“You should give it a try sometime. It’s a whole different experience and the girls, I swear they are more into it. Does she know that you’re a shifter?”
Antoine disagreed. He hadn’t known how in the world he could make that work, so he hadn’t even tried. “She doesn’t need to know more than she already does. I just want to keep an eye on her for a bit, make sure she doesn’t start trouble for me.”
“Oh, is that what the plan is?”
Antoine growled. “What is it, Nathan? I know that you didn’t come all this way to bust my chops, did you?”
Nathan shrugged and chuckled. “It would have been worth it, but no, I guess I am here for other things as well.”
“Like?”
“Like the attack from the enemy. We know that there is going to be a hard choice to make soon, and we want to know if you are on our side.”
Antoine looked at him strangely. “Seriously?”
“No, we know whose side you’re on, but it’s going to get bad very soon. Some things went down last week, and someone close to the new leader isn’t happy with us. It has invited chaos.”
Antoine didn’t see much difference. It had been chaos for a while.
“So, what’s the plan?”
“Keep your human safe if you’re going to keep her around. Maybe you should do a little traveling. You never know, all that time alone might do you some good.”
Antoine made a disgusted sound. “You really are incorrigible, aren’t you? Do you really think it’s the time for all of that? I have a lot on my plate, Nathan, without worrying about some damn human.”
“I thought things were going well?”
“Yeah, you would think that. It's going fine, but I don't think that it is right to keep this going. She shouldn't be in our world, especially if there are more attacks coming in from the opposition in the Fire Islands. You know that I am here for you until the end, my end if need be, but we shouldn't expect that from a human.”
“You get rid of her if you want to, Antoine, but I really don't think you do. I think that you need to take her up to the cabin and let her stay there for a little while. She would be all safe and sound, under your thumb.”
“Why would she do that? Look, Nathan, you aren’t making any sense now.”
“And you, Antoine, are acting like a damn human. Can you really not think of another way to push the issue and make her see things your way?”
“You know that I don't do that.”
Nathan shrugged. “Well, then, it is probably for the best you don't deal with humans. It's the easiest way to do so. Other species have been using it for years. They have minds that are so easy to push and control. It takes almost no effort.”
Antoine could not hide his distaste for that. Magical beings could enthrall a human. Vampires did it, witches did it in different ways. All species did it in one way or another, and with the shifters, it was just more natural. As dragons, they were dominant and would be deferred to on most occasions.
“I feel like she's more to you than just your human plaything.”
“It was never like that. I just felt bad for hitting her car and I wanted to make it right.”
“You fixed it. Give her some money and be on your way, if you're really doing this out of obligation and nothing else.”
As he said it, he had a smile on his face, and Antoine knew that his friend did not believe it was obligation at all. The truth was it really wasn't. He could have easily left her, before or after he checked to make sure she was alright. He let her see him, which was his first mistake. But after that, Antoine should have just walked away. If she had remembered too much and went to the police, it wasn't like he didn't know several at the top who could get rid of things for him. Hell, the sheriff was a shifter, which was one of the many reasons that he had picked the small town of Lasbo. It wasn't something that was done quickly and without thought.
“You're right, Nathan. I’ll think about it. I want to be ready if you need me.”
Nathan patted Antoine on the shoulder. “Don't let me be your excuse to run away from this woman. You're not as good at hiding your emotions as you think.”
“It doesn’t always turn out good, like it did for you, Nathan.”
“No, but what if it did?”
Antoine refused to comment on that last part. He quickly changed the subject to the battle that was going on in the Fire Islands. Nathan had been found to be its true Alpha once his true lineage was revealed. Antoine was happy for his friend, going from obscurity to the top, but it had not been an easy ascension. The people that were currently running the Fire Islands did not take kindly to being kicked out of their leadership roles, and they were fighting back. There were also some people in their attack force that felt the same way. Nathan not only had just found out his true lineage and his true place in the world, but now he had to fight for it.
