The kiss was definitely her first. I could tell, cause she froze, and didn’t know what to do. But my quintessential kissing skills made up for the lack of hers.
My entire body tingled as our tongues tried to find the rhythm. The sensation rushed down my spine and warmed up my core, making this by far the best kiss I’d ever shared with anyone.
My fingers hugged her neck and tangled in her hair. Her floral and coconut smell soothed my nostrils and took me deeper into this dream.
She had a hippy vibe going on, wearing a thick forest green rain jacket, with jeans and the furriest boots I’d ever seen. A song that I accidentally hopped on when I tried to find the right tune popped into my head. Shawty had them apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur…
I chuckled into the kiss, fucking it up completely. When I opened my eyes, my head spun and my body trembled.
What the fuck is that?
Her eyes were still closed, and she looked like she was sleeping.
“Elena.” I spoke her name in a gentle tone as I flexed my hand, trying to expel the trembling sensation.
Her lips curved, and then her eyes opened. “Why did you laugh?”
I grinned. “Sorry, the way you looked today reminded me of another song.”
“Which one?”
“Shawty had them apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur, the whole club was looking at her.” I really got into the song moving with the rhythm.
She laughed and poked me playfully at the same time her cheeks turned a shade red. She looked away as she pressed her lips tighter against each other.
“When you told me the other day that you can sing, I didn’t think it was on that level. I almost feel sorry for you trying to ditch Ms. Taylor.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, that will not happen.”
I still wondered about the bracelet thing, as I made this one she so called had all her life. I never made a second. It was one of a kind, and I really had to see it for myself.
“I heard what happened yesterday,” I said, and her smile faltered.
“It’s okay, I think your song drowned yesterday’s shitty comments.”
The corner of my lips curved softly upward. “See, I have my perks.”
“Thank you for that, but I wasn’t joking about her wrath. I did not know what it was she wanted to do yesterday and when I saw your gorilla friend sitting next to me and his buddy took the other chair, I was sure it was another horrible nightmare that she put them up to.”
I chuckled at her gorilla comment, which could only be Jace and Carlos. “Yeah, they are my bandits, not Chloë’s.”
“Great to know. I really didn’t expect that though.”
“It was required. I mean, you keep on telling me to stay away. Stop doing it, I take things way too literal.”
“Discovered that too. Just between the two of us, it wasn’t as easy as you think.” She took a deep breath and worry lingered on her face. I didn’t like that worry and I knew she was going to hate me when she discovered the truth, but right now, I didn’t care. The darkness was so far away when I was with her. There were no negative thoughts, only the trembling of my hands.
I pulled her forward again, and she crashed into my chest as her feet slipped.
The laughter that barked out of her wasn’t long lived as my lips occupied hers again.
I could kiss her forever, and then the thought washed away and got replaced with another. I was going to kiss her forever. My Neverbreath was real. Wondered why she had red hair and freckles? Elena didn’t have any of those features.
We went back to class after I programmed my number into her phone.
She fucked me up. I was head over tail, as mom would say, about this girl.
I showed her to blend in when the bell rang announcing the last period and then our ways parted.
When I walked into the last period, the guys applauded. The girls on the cheerleader squad stared at each other as I bowed.
I slap-shake Jace and Carlos as appreciation before the teacher—that is what they call them this side—walked into the room. I took my seat way at the back and sort of leaned into it.
Human history was so boring and I couldn’t wait to go back to Paegeia. I missed magic and using my abilities.
Sandy, who sat at the table next to mine, handed me a note. She rolled her eyes and my gaze found Chloë, trying to give me a soft puppy face look.
Urg. I looked at the note. ‘Why her?’
I rolled it up and I could feel my hands turning the note to ash.
I chucked the ash into the corner and looked forward, not sparing Chloë another glance. She didn’t deserve a second of my attention after what she had done yesterday and this morning. If she was going to carry on, she would find out just how persuasive I could be.
When the bell rang, I walked out with Jace and Carlos. They had ice hockey practice and Dad said that he was going to pick me up today with the fancy land rover he got this morning. He wanted to see if he could get a good look at Herbert, without being seen of course, as it might put the old king’s dragon into a frenzy and skulk off with Elena again and then we had to start all over.
At least she had my number. I hoped she would call me tonight, or text. I made a mental note for her to text me, as Herbert didn’t like boys, and I was the reason behind that. He knew what the Rubicon was all about. Knew how possessive dragons were, and yep, if it wasn’t my human form that tried to win over her heart, the beast would’ve hunted him down and rip him to pieces.
Thank heavens that beast was me.
I paused in the entryway as I watched Elena running to the pickup.
I got a good look at Jako Lemuir, known as Herbert Watkins.
He smiled at her, ask her how her day was and I had to admit Elena had a great poker face, not showing him once that something epic happened in her life today.
I found Dad staring from behind the window of the tinted SUV he got. When Herbert drove out of the parking lot, I rushed over to Dad.
Plenty of students said goodbye as I opened the door, sighed, and got in.
“And?” my father asked.
I smiled. “It’s sorted. She is not staying away anymore.”
“Told you it will work.”
I chuckled. Sure, Dad?
My hand trembled, and I found my father staring at it as he switched on the ignition. Not a word slipped out of his lips, though.
We drove out of the parking lot and down the street that headed to the one we rented a house on.
“So anything happened today that I should know about?” Dad asked.
“Yeah, she said that she has a bracelet like mine. The only problem is the one she showed me is like hers, is the one I made myself.”
Dad squinted. “How, Blake?”
“I don’t know, but she is bringing it tomorrow to show me. She said she had it like forever.”
My father nodded and took a deep breath. Worried laced his eyes.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know. It’s just that she can already order you to stay away, which is a bit of a problem.”
“I know. I told her today not to do that, as I sort of take it literally.”
“Let’s hope she doesn’t order you again.”
We pulled into the driveway and into the garage. “You got her number.”
“No, I gave her mine. I do not want Fox seeing their location and chasing them away again.”
“It won’t happen. We are here now.”
We climbed out and walked through the door that led to the house. “So you got a good look at Jako?”
“Yeah, he changed a lot. Looked too human to be honest, but there is a dragon underneath the human. I just don’t understand why she does not know about Paegeia or the Rubicon.”
“She won’t tell him, Dad.”
My father’s gaze shot up as he opened the fridge. “Meaning?”
“He doesn’t want her to date. He told her yesterday that she would meet someone that will make her forget all about me. I guess he was referring to me.”
“Blake?”
“I know it’s the key to us getting closer. I’ll think of something. If push comes to shove, I’ll use my persuasion.”
“Don’t. You don’t know what it would do to her or you before she claimed you.”
I sighed. This could be the reason I trembled. She hadn’t claimed me yet and whatever formed the dent had to do with what I was trying to accomplish by winning over her trust and falling crazy in love with me at the same time.
My phone buzzed, and I hoped it was a text from Elena.
I opened it and saw an unknown number. ‘My digits’.
“You need to be careful with her, Blake. She might be your rider, but she is fragile if she doesn’t know about any of this.”
“Yeah,” I said.
Dad put a mother of a sandwich that he prepared in a few beats in front of me and then walked into his office.
I did not know what he was doing in that room, but something told me he was planning the greatest escape back to Paegeia, with Herbert and Elena in tow.
