Page 29 of King of Tides

“I can bring you coffee and breakfast. It’s no big deal. If I stop for breakfast, that will give you more time to get ready,” he pushes.

“Carson,” I huff. “I’ll be ready in thirty and we can go to breakfast together. How does that sound?”

“Perfect. I know this place you’ll love. The food is great. We can talk in the car on the way,” he says with way too much hope in his voice.

I frown. There’s something off about the way he sounds. It’s not just the eagerness. Something is different in his voice.

As my Spidey senses go off, I decide to use our secret code. Mack made us come up with it years ago so we’d be able to let the other know something was wrong. As runaways it was a necessary precaution.

“Car?”

“Yeah?”

“Not my blood …”

“But always my family,” he responds.

I blow out a relieved breath. Thank God. I have enough weird shit going on.

“Text me when you arrive, I’ll come down to meet you. See you in a bit,” I sigh into the phone.

Hanging up, I then flop back against my pillow and close my eyes to think. I don’t allow myself to think of last night or Ardan.I need to get my head together to figure out this mess I’ve gotten Carson and me into.

I growl and punch the bed as I kick my feet. This is why I never ask for help. The one time I do, I get Carson into some shit and we could both end up losing our badges.

“Fuck me,” I groan as I open my eyes and stare up at the ceiling.

I was so focused on nailing Candido I didn’t think about how this could blow up in my face. Yes, we saved that woman’s life, but how do we get out of this without me ending up in a straitjacket.

“Why me?” I mumble and force myself to get up and head for the shower.

I smile as I remember Ardan coming to fix the water pressure for me. Immediately, I frown and chide myself for my thoughts. I mean, I confessed that I was attracted to him.

I was expecting him to flirt back or something, not rush to leave. I’m not begging for anyone’s attention.

I don’t know what his problem is, but I guess it’s for the best. I don’t need to get involved with him anyway. He could be a potential suspect.

I make quick work of taking my shower. Then I jump out to lotion my skin before I throw on a pair of jeans and a loose-fitting T-shirt. Looking in the mirror, I decide to leave my curly waves out.

I run a hand through my locks and pull them to the right side, then go to plug in my flat iron to set my part. Once I have a clean part and my hair is resting to the right on its own, I blow out a breath and head to the kitchen to find something to drink.

I glance toward the lockbox where I keep my guns, but my stomach growls and acid rises in my throat. Damn, I didn’t realize how hungry I am. I can’t wait for breakfast with Carson. I need something to eat now.

I move into the kitchen and go to make some toast. Once the bread is in the toaster, I decide to grab the kettle to fill it with water for some tea. As the water runs, I stare at it, filling the clear glass. My vision begins to ripple.

I gasp as the head of that dragon from the other vision rises from the water in the kettle. My hand shakes as I place the kettle down in the sink. Covering my mouth, I try to hold my scream in.

Its whisker-looking things curl at the tips as they float through the air and glow with a light of their own. Its blue skin looks almost iridescent. Yet, it sits there as if it belongs.

What the fuck was in that shit we smoked last night? I’m never smoking again. When it seems like it tilts its head to study me, I nearly laugh. This is some crazy shit.

“What the fuck?” I breathe when I finally calm myself.

The dragon remains silent at first as it looks me in the eyes with its deep-blue ones. I take a few steps back, bumping into the island behind me.

The dragon becomes larger and places its forearms against the edge of the sink as if it were an old friend leaning in to have a chat. Its elbows look hard and sharp, like horns or something. I shake my head as if that will be enough to clear it and make the vision go away.

“Don’t be alarmed. I have not come to harm you but to join you. It is time, young master.”

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