Page 2 of Desired By the Dragon

“In exchange,” Dad continued and I barked out a short laugh.

“And there it is,” I muttered. “What do you want from me?”

Mom sat down, her knees jerking as nervous energy tried to escape her body. “Come home.”

Now that, I hadn’t been expecting. “What?”

“Mating season begins next week,” she began and I groaned. “You don’t have to participate formally,” she snapped and then blew out a long breath as she looked to the ceiling like she was praying for composure. “But it would do you good to be around family when you feel the shift. It’s your first one since you became of age, you might need the support.”

Dad shifted in his seat slightly before nodding. “Your mother’s right. You’ve hit the century mark now, darling. Your instincts will be heightened, especially for this first time around. Come home, celebrate with your kin, recuperate and reset.”

“And who knows,” Mom’s face turned sly. “If you happen to meet a nice dragon while you’re there…”

I sighed, but didn’t bother to acknowledge that comment. “I guess it has been a while since I was in the cove.” Plus, if I was being honest, I had been feeling a little nervous about what to expect this year for mating season. It was a time of year for dragons, and some other species of supernatural creatures, that heightened our primal urges — the strongest being to secure the future of the clan by having lots of bouncing baby dragons. The atmospheric shift didn’t affect us until we hit our formal century in age, and I’d turned a hundred earlier this year.

Being out in the human world, unprotected by magic like I would be back in Indigo Cove, while my dragon nature ruled the roost and urged me to fuck and fight and get up to all other manner of mischief was a bad idea in the making. Then again, that was par for the course with me. “Okay, fine.” I held up a hand before they could continue. “But you will absolutely not be setting me up on any surprise dates, or locking me in a room with someone when the surge hits its peak on Halloween night. Got it?”

Mom rolled her eyes, now back to their regular brown. “What do you take us for, Kiernan?”

“We promise,” Dad added, shooting his wife a long look — probably noting, much as I had, that she’d dodged the question entirely. Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky. If there was anything you could hold a dragon to, it was their word. So I stared at my mom until she grumbled beneath her breath but nodded. “Good. As soon as they’re done with your release forms, we can go.”

I nodded and then considered. “Actually, I have something I need to do first. Belongings to pack up.” And maybe an ex boyfriend to visit.

* * *

There wasn’t really much of anything at Derek’s house that I wanted to keep. For a dragon, I was surprisingly unsentimental. The only things I cared about were my family, my leather jacket that was just the right amount of worn-in, and my independence. Though, admittedly, I had taken a shine to Derek’s prized motorcycle. It was why this pained me.

My nails lengthened until shiny black claws, harder than most any other material on the earthly plane, adorned the tips of my fingers. Partial transformations had once taken me an immense amount of concentration, but now it was second nature. They parted the metal with ease, slipping through the edge of the shiny red paint like it was butter.

I smiled, even as I mourned the glorious shiny paint-job. Whatever. It wasn’t like the bike was mine. It would piss Derek off, that was for sure. I’d wondered at times if he cared more for his bike than me. After spending the night in a jail cell, I now knew I’d been right.

I could really pick them.

With a growl, I punctured the gas tank with my claws and then blew gently on the liquid that spilled out, watching impassively as the fuel lit up before turning on my heel and walking into his house.

It was empty, more’s the pity. Maybe it was for the best, I couldn’t guarantee that I wouldn’t do something embarrassing if I had to face him right then — like cry, or set him on fire.

The carpet was well-worn and threadbare in some spots as I walked through the hall and down the stairs that led to the basement. If I was right, this was where he’d be stashing the loot from the bank heist. Why would he hide it, after all, with me safely tucked away in a cell? At least, as far as he knew.

Several duffle bags were piled up in the corner, locked inside a cage. I smiled. The bars bent easily under my strength and I ripped the whole thing free from the wall, breathing hard from anger rather than exertion. I flung the loose metal against the opposite wall, reveling in the loud crash and the dent in the wall that followed, and then I turned the duffles upside down.

Green rained down, as well as some petty jewels and gold bars. I reached for one of the bars, stroking my fingers across the smooth surface before slipping it into my pocket.

I was a dragon. So sue me.

The rest of it shifted with the air when I moved, inhaling and slowly breathing out a controlled stream of flame. I rescued one note from the pile before it could ignite, pressing my lips to the paper and smirking at the bright pink lipstick it left behind. Then I grabbed one of the discarded screws from the cage and pounded the corner of the note into the brick wall, lipstick-side facing out.

Would I have enjoyed ripping Dereks’ spine out through his mouth? Maybe. But this way I was hitting him where it really hurt. Maybe it was a little reckless, and he might question the room’s destruction. But what was he going to assume? That the girlfriend he’d betrayed was really a fire-breathing dragon?

I imagined telling him as much and chuckled as I strode back up the wooden stairs, half-tempted to burn the whole place down, but that would draw more attention than was really wise. No, this would have to be enough. It was a shame I wouldn’t get to see his face when he discovered what I’d done.

The front door hung open behind me as I walked out, the remains of his motorcycle still smoldering as smoke spilled from beneath the garage door.

I walked the short path down the drive, through the overgrown grass that was more brown than green, and rounded the corner to walk down the block and find a quiet place to shift.

My parents were right. It was time to go home.

Chapter Two