Don’t be stupid, Julie. This random forest guy isn’t going to want to chill with you.

  I know it’s dumb, but I’m already developing a bit of a little crush on him. It’s totally inappropriate and not called for at all, but there you go.

  “Okay, so here’s what I found,” I tell him. He can’t reply. I get that. He still deserves to know what’s about to happen to him. One of the biggest things I teach my students is that they’re the ones in charge of their own bodies. No one else is. They have the right to say yes or no to being touched, even if it’s something as minute as hugging a relative. Here I am, though, about to touch this dude against his will – possibly – and he can’t do anything about it. I hate that feeling. I wish there was a way for him to tell me this is okay.

  “It’s a cream,” I continue, taking a deep breath. “It has a smiley face on it. The other thing I found was the dart gun and some other darts. That unit has an X on it. I don’t know if you have other dragons you live with. Maybe if you have a tech guy...”

  My voice trails off because this is all just so overwhelming.

  What if this cream does nothing?

  What if it makes things worse?

  Pull it together.

  “The cream...” I continue. “Maybe your guy can analyze it. I’m going to start putting it on you. Hopefully it will help bring some of the feeling back to your body.”

  I take a little drop of ointment and place it on each of his cheeks. Then I rub it in carefully. He can smell it. That much is certain. Maybe having this close to his nose will help increase his feeling in his face. Maybe he’ll be able to talk.

  Two more drops of ointment go on the inside of his wrists. It’s the same spot my aunt always puts her perfume. Just a little bit there. I rub it into his skin, trying not to think about how I’m touching a very attractive, very naked man in the forest. There’s a ton of ointment left, but I don’t want to waste it by using the whole thing. Maybe this is good for several uses. I don’t know. I mean, why does Nicole even have the antidote? Is it in case she shoots herself or a friend? It’s not like they’d be able to use it on themselves. Not if they were paralyzed.

  I feel like the harder I think, the more questions I have.

  The man’s face squishes up, suddenly, and I look at him sharply.

  “It’s working,” I whisper.

  He opens his mouth.

  Closes it again.

  No sound comes out, so maybe it’s not working as fast as I hoped. Still, though, a little movement is better than nothing. Nicole is wiggling on the ground, but I ignore her. She’s bound and gagged. I probably should have blindfolded her, too.

  “Stop wiggling,” I hiss at her. There must be something in my voice that tells her I’m not fucking around because she stops, and I turn back to the guy.

  It’s impossible not to notice his abs. They’re perfectly fucking carved into his flesh. I reach out and run my hands over them. No longer able to resist, I touch his stomach. His eyes open and he looks at me with blazing orange eyes.

  “I hope this is okay,” I whisper quietly.

  He blinks.

  I guess that means yes.

  I run my hand over his skin. There’s still some of the ointment on my hands, so maybe it’ll help a little bit. I’m not sure. I know his skin feels smooth, though. Irresistibly smooth.

  “Ointment,” I whisper. “You need more. I think it’s starting to work a little bit.”

  He blinks again.

  “Your eyes are open now, and you moved your mouth. That’s good.”

  I don’t want to tell him that if he doesn’t get it together quickly that a giant animal could come eat us all.

  Or worse.

  Nicole’s little group could find us.

  She probably has some sort of tracking chip implanted in her. It’s the ultimate evil corporation fallback plan. It would be cliché, but I won’t be shocked if we’re suddenly surrounded by evil dudes in black dropping out of helicopters.

  Focus.

  I remember when I was sick, my mom used to put Vick’s on my feet and then cover them with socks. Maybe it’ll work the same with this guy. I move to his feet, carefully ignoring the abundant manhood he’s sporting. I’ve seen my share of dicks, but his is ridiculously beautiful.

  For wolf’s sake, focus!

  Deep breaths, and then I reach his feet.

  “I hope this doesn’t tickle,” I tell him. I try to explain what I’m doing every step of the way, especially since I know he can hear me. When I go to the doctor’s office and they don’t explain what they’re doing, I feel uncomfortable, almost violated. I don’t want this guy to feel that way.

  He’s a stranger.

  He’s not a monster.

  I rub the cream on his feet. Then I dig out a pair of socks from my bag and somehow manage to get them on his feet. They barely fit, but they fit. Then I return to his head.

  “It’s a waiting game now,” I tell him. “I don’t want to use too much more of the ointment just yet. There are still some darts left. Not that I’m planning on shooting you,” I quickly add. “But if there are other bad guys out here, you know...we’re going to want some of that fucking cream, am I right?”

  He smiles at me, and I realize that it’s definitely, absolutely, positively working.

  I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, and I pet his hair.

  “Everything’s going to be okay, dragon dude,” I tell him.

  I just hope it’s the truth.

  Chapter Eight

  Natalie

  I ROLL OVER, SNUGGLING against my mate.

  My beloved.

  My Donald.

  “What’s going on, princess?” He whispers, kissing my forehead. “Trouble sleeping?” He’s sitting up beside me in bed reading. One thing I’ve learned from living with Donald is that he’s not only a light sleeper, but he also barely sleeps at all. There’s no cell service in Fablestone, but dragons come by the house at all hours of the night. It’s not every night, but when someone needs him, Donald never says no. He always gets up and goes to assist with medical emergencies or problems. Donald looks tired, though. He got back late tonight after making a house call to someone and now he’s reading in bed. I suppose I dozed off waiting for him.

  “I could ask you the same question,” I murmur, running my hands over his legs and up, up, up. He smiles at me gently and starts to stroke my hair.

  “Princess,” he says again.

  “Dragon,” I retort.

  “I’m pretty tired tonight, baby. Mrs. Montgomery has quite the bout of pneumouaiz.” The dragon form of pneumonia, I’m guessing. “And there’s a chance I’m going to have to go back out.”

  “Well, then,” I whisper, climbing onto him. I straddle him, running my hands up and down his chest. “I guess I’ll just have to do all of the work.” I raise an eyebrow, questioning, and he smiles and sets his book down.

  “Aren’t you the prettiest girl in the clan?”

  “That’s what you tell me,” I say.

  “Only because it’s true.”

  I lean down and kiss him. Donald and I haven’t had the easiest time of things. I’ve known him since I was a kid, but he left the clan shortly after my little brother passed away. It wasn’t Donald’s fault, but he blamed himself. Now, after an incredible journey, we’re together at last. We’re living in Fablestone and I’ve never felt happier.

  We take things one day at a time because around here, you never know what’s going to happen. Things can be rough, especially with certain members of the community still recovering from the terrible illness Lucky unleashed on us. I know the clan has a long way to go when it comes to healing emotionally and physically, but I know that with Donald’s care and the guidance of the clan leaders, we’re going to be okay.

  All of us are going to be okay.

  I lean down and kiss my mate. Donald quivers as I kiss his neck and nibble on his ears. This is one of my favorite ways to start teasing him. He’s so rough and tumble and masculine, but sometimes he lets me have my wild way with him, and I love that, too. My hands roam his chest and abs as I kiss from one side of his neck to the other and back again.

  Donald groans, reaching for my hips, holding me tightly as I kiss and play with him. I can feel myself growing more and more wet as the moments pass. The problem is that I want this moment to last forever. I want to feel this for an eternity. With us, sex isn’t a goalpost. It’s an experience, and I want to enjoy it for as long as possible.

  “You’re so fucking sexy,” I murmur, nibbling down his throat and to his clavicle. I kiss, making my way to each of nipples and swiping my tongue across them. Then I move lower, lower, lower. Donald groans as I start kissing his length and moving down to his balls. Then I continue to run my hands up and down his chest as I lick, taking my sweet time.

  I savor him.

  I treasure this moment where I’m being allowed, for a little while, to worship his body with my own. My hands slide down his thighs and then back up again. Then I begin to stroke his length while I continue covering him with kisses and nibbles.

  Just before I start to move, just before I’m going to lower myself onto him, we both hear a knock at the front door. I look up at him sharply and Donald sighs.

  “Duty calls,” he shrugs. He looks at me like he’s nervous I’m going to be upset or angry, but I’m not. I knew what I was signing up for. If having a dragon doctor in the clan means that sometimes, I get cock blocked by sick old ladies, well, I think I can deal with that.

  “It’s okay, baby,” I tell him, kissing him once more. “There will be plenty of time for fun later on.”

  He smiles at me and reaches for my cheek, touching it softly.

  Then he gets up to leave, and my man goes to save the world.

  Chapter Nine

  Lawrence

  SHE’S QUIRKY.

  That much is certain.

  Julie sits beside me as the feeling slowly returns to my body. I go from feeling nothing at all to feeling pins and needles. It’s like my body has just been asleep. The ache of those muscles awakening bothers me, but I bite back any sort of response.

  “Can you speak?” She whispers. “Your eyes are open a little wider.”

  I open my mouth and lick my lips.

  No words come out, but I feel thirsty.

  “You need a drink,” she seems to be able to understand, and gives me a sip of water. The liquid feels cool against my dry throat, and then I try again.

  “Thank you,” I whisper.

  The smile that lights her face is more beautiful than anything I could possibly imagine.

  “You can talk,” she says. “It’s working.”

  “Yes,” I whisper.

  “I don’t know how long it’s going to take for your entire body to return to normal,” she says. “Hopefully soon. We need to get you back to your family, right? You have a group of dragons waiting for you? They’re going to be worried.”

  That’s what she’s concerned about? Talk about a heart of fucking gold.

  “My clan,” I tell her. “It’s my clan.”

  “Your clan,” she repeats. “Is there any way to contact them? I mean, what do we do with her?” She jerks her head toward Nicole. “Do you have like, a prison for people who try to hurt shifters? How does that work? Sorry, I’m babbling, but damn, this has been quite a ride.”

  I realize it’s late. It’s well past midnight. I don’t know how long I was incapacitated for, but I turn my head to see Nicole lying, bound on the ground. Even though she still looks pissed, she also looks really tired. Eventually, she’s going to pass out. I think we all are. We need to get to Fablestone before that.

  “I can’t shift yet,” I whisper. I keep trying, but nothing happens.

  “That’s okay,” she says. “We can camp here. I’ll stay awake. We can build a fire if we want to?” She says it like it’s a question.

  “No,” I choke out. “No fire.”

  “You’re probably right,” she says with a sigh. “Don’t want to attract anything dangerous. You know, like a bear.” She winks at me, and I realize how nice it is to be around someone who isn’t afraid to make jokes in the middle of a terrible situation. “But seriously, what do you want to do about Little Miss Evil?”

  “We can bring her to the clan.”

  “Are you sure about that?” Julie seems unconvinced. “Is your dragon lord going to be okay with that?”

  I stare at her blankly.

  “Dragon king?”

  What the fuck?

  “Dragon sorcerer?”

  “Please stop.”

  “Okay.”

  “We don’t have any of those things.”

  She just shrugs.

  I sigh. “We have a clan leader. He’s going to be fine with it because we won’t let her know where anything is.”

  Julie looks doubtful.

  “We’ll blindfold her.”

  Julie just stares at me.

  “And we’ll keep her bound.”

  “Are you sure that’s going to be enough? She seems kind of tricky. No offense, but are you sure you’re up for that? What if you lose your powers again?”

  “My powers?”

  “Yeah, your dragon powers. You have powers, right?”

  “I can change into a giant beast, if that’s what you mean.”

  “Can you do anything else?” Julie cocks her head, studying me. I like her eyes on me more than I’m willing to admit, but she’s not looking at me like I’m a piece of luscious man-meat. She’s looking at me like she wants to study me.

  Like she wants to learn everything she can about me.

  “Like what?”

  “Can you breathe fire?”

  “Not all dragons breathe fire.”

  “Can you become invisible?”

  “No.”

  “What about flips?”

  “Flips?”

  “Yeah,” she smiles and twirls her fingers. “Like when you’re flying in the air. Can you do air flips?”

  I chuckle. I can’t help myself. Who the fuck is this girl? She’s freaking delightful. If any other person was here trying to help me make sense of this situation, I’d be stressing out. Even the human girls I like being around, like Peggy or Natalie, wouldn’t have me in stitches over what’s basically a horrible situation.

  I like that she’s trying to make me laugh.

  I like that she’s helping me to keep the focus off the inevitable danger.

  If Nicole has more friends in the area, they could already be hunting us. Somehow, I don’t think that’s what’s happening. I’ll have to interview her – or Cameron or Wilson can – and discover what secrets she’s still holding close. Whether the clan will release her or imprison her, I’m not sure.

  “Is that a yes?” She asks. “Because you know, I’ve never seen a dragon do an air flip.”

  “Have you seen a dragon do anything before?” I’m curious about her. Who is she? Where is she from? Why is she so comfortable around me? I suppose part of me thinks she should have run off the moment I showed up and distracted Nicole. Part of me thinks it would have been smarter for her to just take off in a move of self-preservation, but I don’t get the impression that Julie is actually worried about that.

  “Nope.”

  “Never?”

  “Not unless you count cartoons. Sorry, buddy boy, but you’re my first.” She wiggles her eyebrows. “I hope that doesn’t bother you.”

  “I’m honored,” I tell her honestly.

  Honored indeed.

  Chapter Ten

  Julie

  THIS BANTER IS GETTING me fucking wet. Am I seriously doing this? Playfully flirting with a guy that’s actually a shape shifting monster? Okay, get it together, Julie. It’s been awhile, but has it really been so long that you’re going after a guy that’s...okay, well, he’s built like he was carved out of fucking stone. So, yeah. I really am. I really am flirting my damn heart out because right now, laughter is the only thing keeping me going.

  I know that if I stop to think about what’s really happening, I’m going to completely freak out. If I take too long to consider that I was this close to dying, I’m going to lose my damn mind. Nicole could have turned her weapon on me and shot me. She could have gotten me with one of those darts. She could have gotten me with a fucking bullet.

  The fact that I’m alive right now is kind of a joke.

  I should be grateful, but right now, I am so fucking tired.

  I sit with the dragon guy, laughing with him, telling jokes and stories. Minute-by-minute, his feeling begins to return. I ask him if he wants me to put more of the ointment on him. Maybe it would speed the process. He tells me no, though. He thinks it would be best to try to save some of it. If there’s a chance we’ll need more of it in the future, he wants it to be available.

  Who knows how long it will be before the dragons can collect more?

  “Lucky is a terrible organization,” he says.

  “I figured.”

  “No,” he whispers, and I get the feeling he doesn’t want Nicole to hear what he’s going to say. That’s fine. She’s basically asleep, anyway. How someone can pass out while they’re completely tied up and gagged, I don’t know. She is, though, and while there’s a part of me that knows she could be faking it, there’s another part of me that’s deeply satisfied with this knowledge.

  I don’t want her listening, either.

  “They’re really bad,” he repeats.

  “They hurt you,” I whisper, realizing what he’s trying to say. “No,” I clarify. “They hurt your clan.”

  He just nods.

  I reach for his cheek and I stroke it softly. The dragon looks at me, his eyes softening at the touch, and I realize we’re both enjoying this. Perhaps it’s wrong to be offering physical comfort to this stranger in the woods, but I think we both need it.

  I’m sorry,” I whisper.

  A single tear slips from his eye, and I wonder what it is that these monsters did to his fellow dragons. More importantly, I wonder how long the dragons have been fighting Lucky. This man seems tired. He seems done. He seems like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, and I don’t like that he has to feel that way.