Page 10 of The Dragon's Warlock

Gideon downed the remaining beer. “So going to Florida is our best bet.”

“We can keep searching here, but Florida might be the fastest way to find her sister,” Kirin agreed.

She took her last bite of the steak. “I know you guys don’t like me, but do you have any books about dragon shifters?”

“What do you want to know?” Kirin asked.

Her face heated. “My dragon seems to not want to leave Gideon alone. While I was waiting for him to help me, she forced me into a shift each night, and we flew over to his house.”

“I see.” Kirin paused. “And when you’re near him?”

She shrugged. “The dragon quits. It’s the first time in a long time she isn’t pushing at my skin.”

Kirin burst out laughing next to her. “I think this is a question for Gideon to answer.”

“I’ll explain in time,” he grumbled next to her.

She scowled, mostly because she was frustrated. “Thank you for the food, but since there is nothing you can help us with, I think it’s time we head to Florida.”

Kia walked into the kitchen. “You should let Lucy look you over before you leave.”

“So she can drive a bunch more needles in me and not tell me anything?”

The pint-sized woman used that second to walk into the room. Her belly had grown since the last time Diem had seen her. She looked close to four months along. “I’m sorry. Deep down, I knew you couldn’t control yourself from taking Nyx, but it was hard to put the anger away. You also helped us when we needed it.” She let out a sigh. “Let me run a couple of tests, and I promise to tell you the results before you leave.”

“I’ll let you take a couple more only if you guys promise to help find my sister.”

“We aren’t fighting against you. Lucy will take a few tests, and I’ll work on cooking you some more food,” Kirin said with a raised brow.

She wanted to say she didn’t need the food, but she nodded instead. Lucy reached out and grabbed her hand. Diem followed Lucy, and Gideon stayed with Kirin and Kia. She hoped Lucy would answer the questions nobody else would.

When they reached the middle of the garage, Lucy placed her hand on the floor. A screen appeared and scanned her face. A year before, Diem would have been in shock when the floor moved. Now nothing seemed to surprise her much anymore.

She stood at the top of the stairs, holding her breath. “I’m not sure I want to go down there.”

Lucy placed her hands on her hips. “I know you have no reason to trust me, but I’m not going to hurt you. Also, you’re a dragon, and I’m human.”

“Okay.” She followed Lucy down the narrow staircase until they came to a square room.

Lucy smiled. “Alida said everything will work out for your sister and you.” She placed her hand on the wall again, and elevator double door appeared. The two stepped through the doors into a gold-plated elevator.

Diem’s dragon didn’t like that they’d left Gideon alone. She took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on what Lucy said. “How would Alida know?”

“She can see things before they happen. Alida can do many things we don’t understand.”

The elevator jerked to a stop. “But she thinks my sister will be okay.”

“Yes.” Lucy stepped forward and let the software scan her face before the door opened.

They walked down a long, narrow hallway to his state-of-the-art lab. This secret lair was so much homier than the one upstairs.

Lucy walked over to the drawer and grabbed a syringe. “Can you tell me how your dragon is doing?” She looked down for a second. “My close friend was changed, and her shifts are hard. She’d already found her mate, so that helped with the transition.”

“What is a mate?”

Lucy’s eyes widened. “Hasn’t anyone talked to you about being a shifter?”

Diem couldn’t hold back the frustration or the tears. “No. And nobody will explain why my dragon goes crazy for Gideon. He keeps saying he will explain.”

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