Page 21 of So I Dared a Dragon

Yeah, I had a major amount of explaining to do. It was a predicament I was getting used to.

A production assistant approached me with hesitation. “We’re ready to start the interview.”

I nodded as hair, makeup, and wardrobe swooped in for last looks.

One of the sound guys handed Aarix a microphone. His hands were too big, too dragon to clip it into the neckline of his shirt. I grabbed an apple box from next to one of the light stands and slid it in front of him. Even standing on it, I had to reach up to help him.

I’d forgotten what it was like to be this close to him. Heat radiated off his body. He could call his flame at any time. No need for a shift. And there was this otherworldliness to him that I could only describe as being falsely calming and seductively addicting.

Could we make things work on this side of the mountain?

He closed his eyes and drew in a breath, like he’d done so many times when we were together, like he was savoring my scent. Way too intimate in a room full of people, when the cameras were always rolling.

“Thank you,” he said as he opened his eyes, leaning in closer. The heat should’ve been enough to turn me into a puddle. “I won’t hold back, Calista.”

“Neither will I.”

I turned to find Tina and Marissa, with their arms crossed, frowns part of their uniform. I nodded to them as I took my seat across from Bibi. She was in a chair, and they’d brought out a couch for Aarix and me.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d send Hannah out here for this interview too,” I said. I’d barely had a chance to process the fact that Bibi had been one of my contestants. I’d had a feeling when Hannah greeted me on the stage, but when Bibi answered that first question, I knew for sure.

Would I have picked her if Aarix hadn’t arrived when he did? Damn straight I would have.

“It wasn’t my intention to deceive you, Calista. But I also couldn’t tell you the plan in advance.” She pursed her lips and pushed her shoulders back. “I needed to prove to everyone mates are fated. No one can argue with a dragon intervention.”

“It was pretty dramatic.” I cautioned a shy smile at Aarix as he settled on the couch, but he didn’t return it. Moments ago, I thought he’d kiss me while I fastened his microphone to his collar. Now he was all business.

“Since Aarix is new toThe Mating Game, I’ll take a moment to go over our objectives with this interview.” Bibi cut through the tension. “Frankly, we’re all in uncharted territory with this episode. We’ll be streaming this on our website, but not live. Our first priority is to make sure everyone associated with the show is safe. You always have a say over what makes the final edit. That being said, I encourage you to answer the questions candidly. My hope is that we can pick up the pieces and make this our best episode yet. Do you either of you have any questions?”

“I have many, but perhaps some will be answered in this conversation,” Aarix said.

“Completely understandable.” Bibi flashed a megawatt smile at him, and I tried not to be envious that he was in far better graces with her than I was, even after he’d almost obliterated our amphitheater. “We’re here to make sense of this, for everyone.”

“I have a question.” I waited for Bibi’s gaze to turn to me. It cooled considerably from the warmth she’d given Aarix. “What would you have done if I’d chosen you? Because I was about to.”

A low growl resonated from Aarix’s throat. “Explain why you were about to choose any other mate when you had already promised yourself to me.”

“That’s what we’re all wondering,” Bibi added. “It was risky for me to go on stage as a contestant. But if I hadn’t, everyone would’ve questioned if we really did belong together. Maybea little piece of me wondered too. I hope we can save our friendship, and I think you might still have a happily ever after within reach.”

“So where do you want to start?” I asked. Aarix was hardly a consolation prize. Even stuck in between human and dragon, he was gorgeous. I’d never experienced his full power—until today. It was pretty spectacular, but I had to admit, I was terrified. Where did my dragon fit in this modern world?

Bibi cocked a brow. “Is there more than you haven’t told us?”

I shook my head.

“Good. Then let’s keep this conversation focused on the dragons.” She raised her gloved hand to her heart. She was still in her stage gown. I’d changed into a tunic and leggings. “First, tell me how you even knew that such fantastic beasts existed! I’ve traveled quite extensively, and this is my first encounter. I have to say, it’s quite exciting.”

“We feel the same way,” Aarix said. “We’ve never met another wolf like you.”

Of course the dragons would be enchanted by the sparkly drag queen.

“As you know, I followed Wolfsbane on tour, trying to meet up with you.” It felt like an unnecessary dig, but I had to paint the picture for everyone. “I’d made friends on tour, and when the band went back into the studio to record their next album, I didn’t have a place to go. One of my friends suggested we head to Summerland, Tennessee. Dragon’s Kiss, a band she was obsessed with, was in residency there. At first, it made no sense why a huge superstar like Cecily Lovewell would resign herself to only playing in this quirky small town in the Smoky Mountains. I mean, Double Barrel Republic had been huge, and she was the heart of that band. The more we talked to the locals, the more we discovered about the small town.” I turned to Aarix. “Are you okay with me telling this part, or would you rather?”

He nodded. “Cecily was drawn to Summerland for the same reason you were, sunshine.”

That one word uttered in that deep voice was enough to turn me into a pile of goo.

“She was fated to be a dragon’s mate,” he continued. “There were a few dragons who had escaped the curse of the Night God, and it was their job to draw the right elements to the town to help free those of us who’d been stuck underground for generations. It was my fault we were there in the first place.”

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