Page 61 of Dancing with My Elf
Zoe rubbed Shadow’s chin and cheeks, and my minor annoyance at his demands at the most inopportune of times dissipated. She was good with my cat, which was a positive sign. I couldn’t fall for a woman who didn’t accept Shadow. He was the biggest constant in my life, there for me whenever I came home, when I woke up, when I went to bed. Although I grumbled at his finicky demands, I don’t know what I’d do without the purring fur monster.
He sauntered to the end of the bed and curled up in his usual spot.
“I’m surprised he’s not demanding breakfast,” I pointed out. I’m sure I’ll find the usual nighttime hunting remnants when I go downstairs.
“Like what?”
“Socks. Helovesto attack socks. Once I found a trail of seven of them from my room down the stairs and pooled at the bottom. And there’s a Barbie doll we somehow ended up with. He loves to carry it around the house. That poor doll has so many tooth marks.” I shook my head. “I don’t know why I bother buying him cat toys since he ignores them and any cat bed I’ve ever got for him.”
“Maybe he finds it warmer and cozier in here with you.”
Shadow yawned, stretching his body.
“Too bad he’s a bed hog,” I joked.
Zoe gave me a warm smile. “You surprise me more and more, Lucas.”
“How so?”
“You’re a big, badass dragon shifter who wasn’t afraid to take on a demon. And you turn to mush around your cat. It’s cute. I love it.”
I turned to Shadow. Maybe he wasn’t such a cockblocking furball. After all, he won me points with my mate.
Zoe
After I left Lucas’s house, my mind reeled. What a night. Why had I deprived myself from an experience like that? As I drove back home, I touched my lips, remembering how it had felt to have him kiss me—everywhere. Damn, that dragon didn’t disappoint.
Although Lucas invited me to stay the entire day, I needed time to myself. I was so used to being a loner outside of work and I needed time to process all that had happened. Not only was last night amazing but intense. I’d revealed so much to him and I wasn’t sure why. It must have been the closeness of us working together, culminating with capturing that demon.
I nodded. Yes, that had to be it.
Funny how I hadn’t thought as much about the demon while with Lucas. Finding and stopping them typically consumed my thoughts, but he found a way to make me think of other things. It was a healthier way, for sure, but I couldn’t turn off work mode.
Once I got home, I entered my room and called Pandora for an update.
“Nova showed Gianna a picture of the demon,” Pandora said. “She didn’t recognize him.”
“That means it might not be Sven or Jakob, the ones who had restrained her with the sirens. How many of these bastards are we dealing with?” I pounded my fist on my bed.
“Then again, demons are masters of disguise. The ones she’d encountered could shapeshift.”
“So, in other words, we don’t know much more than we did yesterday.”
Pandora exhaled. “Not yet.” After a pause, she added. “There’s no need for you to come in. Enjoy your time off. It’s not often that you do.”
Despite my frustration at not getting much further after capturing the demon, I had to admit Pandora was likely right.
When I arrivedat Lucas’s house that evening, he greeted me at the door with a kiss on the lips. “Hey, beautiful.”
Although I stiffened at first, I then relaxed. I wasn’t used to a lover being openly affectionate. My ex was even more closed off emotionally and physically than me. The idea of PDA would be unthinkable, utterly ghastly.
Surprisingly, I didn’t mind with Lucas. Everything seemed new and different around him.
“Come on in,” Lucas welcomed me into the living room.
Nova, Gianna, and Diego greeted me with variations of “Hi” and “Hey, Zoe.”
As I headed toward them, I replied, “Hi, everyone.”
