Page 19 of Draco

“You know I can’t let you go, right?” Something like pity reflected in his iridescent eyes and my anger flared. I didn’t want him to feel sorry for me. I didn’t want anyone to feel bad for me.

“Oh, you could let me go. It would be really easy. See, you let me walk out that door,” I pointed at the door. “Then you call my dad and just say ‘whoops, lost her,’ or something like that. See? Easy.” I lifted both shoulders. I knew I was talking to a brick wall. I knew he would shake his head even before he did.

“I can’t do that.” His eyes studied my face, then wandered down my body and back up. I crossed my arms, heat rushing through me as a flash of yesterday lit up my memory like the sky on the Fourth of July.

I sighed. Of course, he’d tell me that. Heat stung my cheeks as I thought about last night and the fact that I still didn’t know his name. You’d think it would have come up in all the activities we were up to, but it hadn’t. And as warmth flooded my chest, I had to ask. “What’s your name?”

He seemed surprised by my question, so I explained myself. “All this time and you’ve never told me your name. I’d like to know.” It was the truth. I did want to know. But it was so much more than that. If I was being totally, one hundred percent honest, I’d say that I liked this guy. Sure, we had opposing goals with his being delivering me to my father and me willing to do anything to escape my father, but I did like the guy.

He’d been kind to me and patient. He’d tended my wounds, treated me like a human, and I knew, deep down, he wasn’t sure about what he was doing. There was still a chance I could win him to my side. I was sure of it. But running was easier and a sure bet, so it had my vote.

“My name is Draco.” He seemed dead serious, but no way was he actually namedDraco.

My shoulders drooped, and pain burst in me. Maybe I was wrong. He couldn’t even respect me enough to either tell me his name or tell me he didn’t want me to know. I planted a hand on my hip and glared at him. All the time we’d spent intimate, and he couldn’t even just be honest with me.

“If you didn’t want to tell me your name, you could have just said that.” He didn’t have to lie. We’re all adults here. If he wanted to stay anonymous, that was his choice. I’m sure his line of work and his dragon nature were important to keep secret. But he didn’t have to lie to my face.

“I’m not lying to you.” He sounded sincere, but I let out a snort.

“Right. Draco the dragon. Well,Draco, you’re naked, and I’m not. So I’ve got a head start on you. Happy trails.” With that I walked through the bedroom door and raced through the house for the front door. Yanking it open to the foggy, cool morning, I inhaled and closed the door behind me.

Tearing down the drive, I began to plan. I’d cut through the thickest part of the trees. That way, he couldn’t follow me with his dragon form. The passage would be so narrow only a human-sized body could fit. I’d run until I couldn’t run anymore.

When I ran into a main road, I’d walk it and hitchhike. I’d go as far as I could and start over with the new info I’d already created. I’d get back to my original plan and not let a blue-eyed dragon make me change anything.

It didn’t matter that I liked him, that he made me feel something, that I believed him when he said he’d never let me get hurt. I wished I could show him what would happen to me if I went back. I wished it would make a difference. But it wouldn’t. It was what it was, and I had to live with that. So instead, I hurried down the road, my new plan in motion.

I broke into a run, realizing I was going way too slow. Did I want to be caught?

A sudden thought of him pouncing on me, and us rolling over and over in the soft moss before coming to a halt with him on top of me filled my mind and heat exploded in my belly. I had it bad for this dragon. Or my body did, at least.

My heart began to slam in my chest, and my lung ached as I sucked in the chilled mountain air through my nose. Dang, it was cold up here. The steep drive, paved a dark color, sloped down and around away from the house and I glanced back, realizing the place wasn’t in view anymore.

Neither was the dragon. Maybe he hadn’t followed. Maybe he was giving me a chance to get away. Maybe he felt bad for lying to me and for trying to make me believe his name was Draco.

That head start, though, that would be the thing that changed the tide in my favor if I was wrong about him letting me go. If he had to stay in man form, there was no way he could keep up with me on foot. I’d always been quick on my feet. Always the sprinter. Always able to run when nothing else would solve my problems.

Except this time. I’d been trying to run for a while now, but at every step of the way, a certain blue-eyed dragon kept foiling my plans. But not anymore. He was done ruining my plans.

I cut off the main drive and through the thickest part of the underbrush. Branches clawed at my face, pulled my hair, and tried to trip me. Through sheer force of will, I pushed forward, racing so fast my lungs blazed like fire with every breath. My legs, awake and alive, ached a bit and a faint echo in that hurt ankle made itself known. But all in all, I was in good shape, moving fast, and getting away.

I strained my ears, listening for any sound of any roads or anything else as I ran parallel to the driveway. The driveway had to lead somewhere, didn’t it? Here and there, I caught sight of the road through the thick little trees and tall shrubs.

A glance heavenward told me that if he could fly and chose that avenue, it would still be nearly impossible for him to even see me, let alone follow me.

I focused on the area ahead; my heart jackhammering my chest as I wondered if he was right behind me. I wouldn’t be able to see him if he was. I could hardly see anything but the space right in front of my face.

I could only hope I didn’t stumble on a bear or anything.

Pushing through the underbrush, I moved a bit closer in the direction of the driveway, hoping to catch sight of it again.

I’d be free soon!

12

Draco

“Are you aware you’ve lost a certain beautiful woman?” Stryker glanced at me over his coffee. He’d stopped by first thing to see how everything was going, and well, it was going.

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