Page 58 of Serving my Dragon
Sally blinked. “Polly? Why would you have chosen such a simple name? Shouldn’t you be like Wyrmslayer or have chosen something that inspires fear, like the male in Canada who went with something demonic.”
“I didn’t choose it. Matias did,” I stated.
“Well, I’m sure Blake will have ideas on what we can change it to. It will need to be something impressive if we’re going to convince billionaires to fund our research and pay for the privilege of spending time with a dragon.”
“Blake will do no such thing.” So what if my current appellation didn’t inspire fear? Matias had chosen a term of endearment because he cared for me. Besides, I knew from my inherited memories that it was actions that mattered most. Conquer the world and people would shiver when they heard the name Polly.
“You should work on getting the dragon to change its mind if you want to get in Blake’s good graces,” Sally muttered to Kayleigh.
“You’re delusional if you think I’m going to help that prick,” Kayleigh spat.
Sally shook her head. “You really need to adjust your attitude about this, Leigh.”
“Or what?”
“You know what he’s capable of. If you prove to be a detriment, he won’t hesitate to eliminate you.”
“Is this your way of saying you won’t stop him?”
Sally stood and didn’t reply to the question, but rather said, “I’m going to see how much longer before we can take off. I cannot wait to get started on my studies.”
The redhead left and Kayleigh slumped. “I can’t believe she won’t help. We’ve been best friends since high school.”
“Avarice can change people.”
“This much, though? Or was I just too stupid and blind to not see it before? I mean, I know she struggled. Knew she wanted more out of life. But for her to so callously dismiss me like that...” Kayleigh heaved out a breath. “What are we going to do, Polly?”
“I don’t know.” All I could be certain of? If this plane left with us still on board, my domination of the world would hit a snag.
Kayleigh uttered a shaky laugh. “I must be in shock, because for some reason, the Bonnie Tyler song, I Need a Hero, keeps playing in my head.”
“Would you sing it for me?” Because she was right. We needed a hero to come to our rescue, but did any exist in today’s modern world?
Chapter Nineteen
I couldn’t believe the excitement of my family at what should have been a serious situation. You’d have thought they were readying to go to a festival the way they changed their outfits and even did their hair. Quickly, I should add. They understood speed was of the essence. It didn’t take long for them to arrive at and infiltrate the airport, putting our plot into play.
Juan’s contact had sourced two private jets with flight itineraries taking them to the United States. Of course, they were parked in hangars at opposite ends of the airport. It led to us splitting into two groups. Juan and I teamed up with Cousin Sophia and her husband Lorenzo while the other contained my remaining uncles along with Emilia and Manuel.
As for my aunts? They were in charge of creating a distraction that would draw security. They’d not mentioned how they planned to create a distraction, but given I saw Carmelita wearing her fortune teller garb—chunky jewelry, lace headdress, flowy skirt, and crazy red lipstick—and Consuela shoulder a bulging canvas tote, it would most likely be entertaining.
To get to the hangars holding the private conveyances we needed to get past a checkpoint marked with an “authorized personnel only” sign, guarded by a corpulent man scrolling his phone looking bored until Sophia sauntered close, held out a cigarette, and said, “Hey handsome, do you have a light?”
“You can’t smoke in here,” he stated.
“Which is so dumb,” she responded with a laugh we could hear from where we stood just out of sight. “That door you’re guarding goes outside, doesn’t it?”
“It’s for private jet passengers and crew only.”
“Ooh. Rich people. You must see celebrities all the time,” she gushed.
“I do. I even have a few pictures. Want to see?” the man asked, already scrolling through his phone.
Sophia made sounds of admiration. “These are amazing and I’d love for you to show me more, but I really need a puff before I board my flight. Are you sure I can’t convince you to join me?” Spoken in a flirty tone.
“I really shouldn’t.”
“I totally understand. Pity. I do so love a man in uniform.” Disappointment hued her words.
