Earth Dragon

Chapter Two

Mason starts pacing and I can practically feel the worry written all over his face. He finally turns to me and stops. "I should probably start at the beginning."

"That's usually best."

He doesn't smile at my attempt at humor, but his eyes warm a little. "I've known that it was you from the start. Every day of our two years together has been magical for me and I wouldn't change one minute of our time together for the world."

I love the words he's saying, but I can hear the 'but' in his tone. So... "But?"

He sighs and scrubs a hand down his face and flops onto the couch next to me. "But there has to be more."

I blink. "More?" My mind immediately tries to take off with the possibilities, but there really aren't any. We've been together for two years. That means there isn't much about me he doesn't know. I mean, I know he's got some things he hasn't told me, but it's because we're kind of like the difference between a wolf and a Chihuahua. I'm the Chihuahua. I don't really understand wolf business. "What more? I thought me moving in with you was the 'more'."

"It is," he insists. "Just hear me out, okay?"

I stare at him for a long moment, warring with myself. On the one hand, I want to know what he has to say, but on the other...well, I'm not sure I want to hear it. It's got to do with his family and with them being dragons. The more I know about them, the less safe I feel. It's probably ridiculous, but I'm very aware of the risk I'm taking with my life. Putting it in his hands. Large, strong, capable hands, but still...

"Danae."

My eyes snap back to his face and I see the amused patience in his eyes. "What?"

"Focus."

I sigh and cross my arms over my chest. "I am focused. Tell me." I look into his silver eyes and do my best to refrain from downing in them. Focus. Right. I can do this. I will not let his hotness distract me from this very important conversation. This is shit I need to know, so down, girl.

"You've heard stories about humans disappearing once they've gone to dragon homes."

I nod. The main reason I always said no to moving in with him. I've heard all sorts of things. Unpleasant things. Things that, to be honest, have woken me up in the middle of the night with sweat-soaked sheets and a gasping scream tearing from my raw throat. Yeah, 'unpleasant' is a bit of an understatement regarding some of the things I've heard. Horror-movie things.

"Well, it's true that some do."

"Why? What happens to them?" I ask, but I'm very prepared to put my hands over my ears and start going, "La, la, la, la, la" to save myself from more nightmares.

"Some of them live."

And some don't. Yeah. No need to finish that particular thought. I got it. "And the ones that live?" Come on, dude. I need some optimism here.

"Become like me."

I blink. What? "They become a dragon person?" I ask, my tone going so high at the end, I nearly squeak it.

But he's nodding and he's not even laughing at my squeaky voice. "Yes."

"And you want me..." I let my conclusion die on my lips because I can't say it. He wants to turn me. Something I had no idea was possible. Clearly a well-kept secret. "No. Hell no," I tell him, jumping up from the couch that doesn't ever want me to leave its cushy depths and putting distance between me and Mason. Like that might save me. Puh.

He gets up and faces me. "It's not what you think."

"Why do you keep asking me how I feel?" Oh, shit. Is it too late already? Was there something in the French toast? Panic is starting to take hold and I have to shift my focus from Mason to my breathing so I don't pass out from the panic attack that's making it impossible to pull air into my lungs.