Page 12 of The Heart of the Dragon

"The door's open," I called out, my voice steadier than I felt. I swallowed hard, tightening my grip as I waited for his next move.

The knob turned, and with every centimeter, my stomach twisted into a bigger knot. What the hell had I been thinking bringing him here? I had no excuse. No real reason. I'd simply reacted. I was officially the village idiot.

When he finally pushed the door open and stepped across the threshold, his massive frame seemed to engulf the entire doorway. If it was at all possible, he appeared to have grown even larger since our hasty departure from Dean Village.

"That's far enough," I warned, my voice sharp as I aimed my gun directly at the vicinity of his heart. My finger twitched on the trigger, ready to act if necessary. "No matter how big and powerful you are, you can't outrun a gunshot to the chest. And it would be a shame if I went to all this trouble to keep you alive and then was forced to kill you." The irony of my words wasn't lost on me, but I needed him to understand the gravity of the situation.

His eyes narrowed, a mix of anger and confusion flashing across his face. "All this trouble?" he scoffed, his deep voice rumbling through the room. "You mean when you kidnapped me from thechurch after you obviously drugged me. Is that what you call 'keeping me alive?"

Again, my pride and outrage flared. "I did not drug you. That's absurd."

"It was that stew, wasn't it?" he accused, his voice laced with suspicion. "I've never tasted anything so delicious in my life. Or addictive, for that matter. Should have known there was a reason. What did you put in it?"

I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride at his words, despite the accusation. "You really liked my stew?" I asked, my tone softening slightly.

He cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. "That's the part you think is important right now? Your culinary skills?"

"I repeat," I said, my voice firm, "I did not drug you. Why does everyone insist on calling my herbs drugs? They are medicinal."

His mouth twisted into a savage frown, the lines around his eyes deepening. He seemed to be concentrating, perhaps trying to recall something or piece together fragmented memories. But what truly troubled me was the aura of red growing around him, pulsing and shifting like an angry storm cloud. Although, I noted with some relief, at least I didn't see the dragon anymore.

"Why are you so angry?"

He narrowed his eyes, "You mean, besides the drugs and the kidnapping?"

I huffed out a breath, feeling the weight of frustration settling on my shoulders. I was already tired of arguing with him, the back-and-forth getting us nowhere. "It's your aura that worried mefrom the beginning," I explained, trying to keep my voice steady. "But it was the rest that terrified me. Why did I see a dragon?"

His expression shifted, a mix of emotions flashing across his features. "Because that's what I am," he stated matter-of-factly, as if discussing the weather. "And I guess being told I have to keep that a secret doesn't matter in this situation because you clearly know more than any human should."

My head spun from his confusing words. It was official. Either I was crazy, or he was. There was simply no other explanation.

"Are you trying to tell me that you aren't human?" It wasn't that I couldn't believe him. ThiswasScotland. Our history was steeped in the unexplainable. And I did believe in magic. Of sorts.

And my father once told me that myths were truths that had no facts. That had stuck with me like glue.

"I'm not trying to tell you anything. You asked a question. I answered it. End of story."

I scoffed. "End of story, my ass. As far as I'm concerned, you've barely scratched the surface. Explain this dragon thing to me. I need more information."

"I could show you," he sneered. "Although you should know that he's more likely to destroy your little cottage here than greet you warmly. He's on a bit of a warpath lately. But if you insist..."

Chapter

Six

Magnus

Tired of the nonsense,I reached for the magic of my dragon. Honestly, I was shocked he wasn't already pushing his way free. He hadn't given me this much control since we'd arrived in the human realm.

It was a shockingly quiet moment, and as I sat here contemplating the unusual silence, I realized it was a damned nice break from the constant chatter in my head. Albeit a little inconvenient, given the circumstances.

However, like it or not, it was time to give my dragon free rein. We needed to set this woman straight and put an end to her ridiculous accusations. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the onslaught of draconic power.

Some moments later, I finally realized nothing was happening. I couldn't feel the magic growing in my chest or the dragon in my head. What the hell? This was no time for him to sleep on the job.

I pulled again, this time channeling the full force of the anger that I couldn't seem to keep locked away. My jaw clenched as I concentrated, expecting the familiar rush of power to surge through my veins. Again, nothing happened. No tingle of magic coursing beneath my skin. No burning sensation in my chest. No deep, rumbling voice in my head making constant demands.

Literally nothing.

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