Page 39 of Dragon Unhinged

He probably is. I never should’ve thought the word “mate”.

I am. All yours.

My stomach’s in knots as his thoughts get more and more possessive, until he’s not even giving me words. Just emotion, just rage.

Declan, please. Come back to me. Calm down. There’s no way I’m ever going to let this guy have even a tiny piece of my heart. He couldn’t have any of it. It’s all yours.

The thoughts, the images, the emotions all stop suddenly. Like the connection we have just got forcibly severed.

Declan?

All through dinner, all through Peter trying to talk to me, to engage me in conversation, I keep trying to reach him, a persistent, unanswered call.

Over and over, I think and call his name. Over and over, my thoughts get met with silence.

“Thank you for another lovely evening, Mr. Shirakita.” Mrs. Lee is practically fawning over my father as we stand from the table.

“It doesn’t have to end yet.” Peter looks me up and down before turning to my father. “I’d love a few quiet minutes with your daughter, if you don’t mind. We could take a walk around the grounds, soak in the night air.”

“Of course. Why don’t we head into the parlor for an after-dinner drink, let these two get to know each other a little better?” Papa shoots me a stern look, one that I’ve seen often enough to know I can’t argue with. At least not in front of company.

I don’t want to walk with Peter, though. I don’t want anything more to do with this guy.

His hand presses against my lower back, persistently adding pressure until I have to take a step forward or risk him trying to go straight through my spine. He escorts me toward the door just past the kitchen that leads out to the courtyard. The air is brisk with a touch of a cool breeze. The feel of Peter’s hand seems to get colder as we stroll down the path taking us deep into the labyrinth of tall bushes and flower beds.

Each step I take feels like a betrayal to Declan. Why isn’t he answering me? What happened after that roar?

More than the sinking feeling something is wrong with Declan, is the edge of fear around my anxiety. I don’t like the switch in Peter and being led out into the dark with him seems like an increasingly bad idea. Not that I had much choice in the matter.

“You’ve been distracted all night.” Pet’s voice is low and full of mirth. “Don’t worry, I’m not interested in a romantic relationship with you any more than you are with me.”

I shiver. He reminds me more of my father with every passing second, only if possible, worse. Same ramrod straight back, same derisive sneer etched on his face, same power-hungry glint in his eye.

No, that might be hunger of another variety.

I watch him warily as he continues to herd me through the garden. I’ve never seen a look so predatory, so dangerous, in real life.

“What do you want, then?” I try to move away from him, to gain some space, but his fingers tighten, holding me against his side.

“Nothing, yet. I’m glad to see that my coming here tonight won’t be a complete waste, though. Your father thinks he’s a big name in politics, as if he could actually help me reach my goals, but he’s small time. An ambassador from a country hardly anyone’s heard of, relegated to the U.S. like it’s some big honor.” He rolls his eyes at me.

In the moonlight, his teeth glint, and I notice the sharp, elongated canines. His features are gaunter, his cheeks sunken in. His eyes are like the dark hollows of a skull only there’s a glint, like an animal’s reflecting in the white light.

“It doesn’t matter, though.” He turns away from me and lets me go, like he’s lost in his own thoughts. “Getting close to him means keeping an eye on the animals he keeps locked away and gathering more contacts and maybe even collecting his daughter as a plaything. Even if his daughter is playing whore to a beast. Grey will be quite pleased with this development.”

No. No, no, no. How could he possibly know about Declan and the others? How could he know about me, about my connection with Declan? And who the hell is Grey?

Declan? I reach out again, even more desperate to hear from him.

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head, Brianna.” He pats me on the head like I’m a dog, or a little girl in need of praise. “I won’t tell Daddy all about what you’ve been up to. In fact, I think you should keep seeing the dragon. Keep visiting him in the basement, keep spreading your whore legs for him. This could be a beneficial relationship for both of us after all.” Peter smirks at me again, before breaking into a full smile that can’t hide his teeth. His fangs. The dead look in his eyes has an empty hunger inside of them.

The only word that comes to mind is preposterous.

Vampire.

Though, is it so strange? So impossible? I’m sleeping with a dragon shifter. I know there are other kinds of shifters, fae, witches. But vampires? What else is in this world? What else lurks in the shadows that I know nothing about?

As a blur of questions ride through my thoughts, I hold onto another thing he said. Why would my seeing Declan mean anything good for Peter Lee or this Grey?

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