Page 2 of Feral

“The council is concerned about your solution to our staffing problem.”

“Oh? And do they have alternative, because I am all ears.”

“Sadly, no. And so they’ve given you permission to proceed with caution.”

“How generous,” I muttered into my glass.

“But I have some questions for you about this, off the record.”

“Really, off the record?”

His smile faded to a serious frown, the color of his scales on his hands, which looked like tattoos to the unsuspecting, glowed. His glamour made him appear human, but in all reality Trey had four different Dragon forms, each powerful in their own way. I had never seen any of them, but I’d seen moments of emotional agitation when his glamour would let through some of his latent power. Now was one such moment, and it made me wary.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“The supernatural community was brutalized under Francesca’s time,” he began, a rolling growl under his words.

“I know, that’s why I intend to approach them with respect and caution. To prove to them that we are different, on their side.”

“How?”

I let out a long breath.

“I’m not sure. Each group has different rules, different opinions and experiences with the Archive. Some worse than others. I confess that I am unsure how to proceed.”

Trey swaggered toward me a grin on his face.

“I humbly volunteer as tribute.”

I snorted.

“You’ve been watching too many movies.”

“I admit, I have a soft spot for the teen dystopian dramas. To think they actually made a franchise out of a ritual Dragon youths once performed. Though, not to the death of course.”

I rubbed my temple in tight circles to try and relieve the pain behind my eyes.

“Trey, I have a headache. Does this conversation have an end?”

He moved closer and plucked the drink from my fingers.

“What do you think—?”

“A scalp massage while I tell you.”

He’d never asked to touch me before, nor had he ever done more than flirt from a distance. Now, however, his sweet scented breath was brushing against my face and I could see the flecks of cobalt in his dark eyes, the whisper of blue in his thick black hair. He was beautiful, in a way only something cloaked in mystery and danger could be.

“Fine,” I sighed, and turned around.

One hand went to my shoulder, his touch warmer than a Mundane, like me. With his other hand, he plunged his long, nimble fingers into my hair and began to work my scalp in firm motions.

I closed my eyes in spite of myself; god, did it feel good to be touched, to be cared for even if it was vastly inappropriate to let a council member do this.

He’s the one that asked. I just…oh my goodness! He has magic fingers.

“Now,” he whispered as his other hand began to work on the knots in my shoulder, “I propose that I work beside you asconsultant, of sorts, to the supernatural community. I could help you navigate their customs, their painful history with the former director, and act as a liaison between you and them.”

Heat from his body was melting into mine, and I wanted so much to lean against him, to feel the hardness of his muscles against me. I held onto my focus by the slimmest margin and remembered my personal rules.

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