Chapter 18
ADRIAN
After we'd gone to the doctor's to confirm my pregnancy, it only took Tyrel a few more days to get my permit sorted. It was temporary until the baby was born and they could test whether it really was Tyrel's, but for now, I was one of the few humans allowed onto the island of dragons.
The day before our departure, I had Tyrel drop me off at my brother's house so I could collect a few things and properly say goodbye.
"I'll pick you up later," Tyrel said, leaning in to press a quick kiss to my lips. "Be careful."
"I will be."
Even as he nodded, I could see in his eyes that he really would have rather hung around than leave. He'd become oddly protective of me over the last few days. It was sweet, but nothing was going to happen to me out here, so I merely waved and watched him go before entering the house.
"Hey, little brother," Jackson called out from the living room where he was sitting watching TV.
"Hey," I said, stepping into the room.
He looked up at me. "How did things go in the dragon's lair?"
Right, I hadn't actually kept him up to date.
I'd been much too concerned with Tyrel and our baby to think much of him.
He wasn't the best brother in the world, but then, neither was I.
"Have you had lunch yet?" I asked. "I'll make us something.
" After all, the kitchen was my favorite room in this house, and I was starving.
I was always starving lately, even though I was barely into this pregnancy.
Tyrel hadn't been kidding about little Dragons being demanding, but that was okay; I'd give this little one whatever it needed.
Right now, it seemed to really want some tuna salad.
"Forget about lunch." Jackson gestured with the remote control. "I want to know what you've been up to."
"We can talk while we eat. Not while the TV's running. You know, like civilized people."
I strode past him into the kitchen while he stared at me open-mouthed.
He wasn't used to back-talk from me, but he'd better get used to it now.
I was a dragon's mate and soon to be a parent, and I wasn't going to take shit from him anymore.
Bet he didn't think that was going to happen when he pestered me about applying for this job.
He remained quiet until I had lunch ready and called him to the table. What a good boy he could be. I grinned.
"What's got you so happy?" he asked, taking his seat.
"Oh, nothing. Just looking forward to food. I am eating for two now, you know."
His eyes widened as he processed the words. "So it worked?" He smiled. "I'm going to be an uncle?"
My smile grew even wider than his. "Yeah, you will be."
"To a dragon? Man, that's so cool. I knew he was going to pick you, little brother.
I laughed. "Yeah, I remember what you said about my ass."
He groaned. "I was right, though, wasn't I?"
"I guess you were." I shoveled some food into my mouth, pleasing both me and the growing life in my belly.
"So what happens next?" he asked, completely ignoring his salad in favor of staring at me. It was a rare day that I was more interesting to my brother than whatever was on the plate in front of him.
"We're moving to the island tomorrow."
"The dragon island?" Jackson's mouth stuck open. I chuckled.
"That's the one."
"Can I visit?"
I shook my head. "Sadly no, but I'll visit here when the baby's born."
"I see. Okay." He nodded, and then he began to eat.
After I had eaten, I went to my room and gathered the rest of my things in a small suitcase, and then I said goodbye to Jackson.
"Take care," he said. "Greet that dragon for me."
"Sure," I said, but it would have to wait a little bit longer because I wasn't going back to Tyrel yet. He wasn't going to come pick me up for another hour. I wanted to go see Luca first. I'd phoned her after I found out I was pregnant, but I still had to see her before I left here.
So I picked up my suitcase and walked down the road, since she didn't live far from here.
I only managed to walk about a block before a familiar voice stopped me.
"Adrian! How lovely to see you here."
I swallowed and turned around to face Tyrel's mother. What was she doing in this neighborhood? Had she followed us earlier? I hadn't really been alone with her since we'd found out about the pregnancy since Tyrel kept hovering around me. Now I found myself wishing I hadn't sent him away.
"Nice to see you, too, Mrs. Dragonfang," I made myself say.
"I don't believe I've had the chance to properly congratulate you on your pregnancy yet." She took a few steps toward me. Instinctively, I rested a hand on my belly as if to shield my child from her.
"That's alright," I said. "Things have been busy."
She glanced down the street. "Don't be ridiculous. We'll have a cup of tea together and chat. Wouldn't that be nice?"
"Of course, but I'm afraid I really do have other plans." Luca would kill me if I didn't show up at her place soon.
"Oh, it'll only take but a minute."
I opened my mouth to make more excuses, but then I heard her voice in my head.
Be a good boy and agree.
I shut my mouth again. If I refused now, she'd know that I'd her suggestion and that I could resist it. For now, I had no choice but to play along, as much as I hated it.
"Having a cup of tea sounds lovely," I made myself say.
She smiled, and then she led me to a small coffee shop.
Inside, she picked the table farthest away from the door, as if to make it harder for me to run.
You're being ridiculous. This is the grandmother of your child, not some cartoon villain.
But still, Tyrel was wary of her, so I was too.
"What brings you to this neighborhood?" I asked again, hoping she had a good reason that would dispel my doubts. I had no such luck, of course.
"Oh, only familiarizing myself with the town," she said. "It's such a lovely city, don't you agree?"
Riiight. She'd totally followed us. "I'm sure your island is much nicer."
"Well, it is nice, but it does get tiring seeing the same trees day in day out."
"I suppose that's true."
What were we doing here? So far, she was being nice enough. But she must have had some reason to drag me into this coffee shop, going as far as to use her magic to do it. It was a nice coffee shop, small, quiet, pastel color furniture… but I didn't want to be here.
A waitress came around to ask if she could bring us anything. Tyrel's mother ordered some fancy herbal tea for both of us. "Better than coffee when you're pregnant," she informed me.
I merely nodded.
She leaned in a little. I felt myself lean back before I could stop myself.
"You know, when I looked at the applicants for this job, I didn't think my son would pick you.
" She held a hand in front of her mouth and laughed, but it sounded fake.
"Excuse me, I'm saying too much. You'll find your mouth gets a little loose with age. "
"Is that so?" I tried to keep a blank face.
"Quite." She smiled at me. "Now that I've said it, I might as well continue. You don't mind, do you, dear? I thought he would pick Michael or maybe Zane."
"Why them?" I realized she was bating me, but I had to ask anyway. Jealousy wasn't a beast that could easily be tamed, even when I'd already tamed my dragon.
"The type." She waved a hand. "Tyrel tends to go for pretty boys. Not that you're not pretty, mind, but you're not… what is that word they use? You're not a twink. I think that's it."
"No, I suppose I'm not." But according to Tyrel, not being a complete light weight would help me during this pregnancy.
"So, what do you think attracted my son to you so quickly and completely?"
Like I was going to tell her when Tyrel didn't want her to know.
"I'm not sure," I lied. "The attraction was just there. Isn't that how it is sometimes?"
She narrowed her eyes at me, and then they began to glow. I suppressed a sigh, knowing what was about to come.
Tell her the truth.
She tried to disguise the command as my own thought, but it was much too sharp for that. Still, I had to come up with something now. Something that would satisfy her.
Problem was, I was drawing a blank, and the more I hesitated, the more her eyes narrowed.
Tell her.
I heard in my head again, the pull a little stronger than before now.
"I uh… We like the same movies."
She raised an eye brow at me. "Pitch Perfect?"
I swallowed. "It's his guilty pleasure."
Sorry, Tyrel.
It didn't look like she was buying it, anyway. But that moment, the waitress brought our teas and she backed off a bit, relaxing in her chair.
"It's your ability to resist magic, isn't it?"
Oh shit.
I felt my mouth open in shock, but pressed it tightly shut again because I didn't want her to know I was busted.
"What are you talking about?" Feigning confusion would work, right?
"I could try getting the truth out of you, but there's no point, is there?" She raised her tea cup to her lips and drank as if she was having a pleasant, every day conversation rather than unraveling my secrets in a vaguely threatening manner.
You're going to have a great family, little one, I told the child in my belly.
She rested her eyes on me. "Didn't you say you had plans? I wouldn't want to keep you from them."
I suppose that meant I was dismissed, and I didn't waste a second in excusing myself and getting out of there.
I made the walk to Luca's place in record time. At first it seemed like she was going to tell me off for arriving so much later than we'd agreed on, but then she must have noticed the expression on my face, because she stopped.
"Is everything alright?"
I looked behind me as if to check that I wasn't being followed. I wasn't, of course.
"I just… in-laws, you know?" I tried to joke.
She raised an eye brow at me, apparently not convinced.
"Forget about it," I said, giving her a once over. She was already showing a bit. "You look gorgeous."
A smile bloomed on my face, making my words even truer. "Come inside. The husband's out with the kid, so we can have some time to ourselves. I want you to tell me everything."
She grabbed my hand and let me inside, and I did.
We spent a couple of hours catching up, talking about pregnancy and kids and whatever else we could think of.
She was just telling me about the silliest food cravings she'd had when the doorbell rang.
She went to get it, then called for me. "I think it's for you.
And he's every bit as hot as you said he was. "
Tyrel?
I went to the door, and sure enough, there he was, the father of my child. Carrying two large suitcases.
"What are those?" I asked, pointing at them.
"I had a little chat with my mother," he said simply. "So I'm going to take you somewhere safe."