Page 24 of Training my Human

“Enough,” I barked. “We’re leaving. Now.”

That grabbed Maddox’s attention. “Princess is fine. No need to go.”

I shook my head. “Yeah, there is. I’m sorry. This is your and Princess’ home. She shouldn’t have to defend herself from someone who should know better.” I glared at Abaddon.

A mulish expression on his face went with his crossed arms. “She purposely goaded me.”

“I don’t give a fuck. A dragon should be above such pettiness,” I scolded. “Let’s go.”

Maddox shook his head. “Are you sure you want to drive? The offer of the spare room is still available.”

And worry all night that Abaddon might slip out and eat his cat? No thanks. Besides, my annoyance at Abaddon managed to sober me.

“It was only a few glasses. I’ll be fine.”

He grabbed his keys and tried to hand them to me. “Take my truck. It will be easier for you to carry Abaddon.”

“No need. We’ll make do on my bike. Thank you for dinner. I’ll replace anything that’s broken, of course. Just let me know what I owe.”

“Pip—” Maddox appeared torn but I remained resolute.

“Good night, Mad.”

I scooped up Abaddon and went trotting down the stairs, rigid with anger. A nice evening ruined by a bratty lizard.

My brisk stride to the tattoo shop where I’d left my bike took only minutes, during which Abaddon remained silent. We encountered no one. Then again, what would anyone say? I’m sure a woman carrying a lizard isn’t the weirdest thing to have walked these sidewalks.

Only when I unstrapped the saddlebag flap did Abaddon protest. “You can’t expect me to travel in that!”

“You will, and you will be quiet about it,” I snapped. “There’s nowhere else for you to sit.”

“It’s undignified.”

“Then I guess you should have thought of that before being an asshole to the cat.”

“The feline started it,” grumbled Abaddon as he reluctantly settled in the saddlebag where he fit for the moment.

“The cat did not grab things and throw them,” I retorted as I gunned my engine, and we set off.

“What else could I do when it climbed where I couldn’t reach it?” Abaddon complained loud enough for me to hear over the noise of the motor.

“Ever thought of leaving it alone?” I huffed with a raised voice. The rumble of my motorcycle was loud, but my annoyance was even greater.

“Do nothing after it taunted me? The shame,” grumbled my pet.

“Even if the cat goaded you, you should have known better. Behaved better. Had some control. You know, for someone who claims he’s some majestic dragon, you acted like a petulant child.”

“I’m sorry.”

The apology was so faint I almost missed it. It also surprised me. Did Abaddon feel actual contrition, or was this more about disappointing me? Either way, the chiding had to be done. He might have some grandiose idea about dragons and how they supposedly treated people—and beloved pets—but that didn’t mean I had to tolerate it.

We stopped for a red light, the last until the long stretch home, and with no one around, I flipped back the cover on the bag. “Are you actually sorry?”

A woebegone Abaddon nodded. “You are correct. I allowed a lesser creature to goad me. I shall strive to rise above the next time.”

“Assuming there is one.” While Maddox had claimed I didn’t have to go, and that everything was fine, a part of me couldn’t help but wonder what might have happened if we’d not heard the ruckus. Would Abaddon have harmed Princess? What if he lied to me now and we returned and he did do something? Maddox would be devastated, with reason.

“I shall make it up to my protector.”

---