Page 30 of Sanctuary with a Dragon
Our mate is upset. I am trying to calm her,my dragon said, as though performing the impossible was something he did every day.
He hummed softly and pressed his snout to Everly’s beak. She closed her eyes and leaned into him—actually leaned—because she didn’t fall through him. My dragon had weight. Substance.
I needed a chair.
It felt like the perfect time to have a heart attack.
I seriously couldn’t believe my eyes.
I felt like an alien being.
Everly calmed. Her frantic heartbeat slowed. Mydragon, after nosing her goodbye, slipped back into my chest, and I slumped to my knees and closed my eyes.
Okay—that happened. Good. Great. I’d just… put that in a box labeledThings I Don’t Understand Right Nowso I could focus on my mate.
“Everly? I’m sorry,” I said hoarsely. “I’m so sorry.”
I stayed quiet, waiting for her to respond, and for my dragon to interpret.
Finally, he said,She does not accept us yet, but she has said that we need to be king. She respects that, and will go wherever we go for the moment.
I nodded. My dragon sounded a little heartbroken that she hadn’t accepted us right away. If she’d been a shifter, she would have. But for myself… I was grateful my mate was human.
I am... coming around to your way of thinking,my dragon murmured.I understand your point of view, I do. But we’ve waited a long time for her, Alaric. A very long time.
I nodded again, whispering my thanks to Everly as I stood and headed back toward the conference room with the council.
We’ll build something lasting with her,I promised.And we’ll do it at the pace she’s comfortable with. She is courageous.
My dragon snorted.Of course.
And we will be courageous as well.
He sighed.Yes, we will be courageous as well. Delayedgratification is good for us.
I grinned.Yes. And especially for right now, I’m mainly focused on her needs. On what she needs to feel comfortable, happy, and safe with us. What she needs to feel loved.
Way to show me up,my dragon groused, and I laughed as I opened the conference room side door and stepped back into the council’s waiting presence.
“We accept.”
Chapter 10
Everly
Things moved quickly after that. Alaric had more meetings with the council, and Draven agreed to host us at his villa in Moonhaven Cove, a paranormal city off the coast of Oregon.
A week later, Alaric’s private jet touched down in Portland, Oregon and we were met by a large, slightly grey-skinned man wearing light tactical gear. A woman with pink hair stood next to him, frowning at a mother scolding her child in strident, harsh tones.
“Please don’t,” the man begged.
“I just want to talk to her.”
“You can’t fix everything, Indie,” he said wearily.
“Watch me,” she said, and strode away from him.
He sighed, then nodded at Alaric and me as we came level with them.
