Page 18 of Lyric

In an ominous tone, Jinn said, “He won’t give up.”

8

Jinn

They way Coltan had switched from a semi-nice alpha in a bar to this obsessive person and feral dragon had been so abrupt and unexpected. I knew him, now. He would circle overhead in the night until he couldn’t stay awake. I was no longer a person to him. I was a thing he owned. And like a dragon protecting his hoard, he would have it no matter the cost.

I looked up, gulping at the darkness. The leaves were thick, and I couldn’t see the stars, but I knew he was out there.

“Here.” Lyric grabbed a hand towel and threw it over the lantern, dimming it. “Better?”

I nodded.

“Lyrican will protect you. I promise.”

“He already has. He’s so fast and strong. If I’d met any other dragon out here, we’d both be dead by now.” My breath suddenly stuck. Tears warmed beneath my eyelids. “And it would be all my fault.”

“Your fault? No. Get that out of your mind right now. You did nothing wrong.”

Lyric’s words should have helped calm me. But everything was still chaos in my mind. I didn’t have any strength to hold back, and my words came unfiltered.

“But I would be responsible. I made bad choices. I drank too much at the bar. It felt good. I let myself loosen up. I danced a bit with others. Then Coltan broke in. He was so strong and smelled like fresh air.” Tears spilled. I gasped.

“Hey, slow down,” came Lyric’s soft voice.

But I couldn’t stop. “He said he had something that would make me feel even better. I watched him slip something from a vial into my drink. I thought, Why not? Then I was lost in his big arms.” I smacked my forehead. “How could I be so stupid?”

“You’re not.”

I shook my head at him. “I let him spend the night. It’s not something I normally do. The next day I ghosted him, but he started coming around my house and my work. First with gifts. Then he started threatening me. I had to get that restraining order. Why did I think it would help?” I started to cry. “It only pissed him off more.” I put my hands over my face to keep from sobbing outright.

An arm came around me. Naked across my bare back. I couldn’t help myself. I leaned into him, my head against his shoulder. Here I was with another alpha and I still didn’t have the intelligence not to be taken in by a gallant gesture. Was I so needy?

But Lyric was one of the good ones. I could sense it.

He said softly, “On behalf of all alphas, I apologize for the bad behavior of so many of them.”

I wanted to laugh. And cry some more. He was so nice. And he was famous. How could I not be taken in just a little?

But no, I never learned, did I?

Darkness closed in on us. I was so tired I kept slipping sideways.

Lyric brought out another pillow and told me to lie down. “I’ll keep watch.”

“You need sleep, too, after fighting him twice.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

I fell asleep before I could argue any more.

I slept like the dead at first. Then the nightmares came. I tossed and turned. Every time I relaxed, Coltan’s fiery snout appeared before me. I heard a voice break through my dreams telling me I was safe. Lyric’s.

I started to shake. From somewhere, another blanket was placed over me. I thought I heard a dragon’s purr.

When I opened my eyes, the forest was approaching dawn. I could make out the shapes of leaves. Smoky pink light turned them silver and blue.

I lifted my head. A giant purple-gold dragon sat on what I thought of as the porch of the roost, away from the shelter. He breathed in and out steadily like a bellows. His long tail curved around my makeshift bed.

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