“It’s okay, sweetheart, we’re together now. We are one,” he said.
His eyes went back to human, and she was staring at the most beautiful man. “I…” she rolled off of him and lay next to him. She couldn’t let him see the tears. She should be happy; she was happy, but a part of her was broken, and she didn't know if she’d be able to get better. “I don’t know how to be in a relationship.”
He gripped her side and pulled her closer. His hand trailed over her back, rubbing along her skin. “Neither do I, but we’ll learn, all right? We shouldn’t worry about what’s to come. Let’s enjoy the magic for a little while.”
He was right. She cuddled close and fell asleep to the lull of his heartbeat.
***
Ilias lay awake while Andrea slept. The dragon healed every inch of her skin, and now they rested. He rubbed his finger along her skin and sighed, content for the first time in his life. He’d never felt so lucky. But he knew that the battle had just begun. Andrea needed help. He wasn’t sure Red could heal the part of her mind that got addicted in the first place. It wouldn’t be that easy. His mate had to want to give it up.
He relaxed and studied her dream. It was full of darkness and sorrow. She whimpered in her sleep, and he pulled her tighter against him to settle her. He got out of her head. The things she struggled with were her own business. He had to learn to put a guard up around her, or she would have to guard her own thoughts.
She squirmed against him and started to sob. “Hey, sweetheart, wake up.”
She fought against his touch until her eyes shot open. When she realized it was him, she calmed down and let the tears fall.
“My dad is gone.”
He wasn’t expecting that. “What do you mean, ‘gone?’”
“Mom told me the night the dragon got me. She told me he’d left us a while ago. He had someone else.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“I didn’t know. No one told me because I was stuck in my own world, high and barely cutting it at school. Mom doesn’t know that I flunked out. But worse, I didn’t know she was hurting. How could she not have told me?”
“She must have had a good reason. Sometimes, a parent does things for our own good.” He wasn’t sure if that was true or not. He got it from TV. He didn’t have the most typical upbringing.
“What’s that face?”
He blinked. “Huh?”
“Your face. You looked like you were thinking about something, and it wasn’t good.”
“We can talk about my past another time. First, we need to help you. Help your mom if you want. And we need to figure out how much we’re going to tell her. That will be up to Aris and Sophie, though.”
“I have to tell her. It’s bad enough I’ve been lying to her about everything. I think I need to come clean.”
Ilias silently agreed, but it had to be her decision. Her choice. “Do you want me there?”
She nibbled her lip, hesitating. “I’m not sure yet. She’s going to be so hurt.”
“Andrea, people make mistakes. They do things they regret, but isn’t that how we learn?”
“I guess, but she’s already dealing with a lot. Me telling her I’m an addict isn’t going to help make things better.”
“Then don’t tell her until after you’ve beaten it.” She seemed to like that idea, and Ilias had another idea, one he was certain she wasn’t going to like.
CHAPTER 18
Ilias filled the plate with food and set it in front of Andrea. He’d already eaten before she even dragged herself out of bed. He let her sleep, knowing her body went through a lot the night before. The house was still blissfully silent, and he allowed himself to enjoy the peace and quiet he rarely got. When he’d gotten out of bed only to find the house was empty, it was heaven. There was no one telling him what to do, and there was no picking up of random thoughts that weren’t his own. His mind needed the break from constant emotion.
“I need to go home today. Mom will be worried again. I’ve got to stop disappearing on her, especially now.”
“That’s fine. Eat first, and remember you can’t tell her about Red, not until we talk to Aris.”
She nodded and shoveled her food into her mouth. He chuckled watching her eat like the rest of them. He realized it was because of all the energy the dragon burned from them.
When her plate was empty, she walked it to the sink and rinsed it. Ilias watched the sway of her hips, studied her curvy body, and groaned when he felt his body heat. Andrea’s head whipped around, and he watched her scent the air.
“What is that?”
He blushed. “Me wanting you, but we don’t have time. We need to go.”
Andrea pouted, but in the end, she nodded and took his hand when he reached for her. He could feel her nerves along her skin like a live wire.
***
She went inside the house and took a deep breath. Her mom and her brother were both home. Could she really tell them the truth? Eventually, they’d find out she flunked out of school. There was no hiding that. She led Ilias into the living room. Her brother was on the couch reading, and normally she would have said something sarcastic, because really? He never read. Maybe he changed and in a good way.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in.”
“Hello to you, too,” she replied, squeezing Ilias’ hand.
Her mother looked up, but her eyes didn’t meet hers. They had to know.
Ilias nudged her. “I…uh…can we talk, please?”
No one said anything, so Andrea moved to the couch and sat down. Ilias leaned against the doorframe, giving her the space she needed, but staying close. This was her time.
“I have to be honest about something.” She licked her lips and rubbed her hands on her thighs. “I got myself into some trouble, and I flunked out of school.” Like ripping off a band aid, only worse when her mother’s disappointment was palpable. She could taste it on her tongue, and it didn’t taste good. In fact, the array of emotions she felt in the room was both daunting and horrifying. How did the others handle this all the time?
“I know,” was all her mother said.
Andrea figured, and she was quickly learning that her mother didn’t talk to her about anything. “I see. Well, I tried to make up my grades, but I failed.”
“You didn’t fail. You can go back and make it right.”
Andrea wasn’t going back. At least, she wouldn’t be moving across the United States again. That had been her first mistake. She wasn’t ready to be that far away from home. She needed someone to keep her grounded. She had no one there to warn her of all the bad things she could easily fall into. She’d go local or something, but she had bigger fish to fry.
“There anything else you want to fess up to, sis?”
She raised a brow. Apparently, he’d changed, and now that she was the one making mistakes, he loved being up on his high horse. “As a matter a fact, yes,” she said and stood up. She braced herself. “I’m going to enter a treatment program of some sort to help me.”
Her brother jumped up from the couch, smiling. He pointed his finger at her with a grin. “I told Mom. I knew there was something up with you.”
“Sit down,” her mother said. Everyone froze. “You do not give your sister a hard time. She’s going to get help, and you are going to support her. You’ve done enough that you’ve no room to put her down.” Her mother stood up and pointed at Ilias. “And you! You’re going to follow through with your promise and find my baby. That means getting her back to how she used to be. I expect you’ll help her get off of whatever it is she’s on, and no, I don’t want the details, but I want my children healthy and good. They are all I have left, after all.”
All three of them nodded. Her brother’s smile fell from his face, and he pulled her into a hug. “Sorry, sis.”
She hugged him tight. “Just don’t give me a hard time, kay? I’m going to need all the support I can get.”
“You got it. Mom and I have your bac
k.”
Ilias cleared his throat.
“Oh, and I guess your…boyfriend?”
“He’s already helping me, so don’t say it like that.”
Her mother smiled. She had taken a liking to Ilias. “I know he is. I trust him.”
That shut her brother up. He frowned and left the room. Apparently, he got what he wanted out of the conversation.
“I won’t be living here, though. Ilias is going to make sure I stay away from anyone who could stress me out.”
“And living here won’t help,” her mother finished.
“No, not until I figure out how I feel about Dad leaving, and you all keeping it from me.”
“I didn’t want to worry you.”
“Yeah well, I didn’t get to say goodbye. I didn’t even know my own father abandoned me. How horrible is that?”
Her mom didn’t have a response. “You’ll come by, though, right?”
Andrea’s eyes filled with tears. She felt the emotions stirring too deep, and she was worried she’d do something stupid like shift her eyes. “Not for a while. I have to get control over myself and my emotions.” She turned away. “I’ve got to go, Mom.”
Ilias nodded, and when Andrea rushed past him, he stayed behind. As soon as the air hit her face, she let out a breath, and tears slid down her cheeks in a heavy stream. She hadn’t realized how hard it would be to be around her mother. How betrayed she felt. Ilias came back outside and laid his hand on her shoulder. He rubbed his fingers along the muscles and calmed her beast. Was this what it was going to be like, needing him so much?
“Would that be so bad?”
“Stop doing that, please.”
“You need to learn how to guard your thoughts, too, but in the meantime, I’ll try not to listen. It’s hard, though, especially now that we’ve completed the bond.”
“But to answer your question, I don’t know. I don’t like needing anyone. Obviously, you can tell how stubborn my family is.”
“Well, let’s take it one day at a time, and once you start working with Zarin, home won’t seem so bad to you anymore,” Ilias said, and bolted off the porch, leaving her standing that with that tidbit of news.
“What?” She ran to catch up. “But he hates me.”
She would not be working with Zarin. Or rather, he wouldn’t work with her. She knew he thought her problem made her lower than the low. She didn’t need him to shove his thoughts of her drug use down her throat every day. She’d rather join a program for real.
CHAPTER 19
When they got home, everyone had returned. Sophie was the first to greet them with a bright smile and rosy cheeks. Ilias studied her, wondering what was different.
‘Can’t wait to tell them.’
Immediately, he shut his mind down. He didn’t want to know what she was thinking, and as he watched her rub her stomach, he knew; oh, gods, he knew. She didn’t realize he saw the movement.
“So?”
“She’s got the dragon, and we’re bonded.”
Sophie squealed and ran up to Andrea, pulling her in a tight hug. “I’m so excited. It will be so good to have another woman around this testosterone-filled house.
Andrea laughed and hugged her back. “I’m afraid I won’t be a lot of help at first. I’ve got to get better.”
Sophie nodded. “Of course, but you have to remember we’re all here for you. You don’t have to do this alone.”
Ilias was glad someone else said it. He didn’t think she’d believe him if the words hadn’t come out of someone else’s mouth. “I told you,” he whispered, and he grunted when she elbowed him – hard – in the ribs. “Ouch.”
Zarin stood back from everyone, and Ilias was pissed. He was his best friend, and he needed him.
He left Andrea’s side and followed Zarin after he spun out of the room.
“When are you going to stop being mad at me?”
“I’m not mad at you.”
“Okay then, when are you going to start treating Andrea like she is a part of this family? Because I need your help.”
His eyes rose. “My help for what?”
“Something tells me you might be the only one who can get through to her. She wants to beat this addiction, but you also have to know, she just found out her father had an affair on her mother, and he abandoned them for that woman. She found out the night she was taken.”
Zarin’s shoulders dropped and hurt filled his eyes. Almost as if he could feel Andrea’s pain. “All right, we’ll try it. But I’m not going to baby her. She’s going to be in a world of pain, but by the time I’m through with her, she’ll never think about taking another drug.”
“So what, she’ll be in some boot camp?”
“Oh yeah, toughen her up physically, and toughen her up mentally. Teach her that she is in charge. It seems that she needs that boost, that control. I’ll make sure she gets it. But I don’t want her whining to you that I’m being too mean and then you getting involved. So, I’ll tell you now. I’m going to be mean, and she is going to get hurt, but it’s what she needs.”
Ilias wasn’t sure he’d be able to see the process of helping her, but he was right. For the first time in weeks, Zarin’s eyes were bright. It was almost as if having a goal to help someone else – or punish them – was what made him happy. “Don’t enjoy it too much. She’s going to need your support. If you constantly belittle her, she won’t make it through.”
Zarin huffed. “I’m not that much of an ass, but I can already tell Andrea doesn’t need someone pussyfooting around. She needs blunt and hard.”
Andrea cleared her throat. “He’s right.”
Zarin smiled, knowing he’d won. “See.”
“But just wait until I make you hurt back. Once I’m stronger.”
“Oh, so you wanna take me down?”
Andrea laughed again, her eyes bright with joy. Ilias saw them bonding right before his eyes, and nothing could have made him happier at that moment.
“You bet your ass I do.”
“It’s on, doll, but don’t go crying to Ilias when you lose.”
Andrea puffed out her chest, almost in a way of showing some sort of dominance. It seemed that she was adjusting to her dragon well. “I won’t.”
Ilias left them to their conversation and went back to the kitchen where Aris and Sophie were huddled together by the counter.
“What’s going on?”
Sophie spun around, and her eyes moved rapidly around the room. “Why are you in here?”
“Because Zarin and Andrea finally found something they agree on: a plan to kick each other’s ass.”
Sophie laughed. “Well that’s a start, right?”
“I guess. It’s better than him pouting because hasn’t found his mate.”
“Oh, he will, and soon.”
“You saw?”
Sophie smiled that weird smile she’d been having lately. “Just like I knew you’d find yours. It’s the dragon. She sees things.”
Ilias understood. “That’s how Aris knew about you, then Blane used his power to find you.”
“And now I get to help you guys find happiness.”
Oh no, she was getting sappy again. Something was going on. “What’s going on Sophie? I know you’re queen and all, but you can talk to me if you need to.”
This whole time, Aris faced away from him and kept quiet. Then he turned around, holding a cake. “Happy birthday!”
“My birthday already passed.”
“But we didn’t get to celebrate.”
Love bloomed in his chest, knowing that even through all the stress they thought of his birthday. Even though he pretty much didn’t care about it. “Thank you.”
Zarin and Andrea came into the room as if they’d heard the word ‘cake.’
“Yum, what’s the cake for?” Andrea asked, sideling up to him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.
“We’re celebrating two things.” Aris started. Everyone w
atched him and quietly waited for him to talk. “We missed Ilias’ birthday, so this cake is partly for him. Happy birthday, brother.”
Andrea squeezed his side. ‘Happy birthday, baby. I love you!’
He sucked in a breath, not even listening to the others. She’d told him she loved him. He thought he was going to have to wait months to hear those precious three words.
“And Sophie’s pregnant,” Aris said after a brief pause.
The room was so silent they could have heard a pin drop. He looked around and noticed that everyone in his family each had a different look of shock on their face, even the would-be parents.
“Wow, that’s great!” It really was. They had formed a family. It only seemed normal to bring children into it.
Sophie melted into tears again, and this time it made sense. “I’m so lucky to have you all.”
Ilias agreed. Even through his haunted past, he was saved by Aris, and now they were growing. He wondered how many more would join in the future. Maybe more Halflings would reach out to them. He’d love to meet others like them.
The others surrounded Aris and Sophie, but he held back, holding Andrea with him. She admitted to loving him.
“You meant it?”
She blushed and looked at her feet. “It’s soon, I know.”
He laughed and cupped her chin, tipping her head up. He pressed his lips to hers, and then he pulled back and said the words he’d longed to say, “I love you, too, my mate.”
Ilias: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (Stratham Dragons Book 2) Page 9