He nudged Owen with his elbow. “We’re here.”
Owen jerked awake. “What?” He blinked a few times. “Oh. Okay.” He inhaled. “It was good to meet you.”
He popped the car door open and Eli grabbed his sweater. “Wait.” He wasn’t going to let Owen just leave like this. He was going to have to intrude on Nora and Niall’s hospitality once more. “Come inside with me.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“They really won’t mind?” he asked.
“They’re family.” He really was going to have to make this up to Nora. She’d saved his ass twice now, first by helping his clan survive the demon attack and then last night. And she’d stayed with Ava last night, too. What had she told Ava? What was there to say?
He walked slowly to the front door. Ava was still his girlfriend. For now. That could change as soon as he went inside. He didn’t know what to expect. But he’d never avoided a tough situation in his life.
He raised his hand and knocked on the door.
One second later, the door flew open and Ava stood there.
“Eli,” she said.
“Ava.” He couldn’t stop himself. He gathered her into his arms and breathed in her vanilla and honey scent. “Thank God you’re okay.”
“I’m fine,” she said. She didn’t move away from him but left her head on his shoulder. “What about you? You were the one fighting.”
“I’m good. We heal quickly.” How strange it was to be able to tell her the truth for once.
She pulled back then, and he missed her small form immediately. She ran her hands up and down his arms. “You’re really okay?”
“Yes.”
She turned to the side, peering over him. “Someone’s behind you.”
Oh, hell. He’d just left Owen out there, waiting for him to move out of the doorway. He stepped into Nora’s house, holding the door open for Owen. “Ava, this is Owen. He was our pilot on the flight over. He’s a dragon shifter, too.”
“Hello, Owen.”
Owen said hello and came to stand inside the foyer with a great deal of uncertainty. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
Niall came out of the kitchen then. “Absolutely not. We love meeting new shifters.”
Even Niall’s easy tone and friendly manner weren’t enough to put Owen at ease. But Nora and Niall were kind, and they were generous. For now, Eli would leave them to it, and he’d talk to them later. For now, he needed to be alone with his mate.
They all just stood there staring at each other until Nora came breezing in. “Hello, everyone. Owen, why don’t you join Niall and me for brunch?” She pointed to the kitchen. “I have food in the oven. And Ava and Eli, you two can have the back garden to yourselves.”
Owen made a beeline for the kitchen, and Eli held his hand out to Ava. “Would you join me outside?”
Ava nodded, and she slipped her small hand into his.
Once they’d settled onto the padded bench Nora kept in her garden, they were both silent. Nora came out once more and handed him a plate of bacon rashers and a fried egg.
“Thank you,” he said. He was starving, but he hadn’t been willing to impose on them any more than he already had.
Nora patted his shoulder. “I know how much food is needed to keep you brawny males going.”
She handed a mug of tea to Ava and patted her shoulder, too. Then, she was gone and he was alone with his mate again.
He looked across the lush green yard, with its blooming wildflowers and the pond that stretched across part of the property. They really did have a beautiful home.
He didn’t have time for plants, but his clan often spent time gardening. The scent of lilacs drifted by, and he spotted the patch of light purple flowers. Next to the lilacs sat a wagon, and beside that, a tiny pair of rain boots, which reminded him that he had disrupted their family life in a spectacular way.
He took a moment to be grateful he had not brought the fight to their home.
He took a bite of bacon and steeled himself. “Ava,” he started. “I want to apologize to you.”
“For what part?”
She didn’t look angry. She just looked blank. He would have preferred anger. If she yelled at him or maybe told him off, then he’d know where he stood with her.
“For all of it.”
“Is this the first time you’ve dated a human?” she asked.
He hadn’t expected that question. “Yes.”
“You’ve only dated other dragon shifters?”
“Yes.”
She sipped her tea. He could see the steam rising from the mug as she held it in her hands. “And those were the women who didn’t like it that you had astronomy and astrophysics as a hobby.”
“Right.”
“Were you ever going to tell me?” she asked.
“I’d started thinking about it. There is some precedence in our clan for dating a human.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Really? How many humans are in your clan?”
“One.”
“And how many members are in your clan?”
“Eight hundred.”
She nodded. “You left without telling me anything.”
“I know.”
“I don’t like that.”
“I wouldn’t either.”
“If I hadn’t followed you, what would have happened?” she asked.
He took a few bites, needing something to focus on. “It’s hard to say.”
She sipped her tea again. “Nora said this sort of danger has always been a part of her life, but that it was new to you.”
He was grateful that Nora had spoken to her and given her some details. “That’s right. Nora has survived quite a bit. My clan has been lucky.”
“She said she visited you last year and helped your clan with a battle.”
He might as well tell her everything. He wanted to build trust between the two of them, and if they were ever going to have a future together, she needed to know all of it. “Yes. Demons attacked us.”
“Demons. Demons are real, too?”
“Yes. We
