I pretend to enter the number even though I already have it saved, then call her clinic on speakerphone. When the line picks up, I recognize the voice of Cari’s red-haired receptionist in the greeting.
“Hey. It’s Zed Glisson, the dragon you met yesterday. Cari asked me to call and tell you she’s on her way.”
“Oh, did she?” Cynthia asks dryly. “And what should I tell her waiting patients?”
I lift my brows at Cari, who’s tying the waist drawstring of her pants. She shrugs at me and mouthsmake something up. I decide on a half-truth. “Um, she’s moving a little slow because she twisted her ankle yesterday.”
“Is that what you kids are calling it?” Cynthia snickers. “Alrighty then. I’ll say her ankle’s reaaalll sore. Tell her to hurry her cute little butt down here. I know she hasn’t left yet.” She hangs up, and Cari groans.
“I’m going to be hearing about this all day,” she says, shaking her head.
“Maybe your cute little butt should call in sick and spend the day with me.”
She sighs, but she’s smiling. “Can’t. Wish I could, but I have a full schedule. We don’t want the Karfani family’s cockapoo’s itchy ears to go untreated, do we? Anyway, you have your conference thing. You can’t miss that.”
I can, but how can I say that without giving myself away? Gods, she’s lovely with the light shining in her hair. I want to hoard her for myself, but her job is important. A lot of people (and other animals) are depending on her. “Definitely not. How’s your ankle, though? Should I carry you to work? I thinkI’m going to skip out on the conference stuff today, anyway. I’m a little burned out on PowerPoint presentations.”
She tests her ankle and pronounces it fine as she’s scraping her hair back into an adorably stubby half-ponytail. “I’m good to walk.”
“Have breakfast with me?” My chest aches at the thought of being apart for her for a whole day. Our night together has definitely deepened the alokoi bond.
“I’ll grab something at work. I’ve gotta run. You should stay in bed, though. Stay as long as you want.” Cari pauses, frowning. “I know this is a huge favor, but since you’re not working, do you mind keeping Radar for the day? That way he’ll get enough exercise that it’ll wear him out, and he’ll just sleep through the whole gala tonight. It’s black tie so I don’t want him acting wild. Wait, did I tell you that you need a tux? You need a tux.”
“I figured since Radar’s wearing a bow tie, I should, too. The little guy and I can get dressed together.”
She pauses to flash a grateful smile. “I have a hair appointment after work so I’ll meet you guys at the venue, okay? Radar’s bowtie is in his toy basket. Call me if you can’t find it.”
“Okay.” I’ll agree to anything and everything she asks. I’d wear an inflatable baby costume and babysit her pet velociraptor if she wanted me to.
I’m still drunk on her proximity. Her beauty. Her amazing, adorable mind. I should tell her how incredible she is. How I can’t believe we’re finally together again, and that we fit together even better than my fantasies.
That’s not weird to say, is it? I’m so obsessed with her that I can’t even remember what’s normal or not.
I open my mouth, but she’s already halfway down the hall when I finish my sentence. The second I hear the front door close behind her, I roll over and open the forbidden drawer.
That fabric I grabbed? It’s a pair of panties with the crotch cut out.
A chill lifts the scales on my spine. Underneath them is a crude doll made of sticks, with yellow, dried-grass hair. Tied to its stick-neck is a piece of twine with one dangling end. It’s obviously supposed to be Cari.
Mate, my feral form growls, poised to shift and destroy whoever tormented her with this bullshit. I remind him that taking the roof off her cottage isn’t going to win any points, and he settles down, but we’re both uneasy.
I set the doll aside, feeling sick. A note underneath says in jagged, blocky letters, “You’ll love me in time. I don’t care how long it takes.” My claws pierce the paper before I realize what’s happening. The rest of the drawer is a mess of paper scraps with scrawled messages, painted rocks, dried flowers and leaves, and—maybe most ominously—flash drives. A lot of them.
I don’t know what’s on them, but I definitely shouldn’t have let Cari walk to work alone. Grabbing my phone, I redial the clinic.
“Miss her already, loverboy?” Cynthia snarks.
“Is she there?” I ask tightly.
“Just walked through the door on two good ankles. You want to talk to her? It’s your dragon, honey.” Cynthia doesn’t wait for my answer to hand the phone over.
“Hey,” Cari says into the phone. My racing heart calms a little. “What do you need? Is Radar being a butthead?”
“We’re fine. Just wanted to make sure you got there okay.”
“Aw.” Her voice warms. “You’re sweet. I’m good.”
“Good.” I clear my throat, not wanting to transmit any of the panic I felt until I heard her voice. “See you later. Don’t forget to eat something.”
