How to Date a Dragon

“You know about the contest?”

Sadie shrugged. “Like I tell everyone, I know a lot of things.”

Bliss thought about what else Sadie said she knew or had a feeling about, and her skin started to prickle.

* * *

Drake followed Zina onto the sidewalk. Charles Street was fairly quiet for a change.

“So, Drake, why are you two-timing me?”

“I just met you! And I met Bliss a couple weeks ago. I’m not committed to anyone yet.”

“I thought we had a good thing going.”

“We had one drink together, and to be honest, I wasn’t planning to call you again.”

“You what?” she shrieked. “Why the hell did you take my number if you weren’t going to use it?”

Her eyes glowed and wings pushed at the fabric on her shoulders. He had thought she was wearing leather, but apparently it was something else. Something that stretched.

“I didn’t want to insult you. Besides, I didn’t take it. You practically forced it on me.”

“Well, how do you think I feel now?”

He stared at what must have been her wings, pushing at the fabric again. “Probably lousy, but it would be worse to mislead you anymore than I already have.”

“You bet I feel lousy. And you should know better than to piss off a dragon.”

He focused on her rapidly reddening cheeks. This is what he was afraid of. If he’d refused her number, chances are he’d have seen the same reaction. Who knew what she’d do in a crowded restaurant. She could begin hurling chairs or get so “steamed” she’d shift.

“Look, I’m sorry I upset you, but—”

“But nothing.” She aimed right for a male dragon’s vulnerable spot. His throat. And with two fingers she jabbed him in his Adam’s apple, hard.

Drake collapsed to the ground, choking. While he was down, she gave him a swift kick in the ribs with her steel-toed boot. He heard a crack, and pain shot through his chest. She stepped over him and sauntered off as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

Unable to get enough air in his lungs, Drake felt the world spin and go black.

* * *

Bliss didn’t think she’d see Drake again so soon, especially in the arms of a large, blond man who was carrying Drake’s unconscious body into the bar.

“What happened?” Bliss wasn’t the only one who shouted and hurried over to them.

The guy shoved one of the booths out of his way with his foot and laid Drake on the padded bench.

A moment later, Angie appeared beside Bliss and asked, “Nick, what happened?”

“Don’t know. I just found him like this.”

Drake groaned and started to writhe. The man Angie had called Nick held him in place and said, “Don’t move, Drake. You’re hurt.”

Drake’s eyes opened slowly. “Nick? Where am I?”

“You’re in Boston Uncommon. Do you remember what happened?”

After a pause, Drake’s expression grew dark. “Yeah, but I’m not telling you.”

Nick straightened and crossed his arms. “Why not?”

“Because I got beat up by a girl.”

Nick reared back and laughed.

Bliss kneeled by Drake’s side. “Don’t laugh. He’s injured. Someone call a doctor.”

“No. I’ll be—” Drake tried to sit up but inhaled a sharp gasp and lay back down again. When his breathing steadied he said, “No, I guess I won’t be all right. I think I broke a rib.”

Bliss turned to her roommate. “Angie, call an ambulance.”

“No.” Drake put a hand on her arm. “Then my EMT buddies will show up and I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Angie jammed her hands on her hips. “Well, you can’t just lie here for a few days.”

“I don’t need days. A few hours at most and—”

He glanced up at Nick. It was almost imperceptible, but Bliss saw Nick give him a quick head shake.

Sadie jumped in. “I have some emergency medical supplies in my bag. Someone can tape his ribs up tight. That’s all they did for a friend of mine when he broke a rib.”

Medical supplies? Did she know they’d be needed tonight, or is she always this prepared?

Sadie fished around in her oversized satchel and pulled out a roll of gauze bandage and adhesive tape. She handed them to Bliss.

“Look, I don’t live far,” Nick said. “I can carry him to my house and he can stay on my couch.”

“Your couch?” Bliss didn’t mean to raise her voice, but she was concerned about Drake, even if he was dating a first-class bitch who’d beaten him up. Bliss wondered what he’d said to cause that reaction. “You don’t have anything better than a couch to offer?”

Nick sighed. “My wife and I just turned the guest room into a nursery.”

Angie patted his arm. “It’s okay. He’d probably be in too much pain if you carried him all the way up Mount Vernon Street. Carry him up to our place.”

Bliss stared at her with raised eyebrows.

“Um… I mean, if it’s okay with you, Bliss. We have that big sectional sofa, and if all he wants to do is lie down for a few hours…”

Now what? She’d look like a complete heel if she said no, especially in front of all these people. “But what about the hospital?”

“No hospital,” Drake said, firmly.

“Well, then… Of course. Of course he can stay with us.” Bliss hoped her pause wasn’t too noticeable. “Wendy, will you be okay without me for a few minutes?”

“Yes, absolutely. Just take care of Drake,” she said.

“I’ll go get my keys.” Bliss hurried to the office but remembered that Anthony was in there. She knocked and opened the door without waiting for permission to enter.

Anthony looked up from his desk. “Bliss? Is everything all right?”

Her expression must have given away the fact that all was not okay. “Drake’s been hurt. I’m getting my keys to let him into our apartment upstairs, but I’ll be right back down.”

Anthony rose and buttoned his suit jacket. “Let me see him first.”

Bliss followed Anthony out to the bar and pointed to the tight knot of people crowded around Drake. “He’s over there. He was… mugged.” That sounds a lot better than “beaten up by a girl.” “He might have some broken ribs.”

“Jesus,” Anthony muttered and pushed his way through the crowd. When he got to Drake, he scratched his head. “A mugging? Where did this happen?”

“Right in front of the bar. I’m sorry, Anthony.”

“Don’t be sorry. Just be well.” Anthony turned toward Nick and asked, “Can I help?”

“Sure. The two of us can carry him across our arms and he can lie flatter. I don’t want those ribs to puncture a lung.”

Bliss tossed her hands in the air. “Am I the only one who thinks taking him to a hospital might be a good idea?”

Several of the guys who were crowded around glanced at each other. Finally Drake spoke up. “I’m not going to a hospital. If you don’t want me on your couch, I totally understand. I’ll find somewhere else.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m fine with your coming upstairs. I just think you should see a doctor so you don’t heal wrong.”

“He’ll heal fine,” Nick said. “I used to be a cop. Saw injuries like this all the time.”

Bliss was outnumbered. “Okay. If you all think he’ll be all right without medical attention, take him upstairs. But put him in my bedroom, and I’ll sleep on the couch.”