Page 49 of Dragon Charmed

“Because he doesn’t know that we’re on to him yet, and if I can set up something with him, maybe I can get some information out of him about what his plans are and who he works for.” And she had to make this right. Fix what she had broken.

Eric and Marcus wore identical frowns.

Tessa bounced Bella. “Before you two start telling me all the reasons why I shouldn’t do this, I’d like to hear the alternative. If we wait for Jonas to try and track his phone, then what do you plan to do? He’s human. He might clam up if you grab him. Are you going to throw him into one of your dragon dungeons?”

Marcus smirked. “Dragon dungeon?”

“Don’t use that tone, old man. Where do you lock”—she patted Bella’s curly head—“bad dragons? Or is it all ‘off with their heads, queen of hearts’ around here?”

“I can’t keep up with you,” Marcus growled.

“I don’t think we’re supposed to,” Eric said.

Tessa ignored them while she handed Bella to Megan. “Look at it this way. If I call him and text him, that will help Jonas try and track him. So either way, we should be able to find him.”

“If he hasn’t already dumped his phone,” Marcus said.

She hoped that wasn’t the case. “Right.”

“If he is on the run, how are you going to get him to respond?” Megan said as she hugged Bella.

“If he still has his phone, I’m going to bait his sorry ass…paragus.” She smiled at Bella.

“With what?” Eric asked.

She had thought of that already as well. “I’m going to tell him I figured out where Mia is and I need his help.”

“That might work,” Marcus said rather grudgingly.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Tessa said. But she really couldn’t blame him.

“You won’t go off half-cocked if he reaches out to you, right?” Eric said with his eyebrows raised.

“Of course not,” Tessa answered.

Before anyone could question her sincerity, Bella started rocking in Megan’s arms and pointing at the door.

“What is it, sweetheart?” Megan asked.

A few moments later the door opened and Sienna stepped inside. “Can you break for a moment. I have someone who wants to meet Bella.”

Lily stepped into the room, and Bella started clapping and giggling. Lily’s face lit up, and she came over to stand in front of Megan. Megan hunkered down with Bella, who reached out her hands to the little girl as if they were best friends. Lily grabbed both of her hands and giggled.

Tessa’s breath caught in her throat. If Lily could giggle, she might be able to talk! She blinked away tears.

“Why do I feel like they already know each other?” Megan whispered.

Tessa knelt as well. “Maybe they do.”

Chapter 19

Pain seared his side, and he sucked in harsh breaths as he turned toward his attacker. His claws extended and he slashed across the other man’s chest, the copper smell of blood flooding his senses. Then it became claws flashing and grunts bouncing off the rock walls of the cave as the battle waged. His energy left him, but he found a second wind and a lucky strike. He watched as the life left his opponent, who dropped to his knees in the dirt.

Ben jerked awake and ripped off the sheet tangled around him. He stumbled to the bathroom, making it to the toilet just in time to empty what little he had in his stomach. He sat on the floor and rested his head against the cool bathtub edge.

After a few minutes he stood and rinsed his mouth in the sink. He looked in the mirror at his bloodshot eyes. At least his pupils weren’t in the shape of a snake’s eyes.

Even after he had seen the claws on his hands and his eyes change, he’d refused to believe he was dangerous. But what he’d just experienced told him otherwise. And it wasn’t a dream.