“Because that’s what they do on telly,” Sasha muttered.
“What?” Max asked, sounding confused.
“Sorry. I forgot. I was talking to my dragon.” She was aware Max watched her the entire time until she disappeared into the kitchen.
“Shasha, can I have chocolate?” Noel asked, running after her.
“Yes,” she said, although, given the time, she should decide what to cook for dinner instead of making drinks.
Noel dragged out a chair at the kitchen table and climbed onto it to wait for his hot chocolate.
Max entered the kitchen, determination written on his handsome face.
“Such a pretty face,”her dragon cooed.“He doesn’t look angry.”
No, but he wanted answers. She’d demand answers in the same circumstances.
Max dragged out a seat and picked up the envelope the cops had delivered. He tapped it on the tabletop.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Each successive beat felt like a punishment. She didn’t want to leave. She enjoyed spending her days with Noel and Max’s kisses…well, she’d started to crave them.
“Where do you come from?” Max asked.
“An island called Perfume Isle. It’s part of the Dragon Isles group.”
“Where are they?”
“Off the coast of the mainland. Hundreds of years ago, dragon shifters lived among the humans here in the UK and Europe and farther afield. Humans made it a sport to kill us, and our numbers became drastically low. Our people retreated to the Dragon Isles, and they made a pact with the local druids who had a monastery on Smoking Isle. The druids produced a barrier, which stands between our worlds and keeps us invisible from the mainland. If any of your people venture too close, a sense of dread overcomes them, and they change course.”
Sasha glanced at his impassive face and had no inkling of what he’d do next. She found his lack of expression unnerving and burst into further explanation.
“Somehow, I flew through the barrier. I landed on the beach to orientate myself and discovered Noel. I couldn’t leave a little boy alone in the dark, especially when he was crying. My dragon and I followed his tracks and brought him home. We didn’t have anywhere to go, so we accepted your offer of shelter in return for looking after Noel.”
“Is he mad at us?”her dragon asked.“He’s not saying anything.”
“Are you angry?” Sasha asked aloud. “If I’d told the truth, you would’ve thought I was crazy. I needed shelter, and you required help with Noel. I thought if I pretended to be a human, I’d eventually discover a way to get home.”
Max rubbed his chin, his stubble rasping beneath his fingertips. “A dragon.”
“I’ve done nothing to harm you or Noel.” Sasha pressed a hand against her chest. “I’m sorry. What should I have done? Walked up to you and said, ‘Hi, I’m a dragon.’?”
“But dragons aren’t real.”
A flash of anger filled her, and she let her dragon show in her eyes. “You kissed me. You weren’t worried about dragons then.”
Max pinched the bridge of his nose. His gaze met hers, and he flinched. “To be honest, I’m not certain what to think. You’re right. You’ve protected Noel at every step and looked after him as if he were your own. I can’t fault that. If you haven’t hurt either of us so far, I figure you’re not about to injure us in the future.”
“We’re not barbarians,”her dragon snapped.“Tell him. Tell him we’re civilized and have honor.”
“Take care. You offend my dragon with your words. She says we are a civilized race and don’t go around killing hapless humans.”
“I apologize. That was thoughtless of me.”
“It was,”her dragon agreed.“We won’t let him kiss us again. Tell him.”
Sasha wanted more kisses. “Does this mean you won’t kiss us again?”
