Page 47 of The Accidental Dragon Baby

“That was in Colorado, but they moved. Ivo couldn’t track them down. He told me that the ringleader is some shitstain named Watsonator.”

Raptor wrinkled his nose. “That’s a terrible name.”

“Want to bet his first name is worse?”

“I’m with you on that.” Raptor glanced at his own mansion. “I’ll put out some feelers, see what I can find.”

“Thanks.”

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry your mate went through that,” Raptor said quietly.

“He’s not my mate.” At Raptor’s pointed look, Ace clarified, “Yet.”

“Well, what’re you waiting for? Make him your mate!”

“I was building him the biggest nest ever! Until you interrupted.” Ace rolled his eyes and gestured at the cut grass around him.

“Need some help?”

Ace shook his head. “I have to do this on my own.”

“Well, I suppose I can spare some time to teach him about your quirks.” Raptor turned toward Ivo and the creek.

“Wait. Are you going to pretend you’re me?”

Raptor shot a smile over his shoulder. “Can he tell us apart?”

Ace didn’t know the answer to that. When Raptor shifted back into a dragon and began heading Ivo’s way, Ace scrambled to shuck off his own clothes.

Ace shifted and took off after Raptor with a powerful beat of his wings, flying close to the ground so no one beyond the tall hedge would realize there were dragons in here.

Raptor heard him, though. And he flapped his wings to propel himself forward, keeping just a snout’s length ahead of Ace.

“Ivo,” Raptor crowed, landing with a thump in front of the man. “I’m Ace.”

Ace scowled and landed next to his twin. “No,I’mAce.”

Ivo stared wide-eyed at them, Mary clutched to his chest. “Um.”

“Can you tell us apart?” Ace asked, genuinely curious.

Ivo opened his mouth. Only to have the mansion gate open, his shopping cart racing up the driveway. Pillows threatened to fall out of its cargo basket.

A huge bird came soaring in after the cart. The bird took one look at Ace and Raptor, and flew over to join them.

The moment the gate closed, Harvey shifted into a black dragon, too, landing on Ace’s other side. “I’mAce,” he announced.

“Oh, gods,” Ivo breathed. His gaze darted from one of them to the other. “At least I knowyou’renot Ace,” he said to Harvey, before glancing between Raptor and Ace. “It’s easier when you’re in your human shape.”

His gaze fell to Ace’s neck, then Raptor’s.

“Oh,” Ace murmured, pleased. So Ivohadnoticed his tattoo. It didn’t show in his dragon form, though; the scales hid it too well.

“Canyoutell them apart like this?” Ivo asked Harvey.

Harvey puffed out his chest. “Of course.”

Ace held his breath as Ivo studied them. They hadn’t known each other for long; he didn’t expect Ivo to get it right.

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