Page 22 of Sanctuary with a Dragon
“You managed to find someone who pities you enough to go out with you?” I said drolly.
Shay snorted and I knew he was rolling his eyes at me. “I know you may find this hard tobelieve, but people actuallylikeme, and women find me handsome and interesting.”
I raised my eyebrows, casually stepping between two foxes that were getting pushy. “Please tell me you didn’t just say that in front of your date.”
“Of course not! As soon as I saw that it was you calling, I stepped outside.”
“Hmm.” Probably a good protocol to have for our conversations. “I called to ask your advice. Everly is... having a bit of an issue here.”
“Oh?” He sounded intrigued. “What kind of issue?”
“Her magic seems to be drawing animals to her.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“You heard me.” I held out a foot toward a poisonous snake, keeping it from joining the group. I didn’t think it would hurt her—none of the animals seemed dangerous to Everly—but I also didn’t want to tempt fate. The snake hissed at me, rising on its tail. I stared it down. It hissed again, then slithered away.
I swear it felt like it was pouting. As a dragon shifter, I could sense what other shifters and animals were feeling, and that snake was now among the tall grasses, pouting that I hadn’t let it join us.
I shook my head, part in awe at my mate’s abilities and part in frustration. “We went on a walk. There are currently fourteen animals following us home.”
Shay got a good laugh out of that, and I rolled my eyes until he finished. Yes, yes, it was hilarious that my mate was an animal magnet. Just then, an animal evenless cuddly than a snake entered the fray, and I moved instantly to intercept it. The polar bear looked at me as if I were denying it a month’s worth of fish and tried to keep rambling toward my mate. I sighed in frustration, letting my dragon fire flash through my eyes in warning. The bear stalked off, snorting and grumbling.
“It’s not funny. I just had to deny access to a polar bear.”
Shay stopped laughing and cleared his throat, likely chagrined.
“Yeah, I can see now how this situation could become dangerous. It’s not what I was picturing.”
“Well, until the polar bear, it was probablyexactlywhat you were picturing.”
“I’m sorry for the danger, but... did you laugh at her when this all started? Be honest.”
“Of course not.” I wanted my mate to actually fall in love with me, not peck my eyes out.
Shay chuckled, able to read me, even through the phone. “You laughed a little, I can tell. Alright, I’ll come by again to see if the spells around her have morphed a little. I didn’t notice anything that would draw other animals to her. To be honest, it could be her connection with you.”
I sighed. “Whatever it is, we’ll tackle it together. We’ll be home soon. Thanks, Shay.”
“What are friends for? Now I just have to gracefully exit this date without her wanting to curse my ancestors.”
I smirked. “Just hand the phone to her and I’ll tell her you have a terrible rash that’s infectious.”
“Funny. Sooo funny.”
“I thought so.”
Everly
Alaricand I had been back at his house now for a few minutes, waiting for his friend Shay again. He sat on the couch with me, and placed the pillow I liked to rest on in his lap. I settled into it, sighing internally as I did. Was it strange that I was essentially sitting on a stranger’s lap? Yes, if I thought about it for too long, but I was too unnerved by what had just happened to care.
Our walk had been a disaster.
At first, I’d thought the animals were following Alaric because he’s a dragon shifter, but then I’d realized they were followingme. I still couldn’t figure out why.
In bewilderment, I’d unintentionally played red light green light with them: go, stop, go, stop, until finally, I’d told them to leave me alone and return home. None of them seemed to speak raven, though. Or maybe they just didn’t speak Everly.
All of the “safe” animals that Alaric had allowed to join us were currently camping on Alaric’s porch.They’d at first wanted to come inside with us, but Alaric had quickly disabused them of that notion. Most of them were pouting.
