Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Lanche
My magic shot through me as I gripped my car, trying my best to stay upright so I didn’t fall on my ass.
My gasp was loud even as my heart sang with joy. I could feel Dain from here. I could feel his magic, feel his essence, and it was the most beautiful thing in the entire world.
He held a piece of me in his hands, and I… I could feel him.
My eyes watered with my joy.
“Are you alright?” a voice asked from behind.
I pulled myself together, closing my eyes, letting the magic settle in my bones, and turned around to face a stranger.
A beautiful stranger with a shaved head, makeup on their pretty face, earrings glittering in the sunlight, and a big chain necklace around their neck.
Their blouse was purple, their jeans were tight, and their pretty face was scrunched up in concern.
I said, “I’m fine.”
The stranger’s brow furrowed, and a man came up behind them, saying, “You don’t look fine. What’s going on here?”
The way the man stood, it was clear he was some kind of bodyguard or a soldier or something. He was also, I was pretty sure, a dragon.
I stared at the other person, the first one who’d spoken to me, taking them in.
They may’ve been beautiful, but they were also pretty muscular.
They looked familiar… so I stared for a long moment, and when recognition hit—I recognized them from the news articles—I wanted to smack my forehead for not realizing it sooner.
They were the king’s child. Royal Oakley Von Stein.
Which meant the man with them was a king’s guard.
Oh holy shitballs.
“I-I’m sorry. I just… I… I…”
The royal stepped forward. “Hey, it’s okay. Ignore him. He’s an ass and doesn’t know how to talk to people.”
“Real nice, Oak,” the guard muttered.
They waved him off. “Seriously, ignore him. I’m Oakley, by the way. And that’s Roman.”
I nodded. “Lanche Rudolphus.”
Their eyes widened. “The artist? My dad was just talking about you! I saw your sculpture. It’s awesome.”
Holy Ice Goddess. How were all these royals so nice? I nodded my head—crap, should I have bowed to them? “Thank you, Your Highness.” I started to bow, but they waved me off.
“Oh, Mother of Scales, please don’t bow. There’s no need.”
I stood, and I knew my eyes were wide and probably filled with my anxiety—or fear.
Oakley Von Stein offered me a smile. “Anyway, what’s going on? We can help.”
“I… I just… my… my viramore just… I felt him, and I… I need to get to him.”
They took me in for a moment and whispered, “You’re a snow yeti, right?”
I nodded.
“Oh. Your icicle?”
I nodded again.
“Oh my Mother of Scales. Okay. Um… let’s get you to him. Where is he?”
I blinked. “You don’t have to—”
“Nonsense. You can’t drive when your magic’s going haywire. Can we drive your car to him? Rome and I can fly back.” Right. Because they were both dragons.
I really shouldn’t be driving like this, and if I couldn’t trust my royals and their guards, then who in the hell could I possibly trust? Right?
They seemed… nice. And trustworthy.
My magic flared, and I knew I needed to do whatever it took to get to Dain.
Right. Now.
I asked, “Um… are you sure?”
They smiled, lighting up their whole face. “Absolutely.”
“I… um… thank you. So much.”
They waved me off this time. “No problem. Come on. Get in the car and give me your keys.”
Roman—not only a guard but the best friend of the king—sighed in resignation. “This is how you’re gonna wind up kidnapped, Your Highness.” He said Your Highness like it was an insult.
To my surprise—and honestly, to my amusement—Oakley flipped him off. “Get in the car, bodyguard.” They said bodyguard the same way Roman had said Your Highness. Oh my.
Roman stepped up close to me, leaned in, and said in a low and growly voice, “I swear to the Mother of Scales if this is some kind of trick or if you hurt Oakley in any way at all, I will take pleasure in ripping your limbs from your body before I smoke you and eat you whole.”
He swiped the keys from my hand and pushed me toward the backseat while I gaped at him and tried not to pee my pants. He might’ve been shorter than me at the moment, but when he shifted, he’d be as big as a house and could very easily pull off his threats.
Holy crapola, I might puke even though my magic was singing in my veins.
This back and forth with my anxiety, fear, and excitement wasn’t good for my belly.
Oakley huffed and grabbed the keys from Roman, murmuring, “Was that really necessary?”
“Yes, yes, it was.” Roman climbed into the front passenger’s seat, turning around to glare at me—I really might pee my pants—I sat in the back, and Oakley sat in the driver’s seat, asking, “Where to?”
“Um, do you know the bookstore, Sleepless Books?”
“Oh! Anton’s place. Sure do.” They pulled out of the parking lot and headed in that direction.
“You know Anton?”
“Yeppers. His viramore is my best friend.”
My eyes widened again, but I decided to focus on my magic…
and on Dain’s essence. We weren’t connected the way viramores were once their magics blended, but he was still holding my icicle, so I could feel where he was.
As long as he didn’t let go, I should be able to follow it.
Hopefully, he’d stay at the bookshop—assuming that was where he still was.
Now that I was on my way to see him, my anxiety started overtaking the happiness I felt from him holding my icicle—my magic, my heart.
Oakley made it to the bookstore in record time, and as soon as they parked, I jumped out and ran for the door, not caring at all that they still had my keys.
I had to see Dain.
I had to.
I rushed in, and even though I wasn’t supposed to go into the employee-only area, I could feel Dain back there, so I didn’t hesitate to go through the door. Someone yelled at me from behind the counter, but my only thought was Get to Dain.
As soon as I walked into the breakroom, everyone inside went quiet.
Anton, the oldest vampire in our territory, rushed me, wrapped his hand around my throat, and slammed me against the wall. His voice came out with a hiss. “What did you do? What hold did you put on my werewolf?”
His werewolf? He thinks Dain is his?
No fucking way.
A strange growling sound came out of my throat, and I struggled to speak around his hand. “He’s. Not. Yours.”