Chapter Eleven
Theo
After our second night together, and his jokes about capes and wings, I could no longer put off telling my mate about being a dragon shifter.
It was not something that could be hidden forever, and if we were to move forward—something I prayed would happen—there could be no big secrets between us.
But I just couldn’t imagine how I would explain it.
“By the way, I turn into a dragon from time to time? Is that what I say?” I blurted out to Sothea when I stopped by the tattoo shop on my next day off. “I can’t even explain what it means to be a mate.”
He was working on a long-time customer who didn’t seem to mind that we were having a conversation over him. If anything, he seemed to be enjoying my distress or at least the drama.
“No, you probably can’t. Humans think of relationships differently and from what I can tell, divorce more often than they marry.”
“That’s not even possible,” I chuckled, grateful for the joke. “But yes, divorce seems to be common, and if Brent is going to accept me as mate, he’ll need to know all that means. He isn’t really even interested in a relationship, although it seems to me that we are in one. I’m just…in a quandary.”
“You’re overthinking,” the customer said, sitting up. “My mate is human, and after he first saw my bear, he asked if it was going to eat him up. I told him, ‘not unless you ask nicely.’”
“He was okay with you and your bear then?” I asked, glad to find someone who might know the spot I was in. “You just moved forward like a pair of shifters.”
“If only.” He shook his head sadly. “It took a while. We had to find a path that worked for both of us. In our case, that means a more extensive courting/dating period before we had a dual mating/wedding ceremony. It was a little nerve-racking at first, but we’ve grown to know one another and of course we have the cubs. ”
“Which is why I put up with his grumbly self.” Another man had come in while we were talking. He was pushing a double stroller with two little girls sacked out in their seats. “And all his nonsense about wanting honey on everything.”
Sothea lifted his needle from the bear shifter’s skin, laughter making his hands shake. “And I thought that was just urban myth…or a stereotype.”
“It is,” growled the bear. “But I like honey. It’s just personal taste.”
I chatted with my foster brother and the others for a few more minutes before saying my goodbyes and heading for home. The bickering bear couple were cute but making it hard for me to discuss my concerns with Sothea, and I was going to have to figure it out on my own.
He had pointed out that I couldn’t wait forever, and while he hadn’t flat out said it, we both knew the longer I put it off, the harder it was going to be. Maybe that silly bear and his mate were a good sign. If they could make it, we should be able to.
I sent a text to Brent, inviting him to my home for dinner that night. We could have a frank conversation where I told him what I was about, so he knew, if he was ready for a relationship, what that might mean.
Really, I would explain it meant a mate who was less susceptible to disease, who had a lot of friends who became other animals—mostly bears—was extra strong, and who could fly. They would be unendingly loyal and faithful.
How could anyone resist me?
Unfortunately, when dinnertime came, and I sat across the table in my kitchen from Brent, eating homemade chili and cornbread and talking about our days, I completely chickened out. What if he didn’t want me after he knew the truth? What if he was scared or thought I was lying?
He’d have to believe me if I showed him—but what if he refused to let me do that? I mean…the average human didn’t believe their boyfriend could turn into anything and probably would be doubtful of their state of mind if they suggested they could.
“Theo?” Brent’s tone implied it wasn’t the first time he’d said my name. “Earth to Theo.” Yeah…not the first. “Is everything okay? You seem like you’re a million miles away.”
“Sorry, just woolgathering. A little tired maybe. My shift the past couple of days was pretty heavy, lots of calls.”
“Poor thing.” He stood up and began clearing the table. “You stay right where you are and I’ll get this all cleaned up.”
I protested, but he was having none of it.
“In fact,” he said, “why don’t you go take a shower and relax while I load the dishwasher and tuck the leftovers in the refrigerator. Then I’ll come in and give you a massage.”
“You can do that?”
He took my hand and pulled me to my feet. “Go shower and you’ll find out.”
“Why don’t we leave the dishes and you can shower with me?” I’d throw out the dishes if it meant more time with him.
“No, sir. You hear me. Off with you.”
Cute sexy, bossy omega.
Turned out, he was a great masseuse and of course having his hands on me were more than enough to get things started. I couldn’t imagine a time when his slightest caress or even a brush of his fingertips didn’t have me hard. After we made love, we fell asleep wrapped up in one another’s arms.
I thought I’d sleep till morning, unless more pleasant activities woke me, but something else did.
Fire!
My dragon caught the scent first, and it was coming from the woods behind the house.
I slipped from the bed and toward the back door, not wanting to wake my omega until I knew the situation.
If he was in any danger or if one of my more distant neighbors was just burning trash or having a late-night bonfire.
Two steps outside the door, I knew better. The woods were on fire, too much for my human self to handle with a hose and no time to go back. I had to stop it now.
As my dragon.