Page 85 of Shifter Marked and Claimed

CHAPTERTEN

“What isit going to take for you to open the door?” I asked.

He kept walking, turning the corner before I could catch up to him. When I rounded the bed, he was already transforming back into a dragon.

“Dammit, Vedar. You are the most frustrating creature I have ever met.”

He settled onto his treasure and closed his eyes. I marched right up to him.

“I’m so tempted to kick you again. I don’t even care if I end up with another headache because of it. Maybe you’ll knock me unconscious so I don’t have to deal with you.”

His eyes snapped open, and the glittering warning I saw in the depths of his gaze had me closing my mouth. For two seconds.

“Nope,” I said. “It’ll be worth it.”

I drew back my foot to kick him but didn’t even get the chance. I should have guessed that a creature who could shift from dragon to man in the blink of an eye would use his huge, dexterous dragon-hand to pull me in and tuck me close to his chest, safely under his chin and away from his sensitive nose.

Crouched in the small cage he’d created by resting his chin on his linked fingers, I pouted for a moment then pushed up on his neck. He didn’t budge but stretched a little like he was enjoying the touching. I huffed out an annoyed breath and went for his hands.

The clicking started up as I pried away his hold, one ginormous scaled digit at a time. He seemed to think my attempt to get out was a game, though. Each time I was close to being able to crawl out from under his chin, he would replace one of the fingers he’d already allowed me to move.

“All right. I give up. What do you want in exchange for letting me go?”

“Nothing,” he rumbled. “You are mine.”

“Fine. What about letting Zoe go?”

“No.”

“Is stubborn a dragon trait or special to you?”

A rumbling laugh disrupted the clicking.

“I’ll rub my cheek against yours again if you let Zoe go.”

The clicking and the laughing stopped, and he lifted his massive head to look down at me.

“No.”

“Why not? You don’t care about Zoe, and you liked it when I did it before.”

He set his head down over me. I crossed my arms in a sulk and leaned against his arm, treasure digging into my backside as I tried to think of something he might want in exchange for Zoe’s release. He had no reason to keep her. As she’d pointed out and he’d proven, his fascination was with me. And as soon as she was out, she could call Megan, and I’d be—

I swore as I realized that was exactly why he wasn’t going to let her go. He knew what she’d do.

Frustration welled up inside of me. I couldn’t just sit here. Not when Chloe was in danger because Zoe and I had run in the first place.

Unfolding my arms, I reached up and set my hands on Vedar’s throat.

“Please, Vedar. Someone’s life is in danger. A friend. She’s hurt badly. What if I promise to come back right after I get help for her?”

There was no answer. I dropped my hands and tried not to let defeat creep in. Or worse, give into the tingling burning in my nose. As soon as the tears of frustration started falling, I would know I had given up, and I couldn’t do that.

I sat there in silence for a long while before I told him I was uncomfortable and wormed my way out of his hold. He watched me through one slitted eye as I crossed the room and climbed onto the bed. Curling on my side, I stared at the wall. What would Vedar do if I broke a chair and dug my way through a wall again? He’d probably stop me at the chair-breaking.

I sighed.

A sniffle escaped me.

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