Page 8 of Dragons & Dumplings
A shadow fell over me, and I whirled to see the man towering over me, claws extended and aimed at my chest. I silently cursed as I raised my arms, attempting to form the scales that could protect me. But I wasn’t going to be fast enough.
And then my view was blocked by a broad back as Yuri practically materialized in front of me. His scaled, clawed hand shot out, and claws screeched against scale with a sound that reminded me of nails on a chalkboard. A few strips of fabric fluttered to the floor at Yuri’s feet.
He had protected me with his burned hand.
“What part ofleavedid you not understand?” Yuri’s voice was unbearably cold and flat.
“Stay out of it!” he roared. “This has nothing to do with you!”
“Apparently, it has everything to do with me.”
With a yell, the man charged. I felt the temperature plummet an instant before Yuri’s breath froze the man in place. A layer of frost covered him, but to my relief, I could still sense the warmth of his heart beating deep within—tiny and shriveled though it may be.
Yuri turned to me, as the scales that had momentarily coated his throat melted back into skin. Without meeting my gaze, he explained almost hesitantly, “He’s still alive. Just encased in a thin layer of ice.”
I felt a wave of relief sweep through the other patrons.
I smiled shakily. “I know.”
He blinked, snowflakes falling from his eyelashes, as if he were surprised that I was not angry with him. He looked like he’d just stepped out of a snowstorm, but his eyes warmed when they finally met mine, catching me off-guard.
“Thank you. I shouldn’t have let my guard down like that.” I grimaced, feeling foolish. But…I didn’t feel as angry as I normally would have. Having someone get angry on my behalf was…new.
But not entirely unpleasant.
“No, you shouldn’t have.” Though the air around him was warming back up, his tone remained cold.
Good feelings gone.
“I know.” That stung.
“Always keep your scale armor on, until you’re certain the threat is neutralized. I might not be here next time.” Yuri barely glanced at Kiki before he returned to his booth and got right back to typing.
Conversations slowly resumed as I stared at the new statue that was currently cemented to the middle of the floor. What in the blazes was I supposed to do with him now?
Nalini slithered over with some cardboard in her hands. Using a piece of string, she hung it around the statue’s neck and grinned.
It read: Abuser.
“I think we ssshould leave him like that for a few hoursss before we call the sssheriff.” There was a definite sway in her hips as she returned to waiting tables.
“Agreed.”
Chapter four
Flames & Flirtation
Mei
Thingsquieteddownoverthe next couple of days. Kiki was slowly but surely becoming our newest regular, and she actually managed to smile at me this morning. I was glad to see that she wasn’t about to let her messy breakup keep her down in the dumps forever. Though it certainly helped that her ex was too afraid to come back to the diner after spending a couple of nights in jail.
After attending to the initial morning rush, I finally had a chance to check my phone. I saw I had a missed call from my mom, so I walked over to a corner of the restaurant behind some plants, not far from Yuri’s preferred booth. Though it was early, he was already typing away on his computer.
We hadn’t spoken much since he had saved me, and then scolded me for letting my guard down. My inner fire flared at the memory, and a trickle of smoke escaped my nostrils. I just couldn’t figure that dragon out!
Taking a deep breath, I tried to put Yuri out of my mind as I called my mother back. I was expecting my parents to return from their trip in the next couple of days, but hopefully neither of them would spot Yuri.
After a few rings, my mom picked up. “Good morning, my little fireheart. How is business this morning?”
