Page 45 of Hungry Like A Dragon
The lady glanced down at the infant sleeping in her arms. “I suppose you want her back now.”
Petra wasn’t really concerned about the older woman’s personal issues, so long as she could have her daughter back. “Yes, please,” she practically breathed. She stretched out her arms as the woman swaddled Sadie more securely in her blanket, like she was about to hand over the baby.
But she didn’t. Instead, she wrapped her arm protectively around the child and said, “Will you take me with you?”
Petra pulled her hands back. “What?”
“I’m tired of being a prisoner.”
“Prisoner?” Petra repeated, glancing up at Noah. He shook his head.
A shadow fell across the ground, and Petra looked up at the sky in time to see the shape of a dragon swoop toward the ground. As furious as she was with Noah for bringing Gabe into this mess, she was willing to admit—if only to herself—that she was relieved, too, to have the backup.
Except it wasn’t Gabe who shifted into human form as the dragon touched the ground. It was a woman with dark, windblown hair that she swept away from her face before brushing her fingers over the gem at her throat and then smoothing the front of her dress.
“I do hate travelling like that,” Delilah said with a small shudder. She narrowed her eyes and wagged her finger at the elderly woman in the rocking chair.
“One job,” she said. “You had one job. Watch the damn kid until they came to retrieve it. Hand it over. Say nothing.”
“That’s actually three jobs,” the old lady qualified.
Delilah gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.
“What do you honestly expect?” the old lady asked. “I’m literally supposed to say nothing at all when they arrive? Not even a hello, how are you? Hope the drive wasn’t too long? Anything?”
Delilah rolled her eyes. “Greeting them and telling them I’m holding you prisoner are not even remotely the same thing.”
“Well, you are. And I’m sick of it, frankly.”
“I suppose you never should have taught me how to use magic.”
Petra glanced at Noah. What the hell?
“Wait,” Noah said, drawing the attention of the arguing women. “You taught her magic? What are you?”
“A witch,” the woman said, pride filling her voice.
“That explains the curse,” Petra muttered.
“A witch teaching curses to a dragon?” Noah asked.
The old lady shrugged.
Delilah let out an exasperated noise and patted her hair. “Boys. Oh boys! Come out, come out, wherever you are.”
Magic sizzled all around them as four bulky men stepped out of the shadows and formed a half circle behind her. Gargoyles, all of them.
Delilah sighed dramatically. “Argyle, get your ass over here.”
The rustling of tall grass and the gargoyle who had shown up on Petra’s doorstep earlier tonight stepped into view.
Delilah placed one hand on her hip while tapping her chin with the other. “Remind me again. Who are you beholden to?”
Argyle pursed his lips and then said in his heavily accented voice, “Our purpose is to protect from evil spirits.”
She strode toward him and stabbed her finger at his chest while he remained stoically unmoving. “Your purpose is to protectmefrom anyone who tries to interfere in my business.”
“Your business isn’t why they entered your shop.”
