“I’ll be happier when I’ve had some breakfast.” Margie rubbed the small of her back. “If we plan on staying here, is there any chance we could get another bed? Sleeping with the kids is not comfortable. Elliot fights invisible monsters in the night, I’m sure.”
Amber chuckled. “He does have a vivid imagination.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Kelos agreed.
“I can pay for the beds if it’s a problem,” Margie offered and then her expression faltered. “No, I can’t, can I?”
“You shouldn’t use any bank cards,” Amber confirmed.
“I should have withdrawn cash on the way here.” Margie sighed and dragged her hands through her hair. “I hate this!”
“Hey, it’ll be okay.” Amber went to her sister-in-law and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. “We have an idea.”
Margie jerked her head up. “What kind of an idea?”
“We’re going to go and talk to Fabian.” Amber waited for her words to sink in.
“Talk to him?” Margie looked confused.
“I’m worried that he hasn’t called and since we can’t call him from here without the call being traced, we’re going to go to the city and call him from there and arrange to meet him. I think we’d both feel better if we knew he was okay.” Amber glanced at Kelos. Was she going to tell Margie that he was a dragon shifter?
Margie nodded absently, her hand going to her pocket and she pulled out her phone. “I am worried he still hasn’t called.”
“So, you’re okay with this?” Amber asked. “You’re okay with us going?”
“I have a friend who will come over and look after you while we’re gone.” Kelos stepped forward. Margie was close to agreeing to the plan.
A plan we don’t like, his dragon interjected.
“I don’t know. Is it safe for you to go?” Margie looked at Amber. “Fabian would never forgive himself if anything ever happened to you.”
“And I feel the same way about him.” Amber reached out for Kelos and he slipped his hand into hers. “Kelos will keep me safe.”
Margie nodded and placed her hand on Kelos’s upper arm. “Promise me.”
“I promise to protect Amber with teeth and claws. And fire,” Kelos said solemnly.
Margie’s eyes widened. “Fire?”
“Kelos is a dragon shifter.” Amber caught hold of Margie’s arm as her face paled and she swayed slightly. “I’ll explain it all while you drink your coffee.” She helped Margie into a chair. “You go, Kelos.”
“A dragon?” Margie croaked before Kelos had a chance to leave.
“Yes, a dragon. A dragon who will protect his mate with his life.”
“Let’s not get too dramatic,” Amber warned Kelos. She turned her attention to Margie. “Does this mean you are okay with us going?”
“Yes.” Margie nodded and then flung her arms around Amber’s neck. Inhaling deeply, she let it out as a huge sob. Amber held her sister-in-law tightly, rubbing her back to comfort her.
“I have to go to work. I’ll ask Mac if I can leave early. And I’ll talk to Joey.” He lifted his hand and waved before he turned around, grabbed his keys, and left the two women alone in the kitchen.
He wanted to stay but he had to go. Would he always be torn between needing to be by his mate’s side and continuing to live his life? They couldn’t be with each other every minute of the day and yet that was what he wanted.
I suspect if we stayed by Amber’s side every minute of the day, it would not be long until there was one less dragon shifter in the world, his dragon chuckled. We would drive her crazy.
So pleased you find it amusing, Kelos answered as he climbed into his truck and drove away from the house.
It’s going to take time to adjust, his dragon told him as they reached the road. We’ve spent too much time alone and now that we have our mate, we’re trying to make up for it.
Wise words. Kelos gritted his teeth as he drove to the sawmill. What if this was a mistake? Maybe they should stay here hidden away instead of going to the city to see Fabian.
We’ve hidden away for too long. And I don’t mean the dragon side of us. You have hidden, too. Sometimes in plain sight, but hidden, nonetheless.
How times change. Kelos smiled to himself. Time had changed the world around him for so long. It was now time for the dragon to change.
“Morning!” Mac called as Kelos arrived at the sawmill and got out of the truck. “I wasn’t sure if you would come to work today.”
“Why?” Kelos asked as he slammed the truck door shut and sauntered over to the office.
“The need to be with your mate is strong to start with. I didn’t know if you’d be able to resist.” Mac glanced up at Kelos as he placed a sheaf of papers down on his desk. “You remember I had to give Hex some time off?”
Kelos nodded. “Does that mean you can give me tomorrow off?”
“And so, it begins,” Hex said as he entered the office. “Even the mighty among us get bitten by love.”
“Not exactly,” Kelos replied.
“What’s wrong?” Mac leaned forward, his elbows on the desk as he studied Kelos.
“I have to go to the city. I need to check that Amber’s brother is okay.” Kelos hadn’t explained everything to the Winter brothers. But now might be the best time. He trusted them.
“Is there anything we can do to help?” Mac asked quietly.
“No, other than… I need to ask Joey to keep watch over Margie and the kids.” Kelos’s jaw tightened. “Amber would never forgive herself if anything happened to them.”
“Why don’t you start at the beginning?” Mac got up from his chair and poured three cups of coffee.
“Thanks.” Kelos cupped his hand around the mug of steaming coffee and quickly told Mac and Hex all the details of Amber’s predicament.
“And they haven’t heard from Fabian at all?” Hex nodded as he mulled over the details. “And they can’t risk calling since that might alert
