No. If anything, when she was ready, she’d find an Otherworlder like herself. One who would accept her magical limitations and her choice of best friend. Much unlike her family. Family. She cringed at the word and the hurt it brought to the forefront of her mind.
Rubrum was her family. The only family that mattered.
But, would a cup of coffee with a handsome suitor be a bad thing? It couldn’t hurt, right? No, she couldn’t let it lead to anything more than friendship, but—
An ear-piercing screech that could only have come from Rubrum sounded from behind her. “Excuse me,” she said as she ran toward the ruckus.
She skidded to a halt as she entered the room. “What happened? Are you okay?”
Danger. Enemy. Danger. Rubrum ran in circles around the bed, disrupting her pretty bedspread and chunks of sheetrock as he did so. A puff of smoke even wafted from his mouth.
“Careful,” she said as she sat on the bed. “Please calm down, and don’t set the bed on fire.”
He stepped onto her lap and proceeded to jump up and down. If not for his obvious distress, it would have been funny.
Danger. Stranger danger. Kill. Kill.
“Rubrum!” Kill? Seriously? The guy at the door just wanted to return a bracelet he thought was mine. He doesn’t seem dangerous to me.” Even as she said it, that inkling of something being off about him floated through her mind again, but she shook it off.
WARLOCK!
Sparks flew from his mouth this time and singed her arm. “Ow, crap. That stung. Wait, warlock?” Well, that would explain the odd sensations she’d felt, but really, what were the odds? A flower nymph and a warlock running into each other in Humankind?
KILL!
“Geez. Okay! I’ll get rid of him. Calm down.”
“Is everything okay in here?”
She jerked at the man’s voice. She hadn’t invited him inside, and she certainly hadn’t invited him to her bedroom door. “Yes, fine,” she said with a sharp edge in her tone.
“What is that?” he asked, eyeing Rubrum in a way that made her skin crawl.
The man’s eyes gleamed with an eerie intensity that unnerved her. She told herself it was only because she was so protective of her friend. She was concerned about Rubrum’s uncharacteristic reaction, and at the moment she was worried Rubrum was going to blow fire at the guy. That simply would not do.
She gently but firmly shoved Rubrum off her lap and stood abruptly to block Aaron’s view of him. “He’s a Draco lizard.” She ushered him from the doorway and closed the door behind her. “A dramatic one. It’s a few minutes past his feeding time, and that’s his way of letting me know he’s not happy about it.” She laughed nervously as she lied.
“Draco lizard,” he mused to himself. “Surely, it wasn’t the cause of the destruction in your room?”
“Well, well,” Goldi said as she stumbled out of her bedroom while wiping at her eyes. “I was about to cuss you out for waking me from a much-needed nap, but…” She undressed Aaron with her eyes. “This is totally worth it though.”
“He’s leaving,” Phlox said quickly.
As Phlox practically shoved Aaron out the door, he dug in his heels and stunned her with another brain-melting smile. “About the coffee?”
“Coffee?” Goldi raised her eyebrows and waggled them at Phlox. “We have coffee here—“
“No. We’re out,” Phlox said quickly and shot Goldi a dirty look. She might have agreed to it if Rubrum wasn’t in such a huff, but he was, and that made the situation dangerous for everyone.
Goldi looked back and forth between the two, and Phlox thought for sure she was going to have to kill her friend, but Goldi’s grin had faltered and even turned to a small frown as she gazed intensely at Aaron.
“Yeah,” Goldi agreed slowly. “It’s a little late for coffee tonight.”
“Tomorrow, then?” he asked hopefully.
Besides too many signs pointing to it not being a good idea, she was prompted to respond agreeably just to get rid of him.
Goldi shot her a look of surprise.
After quickly settling on a coffee bar a couple of blocks away, Phlox shut the door and leaned back on it. She still had a crazed dragon and destroyed bedroom to deal with.
“I’m all for you getting out and mingling,” Goldi said. “But, I don’t think he’s the one for you.”
“Wait. What now?” Phlox asked in shock. “You’re always pushing me—“
“Yeah, but he’s got a bad vibe. Super cute, but the vibe is a no-go.”
“Wow,” Phlox said. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m not going. I just wanted him out of here. I, uh, got a call and have to get back to my grandmother’s.”
“You’re leaving already?” Goldi followed Phlox to her room. “Holy balls! What happened in here?”
“Yeah.” She hated to lie to her friend. “Emergency with my grandmother. And, this,” she waved her hands at the destruction. “This is an experiment gone wrong. I was thinking of adding, um, a skylight and got carried away.”
“Oh no. Is she going to be okay?”
Her disappointment pulled at Phlox’s heartstrings. It was nice to have someone who cared to have you around.
“I’m sure she is. The nurse said she’s just more out of sorts than usual and wants me there.” How she wished that was true, and she was ashamed at how easily the lies came.
“Dang. We hardly got to hang out.”
“I know. It sucks. I’ll be back though.” She opened the door to Rubrum’s cage. He ran inside and pulled the door closed behind him.
HURRY! HOME!HOME!HOME!
“I know. I’m hurrying,” she snapped out loud, annoyed, and realized her mistake.
Goldi cocked her head to the side and frowned at her friend’s seemingly insane outburst. “What now?”
“Um. Just agitated.”
“Yeah, uh, when you get back, we gotta have a girl’s spa day. You need to relax. Or maybe get lai—“
“Right. Whatever you say,” she cut Goldi off and blew her a kiss on the way out.
Phlox rushed to the portal, Rubrum’s magic speeding her steps to inhuman pace once the danger of being seen was passed. They crossed the distance in record time. As soon as they stepped through to Otherworld, he burst from his cage, shifted back to dragon-size and blew out a flame that lit a nearby tree on fire.
Before she could say or do anything, he gripped her with his talons, shot into the air and flew them to their cave where he dropped her unceremoniously on the blankets.
She spluttered as she righted herself. “What the hell?”
He paced frantically around the cave. Back and forth. Back and forth. His huge, spiked tail swung dangerously each time he turned around. No Humankind. No more. Danger.
“Rub,” she patted the blanket next to her. “Please sit down. You’re making me dizzy.”
He dropped his dragon-butt and sat, one of his wings poking out a little too far and knocking her over on her side with a thud.
She closed her eyes as she righted herself, took a deep breath, and calmed before speaking. He was already upset, and she didn’t want to upset him more by being grouchy with him.
“Will you try to explain to me what is so dangerous? Please? Calmly, without setting anything else on fire or giving me any more bruises?”
Not man. Danger.
Phlox rubbed her temples and tried to decipher his meaning. “Yes, you said he’s a warlock.”
He nodded his big dragon head.
“Are you sure?”
He continued nodding.
“Okay.” She couldn’t help the thought that maybe he was a possibility for a suitor after all if he wasn’t human. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d run into an Otherworlder in Humankind. “So, what’s dangerous about him?”
Bad. Warlock.
“I get that you don’t like him. At all. But, can you explain what’s so bad about him? It can’t be only because he’s a warlock. That doesn’t automatically
mean bad.”
His snout dropped to his chest, his wings sagging. Bad magic. Bad. Feeling.
Well, she’d been hoping for a more concrete answer. If only her magical abilities weren’t so pathetic, so lacking, so useless. She’d be able to confirm her dragon friend’s feelings or counter them, or at least be able to understand Rubrum clearly and in full sentences, but such was not the case.
She really didn’t know why she doubted him in the first place. He’d never steered her wrong before. His magic was intact and more powerful than she could even fathom. Was it because she found the warlock man attractive? Could Rubrum be jealous? She laughed silently at that thought and immediately dismissed it.
Chapter 6
Arden no longer had any doubt that the dragon and the girl were connected. And whatever the connection was, was in that house. His senses had thrilled at the all-powerful magic filling it. His skin had prickled, the magic in him touching the magic that could only come from a dragon. For a split second, he’d considered that she was the dragon in human form, but that wasn’t it. It was all around her, but not coming from within her.
For a moment, he’d considered her pet lizard, but it was impossible for a dragon to miniaturize itself as such. Transform into human skin, yes. Transform into a small reptile, no.
He scratched at the stubble on his chin going over and over all the possibilities. Could the reptile be connected to the dragon? Had the girl somehow stolen a magically imbued lizard?
Aargh. The frustration of it all. He needed a dragon. And this was the closest he’d come in months. There was no time to begin a search for another.
He needed to get back to Otherworld, to recharge as best he could. For tomorrow, he would hunt again. In his weakened magical state, he couldn’t summon a portal, so he dropped his glamor to save strength and headed off for the closest available entryway.
Chapter 7
Phlox arose early, and she figured Rubrum would sleep like the dead for quite a while longer, especially after his upset the day before. In their hurry to leave Humankind, she hadn’t packed his Twinkies, and there were no reserves in their cave.
She decided she’d make a quick trip back to the house to grab his sugary treats and return before he woke. It would surely put him in better spirits.
She inhaled the fresh, floral air of Otherworld. That was something Humankind could never compare to. No pollution. There was only fresh, brisk air carrying the scent of fruit blossoms and every imaginable type of flower, and the undertones of magic caressing her skin. It was what she missed most on the short visits to Humankind, but there were things there that were also special in a different way. The work she did with the animals, for one.
She wasn’t surprised to see Goldi’s car in the driveway. It was much too early for her friend to be awake unless the puppy was running her ragged. She’d sneak in, shove as many boxes of Twinkies in her satchel as she could fit, and sneak out without Goldi knowing she’d been there.
At least, that had been the plan.
“Whatcha doin’?”
Phlox spun around, a box of sugary treats flying out of her hand and landing on the floor at Goldi’s bare feet. The puppy came running from around the corner and skidded to a halt to intently sniff the box. “Uh. You know how much Rubrum loves these things. I forgot to bring them to Grandmother’s.” She scratched behind the pup’s ears and snatched up the box. She didn’t think Rub would appreciate puppy-scent on his prized treats.
Goldi wiped at her eyes. “So, instead of popping into a store, you got up at the ass-crack of dawn and took an Uber across town?”
Oh yeah. That did sound kinda stupid. “Um. Yeah. Well, why waste money when you don’t have to, right?”
Goldi shook her head. “Whatever. Hand me an energy drink?”
Phlox handed her an energy drink and gave her a once over. “Still no sleep?”
“Not nearly enough.”
As if on cue, the little pup yipped, grabbed hold of the hem of Goldi’s pajama pants, and tugged as her furry tail wagged wildly.
“Ya know, if you can’t handle it, you can always take her back to the shelter.” Phlox hoped her friend didn’t choose that option but thought she should make the suggestion anyway.
“No! I love her! I’m just…adjusting and surprised. She was so shy at the shelter. Here, she’s a wild woman. And I think your reptile taught her some bad manners.”
Phlox snort-laughed at that, but she didn’t tell Goldi that she was probably absolutely correct. She zipped up her satchel with the boxes of goodies inside. “Well, I gotta get going. I’ll see you two next time. Hopefully, next weekend.”
“Okay.” Goldi was on her hands and knees now playing with the young pup.
She’d love to stick around and watch the spectacle for a while longer, but she really needed to get back to Otherworld before Rubrum woke.
Chapter 8
Phlox, startled, almost dropped the yellow-gold-sweetness as she crossed into Otherworld. She hadn’t expected to run into another being right on the other side of the portal.
He was tall with short, black hair, and slightly graying stubble on his chin. A terrible scar on the right side of his face ran from just below his cheekbone down his neck and disappeared beneath the collar of his white shirt.
“Excuse me,” she said, not knowing what else to say.
The scarred man’s eyes widened. He seemed just as surprised as her at the meeting.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I-uh.” Phlox scrunched up her face at the weird question. “What?”
He turned the scarred cheek away from her when he noticed her appraisal. She hadn’t meant to stare.
“Sorry,” she offered. “I didn’t mean to gawk. I was only thinking it must have been incredibly painful.”
He scowled, anger cooling his formerly warm, honey-brown eyes. She was certain she’d never crossed his path before, but those eyes were somehow familiar.
The man looked around. “Are you alone?”
Well, now, that was a kind of creepy question coming from a stranger. She was already wary of strange men crossing her path considering her run-in the night before, and this one was not making her feel any more comfortable with it.
“Of course not,” she lied. “Are you?”
He eyed her skeptically. “Yes, I am. I can take care of myself, but you, you barely belong here.”
She crinkled her nose at the insult. Magicals were such jerks sometimes. She’d grown up knowing most magicals could sense her lack of and looked down their noses at her, but not all were actually rude enough to blurt out the words. What a frog-faced-fairy-fart.
“Well, thanks for sharing your thoughts,” she said sarcastically and stalked away.
“Wait.” He caught up with her and lightly grabbed her by the elbow.
Electricity shot through her system, and his eyes flashed golden before he jerked his hand away as if touching her had burned his skin.
They stared at one another for a long moment until he finally broke the silence. “Begging your pardon. My magic sometimes gets away from me. I only wanted to offer to walk you to your destination. I appreciate you saying you’re not alone, but I feel you only said that out of protectiveness of your being. I am not one you need to fear. You must know this area borders dragon territory.”
“Borders it, yes, but I’m not crossing over. I’ll be fine. And, you really shouldn’t go around grabbing strangers. It’s inappropriate and disturbing.” She took two steps away from him and considered running but planted her feet a moment. “You’re name, sir?”
At least he had the decency to look sheepish as she chastised him, but he hesitated a little too long before he answered. “Arden. And you?”
She wondered at the hesitation and if that was really his name. She had no idea why he’d lie. She considered lying about her name, but what would the truth hurt?
“Phlox.”
The smile that lit his face transformed him
to a level of handsomeness that made her stomach tingle, and the scar all but disappeared. She wondered what had happened but still wasn’t even sure she should be talking to him.
“Flower nymph,” he said as he rubbed at the stubble on his chin thoughtfully. As if he’d solved some sort of puzzle.
“How do you know that?” she asked.
“Part lucky guess. Part your name. Phlox,” he said as if tasting her name. “Why is your magic so weak?”
Annoyance pricked her skin like brambles. Just when she’d let her guard drop a little, he insulted her again. She was beyond done with him regardless of how handsome he was. “Bye.”
“Wait.” He rushed ahead and stopped in front of her. “I meant no offense. I don’t interact with many these days and my manners are…”
“Lost and never to be found?” she supplied.
He laughed a deep, hearty laugh that transformed him once again into the epitome of ruggedly handsome. He put Aaron to shame.
“Misplaced temporarily,” he conceded. “Please, let me walk you home. You can teach me manners on the way.”
“I appreciate the offer, Arden, but really, I’ll be fine. It was…sort of nice meeting you.”
That laugh again.
“Well, it was an absolute pleasure meeting you, little flower nymph. I hope our paths cross again.”
Phlox wasn’t so sure she hoped the same. But she couldn’t deny the appeal of him when his foot wasn’t in his mouth. Hmmm… Two offers from dangerously handsome men in two days. What were the odds?
Chapter 9
Arden smacked a palm to his head. What the hell had he been thinking? He hadn’t been thinking. At all, apparently. That was for certain. He’d been so shocked by her sudden appearance, he’d forgotten himself, his mission—had forgotten everything but her presence.
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