Surge of Storms (Dragon Bonds #4)

Chapter 6

SIX

Samantha

The door to my room buzzes, and I feel butterflies in my stomach. Is it Granger? I bet it’s him. It’s strange having romantic relationships that are constantly in overdrive. I kind of miss the dating and getting to know each other part of it. What’s more, I feel like Granger deserves to experience that step of a relationship too.

Going to the door, I open it and, sure enough, it’s Granger. He’s carrying a tray with two plates overflowing with food, and he’s got soda cans in his pockets. He blushes when he sees me and fumbles out the words, “I thought you might be hungry. Besides, eating and drinking well will help with your healing.”

“Come in,” I say, feeling a little nervous.

He goes to my little table and sets everything up like it’s a fancy dinner instead of cafeteria food. He even pulls out a flower in a tiny vase from his back pocket and hands it to me, jerking his hands back when I take it. The flower is red, my favorite color, and beautiful, despite the way it was transported.

“Thanks,” I say, then lean in and kiss his cheek.

“Y-you’re welcome.” He pulls out my chair and waits for me to sit in it.

I do, with a smile, and he scoots it in behind me before taking the seat across from me.

“This isn’t exactly the way I pictured our first date,” he says, an apology in his tone.

I smile wider. “It’s perfect.”

Our eyes meet, and I’m swimming in his dark brown depths. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I say.

His cheeks are crimson as he starts eating. “So, uh, how have things been with you?”

I stifle a laugh. “Pretty good. Landed myself another boyfriend with a huge dick.”

He chokes on his food and starts coughing before cracking open his soda and chugging it down. Finally, he manages, “Uh, that’s good.”

I can’t help myself. “He’s smart too, and so good looking.”

It looks like his face is going to catch on fire. “Anything else going on… outside of your, uh, big-dicked new boyfriend?”

I decide to give him a break as I wind up a fettuccine noodle on my fork. “How did things go with Aydan?”

He seems relieved. “Actually, good. Better than I ever thought. We talked things out and came to an understanding.”

“Yeah?” I take a bite. “I’m glad. As much as I’d usually love to be included in a conversation with both of you, I felt like this needed to just be the two of you.”

He nods, attacking his pile of noodles. “Agreed. Honestly, he actually made me feel better.”

“How so?”

He seems to struggle to find the words. “He made me feel like this thing between us is more than just a dragon thing.”

“I already told you that,” I tell him with a smile.

“Yes, but it felt… more real to hear him say it.” He gives me a gentle look. “Sometimes you tell me what you think I need to hear.”

I’m about to argue, but I realize he’s right. Protecting Granger has always been one of my number one priorities. “Well, I’m glad Aydan helped you to accept the truth, because I don’t want you having any doubts. For this thing to work, there needs to be a lot of trust… between all of us.”

He smiles. “I’m just so glad he’s not mad. Like, I can’t even tell you how glad I am.”

“I’m glad too,” I say, attacking my food with gusto.

In between bites, he says, “Now, I need to spend more time as a dragon and figure out how the hell I’m supposed to be some badass dragon who terrifies the other dragons.”

I lift a brow. “Newsflash, I think you’ve already figured that out by the way you sent that fucking green dragon running.”

He smiles. “I did do that, didn't I? I wasn’t even thinking, I just was so angry and scared. I couldn’t believe he was hurting you.”

“Exactly,” I say. “It came natural to you. I have the feeling the rest of this dragon stuff will too.”

He sighs. “Maybe. I just wish I’d killed him. Then, we would only have three dragons to worry about.”

Killed him? “I’m not sure you’re a killer, Granger.”

To my surprise, he gives me a serious look. “I could be. For you.”

As I stare at the sudden hard lines of his face, I kind of believe him. “Whatever you are, you’re a badass dragon now who is going to make the world a lot safer for me.”

“I hope so,” he says, pushing his food around on his plate.

He seems thoughtful as we finish our meal, and I hope he’s busy thinking about how amazing he is, because he is. Granger might not have the confidence of the rest of the members of my harem, but he should. He’s an amazing addition to our group.

Unable to help myself, I reach under the table and run my hand up his leg. His breath catches, and I slide my hand slowly along his thigh. His gaze darts to me, looking uncertain, but I only hesitate for a moment before I grab hold of him. Of course, he’s already hard, and his new pair of khaki pants does little to hide that fact.

Arousal uncurls inside of me, and I start stroking him. Slowly at first. Then faster.

He curses under his breath. “Sam…”

A minute later, I feel him shudder and then he comes.

I swear to God, I didn’t think I could love him more, but I do. There’s something strangely hot about a guy who can fuck me for hours, but who also comes just from my touch. Being with him makes me feel so unbelievably attractive. So unbelievably wanted.

“Sorry,” he murmurs.

“For what? That was really hot.”

He shakes his head and rubs his face. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to get the hang of this.”

I laugh. “Of what?”

“Of what women want.”

Grinning, I say, “I don’t think any man really knows what a woman wants, but I’ll tell you that you coming for me always turns me on.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yeah,” I tell him, rubbing his cock through his pants. “I could get you off all day.”

“I’m going to be puffing out sawdust before too long,” he jokes, dropping his hands and smiling at me.

He excuses himself to the bathroom to clean up, then comes back, and we finish eating, talking about a shared video game we’d been playing online together before we’d headed to the Phoenix Institute. He’s mocking my witch character, while I make jabs at his barbarian. It’s nice to laugh. To have found a lover in my best friend.

Someone buzzes my door.

I give Granger a look.

“It’s okay, answer it,” he says.

I head to the door and find Zane grinning on the other side. “I wanted to show you and the storm dragon something.”

Granger is smiling as he stands. “Alright.”

We follow Zane back to his room. The door opens into a literal paradise for cats. He must be spoiling the creature, because there are toys in every single direction. Sitting on a pillow on the bed is the most spoiled-looking cat I’ve ever seen in my life. Her long, orange fur has been brushed until it shines, and she’s stretched out as if she doesn’t have a care in the world.

I look at Zane. “She looks different every time I see her.”

A few weeks of Zane’s love had certainly changed the creature. She’s not completely different, but she certainly looks healthier and happier.

“That is how love changes an animal,” he tells us.

He climbs onto the bed, and rather than her hissing and running, she just stares back at him, while watching us warily. When he starts rubbing her head, she stretches out more, looking like she’s in heaven.

“She really likes you,” I say.

“She loves me,” he corrects, beaming.

“You’ve done a good job with her,” Granger says, and I know he means it as he looks at her various bowls of food and treats.

“I wanted to show you something,” Zane repeats, in a low, conspiratory voice.

He scrambles off the bed, gets something, and comes back to the cat. “Shake. Shake,” he coos at the cat.

I open my mouth to tell Zane that no cat on earth is going to do a trick. Cats see humans as their subjects, there to serve their needs. They’re not going to do tricks. If he wants that, he needs to get a dog. But before I can say anything, Granger looks at me and shakes his head. I close my mouth, waiting.

“Shake, shake!” he coos again.

To my complete and utter shock, the arrogant little beast lifts a hand and Zane shakes it. Then Zane gives her a treat, which she promptly eats.

Turning to us with his big blue eyes, he says, “I am teaching her many things.”

“Oh, Zane,” I say, coming to sit beside him on the bed and giving him a kiss. “You’ve done such a good job with her. When I saw a nightmare, you saw potential, and you were right.”

He smiles. “I do not see potential. I see what something truly is.”

“Like the way you saw our little group,” I say.

Without missing a beat, he rubs his nose to mine. “You fire dragons. You always need a little ice.” Then, he looks at Granger. “You are the storm dragon. You and I must keep control of the fire dragons, so they do not let the flames in their blood burn them down.”

“Uh, I’ll try,” Granger says, looking uncertain.

Zane laughs. “You do more than try. You complete us. You are the missing piece.”

Granger folds his arms over his chest, looking nervous. “The way you described the storm dragon, as this powerful alpha shifter, I was a little afraid that you’d be disappointed with me.”

He laughs again. “Silly storm dragon.”

I smirk. “You are silly.”

We’re all smiling. Zane gives me a plastic stick with a string on it that has a little mouse attached to the bottom. He shows me how to move it around, make the mouse wiggle, and Miu chases the toy all over the room. It’s hard not to laugh. Hard not to see how this little cat fits in with our little group.

Our little family is complete.