Page 5 of Fire in Cabin 27
“Shifter? There’s no such thing. I just have a concussion, that’s it. If you’re real and not a figment of my imagination, could you please drive me to the ER?”
“You’re fine. Overly dramatic, but fine. You haven’t hit your head. I caught you both times.” He rolled his eyes, and a plume of smoke released.
“There!” I pointed. “It happened again. Steam came from your nostrils. What the hell?”
“Smoke.”
“What?”
“A plume of smoke came from my nostrils.”
“Smoking is bad for your health.”
“No, smoking is bad for your health. My smoke is natural, not man made.”
“Wait, what?” This was too much. Attempting to communicate with him was a fucking mind game.
“Well, since you’re already laying down.” Various shades of blue scales replaced the flesh on his arms and face, his eyes turned a luminescent red and the hand on the quilt beside me shifted into a claw. “Dragon shifter.”
“Dragon. Shifter. Like as in shifted. Just now.” Each word came out louder and louder as did my heartrate. “Right in front of me. You’re not human. What the fuck are you?”
“Jesus. Where is your off button? This is the third time I’ve told you. I’m a human who is a dragon who can shift back and forth. Is there another language you’d like me to try?”
“That’s. Not. Possible.”
“It is and you just witnessed it with your own two eyes. How is it you’ve lived this long without meeting another shifter? They’re all around you, especially here.” How was he so calm about this? Was I dreaming? When I woke would I have had vivid enough images to write my own story? Many books begin that way, as an author’s dream. Maybe, maybe I just had to go back to sleep for a while and when I woke up it would all be over and he’d be gone.
“Yes, yes. Sleep.” I rolled over and curled up with the fluffy pillow only to be stopped by the same apparition I’d hoped to rid myself of.
“I think you need to eat first. You’ve tried and failed to get your meal prepped twice now. Here,” he reached over to the bedside table and grabbed a bowl. How had I missed the ramen sitting there? “Sit up.”
“Okay, so not a dream.”
The sour puss actually grinned. “No, not a dream. I’m probably closer to your worst nightmare.”
“Nightmare. That makes more sense.” It sure as hell felt like I was in one now.
He left me alone with the soup. I hated that he called to me on levels I couldn’t fathom. What I despised even more than that was having my vacation ruined.
You know what, fuck this. I’m going to the office myself. There has to be something they can do. Maybe they can find a doghouse or shed they can stuff him in. He’s an animal, they like the outdoors. Right?
I threw an outfit on, tussled my hair, though the freshly fucked look I’d achieved wasn’t what I wanted, it would have to do. Not as put together as I normally left the house, but I was on a mission and time was of the essence.
“Have you seen my keys?” Kyson was kicked back lounging on the couch reading. Wait. “Is that one of my books?” Turning the cover over, he shrugged and took a bite of apple. “And my apples?” In a brazen move, I snagged it from his hand and took a bite myself.
“Dear Goddess, he’s activated again. How do I turn him off?”
“I’ll turn you off. Now where are my keys?”
“Going somewhere, Princess?”
“Yes, if you must know. I’m going to the office to get this mess sorted out. No way are we sharing a cabin for two long weeks.”
“Don’t believe me, huh?” He sat up and tied his boots on. “Please, allow me to be your chauffer this evening.”
Kyson spun his keyring around his finger, far too full of himself as he opened the door and ushered me out and into his truck. He whistled along with whatever nonsense was playing on the radio, so I turned it off.
“What is this infernal racket you listen to? Sounds like injured dogs howling.” How could anyone stand that crap. Kyson growled and resumed whistling the same damn song, which was equally as annoying as the actual music had been.
