Page 43 of Hera

Waving to one of his neighbors, Augustine started off down the road, deciding on the forest path today. He’d be going topside later tonight for his date, and he didn’t enjoy crossing the gate more than once a day; it made his skin crawl.

The heat from the simulated sun gave way to cool shade as he passed under the canopy of leaves. The concrete sidewalk changed to hard-packed dirt and he picked up his pace, feet thudding firmly on the well-worn path.

As he got deeper into the forest, dew-covered branches hovered low and he had to duck to avoid them. Small creatures, not unlike squirrels and chipmunks, scurried along branches and out of sight with each step he took. Rays of light filtered through in splotchy patches, illuminating wildflowers and exposed roots of trees.

Augustine took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, embracing the silence and solitude. He and his brothers had woken to an entirely different world than the one they had fallen asleep to. So many more people, so much more noise, and technological advances that felt like magic.

The witch that had put the brothers to sleep until their soulmates were both alive and ready to receive them had warned them that times would change. She made sure that they had understood this. Not wanting to live a life of solitude, the brothers had agreed to the terms and had hidden deep in the mountains, protected from the passage of time or discovery by the witch’s protections.

But when the earthquake had awoken them a few years ago, they had been faced with a foreign world. Fortunately, Odin had found them wandering topside and had brought them to Purgatory, found them a home, and given them jobs while keeping them off of Lord Lucifer’s radar. They owed Odin everything.

Thinking about Lucifer brought his thoughts to the demon lord’s bond with his mate, Chloe. She had accepted his claim, his bite, after knowing him for only a few short months, and, now, they were married with a baby. Augustine wished he could ask Lucifer how to go about such a sensitive conversation. But then, he’d be on Lucifer’s radar—something he and his brothers had managed to avoid for the past few years and hoped to continue.

Augustine reached the large meadow in the middle of the forest and leaped forward, transforming with barely a thought into his dragon form. Purple scales rippled over his skin, large leather wings exploded from his shoulder blades, and his long tail whipped over grasses as his size grew to ten times that of its original. He made sure to keep below the tops of the trees as he glided around the circumference of the open space.

After he lost track of the number of laps, he landed on all fours next to the stream at one side, bending to drink from the cool water. The glimpse of his beast’s reflection made him uncomfortable and he transformed back to human. He dunked his head, flinging water every which way as he shook his hair like a dog. Scowling down at his reflection, Augustine wondered if he’d ever feel comfortable in his skin.

Maybe if Hera accepts me.

As if Hera’s name triggered something within him, he glanced up at the sky. The simulated sun was below the trees. Without being any closer to an idea of how to tell Hera about his dragon tonight, Augustine headed for home and a shower.

He didn’t linger in the shower, not wanting the teasing from his brothers that might ensue, and got dressed in black jeans and a dark purple dress shirt that matched his scales. He styled his hair quickly, noting that it was getting a little long and he’d need to make an appointment with the barber soon. Hair that was too long was a liability in the ring—it provided an easy grip for opponents.

The walk to ButterNut Bakery was long enough for him to panic overstillnot having any idea how to broach the subject of his shifter status.

He knocked on Hera’s door with his heart in his mouth, thankfully, not literally, and when she opened it, he blurted out the first words that came into his mind. “I am a shifter!” he almost shouted at her.

Hera looked taken aback at first, but then she smiled at him. “Thank you for finally trusting me enough to tell me.”

Augustine digested what she said slowly, his ears ringing slightly from his high anxiety. “Wait... Youknew?”

“You use my lotion,” Hera said patiently. “I know every scent I make. You had me smell your wrist on the speed date.”

“Right.” Augustine felt like the floor had fallen out from underneath him. He almost sagged with relief. He offered her his arm. “Shall we?”

Hera beamed up at him and took his arm, locking her door with a snap of her fingers. “Why all the secrecy? Surely, you didn’t think I would care?”

“It is not exactly common,” Augustine admitted. “I did not realize that you had lotions designed specifically for my brothers and me.”

Hera frowned. “But—”

Augustine didn’t understand her confusion. “A lotion that covers dragon shifter characteristics must be different enough from the others that you can tell between them,” he said, trying to clarify.

Hera’s jaw dropped and she came to a stop in the middle of the street. “Dragon?” she squeaked.

“You said you knew...” Augustine replayed their conversation in his mind. “I did not say that part out loud the first time.” He cursed. “I am sorry.” He led her to the side, clearing the street. “Are you all right? Does this... Does this change how you feel about me?” he asked anxiously.

“I...” Hera closed her mouth tightly and gazed deeply into Augustine’s eyes. At last, the tension in her body relaxed. “I don’t feel differently. You are August, the man I’ve fallen in love with. No matter what hearsay there was about that type of shifter in the past, you are obviously not the person about whom the rumors spoke.” She tucked her hand through his arm again.

“I have heard the gossip,” Augustine said, a muscle in his jaw jumping. “My brothers and I were asleep long before those allegations started. I do not know the person or people spoken about in those rumors. But we are not evil.”

“Definitely not,” Hera agreed.

Augustine’s brain finally caught up to all Hera had said. “You love me?” he asked, hardly daring to hope.

“I do.”

He wanted to shout it from the rooftops, his heart felt full to bursting. “I love you beyond all comprehension,” he said, picking her up in a tight hug and twirling her around in a circle and laughing.

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