Page 112 of Dragon Charmed

It was time to get back to her life. Tessa sat in the living room with Lily while she played with Adam the Dragon. Had it only been a few hours since Adam had told them what had happened to him? And since she had backed away from him?

She would return to work tomorrow. Tessa had already argued the point with almost everyone in the house, stating that she couldn’t stay cooped up there forever and why would the Templars come after her again if Mia let her go in the first place?

Time to get some semblance of normalcy back in her life. Which was why she was sitting with Lily and not in the office where they were discussing how to tell the other clans about the Templars and witches. To prepare for war.

The buzzer in the entry sounded, and when no one answered it, it buzzed again. Tessa started toward the foyer and met Marcus there as he clicked on the intercom to the front gate.

“What is it?” Marcus asked.

The guard responded. “There is some woman at the gate who refuses to leave.”

Marcus glanced at Tessa. “If you weren’t here already, I would assume it was you.”

“Ha ha.” Tessa froze. “Wait. Could it be Mia?”

He clicked on the intercom switch. “Did you ask her name and what she wants?”

“I tried. She won’t let me get a word in to find out what’s going on.”

Another voice overrode the guard. “I know my daughter is in there. I want to speak to her right now.”

Tessa’s stomach dropped. It couldn’t be. She reached forward and pushed the button. “Mom?”

“Tessa Marie Stuart, you have a lot of explaining to do!”

What the…what? “How did you know where to find me?”

“I put one of those nifty tracking apps on your phone the last time you came to visit me.”

“Mom!”

“Like mother like daughter,” Marcus said.

“Who’s interrupting us while we’re trying to have a conversation?”

Marcus blinked.

If he thought Tessa was bad, he was in for a rude awakening. “That’s Marcus. He’s a bit of a grump. I think it comes with old age.”

“Tessa! That is ageist! If he’s a grump, it doesn’t necessarily have to do with old age. He could have a whole host of reasons. Men of a certain age can have some medical issues that might make them a bit curmudgeonly.”

Marcus buzzed the gate. “Let her in!”

“What’s the matter, Marcus. You don’t want her talking about what your host of reasons could be over the intercom?”

“I told Eric you were trouble the first day I met you.”

To be fair, she had threatened him and Eric. She chuckled. “Just wait.”

Marcus opened the door, and they stood out on the steps. A rental car pulled down the drive and parked. Lina Stuart emerged from the car in all her glory. Tessa was pretty, but her mother’s beauty was otherworldly. Which was part of the reason why Tessa never let her own looks get to her. Tessa glanced over at Marcus, who gaped at Lina for a moment before his perpetual head-of-security scowl snapped into place.

“Why are you here, Mom?” And how soon could she get her calmed down and away from dragon central?

“You have been ignoring my calls and texts for days! I knew something was up. So I came to check on you. Why are you staying in this mansion?” She leaned over and whispered way too loudly, “Sweetheart, you aren’t involved with the mob, are you?”

Deep breath. “No. This is where Megan lives now.”

Lina peeked through the open door and took in the foyer and staircase. “Good for her!”