“What did she say?” Skinner demanded.
“Never mind,” Brody said.
Dusk arrived by the time we parked Brody’s truck in his driveway and me in mine. He crossed the distance between us and took me into his arms. “You okay?”
“Not really.”
“How about we get some food, then go flying?”
I considered the prospect of shifting into my dragon and hitting the skies only mildly interesting. “Maybe. I’m starving.”
“Me, too.”
His arm around me guided me into my house. I switched on lights, half expecting Bethany to pop up from behind the sofa or from a bedroom and shoot us both. She didn’t. My house,still in its chaotic state of unpacking, remained still and silent.Perhaps she hasn’t stolen her next ride yet.
In the kitchen, Brody poured wine for us both. “I think we need this first.”
I heartily agreed. We sat at the table, drinking the cold, sweet wine, both of us lost in our thoughts. The alcohol soothed some of my depression, permitting me to finally relax. My legs ached from running, as I hadn’t pushed myself that hard in a long time.
“Pizza?” Brody suggested.
“No. I don’t want to open the door.”
“We can’t live our lives in a shell.”
“I know. I just, you know, worry she’s watching the house right now. Or they both are. And we won’t see them coming.”
He took my hand. “We’re dragons, babe.”
“So is Rivers,” I replied. “Maybe Bethany is, too. We just don’t know.”
‘True,” he admitted. “If she is, you’re more than a match for her.”
“How do you know?”
Brody smirked over the rim of his glass. “You’re tougher, meaner, and far smarter than she is. She ran, didn’t she?”
“Yeah.”
“You plotted a way to take her out and you did.” He saluted me with a grin. “I’ll never underestimate you, my love.”
I chuckled. “That was pretty cool, wasn’t it?”
“It sure was.”
Neither of us wanted to cook, so we concocted sandwiches and chips, recounted the events of the day as we ate.
“Why do you think she didn’t turn and shoot you?” he asked, his mouth full.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “She had opportunities but didn’t take them. It’s been bugging me since then.”
“Maybe she’s having second thoughts about trying to kill you?”
“Or me chasing her intimidated her enough that she thought that if she shot me, she’d only piss me off.”
He laughed. “NowthatI do believe.”
“She’s nuts so who knows what’s going on in her head.”
