Page 14 of The Heart of the Dragon

I arched a brow at her. Why did I get the feeling that was exactly what she'd had in mind? Either way, this situation was beginning to unravel, and I didn't like it. I needed answers.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me the truth." I growled when she opened her mouth to probably lie again. "The whole truth. And you can stop pointing that toy at me now. I'm an asshole, but I'm not interested in hurting you."

While that was true now, I couldn't guarantee anything when my dragon magic returned. If it returned...

A shudder worked down my spine and my head began to ache with that thought. I refused to even consider such a possibility.

She cocked her head, examining me. I couldn't blame her. She might have created this crazy situation, but I wouldn't trust me either. All details I had no intention of sharing.

With another loud exhale of breath, she lowered the gun muzzle. "You should know this isn't a toy. It could put a nice size whole right through the middle of your chest."

I shrugged. "You're assuming your human weapon could penetrate my magic."

She glared at me, her green eyes flashing with frustration. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded, her voice sharp enough to cut glass.

I met her gaze steadily. "Magnus Aegrond,"

"Okay,Magnus," she said, emphasizing my name with a hint of sarcasm. She crossed the room with purposeful strides, her boots barely making a sound on the wooden floor. Reaching a small closet tucked away in the corner, she carefully placed her gun inside. I watched as she spun the dial on a combination lock, her fingers moving too quickly for me to catch the sequence.

Turning back to face me, she leaned against the closet door, arms crossed over her chest. "That's a start," she said, her voice a touch less hostile but no less wary. "Now, how about you tell me where you're from. And don't even think about lying – I've got a pretty good bullshit detector."

"I don't think you're in the position of asking all the questions here."

"It's my house," she retorted.

"And I'm here against my will and still waiting for the real answer as to why."

"I told you. The stew. I make it special for the clients of St. Vincent's."

“Are you drugging those men?"

She clamped her hands on her hips and I couldn't help but follow the movement, noticing the pleasing curve of said hips that were now cocked to one side.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? Do I look like some sort of drug overlord?"

"You look guilty," I shot back, enjoying the look of frustration and indignation stamped across her face. To her credit, she managed to hold herself together with only a hint of a wince. But I’d lived with a deceitful uncle my entire life, and if there was one thing I’d learned over the years, it was how to read people.

And this one was holding back. Quite a bit if I had to guess.

"I'm truly not drugging anyone. The herbs I use can be obtained from a corner grocer. Although those wouldn't be as good of quality as my homegrown versions. But they're definitely not dangerous."

I glanced around, more curious than ever about these plants she was supposedly growing. But there wasn't a single one in sight. Lots of books and blankets and a small box in the corner that I'd recently learned was called a television. "You grow plants here?"

"I have a greenhouse in the back. Since I spend so much time away, I have automated systems in place to ensure they have the proper climate for optimal growth while I'm gone."

While I understood the basics of what she meant, some of her words sounded unfamiliar and beyond the fae realm in development. I had to hand it to the humans. They didn't have the power to access as much natural magic as in the fae realm, and yet, they'd managed to come up with systems that could be as powerful as some magic. Or at least yield some of the same results.

"So what plant is it exactly that you are putting in your stew that's not a drug?"

She rattled off some unpronounceable description of all the plants she utilized in her cooking, none of which meant anything to me.

"Show me," I demanded.

She started to turn as if prepared to lead me to her plant house, but came to a halt as quickly as she began. "I don't think this is a good idea. I should take you somewhere else…"

"You should have thought about that before you gave me drugs and then kidnapped me. Consider yourself lucky that you have not had to reap the consequences of your actions—yet."

She blew out an exasperated breath and brushed some of the fiery curls away from where they'd fallen in front of her face. I liked that look, but I also wanted to see more.

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