Page 21 of Dragon in Boots

She was about to walk away, but then remembered what had happened at the club: those alarm bells. And now the dangerous man had followed her home.

What if he wakes up and tries to kill me?

Thirty minutes later…

“Don’t worry, Heebie, the vet’ll be here soon,” Jac said in the exam room at the sanctuary. Sadly, the late night visit was going to cost her. “I’m so, so sorry, but I couldn’t let him take you.”

Jac had given Heebie something for the pain, and now the animal just lay there in a small crate like a limp noodle.

“Hey! What the hell! Let me out of here!” Dash’s voice called out from the next room over where they kept the larger animals when they came in for treatments.

Jac got up and stood in the doorway, staring at the very angry male stripper in the lion cage.

“What was that, Dash? You want a cellmate? Because I’ll gladly fetch my twenty-foot python. Now be quiet and let me think.”

She couldn’t keep him in a cage forever, so now what was she going to do?

CHAPTER NINE

Damien had done everything possible to rid himself of Pet before boarding the plane, but it had been no use. Sky had tipped off the sex fairy every step of the way, ensuring that they all went to Dallas together.

At least Pet found somewhere beside his pocket to hide out during the flight—probably the cargo hold to pilfer lingerie from people’s suitcases—so he didn’t have to listen to her dragon sex story. Instead, he got to use his time to make a list of places to search for Cimil.

After the flight, he got settled into his rental SUV, where Pet caught up to him just as he was about to pull out of the parking spot.

He lowered the passenger-side window to let her in, knowing Sky was near, too. He could smell her shampoo.

“Since you both insisted on coming,” he said, “I’m putting you to work.” Giving them something to do would keep them out of his hair.

“Sure. I’ll go to your hotel room and break in the sheets,” Pet said, bouncing on the passenger seat.

“Like hell you’re touching my bed.” Gods only knew what sort of germs the creature carried. “I’m giving you a list of places to check out. You are to observe and look for signs of Cimil, but do not approach her. Do you understand? We must let the gods deal with her.”

“Sky wants to know why Cimil is on the lam,” Pet said.

“She escaped, and we must find her. That’s all you need to know.”

“I bet she’s here for the dragon jizz fest,” Pet said. “Can’t blame her. It’s magical.”

“Yes. But only if you’re a female dragon, which you are not.” Damien put the engine in reverse.

“Pfft. Shows what you know, Damien. Dragon man-juice can be used for all sorts of things: salad dressing, moisturizer, potting soil—it’s like the superfood of the natural world.”

Nasty.“Thank you, but I have no interest in the dragon or his sack-moisturizer. I only need to find out if Cimil is here.”

“Don’t know what you’re missing.”

Damien handed Pet the list on a small piece of paper. “These are all of the locations I want you to investigate. Again, do not approach her. We all know she is wily and manipulative, so best to limit any communication.” Basically, he’d compiled a list of every bar, strip club, and fondue house within a ten-mile radius of the sighting of the dragon semen. If Cimil was here, she’d be doubling up on the fun, mixing business with pleasure. I.e., lots of snacking and debauchery while trying to convince this dragon to pair up with as many females as possible. “Now, off you go. Come find me later downtown at the Ten Seasons.” He’d read it was much better than that other hotel with only four.

“Sky says to be careful. Her ghosti-senses are telling her something doesn’t feel right.”

So Sky suddenly cared about him again? Hilarious. “Thank you, but I’ve done just fine on my own for two centuries. Don’t worry about me.”

He suddenly felt a hand brush across his cheek. He knew it was Sky because his skin tingled, and now he had a chubby.

Damned ghost. Such a flirty seductress.

Pet flew off out the cracked window, hopefully taking that temptress Sky with her.

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