Page 88 of So I Dared a Dragon

That sounded much better in my head than out loud.

“We need to get that necklace back,” Aarix grunted as he stormed toward the van.

I couldn’t will my feet to move. I looked to Bibi for guidance. She always knew how to fix a situation when it fell to complete and utter shit. Her eyes were wide, her lips parted, and that little unicorn horn headband was so hopeful, even if it had gotten slightly crooked in the commotion.

“What if the Night God wants revenge for what we did to the Montana pack?” I didn’t think it was possible for a chill to go down my spine. I was a dragon. Fire ran through my veins. “And how many forms can he shift into?”

Bibi straightened her unicorn horn and steeled herself. She wasn’t letting anything ruin this date night. “Don’t give him more power than he deserves. He practically drained Darcy dry and if that was actually him, he didn’t even look in her direction. Once he gets what he wants from you and Aarix, he’ll do the same to you. This is a lesson we’ve learned before. We let the Montana pack convince us to shrink into roles that were far too small for us. We deserve better. All those dragons deserve better.”

“He’s weak, Calista,” Darcy said. “Take it from me—and no, I don’t give a single fuck that he ignored me. I got what I needed from him too. He led me to Luca.”

“Okay.” I closed my eyes for a long blink and grounded myself. “Let’s go see the Horny Hunks.”

I climbed into the van next to Aarix. His gaze was fixed out the window, his muscles tense.

“Will it always be like this?” My heart threatened to crack at my own question. “The Night God won’t let you find your own happiness? When will this battle end?”

Aarix turned to me and softened. “For a long time, I wasn’t sure why he’d fooled us into imprisonment. He was a god, and we were far from it. What I didn’t realize was that as long as he has control over us, he can harness our power.”

“But I’m not all dragon,” I reminded him. “He ordered the Montana wolves to breed it out of me. Whatever I am, mixed with your power, is something he can’t control.”

Aarix nodded thoughtfully.

“So we go have fun and show this bastard we don’t have a care in the world. Then we find the necklace.” It was a wild card that scared me. If the Guardian Stone had been powerful enough for Aarix to track me with, then others would feel that power too.

Unless it had been the effect of my power mixed with the stone.

I took a deep breath, because my next statement would be the scariest of them all. “But I need you to promise me something, Aarix. Tell me it’s not always going to be like this. A cat and mouse game between the two of you.”

“No. This is a fight that will only need to happen once.” He leaned over and kissed my forehead. His power surged into me. “Remember when we were in the caverns, and I used to ask you to tell me about your dreams?”

“Of course.”

“I remember every single one of them. I wrote them down, because I knew someday I would have a chance to make them all come true. That’s worth fighting for.” He lowered his lashes, and that incredible green gaze was enough to turn me to goo. “I can’t wait to start a whole new world with you.”

“That is the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.” Bibi’s voice startled me. I’d slipped into a place where only Aarix existed. “But we’re ready to go into the show. This would usually be the time to ask how you’re feeling, but feelings don’t feel like they’re big enough to encompass tonight’s energy.”

“I have a question for you,” I said.

Bibi’s perfectly sculpted eyebrows shot up. “Ask away.”

“What did it feel like when you completed your transformation into Bibi le Bonnet?” I asked. “How did you know it was complete?”

“Oh, that’s so juicy. I love it.” She took a moment before she answered. “I knew I’d completely shed my old identity when the things that used to get under my skin didn’t bother me anymore. Like there was a force field around me.”

Aarix scoffed softly. “Guess I’m not there yet.”

“You’re not transforming into a new creature,” I reminded him. “You’re regaining the power that was stolen from you. There’s a difference.”

He simply nodded as we got out of the van and put his hand firmly at the small of my back as we walked into the resort. Even for a service entrance, it was strangely quiet here; either none of the reporters had figured out our destination, or after Aarix’s outburst, they hadn’t dared follow us. I would take this moment of peace. If Aarix had meant what he’d said about making my dreams come true, it was a precursor of what was to come. The endless drama and chaos of my pack had worn me out, and I was tired of running.

I was ready to belong.

“Oh, this is so amazing,” I exclaimed as we walked into The Theater of the Horny Hunks. Dry ice hugged the floor, and the lights that came up from it were all pink, purple and teal. Clear crystal and unicorn horns rimmed the perimeter, and waiters wearing thong codpieces with unicorn horns took orders.

The usher led us to a table front row center. “Enjoy the show.”

“This is absolutely amazing,” Darcy exclaimed as she took the seat to my left. “Tonight they’ll be performing Lord of the Horns. I can’t wait to see how they pull this off. Pun totally intended.”

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