushing out his mic.

I smile. “Don’t take my word for it. Let me show you.”

Lifting both my hands, I do the gesture that Aydan and I had agreed on. I know they see him when he leaps into the sky in dragon form, because suddenly the crowd is full of gasps and screams. I look up to see Aydan twirling in the sky above us. Then he sweeps down, coming so close to us that the wind from his wings forces everyone to hold onto their belongings and duck down.

He circles, then comes to land as close to us as he safely can.

I get down from the podium and walk toward him, lifting a hand. He leans down and lets me pet his head. The journalists rush over, snapping pictures and gaping.

Smiling, I raise my voice so all of them can hear. “This is a dragon. He is working with Specter Inc., just as the red and silver dragons are working with Specter Inc. And as such, they will be seen as the property of Specter Inc. Anyone, government or individual, who tries to harm these dragons will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. With that said, any damage that occurs due to the dragons that are working with us shall also be the responsibility of Specter Inc.”

More questions are thrown at me, and I try to answer them the best I can. Everything I say, however, is meant to make it clear that Zane, Aydan, Sam, and I all belong to Specter Inc., more or less. This will help to tie the government's hands should they try to destroy “my” property.

My other goal is also to create a clear distinction between us and the dragons who are wreaking havoc on our world right now. This isn’t enough to stop the idea that dragons are dangerous, but it’s meant to create doubt in the minds of the public, knowing that the public is who has the true control. If they are sympathetic to dragons, the government will have to listen.

“You truly expect us to believe that dragons can be this… tame? What is it, drugged?” one woman shouts.

I gesture for them to move back, and then I say to Aydan, “Roll over, boy. Roll over.”

Smoke curls out of his mouth, and I try not to laugh. But to my relief, he rolls over, shaking the very earth beneath our feet.

There’s some laughter and clapping, and looks of absolutely disbelief.

I see a lady with an apple in her bag. “Can I have that?”

She looks confused, but hands it to me.

“Fetch, boy. Fetch,” I say to Aydan, then throw the apple.

He gives me a look, but then goes and gets the damn thing and brings it back to me. He drops the slimy apple on my nice shoes. Then, he licks me. Full. Body. Licks me. Until drool is spilling off of me.

The cameras are flashing. No doubt the public will love this. I force a smile and then pat Aydan on the head once more, silently promising to get him back for this. I just wish we could communicate in our minds in human form. It’d sure as hell make things a lot easier.

I answer more questions, then nod to security. They tell the reporters that they’re out of time, and I head back to my limo. Aydan leaps into the sky and takes the faster route back to base.

My security guard hands me a handkerchief from the front seat. I dab the slobber on my face and sigh. Well, that went about as well as it could have gone.

It takes more time than I like to make it to the back entrance of Specter Inc. When I reach the parking lot, Aydan and Granger are waiting, looking pissed. I steel myself for whatever they’re going to say about my little stunt.

My driver opens the door. I eye Aydan expectantly. Let’s get this over with.

Instead, distress flashes in his eyes. “Sam is gone.”

Gone? I stiffen. “Where?”

“Somewhere with Zane ,” Granger mutters.

My hands curl into fists. That was… a mistake. Behind me, there’s the sound of a car coming, and I whirl around, fire burning through my veins.