Page 12 of Accidentally a Dragon Daddy

Gray clouds covered the sky as I drove, mirroring my mood. Although the storm from the night before had passed, the unseasonably warm weather that had ushered the storm in was still present. There was no sun spilling through, but it didn’t matter as the heat of the past week left no trace of snow on the ground.

The SUV rumbled along as I sat in silence. I contemplated turning on the radio to drive away the constant deluge of questions assaulting my brain.

Why me?

That was the biggest one. It came in multiple forms. My analytical side, trying to fathom out who I had pissed off enough to not only want to frame me but was also capable of such an act. So far, I had zero suspects. Which didn’t help the irrational, emotional part of me wailing the question to the heavens with no effect.

It didn’t matter in the end because it had already happened. Someone had done it, and I had no idea why. I might never know.

Up ahead, the road ended in a series of stacked concrete road barriers with a gap between them monitored by a pair of armored vehicles. Men stood under hastily erected wooden guard posts, automatic rifles slung across their chests. Their green fatigues stood out like a sore thumb against the concrete background, but it didn’t really matter.

They weren’t there to blend in. Just as the huge, tracked vehicles weren’t. They were positioned to intimidate and, if necessary, stop anyone who tried to get past them without authorization.

I came to a stop as one lifted their hand unnecessarily to signal me to do just that. My window was down.

“Hello, Corporal,” I said, noting the rank on his arm. “How’s the day looking?”

“Gray, ma’am. Very gray. What are you doing here?”

“I’m with Blue Star,” I said. “I’m taking another aid package across.”

The corporal’s men were busy looking in through the windows as he eyed me suspiciously. I didn’t react. It was part of the routine, and something I was used to. The soldiers always scrutinized me heavily, though I’d never quite figured out why. What did it matter if someone went into the dragon-occupied territory? If someone wanted to be that stupid to simply wander around, why did the government care?

“Name?” the corporal asked.

“Elanya Davis.” My name was on the authorized list, had been for months. It should be fine.

If the police were tied into the military net, however, then—

“Roger, you’re cleared to proceed,” the corporal said, signaling to his men as they backed away from the SUV. “Good luck.”

“Thank you, Corporal,” I said emphatically and started to pull the SUV forward slowly.

The pathway through the maze of road barriers turned abruptly to the left as I passed through the first gap, and I followed the turns with care, slowly releasing my worry in several long breaths. I’d made it. All that was left was to drive through the field of military vehicles and out the other side. Then I would be free.

Of course, there were the dragons to worry about, but I’d become an expert at avoiding them over the past few months. That was a known problem, and one I could handle.

The path through the barriers spat me out on a concrete road flanked by rows of tanks and other heavy military vehicles. A sea of green-clad soldiers moved around, performing maintenance, training, or who knew what else. Watchtowers poked up past buildings here and there with men holding binoculars scanning the horizon.

And right in front of me, a pair of black SUVs were angled nose-together to block my path, lights flashing. Two men in black suits stood on either side, while a third in a gray suit waited in the middle.

“Damn it,” I groaned as soldiers trotted forward to surround the vehicle, ensuring I couldn’t escape.

Briefly, I considered gunning it, trying to blow my way through the soldiers and escape. But only for a second. My original plan had been insane. Trying to force my way through soldiers with tanks everywhere was flat-out suicide. Besides, I couldn’t plead ignorance if I did that.

Putting the vehicle into park, I rolled down the window, frowning as the man in the gray suit approached, his glossy black shoes clicking loudly on the pavement as he approached, his eyes hidden behind what had to be a pair of standard issue “government agency” sunglasses.

“Excuse me,” I said with as much innocence as I could muster. “I need to get past you. Is there a problem?”

“I’m sure it’s all a misunderstanding,” the man replied coolly as he approached, tapping a finger on the hood of the SUV. “We’ll have it resolved in no time.”

His expression said otherwise. I swallowed nervously.

“What seems to be the problem?” I asked.

The man—and he had to be a federal agent. There was no way he was a plain old policeman-paused outside my window as he removed his sunglasses. Pale blue eyes bordering on gray stared down at me with undisguised contempt.

“Come now, Miss Davis,” he said with a sigh. “Are you really going to make me play this game of yours? We know all about you.”

---