Page 6 of Dragon's Flame
“You,” Tarian said, crouching. He waved a hand, empowering the creature to speak. “Why did he do that? What happened here?”
The dog twisted its shaggy head, his voice as rough as he appeared. “You look scruffy. Like me. He didn’t trust you.”
Tarian looked down at himself.
Behind the Gate, in perpetual conflict with the Sirens, there had been no time or reason to attempt to appear presentable—he’d barely been able to survive.
After his brother had rescued him, he’d availed himself of showers and shaving again...but once he’d started hunting Seris, such affectations had seemed pointless.
Out among humans now, though . . . the dog was right.
No wonder the girls had been scared of him.
He’d been so sure everything would be easy. It hadn’t even occurred to him that he needed totry.
The little dog sat on its haunches, wagging its tail just a little. “You don’t smell like a person.”
Tarian grabbed the bottom of his tank top and tore a strip off, stuffing it into the wound the human had given him, knowing his draconic magic would heal it shortly regardless. “Because I’m not.”
The dog’s ears perked up, its tail wagging faster. “What are you? Are you from around here? These six blocks belong to the Shadow Tail Pack. Do you know them? Whose territory is beyond?”
Tarian opened the Jaguar’s door, ignoring the creature’s questions. “Thank you for your help.”
The dog looked around frantically. “Wait, wait, wait! Are you the only one that can understand me?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m coming along.”
The dog bounded over Tarian’s lap and onto the passenger seat, beating his tail against what his brother had told him was expensive leather. The creature was scruffy, relentless, and stubborn—qualities he could respect.
He shrugged and closed the door.
4
KENNA
“That was sooo weird,” Sarah said as the café’s reflection in the rearview mirror shrank behind them.
“Yeah,” Kenna said, but her mind was elsewhere. Homework had been a lost cause after that weird encounter, which was why they were heading home instead. Cliff was flying into San Jose tonight, then renting a car to drive down and meet her.
“Did you figure out what you’re wearing?” Sarah asked, like she’d read her mind.
“Not yet.” Whatdidyou wear to meet a boy you’d only known online? She didn’t want to seem like she was trying too hard—or not trying hard enough.
They were going to Chelly’s party together, which felt safe, surrounded by her friends. After that...well, she didn’t know. Cliff had been polite enough to book a hotel room downtown, just in case. If things didn’t click, he wouldn’t have to crash on their couch. But if thingsdidclick...
Her stomach flipped. What if things went really well, and suddenly she was taking her clothes off in some hotel room?
What was the right layering strategy for that? Sexy first, with casually-confident-comfortable on top? Or sexy all the way through, just in case?
“You’re overthinking it,” Sarah said, grinning.
Kenna snorted. “You don’t know that.”
Sarah raised an eyebrow. “You’ve got thelook. Like you’re running through every possible outcome and planning for each one.” She smirked. “Just wear the black dress. Problem solved.”
“The black dress says, ‘I’m trying.’”
