Page 7 of A Dagger of Twisted Starlight

My job had me naturally observing people and supernaturals, sizing them up as threats or not. I could usually tell when a shifter was about to swipe a taloned hand or a Marvel was about to access their threads of mana. There were twitches in the face, body, and general demeanor. I enjoyed doing it—people-watching.

With Blake, I found myself observing him just for fun.

“Suit yourself,” Madds said. He twisted the heavy silverchain on his neck so that the clasp was to the back. “Want me to bring out some pizza?”

“Sure,” I said.

Dawn stroked her braid. “Alright, well, if you guys need anything, we’ll be inside.”

My family started heading toward the house, the structure appearing to blend directly into the beige stone it was built against.

“Oh, you don’t have to stay out here,” Blake said. A loose strand of dark brown hair fell to his forehead. “I’m sure nothing’s going to happen to me out here.”

“And I’d like to beextrasure of that. So I’m staying.” I crossed my arms. His eyes darted down toward my bicep. Was I flexing them a little? Sure. Did it seem to have the desired effect?

“Yeah, yes. Stay.”

“Great. Now, come and help me unpack our shit. The tents are up, but we still have to make them nice.”

“I thought you were my bodyguard, not my boot camp instructor.”

“I could be a lot of things for you.”

Blake stumbled on a rock. I grabbed him by the elbow to stop the fall. “You know, for a shifter, you aren’t very agile.”

“And for a dragon, you aren’t very, uh, scaly.”

“Want to see them?”

Blake rolled his eyes. “I can already see the ones on your bicep.”

“Not the ones I’m talking about.” I lifted my shorts so that they bunched up around my crotch. Blake dropped his head, and then I noticed his jaw twitch, like it was going todrop just the same. His attention bounced off my crotch and onto the slash of golden scales that wrapped around my thigh.

He started a series of slow nods. Licked his lips. I could almost see the strain in his face from trying to keep his eyes on mine.

“That’s, uh, actually really beautiful.”

I winked at him. “Thank you. Maybe you’ll get to see all of them one day.”

His eyes opened wide, like a puppy being offered a bone. “You have more?” Blake did that sudden switch again, his eyes flinching the tiniest amount. “Actually, uh, forget that. Don’t answer it. That’s probably not good.”

I let my shorts drop. “What’s not good?” I asked.

“Knowing so much about each other. This is a work relationship. It’s probably bad if we make it anything else.”

“You keep saying probably.” I cocked my head, smiled.

“Yeah?”

“I like to deal in certainties.”

And something that was absolutely certain? My growing attraction to Blake King.

Chapter 4

Campfire Stories

Blake

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