Page 24 of Rock Bottom
“It’s the reason Josef and Venom are here,” Micca said, “Because they’ll handle the oaths. Okay, first things first, let’s walk outside.”
I had absolutely no idea what was happening, but I kept hold of Mikey’s hand as we followed everyone outside. The air was cold enough to prickle goosebumps along my arms, and when I looked up, I nearly stopped walking.
A huge castle loomed on a hill miles away, lit by moonlight. The glow of the tent behind us, the flickering candles making it seem alive, gave the idea of some portal we’d stumbled through by accident.
“Mythology tells us of werewolves, vampires, and dragons, yes?” Aaron asked, completely serious.
Davy, Will, and Micca were pressed together like they were bracing for impact, their arms around each other. I squeezed Mikey’s hand tighter, and he didn’t ask why. Just squeezed back.
Then Aaron started taking off his clothes while saying, “No one here will hurt you in any of our forms, and I’m going to give you the first demonstration.”
I clamped my teeth together to keep from blurtingSeriously? Right now?but then he was a dragon. An actual, house-sized, scales-and-wings dragon.
I couldn’t even breathe.
The beast kicked off the ground, his huge wings beat, and he flew around over us, fire spilling from his jaws. He glided gracefully over the meadow, returned, and landed flawlessly, folding his wings in before he stepped close to us.
“I’m still me,” the dragon rumbled, and the voice went so deep I felt it in my bones. “You can touch me, if you wish. Walk closer and feel my scales. I won’t harm you.”
Davy practically dragged Will to the dragon, saying, “If I miss out on the opportunity to touch a dragon, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life, Master.”
I wanted to cheer for Davy.Fuck, I wanted to touch the dragon, too. I wanted to remember what this felt like forever. But it felt like this was their show, for Will and Davy, and I didn’t want to intrude.
Davy tentatively touched the dragon, and the huge beast said, “Kirsten, why don’t you help Davy climb up, so I can give him a quick ride?”
When Kirsten helped Davy climb up onto the dragon’s back, I didn’t even try to pretend I wasn’t gaping.
Someone used the blond man’s name, Kirsten’s boyfriend, and I tried to put it to memory.Nathan. I’d met him at the party thing, too, but I kept forgetting his name.
“It’s quite safe,” Nathan told Will. “I’ll answer a few questions down here while Aaron answers them in the air…”
I tried to pay attention, but my brain felt like it was buffering. Hatched? Born? Something about dragons not being “two-natured,” and that most mammals could bite you to turn you. I was stuck on the phrase hatched from an egg until he mentioned wolves. Was he talking about werewolves?
Nathan went on, describing how for big mammals, they sometimes inject saliva with a needle to turn them instead of biting. My mind conjured an image of a grizzly bear with a syringe, and I clamped my lips together so I wouldn’t laugh hysterically.
Will turned to Micca, clearly needing something to ground him. “What are you?”
She shook her head. “This isn’t the way I wanted to do this. I was about to die, and the only way to save me was to turn me into a shifter. For a variety of reasons I can explain when there’s time—”
“Stop,” Nathan said, and Micca shut up. Meanwhile, my stomach fell to my feet at Nathan’s tone.
“Aaron will land with Davy soon,” Nathan said, “let’s save the personal stuff until both your men are here. Meanwhile, I’ll go ahead and demonstrate what I am.”
So, they were saying Micca is some kind of supernatural something-or-other? I ran back through everything that’d been said, and that’s the way it seemed. She’d lobbied to be able to tell them her secret, something had gone wrong with the request, so her bosses were… what? Telling Will and Davy withouttellingthem? Why were Mikey and I here? I mean, I guess to keep us safe, but why were they letting us hear all of this?
I was still trying to catch up when Nathan stepped a few yards away and started undressing. Before I could process that, a massive lion stood where he’d been.
A huge, fucking, lion. Mane and all.
My heart lurched into my throat, and then I spun to watch the dragon land.
Kirsten had been near the lion, but she disappeared and then reappeared on the dragon’s back. She took Davy’s hand and the two of them disappeared and were immediately standing in front of the lion.
I opened my mouth to ask if I could ride the dragon too, but before I could get the words out, Aaron turned back into a man and started putting his jeans on.
“Can I pet him?” Davy asked, looking wide-eyed at the lion.
The lion sprawled on the ground, and Kirsten nodded. “That would be a yes.”
