Page 71 of To Match A Dragon's Fire

She was right to call me out. It was the generational curse of women to slip into protective mode on behalf of those around us, even when they didn’t deserve it.

“They did shoot me,” I said. “But I don’t know what I’m supposed to do about it. I haven’t told you everything.”

I took a breath. “Tony is the sheriff now and they don’t want me here. I knew they’d sided with him in the divorce, but I didn’t realize that I’d be an outsider forever.”

Willow set down the watering can and Riley dropped the rake. They both wrapped their arms over my shoulders in a silent huddle of support before the tears finished welling in my eyes.

“Screw him. He doesn’t own this land,” Willow spoke through clenched teeth.

“Yeah, the dragon does,” Riley said, mouthing the word ‘ouch’ as Willow shoved her hip into Riley’s side. “Oh yeah. Sorry. This is your land. He said you could have it back. We don’t have to go anywhere.Besides, I’m done being pushed around by men who think they’re worth something just because they have a dick.”

“Didn’t you say Tony had a baby dick, too?” Willow asked.

I burst into laughter through the blinding tears, pulling both of them close to my chest.

These were my people.

We were all just bitter little teabags of different flavors seeped in our own brands of trauma. No wonder we got along so well. Not much phased us now and we knew when to offer a hug or a drink or a shovel.

I couldn’t have asked for better friends.

“We don’t need to go into town,” I said as I dried my tears. “And I guess they’re all scared of the dragon anyway, so we’ll be safe here for a while.”

“That dragon?” Riley took a step back, shading her eyes from the sun.

A shadow passed overhead, giving us a moment of respite from the burning heat of midday.

The three of us turned our faces skyward. Golden talons were drawn tight with his massive hindlegs tucked against the red underbelly of the beast.

I couldn’t believe I thought it was a dinosaur.

Black and red scales were almost metallic, shimmering in the sun. Curved horns rose above massive jaws that could swallow a vehicle whole.

A powerful wingspan stretched out on either side of his muscular shoulders. For some reason, I assumed they’d be more pterosaur-like—or at least like the images I’d seen of dinosaurs—but the arch of each wing was similar to a bat’s, with feathered tipsreaching towards the clouds as he glided through the sky, twisting and turning with a trail of white smoke in his wake.

“I can’t believe you’re sleeping with a dragon.” Riley whistled beside me.

I nudged her with my elbow, unable to take my eyes from the wondrous beast flying above. “Who says I slept with him?”

“Didn’t you?” She chuckled. “I’ve never heard you call any other guy sweet.”

He was better than sweet, but I don’t think I was ready to admit just how much I wanted to taste more of him.

“Kieran’s back!” Harper yelled as she skipped off the porch. “Can we ask for a ride?”

“Don’t be rude,” Willow scolded.

Was it rude? Because I wanted to ride him too. The thought of gripping the back of a beast that large; the wind whipping through my hair as I flew through the sky. A yearning to be carefree and wild again had me sighing as the beast opened his mouth and roared.

“Show off,” I muttered, smiling as he tucked in his wings and dove straight towards us.

“Can you believe we’re standing here watching a dragon?” Riley asked.

“After the past fifteen years, I can believe almost anything.” Willow laughed.

She was right. After all we’d been through and seen in our adult lives, a mythical creature flying through the sky was the least of our worries.

The earth seemed to shudder with the impact of Kieran’s landing, but not in an earthquake sort of way. More like a welcoming embrace.

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