Page 9 of Witch of My Heart

“Yes!” Starry roared. “Now stop it!”

“Starry,” Bobby said, his voice gentler now. “I think they’re responding.”

“I know that! But you know everything and everyone new sends him running for the hills!” Starry grumbled. “Someone get Marcus!”

“Blithe didn’t know that. He’s only just gotten here. He wasn’t expecting this to happen,” Bobby squeezed Starry’s shoulder.

While Duke and Bobby comforted the upset omega dragon I broke away from the group. Now that he said it, I smelled the fear on Cord’s scent. Why was he afraid of me? I was the last person on Earthside he should be afraid of. Was it because I was a vampire? That would be my dumb luck. I stayed at a jog as I wound my way through the village until I came to stand in front of a house that smelled like Cord. I followed his scent up the pathway while my wolf clawed at my ribs begging to be set free.

Cord hunkered down under the front steps, shivering. The spring air was cool, but not quite cold enough to make anyone furry shiver. He was terrified. I sat down on the walkway keeping him painfully out of arm’s reach. Knowing very little of house cats I wasn’t sure how to go about calming him down. I stared atthe steps above him, hoping that I could avoid making him feel like prey by not looking directly at him.

The voices of the others drew near, with new voices added every few seconds. My tongue played at my fangs as they elongated from my gums. I didn’t want to drink anyone. My wolf was on edge. The fangs were his just as much as they were mine.

“Blithe?” A voice I wasn’t familiar with said from a few paces behind me.

I didn’t turn to look at the man. I didn’t have to. He smelled just like the smiling dragon back at the meeting hall.

“I’m Dara, Heartville’s healer,” he said as if his title alone would solve the problem at hand.

“So you are. Is Rex in one piece? We didn’t get shipping insurance on him,” I said, risking a glance at Cord still hunkered down on the steps.

“Rex and his family have settled in just fine,” Dara said, his shadow nodding for him.

“So, what can I do for you, doc?” I asked.

“Everyone’s a little concerned about you and Cord.”

“So it seems,” I nodded, holding back the urge to tell him and the calvary behind him to mind their own fucking business.

“So, let’s start with you.”

“With me what?” I asked, tensing my arm to elbow him in the gut or wherever I could reach if he got too close to me.

“Are you alright? That was quite the scene back there,” Dara chuckled. “He got a few good ones in on you.”

“They’ve healed up, I guess,” I said, not bothering to check. “When was the last time you heard of a vampire getting cat scratch fever?”

“There were a few cases in the medical text when I attended Moonscale Academy. None of which involved shifters, but all of which involved one particular Maine Coone named Squid wholived aboard a vampyric pirate ship in the---” Dara said and stopped suddenly.

I looked back over my shoulder just in time to see another dragon shifter squeeze his shoulder.

“Love, you’re getting off track,” the man chuckled, and Dara nodded defeat.

“Perhaps it’s a story best left for another time,” he conceded.

The door to the house slammed shut. The spot under the stairs was barren. Cord had taken the distraction and ran inside. I pushed myself to my feet just in time for Dara to grab my elbow. Turning, fangs bared I hissed as the world tinged over red. My mate was inside that house afraid and no scaley stethoscope wearing doctor was going to stand in my way.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the other dragon said.

“Probably his mate,”my wolf chimed in, but my eyes were already on the blue vein running across the back of the doctor’s hand.

“I wouldn’t threaten my cousin like that,” Duke’s voice cut in as he stepped up next to me.

“I think we need to give Cord some time,” Dara said, but let go of my elbow.

“Guys!” Bobby growled over the noise.

“Blithe!” Daniel’s voice cut through the crowd.

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