Page 28 of Her Dragon Outlaw

“A toothbrush, comb, cup, anything that was small and carried some type of DNA. ”

“So what now?” I ask, feeling Lori's eyes and ears on me.

“Now I want you to head over and check her out. She has a boyfriend, a demon by the name of Nate. We suspect he’s an accomplice so be careful and see what you can find. I’m sending the rest to you electronically.”

“I’m on it. I’ll report back when I have something,” I hung up.

Lori’s eyes are expectant. “What did he say?”

“He has a lead. Apparently, a witch named Stella had been sleeping with shifters and stealing their DNA. We have to find out why she's working for Miller and what exactly they are doing with shifter DNA and human subjects.”

Her face drops. Her already pale skin turns translucent and he holds her arms stiffly at her sides. “How close are we to actually solving this thing,” she says in a calm voice.

“Honestly, I'm not sure. It depends on how hard Miller is working to hide whatever they're doing.”

I’m selfish.

It doesn't matter that she doesn't want to be near me.

It doesn't matter if she feels dejected by the time we still have left together.

It doesn't matter if part of me resists this as much as the other half craves it.

I want as much time with Lori as I can get.

I need to fix this.

Because time is running out.

24

LORI

The click of the automatic doors at HQ is a blessing and a curse. I do my best not to notice how close Cody stands next to me, how right it feels. I’m pissed at him. Mad enough to stuff the hurt back into the whole it crawled out of. We weren't even… well, anything really. It was just another lapse of judgment. One that I’m now forced to bear the consequences of until this is all over. Consequence A: Cody.

I fight a groan.

Screw him and his perfect face. I can take a hint, it was a one time thing.

The bitter taste of rejection thickens my tongue. It shouldn't feel this way. Like my heart was just deflated and shoved under a cushion. I shake away the shame that drips into my veins. Cody’s opinion of me holds no weight, he is barely more than a stranger.

A thought makes me deflate even more, until I’m sure there are no blood or bones left between my skin.

Cody’s a stranger alright.

A stranger that I dumped all my emotional baggage on.

Great, I am desperate.

My eyes haven’t met him since dinner. All of his attempts to grab my attention were a direct offering to my ire. So why am I so disappointed that he stopped trying? Why would I do anything to go back to the cabin, to the moment we were different, when I thought he felt the connection that set my marrow on fire.

“Glad you could make it so soon,” the chief said, as he waved us into his office.

Before Cody could close the door the Chief was already addressing me.

His voice was brisk.“Your sister has been found.”

My heart thumps, hard and I rush forward. “Where is she? Is she okay? Where did you find her?”

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