Page 42 of Liar For Hire (For Hire 1)

“I’m not crying.”

The last thing he felt like doing was crying. Well, not in misery. He looked over his shoulder at his wings and dared to flex both. A ripple of movement passed from the top arch to the tips, the weaker wing straggling a bit.

I’m not crazy. It’s stronger, and I flew!

Chapter 16

Janessa allowed the hot water to wash over her head and face. She had been in the shower for a good fifteen minutes already, and she was loath to come out. That dirty barn had been almost impossible to sleep in. Although since she woke up with Declan staring tenderly down into her face, sun shining over his shoulder through a gaping hole in the wall, she had to assume she gained some shuteye.

Thinking of Declan, she realized there was something different about him. After that freak out where he jumped clear to the ceiling, he dropped down later and insisted they try to rest. He wouldn’t talk to her about what happened, and she had no choice but to let it go.

In the morning, Patrick’s men returned to allow them back at the house, and she was given access to the bathroom thankfully. She wasn’t sure what would happen next, and she hadn’t come up with a plan to escape.

Someone banged on the bathroom door, and she jumped. “Coming,” she called.

These people had no sensitivity. What could she expect, given she was human? She left the shower, dried off, and donned the same dusty clothes she had worn the day before. Cringing afterward, she left the bathroom.

As the woman led her to the first floor of the house, the scent of bacon reached her, stirring her appetite. She walked into the dining room to find most of the same people present as the last meal.

“Janessa, go

od morning,” Patrick said in an upbeat tone. “Did you sleep well?”

“Of course not. I was held prisoner in a barn. I bet you slept like a baby.”

“I apologize for the treatment, but it was necessary.” He looked to Declan as she took her seat next to him. “And Declan, you look rested.”

Declan ignored Patrick as he prepared a plate for Janessa. She warmed at his thoughtfulness and quietly thanked him. Her longtime friend tucked into a plate of his own with three times the food he gave her.

“Today, we have several miles to travel,” Patrick explained. “My cousin can’t house us all forever. You’ll like the property I’ve meticulously acquired over the years, Declan. It’s perfect for rebuilding our town. And I’ve already contacted all the dragons scattered throughout the world I could find. In three days, we will have a ceremony where I will be crowned the new king. You will be beside me, endorsing my leadership.”

Janessa threw her fork down. “Why don’t you just handle all that and leave Declan out of it?”

“I can’t do that. There are some pockets that are stubborn. They want him in charge because of his blood. They’re small pockets—so don’t get your hopes up—but I want them squashed.”

“You’re a piece of work.” She wanted to smack the smile off his face, but there were too many of his people there to try it. Declan still hadn’t spoken, and she worried he might be hung up on last night’s weak moment.

When she looked at Declan, though, he didn’t seem to give a crap about anything Patrick said. It was as if Declan had a secret that he wasn’t ready to share, one that would blow the lid off this mess they were in. She hoped she wasn’t reading him wrong.

The breakfast party moved to the hall. Patrick’s people filled the space, coming and going. Janessa looked for her opportunity to slip through the cracks, but several of the men were selected to watch her and Declan. She bided her time.

Out at the back of the property with acres of land backed by a veritable forest, her mouth fell open as person after person shifted into a majestic dragon. She gaped at wings spanning several feet to several yards. They seemed to each decide if they wanted to shift into a gigantic creature or something no bigger than a human.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she grabbed a hold of Declan’s arm. She shook with fear and awe as the skies filled with the mystical beasts. “How in the world are they able to do that? I mean even a near-sighted person can see that’s a dragon!”

It took a minute for Declan to answer. He too stared at the sky, and she felt his longing to be up there with the rest. His broken wing wouldn’t allow it, and the knowledge tore her heart apart.

“I told you we’re magical creatures, didn’t?”

“Yes, but I can clearly see them. What’s magic about that?”

“No one else can.”

“Huh?” She blinked a few times and scrubbed her eyes.

“We can shield ourselves from humans.”

“Like a chameleon?”

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