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“Let’s go over what the victims have in common,” she began slowly as she scanned the family tree. “All young, but not the youngest. These are the guys who’re working, making money, but unmated.” Her brow furrowed. “The line stops withthem.”
“Hell, I should be in jeopardy too,” I murmured while I stared longingly at her hands. I’d touched them earlier and had yet to recover. Peri was so soft, so tiny. I could practically wrap my whole hand around her fist. In fact, I wanted to try it. With my fingers extended, I slowly pushed them towardher.
Suddenly, Peri bounced to her feet. “Bathroom. Be right back.” Then she bolted up the stairs and the door slammedshut.
Seconds after she disappeared, I heard footsteps on the stairs. The driver had finally come out of seclusion after disappearing the minute he finished dinner. “What are you doing?” Stephen’s eyesnarrowed.
I stiffened. “I don’t know what youmean.”
He turned his head, watching me from his peripheral vision. “See, I think you do. I watched you over dinner and I think you like her.” His brow arched inchallenge.
“Maybe I do.” I shrugged. “Sowhat?”
“Listen, now is not the time. This girl is counting on you to keep her out of jail and…and not dead.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m watching you.” Stephen gestured to his eyes, then pointed atme.
“Really?” I stood and loomed overhim.
He held up both hands. “Just watching. I mean…what could I do to you?” He swallowed hard. “Plus, you pay me.” Stephen shrank down in hisseat.
“Obviously, I care about her. Help us figure this thing out.” I pointed to the familytree.
He moved from the foot of the stairs to the end of the table in all of six paces. The man was far more curious and interested than he let on. Slowly, he scanned the papers and his brow furrowed. “I don’t understand…” His voice trailedoff.
Peri skipped down the stairs and froze at the end of the table. “Mishal…no!”Her mouth gaped open. “He’s not a friend. He’s an employee. He doesn’t…know.”
“Fuck!” I reached out, grabbed Stephen by the lapels and sat him in the chair beside me. Then I looked up at her. “I had noidea.”
“Obviously,” she grumbled. “Now I’ll have to fixit.”
“How?” Ifrowned.
Stephen watched her walking towards him with a resolute look on her face. “What’s going on? What’s shedoing?”
Slowly, Peri moved to stand in front of Stephen. “Shh,” she whispered as she laid her hands on his temples. “Go to sleep and when you wake, no memories of tonight will you keep, nor claims of dragons will youmake.”
His eyelids drooped immediately and he began to fall over, but with her help, we managed to keep him from hitting the floor. I hefted him over my shoulder and studied her for a moment. Her shoulders drooped and she couldn’t meet myeyes.
“Cupcake, I’m going to get him in bed. We’ll talk when I return.” I waited for her response, but she barely nodded. So, I cupped her face and tipped her chin up with my thumb. “For the record, I think you’re amazing,” I whispered, then I bent my head and pressed my lips to her temple before I mounted thestairs.
This was an interesting turn of events. I concentrated on ensuring Stephen was laid comfortably on his bed. I tugged off his shoes and removed his socks. Then I draped a throw over him. Standing upright again, I took a few deep breaths before I wandered back down the stairs and joined Peri in the diningroom.
I found her in the kitchen, leaning over the sink, looking like she wanted to be sick. “You okay?” I asked as I wrapped an arm around herwaist.
Biting her cheek, she slowly gazed up at me. “I guess we need to talk,huh?”
I nodded while a smiled played on the corner of my lips. “I think that would make sense. Somehow, I feel a story comingon.”
* * *
Peri
“It’s nota story so much as it is a different history.” I carefully took his hand in mine and gently pulled for him to come with me. To my surprise, he did. Though I was worried he’d pull away from me, or reject me, he merely held me as tightly as he had before he watched me perform my magic on our driver. When we reached the table, I picked up a pen and on the paper above the family tree, I wrote a name above the first dragon:Sabine.
“Sabine?” His brow furrowed and I knew he had no idea why I’d add her to thegenealogy.
“She’s the creator of dragon shifters. I believe you refer to her as ‘sorceress’ in your version of history.” I waited patiently for hisresponse.
Mishal nodded. “I’m listening, Peri. Talk tome.”
