Page 60 of Dragon in Boots

“What do you think?” The man lifted his large, muscled arms and spun.

He’d shifted into a body that looked like Dash’s.Seriously?As if that would change anything between her and Heebie. Mostly because she never liked Dash for his looks. The turning point for her had been his money.

Yes, that sounded gold-diggerish, but the gesture meant a lot. That money would save her sanctuary.

“You want to know what I think?” Her anger sizzled.

“Jac, don’t,” the real Dash warned.

“Why not?” she snapped. “Can’t dragons handle the truth? Because I know I can, and—”

“Heebie, can I speak with her alone for a moment?” Dash said.

Heebie gave them each a stern look. “Two minutes. But only because I like you, Jacquelin, and I wish to make this transition easy on you.” He walked off growling.

“What the hell is going on?” she whispered to Dash.

“You must be careful,” he warned. “Heebie is a dragon. A full-blooded, ancient, fire-breathing dragon. He will not hesitate to eat you or burn down your entire sanctuary if you displease him.”

“So this is why you’re not fighting back? You’re afraid he’ll kill me instead of you.”

Dash combed a hand through his thick caramel-brown hair. “Fear has nothing to do with it. I am dealing with facts, and Iknowwhat he is capable of.”

“Who did he hurt? Who did he take from you?” she asked.

“How did you know?”

“There has to be a reason you’re lying down and doing whatever he wants.”

Dash exhaled slowly. “Long ago, my sister attempted to stand up for me after I warned her not to. But she would not listen. She went to Heebie and told him that no brother of hers would be a dragon slave.”

“So he ate her?” Jac cupped her hand over her mouth, dreading the answer she knew was coming.

“He made me watch as he burned her alive. He made my parents watch, too. Later, they ended up returning to our realm so they could be reunited with her, and now I’ll never see any of them again. I lost everything that day.”

“Sorry? Could you back up? What do you mean ‘reunited’?”

“Demons who reside here do not die like mortals. Our energy—or souls, if you will—are sent back to our realm since we don’t belong here. Unfortunately, the gods closed the portals between our worlds, but back then, they were open.”

“What’s that mean?” Jac asked.

“Never mind. Right now you have to think of yourself, your animals, and even your family. If you play nice, Heebie might grow tired of you eventually and move on. So bide your time, and get through this.”

Hell no. “What happens when you die if the portals are all closed?”

He growled, hesitating.

“Tell me,” she demanded.

“My soul will remain trapped between worlds forever.”

“Purgatory?” That sounded way worse than dying.

He took her by the shoulders. “I am sorry this is happening, but you must trust me when I say you do not want to go up against him. He will destroy you, but only after he destroys everything you care about.”

Jac had sworn she would never fail to stand up for herself again. After Stanley, it was a line she wouldn’t cross no matter what. The problem here was that she couldn’t put her “line” ahead of the people and creatures she loved.

But how can I let Dash die like this?How could she allow this monster to take over her life?

---