Page 8 of Fire in Cabin 27
While the steak cooled, not that I needed it to, but I’d hoped to lure Juni from the room to have dinner with me. Far too hot for a human mouth right now, I chopped up a few veggies for a salad and fried some sliced potatoes before I called out to him.
“That smells great,” Juni’s voice surprised me. Figured he’d hide until I bugged him.
“Thanks, have a seat.” I had already set the table for two. “Probably should’ve asked how you like your steak cooked first.”
“Do you have temperature control on that thing or a built-in meat thermometer?” I released a small flame and he jumped back. “Don’t burn the cabin down!” he squealed and giggled. “But that was seriously cool.”
“I see someone woke up snarky.” Who was I kidding, that’s all I’d seen of the smartass thus far. Gotta say, it did it for me. “But yea, it is always controlled.”
See, courting.
If only my dragon could see me roll my eyes.
“Go ahead, dig in.” Juni cut off a small piece and placed a scoop of potatoes and some salad on his plate. Definitely a far daintier eater than my dragon and I were. Generally, we just ate it straight off the bone with no utensils. We had to remember our manners going forward for sure.
“Thank you. Can’t remember the last time I ate red meat.”
“Are you allergic or a vegetarian?” No dummy, he’s eating it now so he’s not either. “Sorry, dumb question.”
Juni grinned. “No, I just try to eat healthier and keep my red meat intake to a minimum.”
Can’t say I’d ever heard that before, but I’d also never been told to calm my tits prior to today either.
“So um, you’re really a dragon?” I flashed my fangs and he gasped. “Yup, yup, yes. Wow, this is a lot to take in.”
I shrugged. “I suppose, but it really surprises me. I thought all humans knew about us.”
“Only in fantasy novels for this human. Do um? I mean do dragons have?”
“Go ahead, spit it out. I’m not one for beating around the bush.”
“Do dragons have live births like humans? I mean, how do the babies come out? As dragons or regular?”
My laughter filled the room. I couldn’t help it. Out of everything he learned today, asking how our babies came out only surprised…oh shit, now I get it. “Eggs. Eggs are laid and about three or so months later they hatch and the dragonet is born. Shortly after, it takes on a human baby form until it’s teen years when it experiences its first shift.”
“Oh, okay,” he visibly relaxed. “I’m here hiding from my mother and her incessant matchmaking.”
“Ditto.” Finally, something in common.
“Really?”
“Yup. Who knew what hiding would lead to.”
“No kidding.” He straightened his stance, and I feared what was coming from his mouth next. “I’m not a prize to be won or an incubator, you know.”
“While I disagree on the prize part,” Juni blushed, “Why do I have a feeling there’s more to this story?”
He sighed and tossed his napkin aside. “My mother is one of thoseshe’s in it if she benefits from ittypes. She’s been grooming me since I was young and as soon as I came of age she had a lineof wealthy suitors ready to go. One guy was sixty-five for fucks sake.” That may’ve ended in a frustrating joke, but there was no way to mask the glimpse of hurt in his eyes I caught.
I’m sure my face resembled one of those old eye-ball popping cartoons right now. “You’ve got to be kidding me? I mean, my mom has been bugging me to settle down the last few years but I’m also in my thirties.”
“Twenty-four, here.”
“Thirty-four here. I take it humans struggle with the whole fated mate’s belief?”
“And then some. I’ve heard stories of it happening, but never to anyone in my inner circle, and never with a shifter. My parents’ marriage was arranged, and I was the wedding night gift that just keeps on giving. Since then, they’ve slept in separate rooms and led separate lives. Their marriage is more one of stature and status than love.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. My mom may drive me crazy, but I know she loves me. My parents were fated, and my mated siblings are the same. Once mated that’s it for us. It’s hard for one partner to survive without the other piece of their heart.” I’d heard stories of rejected mates and none of them ended well, nor was there longevity after one passed away.
