AllFreeNovel
Share Us
23
Mishal
My dragon sideached for freedom and soon a scream escaped my lips, one that spoke of my frustration and feelings of helplessness. With some satisfaction, I felt the cottage shake and the windows rattle from the barely pent-up rage. Then I listened as the sound echoed through the mountains and prayed the detective on the other end of the phone had sensed mywrath.
Stephen was finally roused from his stupor. “What happened?” He frowned and scanned the main floor. “Where’s MissPeri?”
“You tell me.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “When I came downstairs, you were standing by the door practically comatose. I called Peri and some detective answered my callinstead.”
He held his head. His brow furrowed and I could tell he was struggling to recall his earlier interactions with her. “I don’t know…” His voice trailedoff.
I grabbed him by the bicep and dragged him to a chair in the living room. “Sit,” I ordered. Once he had complied, I continued. “What do you remember? One piece at a time. You came downstairs and…” I struggled to jog hismemory.
Stephen’s eyes narrowed. “Miss Peri was trying to leave.” He tugged on his beard while staring off into the distance. “Then I stoppedher.”
My brows rose. “Obviously not. What else do you remember?” My hands fisted at my sides as I struggled to keep my dragon incheck.
His head tilted to the side and he rubbed his forehead. Slowly, his hand slid over to his temple. “She touchedme.”
I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. “Where? Where did she touch you?” The idea of my mate being even in platonic contact with anyone burned meup.
“Here.” Stephen tapped his temple a few times. “Then she said something about leaving and me letting her and how we’d talk when she returned.” He shrugged. “That’s all I know. Then I didn’t want to stop heranymore.
“Neat parlor trick,” I mumbled as I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called Fredoagain.
"Sir?" I could hear the concern in Fredo'svoice.
"What's Peri's power?" I had decided in the time it took for the phone to ring that I wasn't going to mince words. There was no time for pleasantries. I dropped hard into the wooden chair at the head of the table and waited for him torespond.
He sighed. "She hates it,sir."
"Okay, I get that, but she's currently being held by the police so I need to know how much trouble she's in." I covered my eyes with my hands and leaned my elbows on the hard surface. Inside, I felt like I had a giant festering wound. The longer we were apart and the more I worried, the worse I felt. Still, how was I supposed to react? Given the circumstances, how was I supposed to remain calm andcontrolled?
Fredo swallowed hard. "She calls it mind manipulation. She detests everything about it, the very word upsets her. She greatly dislikes tampering with anyone's head. Although, there have been times it has come in rather handy." Hesighed.
I ran my tongue over my teeth. "Can she use it onme?"
He laughed. "No, sir. Dragons are immune to this. Maybe it's because you're so strong-willed. Maybe it's because you're a magical creature. I have no idea, but she has talked to me about her giftbefore."
I leaned back, my curiosity aroused. "What did shesay?"
"Well," Fredo began slowly, "she worried she'd never find love. She feared she'd accidentally use her gift to make some poor man love her. This was one of the reasons she decided to work for the Dracos, surrounded by dragons. She liked knowing she could do noharm."
I thought about the story she told me. "That sounds like Peri. So, I guess it's a good thing we're to be mated." I grinned. "And I'm glad she can't even accidentally influence mywill."
"Her boss, Devon Draco, he didn't always believe she wasn't manipulating him. At least not at first, but then he saw her in action and finally accepted her claim." Hesighed.
"In action?" Ifrowned.
"There was an incident. Some lawyer ended up irate for some reason. Devon began to get upset, which could’ve ended badly, as you well know." Hehuffed.
"So, what happened?" Getting the full story from Fredo was much like pullingteeth.
"Oh, she had to calm the lawyer down. I don't remember his name. The guy never figured out what she did, but he felt manipulated in some way and loathed her ever since," Fredomuttered.
"Was it Spencer?" I wondered. "The lawyer. Was that hisname?"
"Could be. Sounds familiar." Fredo swallowed hard. "Don’t worry, Mr. Draco. You'll find her. You'll saveher."
