Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
“ D o you want to stop?” her tone was sultry, and she was a little shocked by it.
Logan’s eyes flickered with lavender. “No, but Legion and Mara are on their way over. Mara is quite eager to meet you.”
Emily’s body froze as she stared at Logan. How did you explain that your entire life is superficial? She hadn’t had any meaningful relationships and no friends since her mother died.
Logan’s face flinched. “You are a druid, Emily. Your sisters and you have a similar connection as me and my dragon brethren. Adara is the source of your power, as Legion is the source of ours.”
“Can you tell me about Adara?”
Logan explained the temple in detail and the sacrifices she had made to ensure a future for her children.
They were still standing at the entrance when Logan finished, and he motioned toward the couches. “Are you ready to sit down?”
Emily tried to mask her nervousness. She followed Logan to the plaid couch, her heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. As they sat down together, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease creeping over her. It wasn’t a fear of him; it was the thought of a new family.
But as Logan pulled her against his side, tucking her snugly under his arm, Emily found herself inexplicably drawn to his warmth and strength. Despite her reservations, there was something undeniably comforting about his presence, as if she had finally found a safe harbor in the stormy seas of her tumultuous life.
It was strange, she thought, how effortlessly she seemed to fit against him, as if they were two pieces of a puzzle destined to be together. In his embrace, she felt a sense of belonging she had never known before, a feeling of completeness that washed over her like a soothing balm.
But even as she reveled in the comfort of his embrace, Emily couldn’t shake the nagging doubts that lingered in the back of her mind. How could she, a lone wolf, so readily surrender to the allure of companionship? And, more importantly, what did it mean for her future?
The door opened and a large man with golden flecks in his eyes entered with a petite, curvy woman. Mara was beautiful, but it wasn’t just her features. She exuded a calming power that seemed to draw you in.
Her smile could light a room, and that warmth reminded Emily of her mother. Mara walked over and leaned down to give Emily a hug.
“I’m so happy to meet you.”
Emily patted Mara’s back awkwardly. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
Mara motioned to the kitchen. “Would you like some snickerdoodles and tea?”
Emily’s jaw dropped slightly before she snapped it closed. Snickerdoodles were her favorite, but it wasn’t something she shared with anyone, and she hadn’t found a decent replacement for her mother’s smile since she was a child.
“Yes, please.”
She smiled warily at Legion as he led his mate to the kitchen. It took her a moment to realize the thick streaks of blond in his hair were actually gold. They glistened under the overhead lights as he walked to the kitchen.
“Wow.” The word escaped before she could stop herself.
Mara followed her gaze and chuckled before she raised her hand to run her fingers through Legion’s hair. “All dragons like to be admired for their color.”
Emily glanced at Logan. “Like when your eyes change color.”
Logan nodded. “They are vain when it comes to the druids, especially their mates.”
Emily chuckled. “That’s kind of cute.”
Logan grunted. “Do not encourage him. Lavender eyes are quite conspicuous in the human population, and I’m sure you don’t want to be stuck on the property until he is done preening.”
Emily shrugged. “That wouldn’t be so bad.”
Logan and she shared a heated gaze, and she had to look away. Had she actually flirted in front of a couple she just met? What was wrong with her?
Mara set a plate to snickerdoodles in front of her before Legion placed the tea beside them. She took a bite of the sweet cookie and moaned as the taste exploded on her tongue.
“Dear god. These are heavenly? Did you use magic to make them?”
Mara laughed. “No. I love to cook. These are just your run-of-the-mill cookies.”
She glanced at Logan. “Tell me she is kidding. People would pay top dollar for baked goods like this.”
Legion slipped her arm around Mara’s waist. “That may be true, but she is our treasure, and there are more than enough dragons for her to cook for here.”
She pursed her lips and leaned toward Logan. “Legion isn’t big on sharsies, is he?”
Logan’s smile lit his eyes. “Not when it comes to Mara, no. But then, none of us are. He still grumbles when she takes a shift at the store. She does make many of the baked items for the cafe.”
“You have a store?” she asked.
“Inn Plain Sight. It burned down, but it was rebuilt and is up and running again.”
“I have been there. Not since it reopened, but before. I bought several of your soaps and creams. It’s great stuff.”
She took another bite of the snickerdoodles. “I really love these. They are my favorite.”
Mara glanced at her husband. “I know. I had a vision of you sitting here eating them. But I didn’t know who you were, only that you would end up at our table.”
Emily paused. “How?”
“I am a seer. That’s my power. I don’t know what yours is, but I can feel you are one of my sisters.”
Emily wrapped her fingers around the teacup and took a sip. Mara was genuine. She believed everything she had told Emily. She had always had a knack for detecting lies.
As Emily grappled with Mara’s unexpected declaration, a whirlwind of emotions churned within her, threatening to overwhelm her composure. For years, she had grown accustomed to being tolerated and utilized solely for her skills, never daring to hope for genuine connection or camaraderie.
Both Mara and Logan were like beacons of light amidst the darkness of her solitary existence. And yet, even as the warmth of Mara’s words washed over her, Emily couldn’t shake the nagging sense of doubt.
Mara exuded a power and confidence that Emily could only dream of possessing. Not in her skills as a thief, but in family dynamics and simple friendship. It was clear that Mara was far more skilled and experienced than Emily could ever hope to be, leaving her feeling inadequate and unworthy of such genuine affection.
But deep down, beneath the layers of self-doubt and insecurity, Emily couldn’t deny the longing in her heart for the kind of connection that Mara offered. It was a rare and precious gift—one that she didn’t deserve, yet couldn’t help but crave with every fiber of her being.
“What kinds of powers do the druids have? Logan told me some things, but I think he was glossing over some important bits.”
Mara nodded and sat down as Legion placed her tea in front of her. “Natalie has been my best friend since our time at camp. You weren’t there, so I am assuming you are one of Adara’s lost druids. She has lost track of many of them.”
“I never went to any camps. But what is Natalie’s power?”
“She is a daughter. She can grow anything. We all have an affinity for nature, but her powers are much more connected to the earth. She grows all the ingredients for the creams at the store, and she is excellent with computers.”
Emily leaned forward. “She is a hacker?”
Mara nodded. “When needed. But we only use her skills when it’s to protect the clan.”
“Too bad. I would pay her handsomely for her skills. I have lost access to my former network.”
Logan tipped her chin toward him. “There is no need for you to pull any more of these dangerous jobs. You were never in danger of being reported to the police, but if you were caught, these people would kill you. What Lothos would have done is infinitely worse.”
“You don’t understand. I have to. ”
Mara clasped her hands on the table. “Why Emily? We are your family, and we will protect you from any threat, whether it is human or dragon. Surely, you feel safe in our home territory.”
Mara was treading on dangerous ground. Her origins were bad enough, but she had managed to add a dark twin to her cesspool of criminals who wanted her dead.
“It’s complicated. I just have to do a few more jobs since I was unable to procure the pearl.”
Logan growled. “Why won’t you trust us? Trust me to?—”
“Logan, why don’t we let Emily explain her side of things. Perhaps she has a valid reason for wanting to pull these jobs,” Mara said calmly.
As Emily poured out the tumultuous story of her life since her mother’s passing, Mara listened with rapt attention, her expression a mix of compassion and empathy. With each revelation, Emily felt a weight lift from her shoulders, as if the burden of her secrets had finally been lifted, if only for a moment.
She spoke of her father training her to be a skilled thief, and the mountain of gambling debts that had plagued their family since before her mother’s tragic death. And then, with a heavy heart, she recounted the deep-seated animosity and prejudice she faced from her own kin, who labeled her as “Hapa,” tolerating her for her skills and nothing more.
As she spoke, Emily couldn’t help but feel a sense of liberation wash over her, as if the act of sharing her story with Mara had unlocked a door to a deeper connection between them. And with each passing moment, she found herself opening up more and more, eager to lay bare the secrets that had long weighed upon her soul.
Mara took another sip of her tea as Emily concluded her story. “You feel you have to steal a few more items to repay your debt to your uncle. That if you don’t that anybody in your life, or those around you are in danger? ”
Emily nodded. “I don’t have friends, and my family are all related to my uncle, but he will figure out I am... with Logan. He may even consider you a friend for me, simply staying here for one night. My presence puts you in danger.”
Mara nodded. “I understand.” She turned to Legion. “We can fix this minor debt thing, right?”
Emily blinked. Did Mara actually think it was a small amount of money? Emily had been doing her uncle’s bidding for years to pay down this debt. “It’s not minor.”
Legion’s eyes flickered. “How much is the debt, Emily?”
Emily swallowed hard. “It’s two million dollars. That was to be my cut of the pearl.” She was still feeling guilty that she hadn’t told Logan it was gone. And she had been the one to destroy it. The last thing she wanted was to bring her family down on him.
Logan stood from the table. “Emily, do you still have your cell phone?”
“Yes, but why do you want it?” she asked.
“I am going to make some arrangements.”
Emily took out her cell and handed it to Logan. “What kind of arrangements?”