Chapter 14
Fourteen
Nolan
Rapid knocks at the door had me on high alert in a second, especially when I sensed Zamir. He was supposed to be here for our date, but his knocks sounded much too urgent.
I rushed to the door as Muffin and Clip raced after me, and jerked the door open. Zamir rushed inside, and I closed the door after him.
I grabbed his shoulders before he could get far and scanned him from head to toe, searching for injuries or anything that might be amiss.
"What's wrong? Did you get hurt?"
"I'm okay, I'm okay," he murmured, as he reached up to cup my cheeks and squinted at me. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry."
I nodded and took a deep breath, assured my dragon all was well, then led Zamir to the couch. Clip and Muffin followed at our heels, then curled up at our feet, content to watch us between their light naps.
"What happened, then? And why are you squinting at me?"
Zamir smiled, a sheepish look on his face as he relaxed his eyes only to squint again. "Fuck. You're too bright."
I tilted my head at him, confused. "Are you... is this some flirting technique I don't know about?"
Zamir snorted, then shook his head. "No, it's me being a dumbass. Okay." He blew out a soft breath. "Do you know what powers shtrigas have?"
"Of course. They—Oh!"
"Yeah. It's been so long since I was at full strength that I forgot all about it, and now, now I'm struggling to block things out. It got so overwhelming out there I closed my eyes and followed our scent trail here. Thank fuck for my other senses or I'd be curled up in a ball somewhere."
"I'm sorry."
He shook his head, a soft smile on his face. "It's not all bad. For example, I can see your concern for me, your care."
"Well, of course I'm concerned," I murmured, and he smiled wider.
"It's still nice to see. Pink suits you," he said, and I chuckled. Lahey had explained to me in detail how her powers worked, so I knew he could see people's emotions as different colors displayed in a translucent aura around them, where intense emotions showed in a more solid color.
"I know we said we'd go out today, but would you like to do something different?"
Zamir thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. "I still want to, but maybe we could go somewhere with fewer people?"
I mulled over it, then remembered Sofia's message from a few days ago. Had it only been five days since I met this man? "How do you feel about hiking?"
Zamir lit up. "I'd love that! Can we take Muffin and Clip?"
The dogs perked up at their names, turning their warm puppy-dog eyes on me. When I looked at Zamir, he had a similar look on his face, his brown eyes soft and wide.
"Of course. I know a few trails that allow pets."
"Perfect!"
Ten minutes later, we were in my car, the dogs strapped into the backseat.
The drive to the trails wasn't long, and Zamir kept his eyes on me the whole way.
He said it kept him from getting overwhelmed by the emotions of the people we passed, and I didn't mind either way. I liked having his eyes on me.
"The longer I stare at you, the easier it gets," he said, and I shot him a raised brow.
"That's exactly what every person wants to hear from their mate," I joked, making him snicker.
"Sorry, you know what I meant. Besides, the first time I saw you, I couldn't look away from you."
"Yeah?"
My eyes were on the windshield, but I caught his nod in my peripheral vision, and smiled.
"You have no idea. I didn't even know you were my mate, but I couldn't stop staring."
"You're not bad to look at either," I said, and he snorted.
"Such high praise."
I grinned and resisted the urge to lean over and kiss his smiling lips.
"Here we are," I announced a moment later, and everyone in the car perked up as I parked the car.
We got out and unbuckled the dogs on our sides, attached their leash and led them out. I grabbed the small backpack with water and some other supplies—mostly for the dogs—and joined Zamir at the front of the car. "Ready?"
He shot me a grin, then raced ahead. Clip kept pace with him at his side as I followed with Muffin, falling into step beside him once the trail widened a little.
The dogs' leashes were the retractable kind, so they raced ahead, their noses hard at work as they examined every shrub and stone with care.
"This is nice," Zamir murmured as he glanced around, and I hummed in agreement. It was a bright day, not too warm, and here, surrounded by the trees, it was even a little chilly. Not for us, of course, though we still wore jackets to fit in.
Birds chirped above us, and I peered into the trees, spotting a nest with a brown sparrow perched inside. "It is, isn't it?"
"Tell me something," he said after we'd been walking quietly for a few minutes, and I met his gaze.
"Tell you what?"
"Anything. Something about you that I don't know."
I thought about it for a moment, then chuckled. "Every few months, I fly up into the sky as high as I can go, higher than planes and birds, and blow fire until I can't anymore."
"What? Why?" Zamir asked, eyes wide as he stopped short and turned to look at me.
"Well, you know dragons aren't like most supes, right?
We're one of the older supe species, and our powers can be too much sometimes.
" Zamir nodded, his eyes full of understanding, and I continued, "I have this friend.
He's the only other dragon I could track down—well, him and his mate and their son, though I've never talked to them—and he's a storm dragon.
He has it easy, because he can expel his excess magic by causing a rainstorm in his town.
He lives in a small town in Washington state, and the rain doesn't stand out there at all. "
"But you can't do something like that," he concluded with a nod, and I hummed.
"Though I think I may have found a solution. Or at least a way to not have to do it so often," I said, and he brightened.
"Really? What is it?"
"You."
He blinked, and realization crossed his face. "Letting me feed on your life force, it... it helped you?" he asked, seemingly stunned, and I realized I should've told him much sooner, maybe even when I was trying to convince him to feed from me.
"Yeah, Zamir. It helped me."
He didn't seem to know what to say, so I turned to the path ahead and gave him a few moments.
Zamir
I'd helped Nolan. Feeding from him had benefitted him.
I'd always wondered how Fate would find me a mate with the way I was, but I should've never doubted her.
We came upon a bench and decided to sit so Muffin and Clip could get some rest, and I watched as Nolan pulled out two bowls from the backpack he'd brought and poured water into both.
The dogs lapped at the water as soon as he placed the bowl in front of them, and he smiled, which made my lips curve up as well.
Over the duration of our walk, my eyes had acclimated to the aura around Nolan, and I'd remembered how to control whether I wanted to see it or not.
It was harder to 'stay blind' when my own emotions flared up, but in moments like this, where I felt calm and settled, I could turn it on and off with the ease of flicking a switch.
My father had never been good at controlling it.
It was one of the many reasons he'd become a nomad after Mom's death.
He'd told me he 'couldn't deal with their petty human emotions' anymore, and while I'd loved sneaking peeks at what people were feeling and making up stories about them, I'd followed my father into solitude because I was a kid, and because I loved my father.
"How are things at the Sanctuary?" Nolan asked, and I winced.
I felt guilty about it, but I hadn't been there long enough to find out recently.
I'd slept out in the Forest last night, and woken up with my arms around Keoni, and Draven standing over us with his hands on his hips, one brow raised, his aura a bright yellow of amusement.
I'd gotten out of there as soon as I could as the auras around me got more and more overwhelming.
Though the headmaster's gray aura of frustration and dejection had made me want to stop and talk to him, my brain had been too scattered to form any coherent thoughts, and I'd figured it would be best to get out of there.
"I'm not sure. The headmaster was frustrated and sad this morning. He's been solving problems as they crop up, but it's clear he can't solve the bigger issue."
I remembered what Keoni had said about Nolan, and I clamped my mouth shut before I blurted out something stupid.
Then again, Dustin had moved in with Khush quite early in their relationship, and it hadn't taken Diego long either. If humans could do it, then why couldn't we?
Even as I thought that, I knew I wouldn't be able to ask Nolan that. Our relationship was still in its early stage.
"Zamir..." Nolan trailed off, and I glanced up at him.
"What is it?"
He shook his head, then gave me a soft smile. "Maybe I could come over one of these days? Talk to your headmaster, help him figure out a solution?"
"That would be great," I said, and while it wasn't what I'd been thinking of, it could help. That was, if the headmaster accepted his help. "You can come over whenever you want."
For someone who'd built a place where supes could become friends and support each other, the headmaster was extremely reluctant about accepting assistance from others.
Nolan smiled, and ruffled Muffin's fur when she stood up and placed her head on his knee. "Looks like they're all rested up. Should we keep going?"
"Sure."
Nolan threw away the water and put the bowls back, and we continued walking. I breathed in the fresh air, the scent of loam, fresh leaves, flowers, and about a dozen different scents filling my lungs. Everything seemed brighter, fuller now, my senses sharper than they'd been in years.
I'd forgotten all the good things that came with feeding, but Nolan had reminded me.
"Are you working tonight?" I asked, and Nolan hummed. "Can I come with you?"
He turned to me, his brows furrowed. "Won't it be too crowded for you?"
I shook my head, then tapped my temple beside my right eye. "I remembered how to tune it down and turn it off. I'll be fine."
"Then of course. You're always welcome at The Lair."
I grinned and took his free hand in mine, then squeezed. Damn, he was so strong.
"How about we go back to my place and have some lunch first?"
Muffin answered with a woof before I could, and I chuckled. "What Muffin said. Do we need to turn around?" I asked, though I could hear cars close by.
"This trail circles back, so we'll reach the start point in a few minutes," he said with a shake of his head, and I nodded.
Once we reached the car, we buckled the dogs in, and as Nolan drove us back to his place, we discussed what we'd have for lunch, with the dogs chiming in their own opinions.
When we walked into the living room, the Murder Triplets clucked all at once, making me jump. Muffin tugged against the leash, and I quickly released her.
She raced straight for the chickens who squawked and flew off to escape her tackle.
"Aww, thanks for defending me, Muffin. Your dad could learn a few things from you."
Big, warm arms wrapped around me from behind, and I leaned into Nolan, his chest firm and hot against my back. "Do you need me to protect you from the chickens?" he teased, and I nodded.
"I do. They're evil."
He chuckled, his breath warm against my ear. I turned in his arms and gazed up at him. My eyes flicked from his warm green ones to his soft lips, and I licked my own.
Nolan leaned down, and I met him halfway. Our lips crashed, warm and soft and wet as they moved against each other. His hands moved over my waist, then tightened on my hips as he pulled me close.
His tongue, hot and wet, slid into my mouth like it belonged, dancing with mine. The taste of fire and spice washed over my tongue, and I moaned.
Pulling back, I met his gaze as I panted. "I don't think I'm hungry for lunch yet," I murmured, and his lips curved up in a smirk.
"I feel the same."
Nolan paused only long enough to give the dogs a bone-shaped treat before he took my hand and led me to his bedroom.