“Donnie. I suggest you run while you still can.” His voice grew deeper as the dragon started to push his way out.
The weasel of a man sneered. “No. I’m not losing her again.”
Kal threw his head back and laughed. Tinges of red and orange streaked the horizon. It reminded him of home, and home would never be the same if he didn’t get her to go with him. This Donnie might be an obstacle, whether he liked it or not. Grinding his teeth together, Kal bit back a roar of anger.
The leather of his jacket stretched at the seams as he strained, his muscles burning in restraint as his dragon fought to come out and play. The beast was done with Kal’s patience.
No. Not yet.
Compromise, if one compromised with a dragon.
Kal’s attention focused on the enemy.
“Look what you did to her,” Donnie yelled. “I don’t know what you expect out of Maddie, but she’s not as strong as she looks. If you think she’ll zap you a million dollars or something, then you’ve got the wrong witch.”
Kal ground his molars as his skin scaled up. “I expect nothing of her. She is mine as I am hers. She owes me nothing. I will live to please her.” He smirked. “Far better than a small human like you could do.”
Goddess, if she’d only let him.
Kal squared his shoulders as his dragon began to beat his wings within their soul. They hadn’t found a worthy opponent on this planet, not yet anyhow. Would this Donnie be worthy? Kal chuckled, no, it was doubtful. Donnie was nearly a mouse.
“Don’t you laugh at me. You have no idea what you’re dealing with. Besides, everyone’s a little human here. What makes you think you’re better? Get over yourself. You know drugs aren’t the answer. Women aren’t stupid. Maddie isn’t stupid. Maybe you look like, well, what you look like now. Everyone knows that most guys like you can’t think your way out of a paper bag,” Donnie spouted.
Kal ignored Donnie as he listened, trying to pinpoint Maddie and realizing he couldn’t hear her footfalls anymore. This was taking too long.
“I don’t have time for a small human right now. Go do what you will. I need to track down Maddie, and you will go away. You will not be following my mate any further from here on out.”
Kal summoned the dragon, letting their senses reach for her. He hadn’t officially mated her, but they knew her. He could smell her, feel her. Her magic called to him and his to her.
“What the hell gives you the right to claim her? That’s not how marriage works around here.”
Kal whipped his head back to the annoying gnat of a human. The stupid male was still here.
Kal rolled his eyes as he looked down at Donnie. The little man had actually come closer. “You play a dangerous game, human,” Kal said.
“Listen here. No matter what you are, don’t you dare think you’re better than me. You fucking shifters. Thinking all women are yours for the taking. Someone needs to teach you assholes a lesson.”
Kal took another step forward and the muscles of his arms corded as he let talons rip from his hands.
Control yourself, dragon.
Kal was forbidden to reveal his true form. Shifter it was, for now. He would go with shifter.
“And, I suppose you’re the mundane human to teach me?”
Kal enjoyed watching the man’s skin burn red in anger. He could smell the spicy scents of rage.
“I’m half Fae, you asshole. My father was a guard in the Fae courts.”
Kal shrugged. He knew of stories of the Fae, another creature that frequented humans throughout history. Fascinating to see they too needed this species.
“Should that make me afraid?”
Donnie didn’t back away.
Interesting.
Perhaps this would be more entertaining than expected. Kal stepped forward, stopping a foot away from him, the darkness of dusk taking over.
Time to play, little mouse.
Kal knew Donnie would see him shift. Perhaps he’d see enough to frighten the halfling.
He flexed his shoulders, letting the ripple of the magic control him, his dragon clamoring to come out.
“What the hell are you?” Donnie asked.
“Perhaps you’d like to find out? Show me what being part Fae really means? If you think you are worthy.”
Kal advanced on him as his teeth began to morph into those of his dragon.
Donnie scowled. “Maybe I don’t glow like you or have some freaky-ass eyes, but I don’t need to prove myself to you. She will come back to me.”
Kal grew hot as his anger boiled within. No one would touch his mate.
Leaning in, he whispered his next words while he still could, before the dragon fully emerged. “You touch her and you will die.” Standing to his full height, he glared down at Donnie.
“You kill me and she will never forgive you, shifter. It doesn’t matter what you are. She loves me.”
Kal reached out to grab Donnie and scowled as his grip came up with air.
“I told you I’m not just human. I’m very fast. Perhaps you should take those fucking gym muscles and leave town.”
A game. They liked games.
“She may love you. Most humans love pets.”
Kal grinned as he let his dragon take hold. His jaw began to protrude, making room for his razor-sharp teeth. His voice grew deeper, his skin fully morphed and fell away into scales as they grew in size.
“What the fuck?” Donnie stuttered. He retreated until his back hit the door to the bar with a metallic thud. Reaching for the doorknob, his hand fumbled. Kal folded forward onto all fours.
Fear was something Kal could work with.
Drool dripped from their dragon mouth, and just as they approached, Donnie ripped open the door. His last words were muffled as the door began to close, “you’re not winning this one. I’ll be back.”
The deep rumble of the dragon's voice vibrated as they laughed. Right. He’d be back, and Kal would be ready all the same.
The dark of night fell, his dragon shaking off the long trip cooped
