Page 5 of Claimed By the Dragons

There’s nowhere to hide in my tight underwear. I’m sure they can see the effect of their proximity, and their praise. My cheeks heat up.

“Usually I wear contacts,” I say, grasping for safe conversation.

“Ditch the contacts,” Legend says. “You suit the glasses better.”

Wow. He expects me to just roll over?

“You think I’m going to ditch my contacts just because you say so?” I ask indignantly.

He smirks. “I guarantee you will, baby dragon. You love being told what to do.”

Shit. They’ve read me too well already. I duck under Day’s arm and head for the kitchen so they can’t keep staring at my face and other places to read all my secrets.

“Do you want a drink?” I say.

They follow me, stepping on the motion-sensor mat. A black bat squawks into life and swoops down from the ceiling. One of my Halloween decorations, and a pretty realistic one. The dragons duck, swearing and grabbing each other in fear.

“Happy Halloween,” I say, laughing at them.

“Scared the shit out of me,” Legend grumbles, glaring at the bat as it ascends serenely again.

“Payback is sweet,” I crow. “You guys scared the shit out of me in the woods.”

They huff and puff, emitting tiny, cute plumes of smoke from their nostrils. But they soon get over it. They mosey into my kitchen like they own the place and take stools at the island, looking like two giants balancing on mushrooms. Their energetic presence lights up my tiny apartment. Excitement dances in my chest. I feel more alive than I have for years. A million miles away from my boring office. But I can’t admit that to them. I don’t want to seem too needy for their draconic ways... or whatever else they have going for them. I wrap myself in a robe and open the fridge.

“Wine?”

“No way.” Legend sniffs, looking pained. “Can’t you tell this body is a temple?”

I run my gaze down it, heat creeping up my neck. I can tell.

“This one, too,” Day says, competitive as usual.

I can still barely believe that these two gorgeous guys are fighting over me. Fighting for my attention. I pour some white wine into a glass and take a gulp.

“Are you okay? You left the conversation in the woods kinda unfinished,” Day says. His blue eyes are serious for once.

I fidget with the label on the bottle. “Sorry about that. I shouldn’t have run off without saying anything, but I just…”

“We get it,” Legend says. “It was a lot. Have you had any chance to think about what we said?”

I nod silently.

“And?” Day says. “Do you…?”

“Do I believe you? I think so.”

I look up and meet each of their gazes in turn. “When I was in middle school I thought I saw something… something in myself. My eyes looked like yours… when we were in the forest, I mean.”

“Like this?” Legend says.

His left eye turns from rich, warm brown to cold bright green. His pupil elongates. The effect is surreal, especially as his other eye remains human.

“Yeah, like that,” I mutter.

My hands have gone cold. I’m transported back to how horrible I felt in that school bathroom. How alone. Alone with my monstrosity. Day puts his big hand over both of mine and squeezes.

“We’re here now,” he says. “And we’re just like you.”