Chapter 11
ELEVEN
LEDGER
Dragons were real.
The four of us had piled into my bed and I’d read to them, but they wanted to stay longer, so I put on a movie. My mind had drifted while the kids watched. I’d seen it with them many times, so I didn’t need to be paying attention to answer their questions.
But Rory had helpfully paused the movie whenever one of them wanted to explain something about dragon shifters.
If the reality hadn’t been so mind-shattering and world-tilting, I would have enjoyed it.
Fraser babbled about how they could tolerate chilis, and Rory explained that he was looking forward to flying when he was older.
Fraser and Rory had apologized for fighting and knocking off Fraser’s bracelet that helped him regulate his fire. I told them I’d pay attention now that I understood why they each wore one. They told me how the other mannies were shifters and got scared.
“You are brave, Ledger.” That was quite a compliment from Rory.
“Brave as a dragon.” Fraser grinned, and Skye pretended to stream fire from her nostrils.
I couldn’t speak for the mannies who came before me, but I could tell the kids what was in my heart. “I was frightened, but you know what was more powerful than my fear?” The little heads shook. “Love. I love you guys.” I sniffed and blinked away tears.
The three flung themselves at me, and we kissed and hugged. My future with their dad was uncertain, but I adored these precious babies. I didn’t know how the future would play out, but I wanted to be in their lives.
After the movie, I supervised teeth brushing and bath time and tucked the three into bed.
“Are you going to be here tomorrow?” Rory asked.
“Absolutely.”
I leaned over my bed and picked up the book about dragons Skye had left here earlier. She’d said I could read it and ask her questions. What a sweetheart she was.
Staggering to the bathroom, I stared at a face that showed signs of having little sleep. I’d tossed and turned all night and researched the internet for dragon myths, none of which hinted about shifters.
“This is a person who knows shifters exist, but I’ve been living with dragons, real, fire-breathing dragons, and the house almost burned down because a baby dragon knocked off his bracelet.”
I splashed water on my face, not that it did much good.
It was the same face staring back at me, the one that had seen things no other human had witnessed.
Or maybe they had? I raced to the computer and searched, but either I was the only one or they’d been silenced.
Goosebumps trailed over my skin and disappeared under my T-shirt as if they were scared of dragons too.
Other than Theron, there was one person I needed to talk to.
“Are you a dragon?” I asked Jess when he picked up the phone.
“Oh, you found out. Did you get singed? Eyebrows burned off?”
“Answer me.”
“No. I’m a wolf.”
I collapsed onto the floor. I only just figured out dragons. Well, not really, but now I was faced with more people with different animals inside them.
“I can answer some questions, but you can’t tell other humans about the existence of shifters, Ledge.”
“Darn, I’ll have to cancel my interview on the morning shows.”
“Sarcasm will get you nowhere.”
“I don’t know what to do with this.” I lay on the carpet and picked fluff off it.
“Before I launch into an explanation, let’s take a leap to your last conversation.”
Great. I was wrestling with the reality of dragons and Jess was into flashbacks.
“You were keen on sexy dragon shifter dad.”
“That’s got nothing to do with anything, Jess.” I couldn’t deal with that right now.
“No, Ledge. You didn’t.”
Damn it, why was he so perceptive? “No idea what you’re talking about, and stop trying to steer the conversation away from shifters.”
“You slept with him.”
He wasn’t going to let this go. “Fine, so what if I did. Is it against a dragon’s code of conduct to sleep with a human?”
He sighed. “No. But I’m not the one you should be asking about shifters.”
Of course he was right, but I was avoiding him.
As it was Sunday and my day off, Theron would be getting the kids’ breakfasts, but I needed to show my face so the children would know I was here.
Returning to the bathroom, I splashed water on my face again. My stomach flip-flopped, and I gripped the sink as a wave of nausea washed over me. Nothing strange about that, considering I’d discovered mythological animals existed.
Theron was in the pantry making a heck of a racket when I crept downstairs. I hugged each of the kids, but I cringed at the smell of bacon and toast. I poured a coffee, took one sip, and tossed it down the sink before grabbing a bottle of water.
“Daddy’s making a lot of noise,” Skye observed.
“He can’t find the flour, but you know where it is, Ledger.” Rory loved being helpful.
“He’s hiding,” Fraser said.
Jess wasn’t the only observant person I knew.
“Can you come outside, Ledger?” Skye put out her hand, and I took it because being in the kitchen with the different cooking aromas and Theron avoiding me was claustrophobic.
I sat in a lounge chair as the kids played around me, thinking of my dissertation. I was so behind, and I was the only one to blame. Coming to the Gibson household was supposed to help me finish it, but I’d let Theron occupy my thoughts.
My advisor had sent an email with the subject line Urgent check-in needed. I didn't open it.
Three months ago, this document was my future, and now I was distracted and thinking of a man who’d been inside me, one who turned out to be a dragon shifter.
I must have dozed off because Rory shook me and said I’d get burned if I didn’t go inside. “Not from us.” The three kids giggled. “From the sun.”
They pulled me up, and we walked inside, arm in arm. But Theron must have been cooking up a storm because there was the smell of baking, and maybe chicken soup and a batch of lasagna. Fraser asked if I wanted some of the latter.
I screwed up my face because the cooking aromas mingled, and in my mind, they ganged up and were coming for me. My stomach heaved, and Rory said I didn’t look well. Theron walked out of the pantry, and our eyes locked. But the room blurred, and I grabbed my belly and raced toward the powder room.
Four sets of eyes followed me—I didn’t need a dragon inside me to sense their gaze—as I charged in and kicked the door closed behind me. I couldn’t recall when I’d last eaten, but I puked up what little was in my stomach.
“Ledger, do you have a pain in your tummy?” Skye was such an angel.
“I’m okay, pumpkin. I’ll be out soon.”
I sat on the tiled floor which was cooler than the rest of the house. I’d have to go outside and face everyone but wished I had a dragon's wings and could fly out the window so no one could see me. All I wanted to do was crawl up to the third floor and fall into bed.
When I finally had the energy to haul myself up, I washed my hands and avoided the mirror. But when I opened the door, there were four people crowded outside.
Skye hugged me, and I picked her up. The boys led me to the couch and made me lie down while Theron hovered behind them.
“Why don’t you get Ledger some water?” my boss told the kids.
He squatted at my side. “I understand you have a lot of questions, but let’s leave that for now.” He brushed hair from my clammy brow. “I’m worried about you, so take a few days off.”
The children returned with the water, and Theron helped me sit up. Small sips were all I could manage before I lay down again.
“You smell different.” Fraser leaned forward and sniffed my shoulder.
“Sorry, guys, I haven’t had a shower yet.” It was odd that I wasn’t as hot as I usually was. Perhaps I was becoming accustomed to the temperature in the house.
Rory and Skye bent over me, sniffing my neck and chest. “He’s right,” Rory said.
Theron didn’t sniff, but his expression changed. His eyes were wide and so dark, I imagined I could see his dragon. He put a hand to his lips and mumbled that he hadn’t picked up on the change.
“What?” Did dragon shifters have the ability to smell an illness? I knew animals of the ordinary variety could often scent when people were sick. Or maybe they were really shifters.
Theron suggested the kids start their homework in the playroom, and they scooted off. I grabbed his arm and begged him to say what was wrong with me.
“N-Nothing’s w-wrong.” He took my hand. “I hope you agree with me.”
He was making no sense.
“You’re pregnant.”