"Just some guy. He's really persistent, and it's getting annoying." There was a clatter, a shuffling of the phone, and then her laugh bubbled up again, too loud, too close to the microphone.
"Listen to me. Stay right where you are; do not move," I said, the words sharp and commanding, but I didn't wait for her response. I was already moving. I bolted outside, the cool night air hitting my face as my feet carried me at a supernatural pace. The world blurred around me as I shifted, a mosaic of colors and shapes that I paid no mind. My only focus was the mile or two between myself and the bar, which I devoured with every flap of my wing. Cars, streetlights, and pedestrians, all were mere streaks beneath me as I flew, driven by the need to ensure that Erin was safe from the unwanted advances that violated the earpiece still lodged firmly in my ear.
I shifted above the woods behind the bar, landing hard and running faster than any human could past the dumpsters, through employee parking, and around to the front. I burst through the bar doors, my dragon begging to be let back out. The cacophony of laughter, music, and clinking glasses did nothing to drown out that asshole's voice, still pestering Erin. There she was, cornered at her table, her face a mix of annoyance and inebriation.
"Hey!" I loomed over the guy with an intensity that made him recoil. "She said ‘no."
"Who the hell are you?" he sneered, sizing me up but clearly noting the warning in my stance.
"Someone you don't want to mess with," I growled, "and you'll spread the word that Erin is off-limits. She's under the Beck Clan's protection. Clear?"
His eyes widened, recognizing the name, and he nodded hastily before scuttling away. Satisfied, I turned to Erin just as Aurelia and Skye stumbled back from the bathroom, giggling uncontrollably.
"Time to go home," I said firmly.
Erin looked up, her eyes glassy but filled with mirth. The girls just rolled their eyes. "Ashton!" she slurred, a giggle escaping her lips. "How'd you get here so fast? Where's your bike?"
"Later." I brushed off her question. She looked amazing, even with her hair messy and lipstick smudged. I had to stop myself from yanking her into my arms and carrying her home like a caveman.
"Dance with me." She swayed slightly, a mischievous pout on her lips, and then her hand reached out, her fingers warm and insistent as they wrapped around my wrist, pulling me closer. The music, a slow, country hum I hadn’t truly noticed before, seemed to swell around us.
I let her tug me closer, my hand finding her waist. Her body leaned into mine, soft and yielding, her scent intoxicating. We swayed, more than danced, a slow, intimate glide that held a thousand unspoken things. Her head tilted back, her eyes meeting mine, and that hazy mirth was replaced by something deeper, hotter, that mirrored the fire igniting in my own veins. It was a battle of wills, a simmering tension beneath the slow rhythm, and for a moment, all I wanted was to lose it.
But the moment passed, and I pulled back slightly, regret already a bitter taste.
I threw some money on the table, then guided them outside, where Aurelia's car was parked. With some difficulty, I finagled Aurelia and Skye into the backseat, their laughter spilling into the night. Erin was more docile, though she wouldn't stop giggling.
Driving through the night with Erin beside me, infectious laughter bubbled up from Aurelia and Skye in the back seat. They were diving into a realm of reminiscing.
Aurelia's voice, slightly slurred from the drinks, broke through the haze of my thoughts. "Oh Erin, you should've seen Ashton when he thought he could sneak out of the house as a teenager. He once tried to climb out the window and got stuck halfway."
Skye erupted into giggles, her amusement echoing in the car. "Yes, I was there. Then your dad caught him hanging there. I don't think I've ever seen your father move so fast."
Erin giggled along with them, leaning in closer as if eager for more tales of my youthful antics. "Seriously, Ashton? You got stuck trying to sneak out?"
I rolled my eyes playfully, my grumpy facade cracking a bit under Erin's infectious laughter. "Yes, well, I was young and reckless once, and that bathroom window was tiny." I shot Aurelia a nasty look in the rear-view mirror, threatening her with my eyes to stop with the stories.
Aurelia, ignoring me and clearly reveling in the chance to embarrass me, spoke up again. "Don't get us started on his cooking experiments. Remember the time he tried to bake a cake for Mom's birthday and ended up setting off the smoke alarms?"
Skye doubled over with laughter, clutching her stomach. "Oh, I'll never forget that. Your mom was so furious, and Ashton swore off baking for good after that."
Erin laughed so hard she snorted, and I chuckled along with her despite my lingering concerns. "I refuse to bake anything now, though I have been known to cook some."
I glanced at Erin, her face flushed with happiness and her eyes sparkling with amusement. At that moment,I realized that even though tonight hadn't gone as planned, seeing her smile made it all worthwhile. She was oblivious to the complexities of my world, of dragons and mates, but for now, I cherished these simple moments of laughter and camaraderie, even if it meant enduring a bit of teasing from Aurelia and Skye along the way.
The drive to the manor was loud and chaotic, but eventually, we pulled up through the gates and stopped in front of the door. The girls spilled out, still chuckling and tripping over their own feet, and Drake appeared at the front door and then walked out to us. He shook his head with a knowing smile, waving me off.
"I've got these two. Go take care of her," he said, his voice carrying the authority and assurance of my second.
"Thanks," I said, already getting back in the car to head to the inn with Erin. My mind raced, but not nearly as much as my heart did, caught between concern and a growing desire I was determined to keep in check.
The engine hummed a low purr as I steered the car to the inn, my hands tightening on the wheel every time Erin's fingers grazed my arm. Her touch was light, almost teasing, but with each brush of her skin against mine, the heat rose within me—a dangerous warmth that had no place here.
"You feel nice," she said, her voice heavy with something more intoxicating than alcohol. She shifted in her seat, crossing her legs once more, and her desire hit me like a blow, musky and sweet and unmistakably hers. My foot faltered on the accelerator, and the car swerved just enough to make my heart skip a beat. "Whoa there, tiger," she giggled, seemingly oblivious to the near miss.
Shit, I was about to lose it. "You need to sit still."
"Sorry," was all she said, but the apology was lost to another fit of chortles that shook her whole body.
