Page 31 of Dragon's Unwanted Love
A look of relief appeared on Jackson’s face, and he let out a long sigh. “I guess you have a few questions,” he said, visibly relaxing. “Are you sure that you’re up to it right now?”
“No, but I need to know,” she said. “I think it’s the only way I won’t freak out.”
“I may not have all the answers you want, but I’ll give it my best shot,” he said. “How about I make us a cup of tea and we can talk, unless you’d like to take a shower first?”
She looked down at herself and realized that she was not only filthy, but there was a distinct smell coming from her clothes. “That bad, huh,” she said, managing a smile. “I guess a shower might be a good idea.”
“Do you need me to help you?” Jackson asked, then she saw two distinct spots of color appear on his cheeks. “Not in the shower, that’s not what I meant, I just meant getting out of bed.”
She smiled at him. “I think I’ll be okay on my own,” she said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. “I’m not going to pass out again, I’m sorry about that, I just…”
“It was a pretty normal response to everything that happened. There’s nothing to apologize about, Abby,” he said. “You’re taking this better than I thought you would…I mean, most people…well, I guess you’re not most people, are you?”
She shook her head, then got to her feet, surprised to find her legs were steadier than she expected. “No, I’m not most people,” she said. “Life is full of a lot of mysteries. This is just one that I didn’t expect.”
“You go take that shower, and then we’ll have a long talk,” Jackson said. “I might zip downstairs and shower myself, but I promise I’ll be right back.”
Jackson left as soon as she closed the bathroom door. Her head still reeling, she stripped out of her ruined clothes, threw them in the trash, and then turned on the water as hot as it would go. She stood under the spray for a long time, letting the water wash away the filth, her brain still reeling with the new knowledge that there was more out there than she could see. When she was finally clean, she got out of the shower and quickly dried off, suddenly anxious to hear what Jackson had to say.
When she stepped out of the bathroom, he was already making them tea, and she watched him for a second, trying to come to terms with what she now knew. Jackson didn’t look any different; the way she felt when she was close to him hadn’t changed, and now she wondered if that feeling of warmth he wouldn’t explain to her had something to do with him being a shifter.
“Do you feel better?” Jackson asked when he saw her standing in the doorway. “I’ve got the tea all ready. Do you want to sit in here, or would you like to go out on the roof?”
“The roof might be nice, I could use some fresh air,” she said, taking the mug he held out. “Just let me grab a blanket in case it gets chilly.”
“I’ll get it, you go on out,” he said. “I’ll be right behind you.”
When she crawled through the window, she was surprised to find that the sun was just going down. It felt like two days had passed since the football game. Jackson appeared only a few seconds later, a blanket draped over his shoulder, a look of uncertainty on his face. She felt bad for him, knowing that the conversation they were about to have wasn’t going to be easy for him.
After spreading the blanket on the roof, he held his hand out in an invitation to join him. She didn’t hesitate to take it, and then let him help her down onto the rough shingles. Hesat down next to her, close enough that she could feel his body heat and smell his unique scent, and she involuntarily let out a little sigh of pleasure.
When she looked over at him, the overwhelming feeling that nothing would ever be the same again after they talked washed over her. For a second, she began to feel anxious, but then Jackson gave her a shaky smile, and the tension drained away.
“I’ve never done this before,” he said, letting out a long sigh. “I’m not sure where to start.”
“Well, I’ve always heard the beginning is the best place to start,” she said, scooting closer to him. “There’s nothing to be nervous about, Jackson. I’ve already seen what you can do, I just want to understand how you do it.”
CHAPTER 18
***JACKSON***
“Abby, I’m not sure that’s a question I can answer, I mean none of us really knows how we do what we do,” he said, shaking his head. “The truth is no one is completely sure how long we’ve been around. A lot of the legends put our origins as far back as the dark ages.”
“Then start there, make that the beginning,” she said, leaning her head on his arm and sending a wave of warmth rushing through him. “Make me believe, Jackson, make me understand. This is so much to absorb. I mean, first, I have to accept that you can shift, and if that’s not enough, I have to make another huge leap and believe in dragons. I think it would be easier if it was just one or the other, but the two together, well, it’s a lot.”
He took a sip from his cup, giving himself a few seconds to collect his thoughts, then looked over at Abby. “Okay, from the beginning then,” he said, then shrugged his shoulders. “Just remember what I’m about to tell you is a legend, just like King Arthur or the Knights of the Round Table. It’s just a story we’ve been told, and it may not be true.”
“In my experience, there’s always a little truth to anylegend,” she said, smiling up at him. “I won’t ask for proof if that’s what you’re worried about. I think I’ve already gotten enough of that to know that you’ve been given a gift.”
“It’s funny you put it that way. That’s exactly what we were supposed to be,” he said, shaking his head. “According to the legends, we were created as a gift for a very powerful king from his most trusted magician. He wanted to create an army that no one could defeat, a fighting force that would triumph over anyone who attempted to challenge them. Using his magic, he combined humans and dragons into one of the most powerful creatures that walked the Earth, but it didn’t go as he’d hoped. Instead of creating a human with the added strength, speed, and power of the dragon, he created a killing machine that couldn’t be controlled. A lot of innocent people lost their lives before his army could be stopped, including the king and the magician, but eventually most of them were killed.”
“But not all of them,” Abby offered. “You’re here, and you seem to have control of the dragon inside you.”
He nodded, “There were a few soldiers who were stronger than the dragon inside them. They managed to escape, some by sea, some over land, and some through the air,” he said. “They found new homes and started new families, always keeping the truth about what lay hidden deep inside them from everyone around them except their fellow shifters. Eventually, clans were formed, and rules were created to help us control the dragons that live inside us. Over time, we found our way back into society, but we still keep our abilities a secret from everyone except those closest to us.”
Abby remained silent for so long that he began to get worried. “What you did earlier today, shifting right out in the open like you did, that was very dangerous,” she said, lookingup at him. Anyone could have seen you, and that was a huge risk.”
“That’s the kind of thing we try to avoid, but I didn’t have any choice,” he said. “I wasn’t going to let Diego hurt you, and I couldn’t have fought him in my human form.”
