Not His Dragon (16 page)

Chapter Twent
y–
Five

The food on Angie’s plate vanished quickly as she cleared a track through the scrambled eggs and bacon. Eoin purred in pleasure.

They sat in a small sitting room he hadn’t used in…forever. He’d discovered an old wooden table with some chairs in the room and he had set them close to the fireplace.

Her gaze wandered to the bare walls and the crackling fire but never on him. The silence stretched and he waited for it to snap like an elastic band. Beads of water dripped from the tips of her wet hair, leaving a small puddle by her plate.

“I forgot about towels.” He grimaced. “You have need for those kinds of things.” It shouldn’t take long for him to order a few online and have them delivered, but what else would she need?

With her fingertips, she shook out some of her short hair. “Don’t worry about it. My hair dries fast.”

“I know it’s rustic here. I don’t use this place like humans would. It’s just shelter. With some guidance, I could make it better.”

She chuckled and pushed her empty plate away. “The place definitely needs a woman’s touch.” Leaning back in her chair, she rubbed her stomach.

The motion trapped his gaze. She wouldn’t understand how such a simple gesture would affect him. Feeding her meant feeding his future young. It was protecting possible progeny, survival of the fittest, and fucking, all rolled into one. The mating dance, the need to own her, to drive his cock into her—fought just under the surface, pushing under his skin, waiting to get out.

She wasn’t ready. He could dance his heart out but she wouldn’t know how to reciprocate. He took deep breaths and pushed the instincts from his forebrain.

He needed a distraction. His gaze darted to the manila envelope sitting on the mantle. It was the same one Viktor had hand-delivered two nights ago. He hadn’t had the courage to open it yet. “I have something to confess.” He stared at his clenched hands resting on the table. When he’d hired Viktor to delve into her past, he hadn’t thought through the consequences. Now, he would have to admit trespassing into her past without her permission. “You have to promise not to get angry.”

“Well, you know that won’t happen. And Eoin, that’s the worst way to start a conversation with me.” She had a point, but experience made Eoin wary. If this woman had a chance to get angry, then she would. No matter how much forewarning he offered.

He pushed his chair back, rising to his feet, and made his way to the fireplace. Snatching the manila envelope off the mantle, he spun around and held it out to her straight-armed. “I hired a detective, of sorts.”

Angie leaned against the table to face him and she crossed her legs. “To do what exactly?” She raised her eyebrow. Eoin recognized the expression enough to know that she was not amused.

“You have to understand, after we met, I had to know who you were. I mean, a human girl who smells like dragon doesn’t cross my path—ever.”

“What’s in the envelope?” She wouldn’t take it, as if almost afraid to touch the package.

“Your past.” He drew closer to her, offering the envelope again. “I haven’t opened it.”

“Why not?

He shrugged. “You’re not the only one apprehensive about opening Pandora’s box. I’m not sure what we’re going to find, but I’m pretty sure that whatever is inside, we’re not going to be happy.”

She crossed her arms and turned away from him. “How long have you had that thing?”

“Two nights.” He stared at the envelope in his hands. When he first met Angie, his desire for this knowledge had been so strong, he’d been willing to pay anything. Now, he’d pay anything for it just to vanish. Some things were just better not being known. He moved closer to the fire and held the envelope over the flames. “If you ask, I’ll drop it.”

“No!” She shoved her chair back so hard it fell as she rose to her feet and snatched the envelope from his grasp. “Stop teasing.” She crumpled the envelope within her fist, aiming a daggered glare at him as if she wished he were in the fire. “The answers that we need might be in here.” She shoved the envelope under his nose. “Who else knows about this?”

“Besides the person I hired? No one.”

She deflated then rushed him with a hug, pressing her face against his chest. “God Eoin, I don’t know if I want to kiss you or strangle you.”

He released a sigh of relief and rested his arms around her fragile shoulders. He kissed the top of her head. “Kisses only, please. My list of stranglers is too long.”

“Will the person you hired talk?” Her voice was muffled against his chest.

“I’ve known him for a very long time. He can be trusted.” There was no way Eoin was going to tell her about the vampire in his dungeon. They’d crossed enough bridges for one day and he was serious about the list of people who want to strangle him. He never wanted to add Angie to that list. Out of them all, she’d probably succeed.

Until this very moment, Angie had not believed everything Eoin had told her—being dragon, magic, this curse… Not until she held the envelope did she realize how heavy the truth weighed. If she had let him burn the envelope, she might as well accept being a throwback and walk away from him forever. She couldn’t do that. She couldn’t imagine spending the rest of her life without Eoin.

Opening the envelope and reading the contents meant she accepted that her parents had lied about her life. Until today, she had lived a lie. A knot formed between her breasts and made it hard to breathe. What if she opened the envelope and the information confirmed she wasn’t a dragon? What if she really was a genetic fallback? She chuckled. That would be more probable. Fate always made her life harder. She wasn’t the type of person who got breaks.

“I need you to know, no matter what you find in the envelope, you will never chase me away.” Eoin rubbed his chin in the top of her head as he hugged her tighter. She knew he meant those words but it was based on what he believed in now.

“Mated or not?” He obviously wanted to mate with her but what if she couldn’t respond and complete the ritual? Eoin deserved more.

“Mated or not.”

She withdrew from his arms and sat back at the table, gesturing to the chair across from her. “We do this together.”

He joined her, refilling both of their coffee cups.

Sliding her finger under the sealed lip, she tore the envelope open and pulled out a handful of documents. She separated and lined them up between her and Eoin—birth certificate, fingerprints, her arrest record, her adoption papers.

The tight knot in her chest dropped into her gut like a cannonball. The pain was so sharp and sudden that she couldn’t make sense of the words on the paper work for a moment. She’d known this was possible. She’d known, but fuck, here it sat in front of her in reality. “I’m adopted.” Saying it out loud didn’t make it any more real. Why hadn’t her parents ever said anything?

Eoin’s fingers gripped her hands from across the table, anchoring her. His concerned gaze melted into sadness. “The supernatural community would never have let human parents adopt a shifter, let alone a dragon. We’re just too different.”

She pulled the papers from his grasp and reread them slowly. It never mentioned anything about her race, human or dragon or otherwise. “Maybe my parents thought I was human.” This envelope didn’t answer any questions. It just delivered more. “I don’t know what to do with any of this.”

Eoin shuffled the papers and shoved them back in the envelope. “Well, I do.” He moved around the table and pulled her to her feet until she was cradled within his arms. His lips found hers and he kissed her gently. “This information only confirms my claim on you. Nobody else has any rights but me.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

The shop door closed behind Jessica Brown. She turned and waved at Angie before heading home. That was her last customer for today. Jessica was one of the rare panther shifters living in New Port. Angie loved running her sharp claws through the female’s thick glossy fur. But there were no potential mates for the panther shifter in the city and she was talking about moving. That would be a shame.

Beth cleared her throat behind her and held out a piece of paper.

“What’s this?” She plucked the note from her best friend’s hand and read the list. “You have got to be kidding me. I just cleared that sink yesterday. I’ve changed more light bulbs in this last month than I have in my whole entire life. And Eoin is paying for the dent in the wall of room three.” She paced across the waiting room, waving the slip of paper over her head. “The electrician said that we were up to code, that there are no electrical surges or malfunctioning sockets.” She crossed her arms and faced Beth. “I’m beginning to think that those charms you bought from the witch are actually curses.”

Beth lowered her gaze and folded her hands on top of her desk. “You could throw them away if you want,” she whispered. “I can change the lights for you.” The omega’s posture deflated Angie’s frustration.

Shuffling to Beth’s side, Angie rested her arms over Beth’s shoulders. “I’m not blaming you, sweetheart. I’m just frustrated by all this. I can’t keep shelling out money for light bulbs and sockets and pipes. One day, I’d really like to move out of my craptastic apartment.” Not to mention buying decent groceries.

Beth’s expression brightened. “I can go without pay for a few weeks.”

Angie dropped her head. “No. You deserve every penny you make.” And probably more. “I don’t think I have any bulbs left anyways. Can you add that to your shopping list for tomorrow? I’ll deal with the sink now.”

“Sure, Angie. The pack has a plumber. Maybe you can barter some scratching in exchange for his expertise.”

It was an excellent idea, but Ryota had finally given Angie some space ever since she’d started seeing Eoin. If she kept relying on the pack resources, he might get the wrong idea and come knocking on her door again. “No, it’s okay. Beth. I’ll handle this myself.” If her shop went bankrupt maybe she could start apprenticing as a plumber.

Angie grabbed her tools and went back to the same Goddamned sink and crawled underneath. Her gaze made contact with the same little charm Beth had planted in her shop. She plucked it from under the sink and sat staring at it. She’d moved this last time her sink was plugged. “Beth, can you come here?”

Beth poked her head around the doorframe. “Yes, boss?”

Angie winced. She hated it when Beth used that title. She held up the little stick figurine. “Did you put this back under the sink?”

The omega nodded her head. “I thought you said it was okay to keep the good luck charms.”

Angie nodded. “But why under the sink?”

“Well, originally to keep it out of your view. I put it back there because I really didn’t know how our customers would feel about witch charms within the shop. Some people are very sensitive.”

Fingering the little sticks that formed a triangular shape held by string, Angie reconsidered her position on superstitions. “Do you think it’s possible that this witch made a mistake with her charms? Is she reputable?”

“She’s been the pack witch for as long as I could remember.”

“Why does a pack need a witch?” No one from the pack had ever mentioned the witch to her before. There were times when Angie felt like she was drowning in pack politics and others, like now, that made her feel like an outsider.

“Sometimes there are messes that need to be cleaned up or hidden.” Beth rubbed her arms as if cold. “They help keep the human police out of pack business. Could you imagine the reports that would pile up if the humans could hear some of the hunters fighting challenges within their homes?”

To be honest, Angie had never really considered it.

“I could take you to see her. You can bring the charm and she could re-examine it. I’d pay.”

Angie ground her teeth. “You won’t pay but I’d appreciate it if you can take me to her. I will never stop doubting these charms until I speak to her myself.”

They closed the shop, went around the corner to Beth’s sports car and climbed in. It reminded Angie of the car that Eoin had gifted her. “Do you think you could teach me how to drive?” She fiddled with the zipper on her jacket, making adjustments that weren’t needed.

Beth gave her a quick side-eye. “I’d love to.” She couldn’t hide her excitement. “We could start this weekend. And I can take you to lunch and maybe catch a movie after.” What with her breakup with Ryota and her new relationship, Angie hadn’t realized how much she’d been neglecting her best friend.

“It’s a date.” Even if she couldn’t eat at the restaurant that Beth chose.

They pulled up to a cape-style house. The white picket fence had seen better days and leaned in a drunken fashion to the left. Opening the front gate required brute strength as Angie both unlocked and lifted the wooden structure to push it forward without dragging it through the dead grass.

“Seriously, has she ever heard of stereotyping?” Angie mumbled under her breath. Guess the witch market didn’t pay any better than back scratching.

Beth rushed past, her heels clicking on the uneven cobblestone pathway that led the front porch. With dainty steps, the slim omega climbed the front door and rang the bell.

Angie hurried to her side as the door opened. She’d expected someone to match the house but the woman who answered the door could have been Mrs. Claus’s twin sister, right down to the cheerful apron and rosy cheeks.

“Good to see you again, Beth.” The witch cleaned her hands on her apron. What came off was a rust-colored substance that smelled somewhat like blood. “Come in, come in. And who are you?”

“I’m Angie.” She made a half-hearted wave.

“You’re not pack.”

“We work together.” Angie elbowed Beth in the side.

“Angie’s my boss.” That didn’t help the awkwardness.

The witch eyed her up and down. “I’m Sabrina. What can I do for you girls?”

Angie’s stomach rolled and she glanced back at Beth’s car.

Beth grabbed Angie’s hand and tugged her inside. “You remember the good luck charm I purchased from you a few months ago?” She held up the charm that Angie had pulled out from under the sink.

Angie plucked the charm from Beth’s fingers and handed it to the witch. “I’ve been having nothing but bad luck. I wanted to check to see if we were using this thing right.”

The witch examined the charm in her hand and led them to what Angie could only call the kitchen, but it really belonged on a movie set. A fire pit was the focus of the room where a cauldron sat upon the flame, its contents boiling. All manners of dried plants hung from the rafters and on the far wall a large wooden shelf held many different-sized jars with questionable contents.

Next to Beth was a table where it appeared the witch had been rolling out cookies. A plate with the finished product sat within Beth’s reach and the omega plucked a cookie off the plate. Angie slapped it out of her hand and gave her an
are you out of your mind
look. It didn’t seem smart to be stealing cookies from a witch.

Sabrina held the charm up in the light, nodding to herself. “Someone’s tampered with it.” Her declaration had Angie and Beth moving in opposite directions, with Angie getting closer to the witch and Beth toward the exit. “Someone removed a piece of my charm. See how these threads all match color?” She showed Angie the off-white thread holding some of the sticks together. “They shouldn’t be. This one should be red.” She raised her eyebrow at Beth. “Do you know anything about this?”

Angie did a slow turn to face her best friend.

Beth stared at her shoes. “I didn’t think that changing the thread colors would harm the charm. It looks prettier when the threads match.” She glanced up at Angie and gave her a sad smile. “I didn’t do it on purpose. You have to forgive me. I’ll pay for all the damages that I caused.”

“The charms didn’t cause the damage, Beth. It just means that the good luck charms didn’t work. Right?”

Sabrina gave the werewolf a stern glare. “She made them into hexes. You know better than to fool around with witchcraft untrained, Beth. Your alpha will be very displeased about this.”

Angie massaged the bridge of her nose, trying to ease the headache that was forming. “Are you telling me that these charms have been the cause of all the things breaking in my shop?”

“Unfortunately.” The witch took the curses—hexes, whatever!—to her table and began reassembling it. She waved Beth to come closer. “You may as well observe so you don’t make the same mistake again.” Was Beth dabbling in witchcraft or was it just her sense of fashion that had made her change the thread colors? They had lots to talk about on their date this weekend.

The witch handed Beth the charm. “Did you alter the other charms I gave you?”

The pretty shifter nodded.

“Then fix the other ones like I just did.” She glanced at Angie. “You can bring them back here for me to double check her work. Things should improve at the shop now.” There were more of these hexes in her shop? Sabrina tapped Beth on the nose with a sharp fingernail. “All is forgiven, little wolf. Now go to your car while I have a private word with your friend.”

Beth left without question.

Angie’s heart drummed as she watched her friend leave. What could the witch want to talk to her about?

Sabrina seemed to be looking at the air surrounding Angie. As she drew closer, she waved her fingers through something unseen. “We’ve taken care of your bad luck, but what about this personal curse that surrounds you?”

Angie didn’t think her heart could have beaten any faster. She swallowed with a throat gone dry. “You can see it?” It hadn’t occurred to her or Eoin to seek out advice from other magic practitioners. Well, maybe it had occurred to him but he hadn’t mentioned it.

“Your aura is not human. It’s actually quite blinding. Something surrounds it and holds it close to your body. If it were flame, you would be cremated within seconds.” Sabrina blinked, rubbed her eyes. “I can remove it.” She gave Angie a knowing smile. “For a price.”