Page 8 of Tank

“It is her.” Tank stood up and looked around the table at his family. “I knew it when I saw her when we went for the toys, but I didn’t say anything because she was grieving and I felt hurt for her.”

“I’m sorry? What?” Taking Serenity’s hand into his own, he explained to her that he was a shifter and that he was her mate. “I understand what mates are, but there is no way that I’m your mate. You’re human. And so am I.”

“I’m a dragon.” She looked so shocked that he wanted to comfort her again. “I was born about fifty years ago, and so was my brother Ace. Everyone at this table is a dragon but you.”

She didn’t look as if she believed him, but she didn’t say anything. As he was getting ready to explain more to her, she pushed away from the table and stood up. He didn’t move from his seat because he was slightly afraid of her. She looked like she could do him some serious harm.

“I don’t think this is the least bit funny.” Tucker told her that it wasn’t a joke. “Are you telling me that you’re all really dragons and that I’m somehow going to be one as well? I don’t believe you.”

“I could take you to the yard and show you. And by the way, you are a dragon. I just remembered the magic that would have come to you when you became a mate to Tank. You were able to shift into one the moment that you met him.” She took several steps back from the table. “Don’t freak out. It’s all true.” It was Kings who stood up this time. He smiled at her, but she wasn’t having it.

“I’m thousands of years old. The others are, too, but for Ace and Tank, who are brothers. The rest of us have been around for a very long time.” Shaking her head, she said that she didn’t believe him. “I understand that. But it’s true. We’re not trying to frighten you at all, but we can right now go out into the yard and show you our dragons.”

“No.” They all nodded when she said no. “I don’t want to see dragons. I’m barely holding on right now. My sister just died, and I’m having trouble with the other one. Now you tell me that I’m a part of a bunch of dragons. What—how big are you?”

“About as big as this house. Our wings make us look—” Kings stopped talking when she put up her hand. “You’re doing a lot better than I thought you’d do when you found out. I think you know some shifters. You smell like bear and lion.”

“Shifters? I don’t know…I think that my boss is a shifter. He’s a wolf. He has to go at a howling once a month.” She looked at him. “You’re my mate, and what does that mean to you? Are you going to demand that I do things for you?”

“Never. I won’t do anything you don’t want.” She didn’t seem to believe him, but Tank was all right with that for now. “I’d like to get to know you better. I know a little about you from today. I’d say that you don’t usually put up with Beth the way you’ve done today, do you?”

“We fight. A lot.” He nodded and moved his chair around so that he could face her. “I’ve been reading a book about shifters. It’s about lions. My friend at work gave it to me. I didn’t understand when she told me it’s about the truest book she’d read about shifters. I didn’t understand. I still don’t. Are there books out there that tell lies about what shifters do?”

“Plenty more than there are books that get it right.” Nodding, she continued to stare at him. “I’ll never harm you in any way. I can’t lie to you either, ever, about anything. We mate for life as well. What would you like to know?”

“Do you cry gems?” He nodded, telling her that he had plenty of them for her should she wish. “For me.”

“Yes, everything that I am, I hold and that I own is now yours. I will worship you until the day that we die, which by the way, you’re immortal.” She asked what that meant. “You can’t die of anything unless someone removes your head. There aren’t that many people out there who know that, and we keep it between ourselves.”

“I can understand that.” She moved forward and asked if she could eat. “Yes, of course. You won’t gain any weight either. Unless you’re having a baby. Then you’ll shed the pounds as soon as the hatchling is born.”

“Hatchling?” He explained what he meant by that and told her how long she would be pregnant. He was happy that he knew that information from the fact that Kaida and Skye were going to be breeding dragons soon. “That’s too much for now.”

“Yes, all right.” She sat at the table, and everyone started eating. It took a while for her to eat more than a couple of bites, but she did ask questions of him as she did. One that he was very proud to know was whether she was really able to change into a dragon. “I’m betting you’ll be a beautiful dragon.”

“I’m betting that in a couple of hours, I’m going to freak out again, and you’re going to have to start over. I don’t think I’m taking this in very well.” He told her that she was doing great. “Will my sister have to know that I’m and you’re a dragon? Christ, I hope not.”

“I see no reason why she should know anything of the kind.” She asked where he was going to be living while she was gone. “I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth and beyond. I can and will live anywhere you are.”

“We’ll have to cross that bridge when we get to it. I can work anywhere, and I don’t plan on giving up my job for you. Right now, I’m having trouble believing you’re anything but a very good-looking man.” He told her that he understood that. “Thank you for not pushing me into this. I have enough stress as it is.”

The rest of the dinner, they talked. Not just the two of them, but anyone at the table was answering her questions. As soon as dinner was over, she went to the living room with him, and he told her that he had a ring for her. She said she wasn’t ready for that, and again he told her that he understood. Not to say he wasn’t a little bit hurt by it, but he completely understood why she wasn’t ready for a ring just yet. He told her that he’d keep it on him until she was.

By the time she was ready to go home, they’d about exhausted every question she could ask of him. He was tired too, but he was also about as happy as he’d ever been when they exchanged phone numbers.

“I’m flying home tomorrow. I’m just taking a plane right, not flying flying. I have to go back, or I don’t get paid for being here.” He asked her where she worked. “New York. I design dresses for weddings. Not just wedding dresses but bridesmaids too. I have to go back.”

“You’ll be back, however?” She said that she would, the night before the auction. “We’ll take care of things on this end. You go back home and destress yourself. I’m going to make sure that everything is smooth here.”

“Thank you.” She looked up at him when he walked her out to the car. “My sister isn’t going to like this. You and I being a couple. She’ll steal you away from me.”

“Never. I’m yours, and we will be a pair forever. You don’t believe her either if she tells you anything different.” She nodded, and he wanted to make her believe him. “I won’t ever leave you, Serenity. I swear on my brother’s heart you’re the only one for me.”

“Just promise me one thing, if you do get with my sister, please tell me. I don’t want to be hurt like that again.” He swore again that he was hers, and she nodded. He had a feeling that she would only believe him if Beth tried something. And he had a feeling that she would. “I like you, Sherman. Is it all right if I don’t call you Tank?”

“Yes, I’d be honored if you called me by my first name.” He laughed a little. “No one has ever called me Sherman before.”

“Then I’ll be the only one.” He laughed again, and she looked up at him. “Will you kiss me goodbye? You don’t have to, but I’d like that. It’s been a long time since anyone has done anything kind for me.”