Page 42 of Accidentally a Dragon Daddy

“Damon.”

“Yes?”

“Your sister, she’s not the only one who’s going to react like that, is she?”

“No.”

“Some are going to be even worse. Aren’t they?”

“Yes.”

Silence reigned supreme once more. I didn’t like telling her that, didn’t like admitting her pregnancy would create disgust in some of my kind. Not all. There would be many who would be happy for such a situation. But most definitely not everyone.

“What do we do now?” she asked several minutes later, her voice soft, shy. “Am I … am I going to be safe?”

My chest rumbled noisily as anger bubbled up. “Know this, Elanya. I will protect you from anyone. I will guard both of you from those who would do you harm.”

Again, she was quiet.

“But you can’t always be around.”

My wings beat harder. As the sovereign had said, she couldn’t protect Elanya from what happened in the shadows.

But I could. And I would do whatever it took to keep Elanya safe. I almost felt pity for anyone who tried to hurt her or our child. Almost. Because I wasn’t a shadow. I was pure darkness.

And they had no idea what I was capable of.

Chapter Twenty-One

Elanya

I woke to the sound of something going on in the house. Thudding, creaking, someone going down the stairs, and coming back up. Again and again. My initial fear that perhaps someone was breaking in or fighting with Damon was quickly dispersed. Yet there was absolutely something going on out there.

“Damon?” I called, reluctant to abandon the comfort of the guest bed. “Everything okay out there?”

Pause. Grunt.

“Everything is fine.”

I’d never heard Damon out of breath before, and he still wasn’t, but there was a definite undertone of work in his reply. Lying back in the huge king bed with its oversized, weighted comforter, I tried to relax and enjoy the morning. But those darn noises from outside were all but calling to me.

What the heck was he doing out there?

It took another five minutes, but curiosity finally outweighed the sadness of leaving a comfortable bed in the morning. Cursing without any real weight, I flung the covers away and emerged like a bear rising from its hibernation. Grumpily.

A shower drove away most of the morning grime, but what I really wanted was something I knew I probably shouldn’t have. Coffee. Caffeine. A nice warm mug, with some sugar, little bit of cream, and a warm burn that cleared that morning fog right out. It was probably fine to have a cup. But I wasn’t going to risk it. Not when I had finally been given a miracle I’d been sure would never come my way.

As I reached for a set of human style clothes, I paused, glancing at the lavender fabric hanging from the rack in the closet nearby. The glani was a traditional female dragon garment. Somewhere between a toga and a sari, it was, admittedly, quite beautiful and comfortable. Although the amount of exposed skin was perhaps not practical for a human woman who could still suffer from sickness.

Ain’t no way I’m wearing one of those if we’re out flying in the rain. Guaranteed cold just waiting to happen. But I’m not going anywhere today, am I?

Reaching for the soft fabric, I pulled it free from the hanger, looking at it in the mirror. Was I doing it for myself? Or for Damon?

A deeper thud from elsewhere in the house stole my attention away, and I draped the garment over my head, the dual layers on front and back falling with a swish. Then I looped the bands around my chest and waist, tightening and securing it into place.

Regardless of how things progressed with Damon—and the past two days at his house had been nice, there was no denying that, even if nothing had happened—I was living among dragons now. It only made sense to work on fitting in.

Pulling open the door, I walked into the hall only to stop and stare.

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