by Julie Wetzel
“It’s all right,” he cooed. “You’re brooding. It makes everything harder.”
Angela brow furrowed and she pushed away to look at him again. “Brooding?”
“It’s what happens when a dragon’s hormones get out of control,” he explained. “Brooding can be triggered by high stress or a life-changing event like puberty.”
She pondered his words. “You think I’m brooding?” She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
Kyle grinned at her. “I know you’re brooding, but that’s okay. I’m brooding too.”
Angela pursed her lips, not sure how to respond to that. She could feel the dragon agree with Kyle. But it made sense. Out of control hormones would account for her unstable mood. She wiggled in Kyle’s arms, uncomfortable with the changes in her body. “How long will this last?”
“For you? A couple of days,” Kyle explained. “Female dragons don’t usually brood once they reach maturity. After Noah sets us right, things should level out again.”
“What about you?”
He shrugged. “It’s not my first brooding,” he admitted. “I’ll be fine after a while.”
Narrowing her eyes, she stared at him. She could feel the truth in his words but it didn’t sit well with her. He was leaving something out. “What aren’t you telling me?” she pushed. He had to know that she could feel him through their connection.
That cheeky grin lit his eyes again. “Nothing important,” he admitted. “Male dragons are prone to brood under the right circumstances, and I have a feeling this is going to last for a while.”
Angela turned his words over in her brain trying to grasp what she was missing. “Right circumstances? Like what?”
Kyle shrugged. “Drastic changes, puberty, finding a mate. You know. The things that shake you up and make you take a long look at life.”
Makes sense. Having one’s dragon ripped out and given to another was definitely a drastic change. Chewing on her bottom lip, Angela steered the conversation back to her unanswered question. “So what happened after the dragon bit?”
Kyle chuckled again. “Well, after the dragon bit,” he teased, “we went back to your father’s house.”
Angela tensed up as she imagined her father’s reaction to everything. “Oh my God, I bet he freaked.”
“Not as much as I thought,” Kyle admitted.
She gave him a confused look.
“He got quiet.”
Angela went still. “That’s not good.” Her father was a very level man but prone to yell when mad. There wasn’t a lot that would leave him speechless.
“I think he was a little overwhelmed,” Kyle reassured her. “He’ll be fine once things settle down.” He paused before continuing. “We all will.”
Angela let out a sigh and relaxed. There was nothing she could do about her father at the moment. “Now what?” she asked, turning her mind to their current trouble.
“Well,” he said, starting to untangle himself from the bed. “Now that we’re all rested and human again, Noah should be able to draw the dragon’s energy out and properly divide it.”
“Wait!” Angela cried and grabbed Kyle before he could get up. She needed more of an answer than that.
Kyle relaxed back into position and waited.
Clearing her throat, Angela thought about the questions she wanted answered and the best way to ask them. “What do you mean divide it? I thought you wanted your dragon back.”
“I do,” he explained. “But you’re already bound to it. Taking that energy away won’t be healthy for you or the dragon.”
“But it’s your dragon.”
Kyle blew out a heavy breath. “True. But it’s not that easy. I may want my dragon back, but I also have to think about what the dragon wants.”
Angela stared at him in confusion. “What the dragon wants? Isn’t it part of you?”
“Yes and no,” Kyle said. “Most people born with a dragon live their entire lives without realizing their dragon is separate. They are two individual entities. I’ve seen what can happen when a dragon comes into conflict with the human half of one’s soul. It’s not pretty or pleasant for that person.
“But, I’ve always known my dragon was separate. We work well together and have very few conflicts in our life, but I also know that when it pushes for something it wants, there’s not much I can do to change its mind.
“I’ve had a long chat with my dragon and have come to understand that this is one time it won’t back down. The bond it formed with you is solid, and the dragon doesn’t want to let that go. But, it also knows that we can’t go on like this. There are a few things we could try, but properly splitting the dragon seems the most rational.”
“But I don’t want to be a dragon,” Angela whined. The dragon roared in Angela’s head, making her close her eyes and tense up. She relaxed when Kyle stroked her back again. Opening her eyes she met his very serious gaze again.
“And that is your prerogative,” Kyle said solemnly. “I won’t force you to take part of the dragon, but I would like you to think about it before you decide. Noah can remove the dragon’s energy, but he cannot break the bond that’s been formed.”
Angela’s heart fluttered. “What does that mean?”
“Dragons are creatures of magic and power,” he explained. “They have the ability to survive for long periods of time. The stronger the dragon, the longer their lifespan. They also have the ability to share that lifespan with another.
“In olden days, heartstones were used to divide dragons between bonded pairs, but only a powerful dragon could withstand the split without losing its mind. It was a dangerous procedure that fell out of practice.
“Today, a dragon’s power can be given to another by sharing a scale. It’s not a pleasant experience, but it links the pair together allowing the dragon to extend both of their lives.” Kyle drew in a long breath and let it out.
Licking her lips, Angela waited for the other shoe to drop.
“My dragon has bonded with you more deeply than sharing a scale would have. No matter what you decide, your life is tied to mine.”
A cold chill raced up Angela’s spine. “So if anything should happen to you…” She let the sentence trail off.
Kyle nodded. “I fear you wouldn’t survive it. And, for that, I’m sorry.”
Everything in Angela went numb. She had seen Kyle on the edge of death this week and the thought of having her life tied to his terrified her. Especially if someone was out to kill him.
“But dividing the dragon would solve this.”
She focused on him again.
“Taking half of the dragon as your own would allow you to live your life as you wish without having to worry about being tied to my lifeforce.”
“Would we still be linked?” Would Kyle and the dragon always be in her head? Even now, she could feel them both, on the edge of her perception.
“We will always be two halves of a whole, but I hope splitting the dragon will solve some of our current issues.”
Angela could feel his concern. “But you don’t know.”
Kyle sighed, sat up, and swung his legs out of the bed. “I really don’t know anything about this,” he admitted. “I’d never even seen a dragon heartstone before Daniel brought me Byrd’s, and even then, his heartstone was only used to transfer a dragon, not split one.” He raised his hands and rubbed his face. Dropping his hands to his sides, he stared across the room. “Byrd is the one that taught Noah how to create the stone, so I can only assume he knows what he’s talking about.”
Feelings of worry and frustration rolled off Kyle, making Angela realize that he was as scared as she was. That alien part inside her pressed and she listened to it.
Will work. It promised. Be whole. Be one. Mine.
Those words both terrified and reassured her. She knew what she had to do. It would mean changing her whole world, but she knew it was the right thing. Holding the blanket over her chest, she sat up and leaned into Kyle’s back.
“I’ll do it.” She felt the tension in his back melt. “I don’t know how I’m going to deal with it, but I’ll take the dragon.”
Kyle twisted at the waist and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. “And I will do whatever I can to help.” He squeezed her. “I’m sorry you were caught up in this.”
A snort of amusement made its way out of Angela unchecked. “I have this strange feeling I never really had a choice.”
Chuckling, Kyle turned her loose. “You could have left me to die,” he said as he stood up.
“As if,” she scoffed, pulling herself to the edge of the bed near him. “I might as well have stayed in school and fucked my roommate’s boyfriend.” She held the blanket around her body as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.
“What?” Kyle asked as he turned around. Surprise lifted his eyebrows.
A blush raced over Angela’s skin. “Nothing,” she mumbled, looking down and away from him. When she peeked up, he was giving her a confused look but didn’t press her for an explanation. She was glad when he finally turned away. Closing her eyes, she took a few calming breaths. She needed to have herself as emotionally level as she could to deal with what was to come. The feel of scales brushed against her mind and for the first time, it was reassuring.
“Here.”
Angela opened her eyes to find Kyle holding out a long, maroon bathrobe.
“I’m not sure how this is going to go, but it’s best to have something you can strip out of quickly in case you start to shift.”
“Oh,” she said, staring at the terrycloth robe. She glanced up to find Kyle had the decency to look away. Dropping the blanket over her chest, she quickly stood and slipped her arms into the open robe. “Thank you.” She pulled the cloth closed and tied it into place. “So we’re doing this now?”
“Unless you have something else you want first,” Kyle said. “Are you hungry?”
Angela rubbed her hand over her stomach. It ached as if she had cramps, but she didn’t feel hungry. If anything, the whole afternoon had left her a little queasy. “No,” she admitted. “I think I’m good.”
Kyle gave her a sympathetic smile. “Then let’s get this over with.” He held out his hand.
Taking it, Angela let him pull her into motion. As soon as they were out of the bedroom, she moved to his side and wrapped her hand around his arm. A profound feeling washed over her and she closed her eyes to absorb it. In that moment, everything in the world was right. She ran her free hand over his arm, feeling the hard muscles underneath his shirt. Erotic images of them together flashed through her mind and made her core tighten again. She let out a shaky breath and tried to push those thoughts away. Where did that come from?
“From the dragon,” Kyle answered her unspoken question.
Her eyes popped open and she looked up to find him staring down the hall. The line of his jaw was tight from where he clenched his teeth. She pulled them both to a stop as she tried to deal with her desires.
“I’ve been having those same thoughts,” he admitted. When he finally turned to look at her, she found his eyes filled with desire. “The dragon knows there’s something wrong and is looking for a way to fix it.”
Angela gaped at him. “Would sex fix this?” She hadn’t entertained the idea of a physical relationship with Kyle, but as soon as she asked, she could feel her desire swell. Her body caught fire and she was suddenly aware of how warm Kyle felt at her side. Through their connection, she could feel him respond in a similar manner.
“It might,” he said in a voice that was tighter than normal. He cleared his throat before continuing. “But, I think it’s best to let Noah and Byrd sort us out. The dragon and I have already asked a lot of you, and I don’t want to push you into something you’re uncomfortable with.”
Surprised, she turned and pressed into him. “And what if I pushed?” She backed him into the wall.
Kyle grabbed her upper arms holding her away. The tip of his tongue slid along his lower lip nervously. “I wouldn’t say no,” he said in a breathy tone. His hold loosened, and he let his hands slide down her arms. “But I want it to be something you want and not something you’re driven to.” His hands wrapped around her back, pulling her closer.
Angela leaned against him, feeling the arousal in his body. She waffled in indecision. It would be so easy to reach up and take his lips. They would probably taste amazing and lead to some fantastic sex. The pull in her body was unlike anything she’d ever felt before and that worried her. Carefully, she pushed out of his arms. “Let’s talk to Noah.”
Nodding, Kyle let his hands slip from her. “Yes,” he agreed and set them back in motion.
Angela held on to his arm and let their conjoined feeling flow through her. A passion-filled encounter between the two of them would be mind-blowing in their current state, but she couldn’t help but wonder if their attraction was natural or caused by the hormonal changes. How did she really feel about the idea of sex with Kyle?
Stepping away from the emotions rolling through her, she considered him. He was a fine looking man. She knew he was a lot older than she was, but his golden hair and bright eyes gave him a youthful appearance that hid his age well. She concentrated on that for a moment. How old is he? She paused, expecting him to respond as he’d done before. When no answer came, she reached out and touched his mind to find it spinning over his own thoughts.
Her touch drew him out and he turned his attention to her. “Yes?”
Angela shook her head, embarrassed that she’d interrupted him. “I was just thinking,” she muttered before meeting his eyes. “How old are you?”
Kyle gave her a pained look before paying attention to where they were going. “That’s a hard question to answer.” Turning a corner, he led them down a set of steps.
Angela scoffed at him. “No, it’s not,” she sassed. “You take the current year and subtract the year you were born.” She eyes him wearily. “You do know what year you were born?”
“Of course,” he said, his voice thick with amusement. “I was hatched in the fifteenth year of our good lord Lawrence Winehurst.” His grin lit his eyes. “So how old does that make me?”
A twitch formed under Angela’s eye as she stared at him. “Who the heck is Lawrence Winehurst?”
Kyle chuckled. “He’s the noble that ruled the land where I was born.”
“You set a date by the reign of a monarch?” What a weird way to tell time.
“Back then, everything was based on the year the current monarch took the throne, but that was another era.” Kyle let out a long sigh. “I have a pretty good idea of the date, but the year is somewhat vague, even to those that came to my presentation.”
“Wait, there are people older than you?” she asked skeptically.
“There are still a few, but not many.”
“So how old are you?” she asked again.
“If I have to venture a guess, I’d say about twelve hundred, give or take a century or two.”
Angela’s mouth fell open and her feet stalled out again.
Kyle stopped and waited for her to process this.
“You’re one thousand, two hundred years old?” No way!
“Give or take,” Kyle confirmed. “I told you that dragons could live a long time.” He pulled on her arm.
Angela stood her ground and stared at him. “There’s no way you’re that old. You might be thirty.”
He grinned. “I assure you, I am.” He pulled on her arm again. This time Angela let him set her back into motion. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask Patrick. He’s a few hundred years younger than I am, but he will back me up.”
“Wow,” she said, trying to process this. “How do you stay so young?”
“The blood of virgins.”
The deadpan way he answered made Angela stop again. She stared at him unsure if he was serious or playing.
Kyle gave her a very straight face. “What do you think dragons do with virgins?” He tugged her back
into motion. “We certainly don’t eat them.” His voice took on a teasing note. “At least not in a way they would object to.” He shot her a suggestive look. “So, are you a virgin?”
“Hey!” she snapped as soon as she realized he was teasing. She gripped the front of her robe, holding it closed. “Could you be serious about this?” How long had he been pulling her leg?
A soft chuckle rumbled up from Kyle’s chest. “All right,” he agreed. “But, I really am around twelve hundred years old, and as to how I stay so young, I can’t really explain it. I believe that it may have something to do with the dragon’s strength and will to live, but I’m not sure.” He stopped, opened the back door, and held it. “After you.” He bowed her out.
“Thank you,” she said, stepping through the door. She paused on the porch and tried to sum up what she’d learned. “So the more powerful the dragon, the longer they live.”
“If it were only that simple,” Kyle replied as he followed her out. “I’ve seen many powerful dragons die of old age and some weaker dragons live to achieve amazing things.”
Angela considered this for a moment before letting it go. There would be time to ponder that once things with the dragon were sorted out. “So,” she said, changing the subject. “Where is this shindig?” She recognized the forests behind Patrick’s home but didn’t see anyone around.
“Noah’s got everything set up in the lower field,” Kyle said as he started down the steps to the ground. “It’s a bit of a walk, but we’ll have a lot more room in case things get weird.”
Sharp pains from the weird cramps started again and Angela clutched her stomach as she hurried down the steps after Kyle. “Get weird?” she asked as she caught up to him. “Like how?” The ache in her gut subsided and she bowed her back to relieve some of the tension.
Kyle wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I’ve never done this, so I don’t know what to expect, but whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”