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And other reasons,my dragon hummed.
Our eyes locked, and the glow in her eyes confirmed thoseother reasons. My chest swelled, and for the next few heartbeats, all I felt was peace and hope.
A pretty good definition for love, I supposed, risking a tiny grin.
Erin’s lips curled too. So, whew. It wasn’t just me.
But it wasn’t just the two of us either. Pippa was right there, studying us with a sly look.
I tore my gaze from Erin’s and murmured in my grittiestsecret agenttone, “I’m happy to stay and help.”
“Good. Great. Thank you,” Erin said, still flustered.
Pippa grinned openly. “All right, then. We still need a plan, though. Ideas, anyone?”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
NASH
I spent the night perched on a cliff top in dragon form, watching over the ranch. My leathery hide was the equivalent of a bomber jacket, but I was still cold. I shifted from foot to foot — er, claw to claw — half wishing I were a furry bear shifter instead of a dragon. Every fifteen minutes or so, I took to the sky and kept an eye on things from there. Movement kept me… Well, not exactly warm, but warmer and, above all, alert.
Part of me yearned to be back in the warmth of Erin’s loft — and her arms. Just getting back to a point where she wasn’t furious would be a good start.
My long triangular ears pointed forward, and my nose tested the air. A dozen constellations kept lookout with me as I swooped in slow circles, studying every inch of the ground. The desert was an undulating carpet that went on and on, torn here and there by mesas big enough to host a strip mall — though no one had tried that…yet. The blinding lights of Sedona were more than enough development, as far as I was concerned.
I leaned into a turn, concentrating on the ranch…the winding creek lined with huge cottonwoods…the long, dusty road…
Every once in a while, a light would flick on then off in the main house, reminding me why I was there.
Erin,my dragon hummed.
My heart swelled — so much, I had to steady myself with a deep breath.
Erin was what made this so different from the dozens of other stakeouts I’d endured in my time with the agency and the Marines before that. Erin — and her sisters and her niece — made this so much more than any other job.
Destiny,my dragon whispered.
Yes. Yes, it was — a series of events woven together by a mysterious, mischievous force. Loosely at first, then tighter and tighter until those threads formed a noose that dangled ominously in front of me.
Wisps of smoke escaped my nostrils, and my throat burned with fire. Fire I would gladly aim at an enemy, if one would only appear.
But there was no sign of Harlon’s quiet, creeping magic or the odorless void that marked Angelina’s place in the world. Just a peaceful world and a slumbering ranch — for now.
After three long, sweeping rounds, I glided back to the cliff, stuck out my claws, and thumped to a landing. Then I folded my wings tightly and tapped my tail with every passing second. Ironically, we had the next morning off work, but neither of us would be sleeping in.
An hour passed, then another, and another, until the stars dimmed in the first sign of dawn. The mountains to the east were a dark wall, but behind them, the sky slowly turned gold. Then, at a movement below, I froze.
A moment later, I relaxed. It was Erin walking silently toward her cabin from the main house, where she and her sisters had hunkered down for the night. Halfway along the scrubby path, she stopped and turned, scanning the cliffs.
My heart thumped. Was she looking for danger or looking for me?
Good morning, my mate,my dragon murmured wistfully.
My pulse quickened when she found me and went still. The cool breeze that had been chilling my back went warm, and I swear, every bird in central Arizona broke into song.
But then her expression clouded, and my mood plummeted.
My mother lied. You lied,she’d said.
