Page 7 of The Dragon's Mate

“She’s right, Bren,” Tyler said. “If Icould fight like Kaida, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Bren blew his breath out. “Tyler, fightingisn’t going to solve the problem.”

“Nothing will solve the problem,” Tyler said,his voice tinged with anger. “Don’t you get that, Bren? You think that goingto the principal, that meeting with Jeff’s parents will solve the problem, butit won’t! He might back off for a few weeks or even a few months, but sooneror later he’ll come after us again. You have no idea what it’s like to go toschool every day and pray that you aren’t noticed. To hope that Jeff and hisstupid football buddies don’t pay any attention to you. I can’t go on likethis! I can’t! And now that they know about Corey and me and that Corey is ashifter, it’ll get worse. I need to learn to fight! I’m not a child!”

The tears that Kaida sensed had beenthreatening for hours finally erupted. Tyler sat down with a heavy thud on thetop step, burying his face in his arm.

Bren crouched beside him and rubbed hisback. “I’m sorry, Ty.”

“Don’t.” Tyler shifted away from him.

Bren scooted closer and rubbed his backagain. “Ty, look at me.”

“Leave me alone!” Tyler shouted and shovedhim hard. Not expecting it, Bren fell back onto his ass with a hard thump.

Tyler flinched and cradled his hand againsthis chest. “Please leave me alone.”

The genuine fear and sorrow in his voicemade Kaida’s chest ache. She stood and joined Tyler on the front step, sittingnext to him and putting her arm around his thin body. To her surprise, Tylerthrew one arm around her waist and buried his face in her neck. She rocked himback and forth as she rubbed his back.

“There, there, mostoirín,” she murmured. “It’llbe all right.”

She continued to rock him back and forthand pressed a kiss against the top of his head. Tyler’s shuddering slowed andhe sat up, wiping at his nose and knuckling away the tears that still sat onhis cheeks. He stared at the step between his feet, his cheeks a dull red,before muttering, “Sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about,mostoirín,” she said.

“What does that mean?” Tyler asked.

“Mostoirín is an Irish word,” she replied.A hint of red was climbing into her own cheeks.

“What does it mean?” Tyler repeated.

“My little darling.” Her cheeks were veryred now and she gave Tyler an embarrassed look. “Sorry, I picked that up fromGram.”

“I don’t mind.” Tyler smiled faintly andshe squeezed the back of his neck.

Bren sat down beside them, and Tyler said,“Sorry. I shouldn’t have shoved you.”

“I get it, kid. You’ve had a rough day,”Bren said.

“Yeah,” Tyler said. “I need to learn tofight, Bren.”

“I know.” Bren stared moodily at his vehicle.“I’ll teach you some self-defence moves, and we’ll get you into some classes atthe -”

“Kaida could teach me to fight,” Tylersaid.

Bren shook his head. “No, buddy. That’snot a good idea.”

“It is,” Tyler insisted. He stared pleadinglyat Kaida. “You can teach both Corey and me. If we can do what you can do,then we’ll be able to protect ourselves the next time Jeff tries something.Please, Kaida.”

Spending time with the humans was theabsolute worst idea in the world. She opened her mouth to say no and almostchoked in surprise when her dragon pushed forward and said, “Yes.”

Bren stiffened, the slightest hint ofunease flickering across his face. She got it. Unlike other shifters, dragonscould speak the human language but the sound of it wasn’t exactly music to theears. Her voice had sounded much deeper and thicker than her normal speakingvoice – like she was gargling with sand.

Tyler hadn’t appeared to notice her notquite human sounding response. Happiness was washing over him in waves and hisbody was humming with excitement. “Yeah?”

Afraid her dragon would make another pushfor control if she didn’t agree with it, she nodded. “Yes. I’ll teach you tofight.”

“Thank you, Kaida,” Tyler said.

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