by Julie Wetzel
Terra gasped as he slid his sleeve back into place.
“Don’t worry,” he tried to soothe her again. “I am stable. I’m just at an impasse. My dragon wants something that I can’t give it.”
“You haven’t seemed very stable to me,” Terra huffed as she picked up her juice and drained the short glass.
Alex snickered softly and pushed his untouched juice towards her. “No. I haven’t been. But that ties into my current troubles. See, a lot of things in a dragon’s life are driven by instinct and hormones. As long as we listen to those little cues, we’re fine, but there are times when our systems get upset and we lose those pointers. It leads to wild mood swings and brooding.”
“Like when you fall from the sky and get bashed in your head?”
This pulled another soft laugh from Alex. “No. A fall won’t mess with a dragon’s system. A growth spurt will. And a female dragon at the peak of fertility will.” He paused and considered Terra for a moment before going on. This was the main thing his dragon was pushing him to do. “There is one other thing that can push a dragon into a brooding. Being faced with a potential mate.”
All color drained from Terra’s face. “I take it you aren’t having a growth spurt?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “No.”
“Wow.” She said the word so softly that he almost didn’t hear it. Folding her hands into her lap, she stared at her half-finished food for a moment. Lifting her eyes, she met his gaze. “How come you can remember all this, but you don’t remember your name?”
Leaning back in his chair, Alex grinned again. “I don’t, but my dragon does.”
“Can your dragon tell you who you are?” That was a very sensible question from someone that didn’t know anything about dragons.
Alex sighed. “It’s told me what I am, but not who. I’m an Elite. I know I’ve earned the right to use that title, but I don’t remember what that means.” This point frustrated him to no end. If he could just get two brain cells working together, he was sure he could come up with the answers he needed, but they all seemed to be on different vacations at the moment.
“So, what does your dragon want?” Terra asked timidly.
Alex closed his eyes and drew in a steadying breath, trying to center himself as much as he could, given his messed-up state. Opening his eyes, he gave Terra a pointed look. “It’s driving me to claim a mate.”
“A mate?” There was a touch of alarm in Terra’s voice.
“A girl that it’s deemed would fit well into my life.”
“Someone you’ve met recently?”
Alex smiled. Now she was just playing with him. “Very recently.”
Just a hint of red crawled up Terra’s skin as she looked down and toyed with her napkin. “Maybe someone I know?”
“It’s most definitely someone you know.” He loved the way she looked with that blush on her skin. “But Terra, here’s the problem. I can’t pursue anyone until I know what kind of life I could offer.”
***
Wow! This was not how Terra had envisioned the day would go. After being thoroughly rejected by her dragon man, she was sure they would have an awkward day running around, trying to find out who he was. But this was just over the top. To be told that you could possibly be someone’s mate was a little disturbing. She hadn’t even known him for a full day yet, and most of that time, he had been out cold!
Looking up from her napkin, Terra studied the lines of her dragon man’s face. His pupils were still oddly shaped, but now that she was used to it, his emotions were easy to read there. He seemed serene on the outside, but she could tell this whole thing had him severely distressed. Her heart thumped in her chest. It actually hurt to see him in such a state. The idea of being tied to someone she barely knew was frightening, but she couldn’t stand the idea of leaving him as he was. She slid her hand out across the table for him to take.
He blinked a few times before lowering his hand to hers.
She squeezed his fingers reassuringly. “Tell me what I can do to help.” There was just something about him that made her want to do whatever she could to see him right again.
The dragon man let out a depressed laugh. “Shoot me down.” Gripping her fingers tightly, he closed his eyes to wait for the blow.
“What?” Terra asked, shocked. Of all the things she thought he would say, that was not one of them.
He opened his eyes and looked at her again. “Tell me there is no way I stand a chance with you. And mean it.” He paused for a second before he went on. “That should be enough of a blow to knock me out of balance and back into a brooding state.”
Okay… A complete rejection would settle his system back down. But could she really tell him that and mean it? Did she want to? She had to know more before she made any lasting decisions. “And what happens if I refuse?”
The pupils of his eyes dilated as he drew in a sharp breath. He sat rigid in his seat for a moment before letting out the air very slowly as if he were considering how to respond to her. His mouth moved, and he swallowed before answering.
“Well, that would drop me out of balance, too.” He paused and swallowed again. “But it wouldn’t do anything to settle down my instincts.”
Terra rubbed her thumb over his knuckles as she considered his answer. If she shot him down, he would go back to brooding. Brooding didn’t sound like a very pleasant state to be in. For either of them. But, if she didn’t, would that mean she was encouraging him? And how would that affect the situation they had found themselves in? He needed her to help him find out who he was, and she wasn’t going to leave the poor man helpless. She studied him, weighing her options.
He sat tensely in his seat, waiting for her answer. The skin on the side of his neck was taking on a blue tint. She was going to have to give him an answer very soon before someone noticed his plight. Licking her lower lip, she asked the last thing she needed to know before making her choice. “If I refuse, does that make me your mate?”
The dragon man drew in another long breath and let it out slowly. “No,” he answered. “It takes more than that to form a mating bond, but it’s a step in that direction.” The heated look in his eyes made Terra wiggle in her seat.
She drew her hand away from him and folded it into her lap. “Well then, I guess we had better find out who you are, ‘cause I don’t think I could shoot you down and truly mean it.” Pushing back from the table, she stood up.
The dragon man followed her motion and stood up, too.
“Please,” she held her hands out, waving him back to his seat. “Sit back down and eat. I’m just going to the bathroom.”
He hesitated for a moment. “Will you be okay?”
Terra laughed out loud, breaking the tension hanging between them. “I’ll be fine.” She smiled. “Eat your breakfast so we can get moving. We have a long day ahead of us.” Turning, she left to find the restroom. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to be a dragon’s mate, but turning the man down before she found out what life with him would be like just didn’t seem right. Only time would tell if they could work it out together.
***
Alex watched Terra walk away before settling back into his seat. Closing his eyes, he let out a long sigh. His skin itched as his dragon withdrew, contented with the answer she had given him. He stood a chance, and that was all his dragon wanted—a chance. Opening his eyes, he found that his vision had returned to normal.
Looking at his untouched food, he picked up his fork and pulled the plate closer to himself. Now that she had eaten, he was free to consume as much as he liked. Unfortunately, the answer she had given did nothing to clear the main conflict running around in him. He still didn’t know who he was, and that did a lot to curb his appetite. Forcing himself to eat, he considered what course to take from here. They still had to go to the pub and find out if anyone knew who he was. But now he also had to deal with his dragon chasing after Terra. That was going to add a whole new layer of interesting to everything else
going on.
Alex was nearly finished with his food when a tingle of electricity raced up his spine. He sat up and turned his head just enough to see Terra walking back into the room. Great… Since she hadn’t rejected him, his dragon had tuned itself into her. He tracked her as she crossed the dining area and settled back into her seat. Warmth radiated through him as his dragon settled down contently, draining the excess tension from him. Wonderful! He hadn’t even noticed that his dragon had been alert, waiting for her return. He almost wished she had turned him down and left him to brood. It wouldn’t have made life much easier, but brooding was something he was used to.
A rumble of anger echoed up from his chest as his dragon disagreed with that thought.
Terra’s eyebrows went up in surprise.
The corner of Alex’s lip turned up in a wry smile. “Sorry. I’m still having an argument with myself.” He dropped his fork to his plate and slid it away from him. He really did need to get himself back under control.
Terra eyed the few bites he hadn’t finished before looking up and considering him. “Are you all right?”
“No, but I will be,” he reassured her. “I just need some time to work things out.” He paused and let out an ironic laugh. “Well, that and my memories.”
Oh yes, he needed his memories. Hopefully, most of his immediate problems would be solved when he rediscovered who he was.
She snickered softly. “Then how about we get started on that right now?” Picking up her purse, Terra fished her phone out. “So, what was the name of that place?” she asked as she slid her thumb across the screen, unlocking it.
Alex smiled at her and started collecting the used dishes. “The Dragon’s Wing.” The name felt right coming out of his mouth, like he had said it many times but just couldn’t remember it.
Terra clicked away at her phone for a moment. “It’s on the other side of town, but I think we can find it.” She looked up at him. “Are you ready?”
“In just a moment.” Standing up, Alex took the dirty dishes over to the plastic tub waiting for them. He turned around just in time to see Terra slip his leather bag over her shoulder and tuck her purse inside. The motion made him smile. He had forgotten all about that satchel.
“I’ll take those,” Alex said as he reached out and gently took the plastic bags before she could get a proper grip on them.
She gave him a confused look. “Are you sure?”
He chuckled again. “I’m sure.” He slid his hand to her lower back and pressed on it, steering her towards the exit. “It wouldn’t be right to let my lady carry everything.” An ironic smirk slipped across his face. “You haven’t turned me down yet, so now I’m going to try to convince you that I would be a good mate.”
The note of sarcasm in his voice made Terra look up at him, concerned. “But, I thought you said you couldn’t do that until you regained your memories?”
Alex chuckled wryly. “Yes. I did.” A forlorn sigh slipped out of him as they walked. “But that doesn’t mean that my instincts are going to back off and just let things be. My dragon sees you as a potential mate; therefore, it demands that you be treated as such. But don’t worry. It isn’t as bad as you think.”
“Really?” Terra asked as Alex skirted around her and opened the door before she could put her hand on it.
Alex smiled at her as she paused before heading through the door. “Yes,” he said, trying to reassure her. He paused to choose his words carefully, not wanting to come straight out and explain all the little things his dragon was pushing him to do. As it was, he was having a hell of a time trying to resist most of his urges. A quick glance at her face told him she had some doubts.
“Let me see if I can explain.” He moved back to her side. Placing his hand on her back again, he guided her out into the parking lot. “Male dragons treat their mates with reverence.”
Terra shot him another doubtful look. “Reverence? As in worshipped?”
Definitely not the right word to use. It didn’t look like Terra liked the idea of being worshipped.
“I wouldn’t say that.” Alex tried to think of better way to explain it to her. “Females are treated with respect. They’re cared for and protected. Newly bonded and courting males tend to pamper their chosen female.”
“Pamper?”
The note of intrigue in Terra’s voice curled the corner of Alex’s mouth. “Yes,” he answered, stroking his hand down the small of her back. The feel of her under his hand made him want to draw her closer, but he resisted the urge. This conversation would go a lot smoother if he gave her space to think. He glanced down to watch her worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. Obviously, she was considering his words hard.
“And how long does this usually last—” She glanced up at him as she spoke. “—the pampering?”
Alex smiled again. “For some, their instincts settle down shortly after the mating bonds are made, but I know old dragons that still spoil their mates. I guess it just depends on the dragon.”
They walked the rest of the way to the car in silence as Terra thought, and he prayed he hadn’t just scared her off.
Once settled into the car, Terra looked over at him, another question floating in her eyes. “Do female dragons go through this?”
Alex cocked his head as he considered his answer. “Female dragons don’t go through the same urges that the males do. They don’t brood, but they do have moments when their fertility peaks. Thankfully, that only happens a few times in their life. They tend to get a little crazy. Plus, the overproduction of pheromones can send the males around them into a brooding. It’s not fun to see.”
“Oh.”
Alex watched as Terra turned her attention back to the car. The look on her face was thoughtful. Alex relaxed back into the seat to let her think. Hopefully, the truth hadn’t scared her off the idea of being his mate. But only time would tell.
9
The Dragon’s Wing was like no other place Terra had ever been. It was easy to find if you were looking for it, but it was also far enough out of town that people wouldn’t just stumble across it while out looking for a good time. A hand-carved sign held a green dragon curled around the name of the pub. If they hadn’t been watching for it, they could have easily mistaken the old building for the barn it had once been.
“Do you know this place?” Terra asked as she pulled into the parking lot and killed the engine. The look on her dragon man’s face told her he was working through his scrambled memories, but things most definitely clicked into place as he studied the tall building.
He leaned forwards and placed his hand on the dash as he stared out the windshield. “Yes.”
He breathed the word so softly Terra almost missed it. Well, that answer was promising.
“Then let’s go see if they can tell us who you are.”
Pulling her keys out of the ignition, Terra got out of the car. She pulled the dragon man’s leather bag out and slung it over her shoulder. With the awed look on his face, there was no way her mystery man would remember the thing on his own. Since there was plenty of room in the bag, she dropped her purse back in so she would only have to keep up with one bag.
Climbing from the car, her dragon man met her at the front of the car. His eyes ran over every inch of the rustic building. “I know this place.” His words held a note of wonder to them.
Terra looked up at the pub. The foundation and ground floor of the old barn were done up in river rocks. Long, wooden planks ran vertically up the sides, holding up a high, A-frame roof.
“Come on.” Reaching out, Terra grabbed the man’s hand and pulled him towards the door set in the center of the building.
A soft laugh crept out of him, and he hurried to catch up to her. He slipped his arm around her shoulder, tucking her to his side.
Terra enjoyed the feel of him around her, but the conversation they’d had over breakfast played in the back of her mind. Males pamper their mates. Was this a part of that? Should she stop him until they
found out who he was? Did she want to? She shook her head and squished that line of thought. There would be time enough to deal with that once they had answers to the mystery of who he was.
Stopping at the heavy wooden door, he pulled it open and let Terra lead the way in.
The door opened into a very small foyer. Three or four people might have been able to fit in the area, but only if they were close friends. Terra looked around at the walls. They were covered in old tin advertisement signs nailed into the wooden walls. Very rustic. The dragon man stepped into the area behind her, and a bell chimed as the door clicked closed.
Terra moved forwards to see into the main room. It was cozy. Small oil lamps sat at the center of each table, adding to the natural light that flowed in through the windows. There were a few people scattered around, but overall, it was fairly quiet for a bar.
“Hello,” a cheerful voice called from the right.
Terra turned towards the sound.
A young woman with a high ponytail bounced towards them. “Just one?” she asked.
The dragon man stepped up behind Terra so the waitress could see him. “Two,” he answered.
“Lex!” The young woman bounced harder. “God, we were so worried with the way you took off out of here yesterday. Was everything okay with Melanie?”
The name struck a chord with Terra. It took her a moment to drag up where she had heard that name before. Melanie. That was the name of the last dragon in the file. Terra glanced up at her mystery man and watched as confusion and concern raced across his face.
“I don’t remember,” he said softly and raised his hand up to touch his head as if it hurt. Closing his eyes, he rubbed his temple.
The young woman stopped her excited bounce and cocked her head in concern. “Alex, are you all right?” She reached her hand out towards him. Just before she touched him, she stopped and curled her fingers up.