Page 33 of So I Dared a Dragon

A human might not have realized she jumped, but I certainly didn’t miss it. My mate was questioning me.

“What do you think you might find in those mountains?” she asked.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been inside the Rocky Mountains.” Even in the darkness, they were an imposing presence on the horizon. “Nothing on the outside looks the sameas I remember, of course. They were an advanced thunder, and they had an amazing village. But there’s no telling what they would’ve been able to accomplish inside the mountain.”

“I’m looking forward to finding out,” she said, but she was slightly distant.

It was only a first date, and we were far from alone, I reminded myself. And everything was different this time. I was nervous too.

And I had a feeling there was something she wasn’t telling me about her pack. How could her family abandon her so easily?

“Do you want to try?” She offered the paintbrush.

“Yes.” The brush was too small for my hand. My talons hadn’t shifted away. I dipped the brush into the water, dropping it and making it splash onto the table.

“You don’t have to paint,” she said, sliding the box closer to me. “The nice thing about art is there aren’t any rules. It’s all about the vibe. How you’re feeling. It gives you a way to express yourself when words aren’t enough.”

“You never seem like you’re at a loss for words.” I considered the supply box and pulled out a cylinder of gold glitter.

“There are a lot of things I hold back on,” she chuckled. “I’m so excited to see what you do.”

My gaze was squarely on her. “I don’t want you to hold back on anything. Whatever you want to say, you can tell me. No secrets, no misunderstandings.”

She nodded. “I’m glad you told me about the dragon from the Rocky Mountain thunder.”

I poured out some of the glitter and tapped my fingertips into it.

“Careful,” Calista warned. “Glitter tends to stick around.”

“So do I.” I grinned as I pressed my fingers carefully onto the canvas. I didn’t want to ruin what she’d done. “I never thought I’d see stars again.”

“I can’t imagine.” Her voice was breathy. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

“The stars were worth the wait.”

“So were you.” Her breath caught in her throat. “I don’t know if it’s my place to say this, but I’m glad you didn’t shift completely to human. I would’ve really missed that if you had.”

“I’ll shift again.”

“I know. But once you get settled into life here, you’ll be surprised how much time you spend human.” There was sadness in her voice. “The world isn’t built for our animals.”

“I realized I’ve never seen you as a wolf.”

“Sometimes it feels like I have a separate being inside me.” She knotted her hands together in her lap. “I feel like I’ve abandoned her.”

“We’ll fix that,” I growled.

“I love how you’re not intimidated by the modern world,” she said. “You’re not afraid to be different. It’s so refreshing.”

“You’re pretty brave yourself.” I concentrated on the stars, making sure I added the right amount. “I have a feeling you would’ve stood up to the Night God.”

She laughed. “I’m sure he would’ve taken it really well when I told him to kiss my ass. You did what you thought was best at the time. Sometimes, hindsight can be a real bitch. You can’t change the past, and you can’t control the future.”

“He would’ve admired that insight.”

“Are you saying that I’m evil?” She raised a brow.

“I’m saying that you have better survival instincts than you give yourself credit for.”

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