Page 13 of Crossing Fire

The girl from the club where I’d gone to look for Lynn, I recalled. I’d run into her briefly the night before I’d disappeared, and I’d known she wasn’t human. I’d sent Luke to find her. If all had gone as planned, she should’ve been in druid protective custody.

I looked up at Dom. “Did a human named Luke bring you a little girl with purple eyes and dark blond hair?”

He nodded. “She doesn’t say much, but we’ve put her in one of our schools. She’s doing well, and she’s safe, though we still know nothing about her.”

“She’s not human.”

“So I gathered. What is she, then?”

“I don’t know,” I answered. The answer came from a different source.

“She’s half-dragon kin, half-human. The dragons must not know you have her. She is ours. Her name is Yinlong.”

“Ours?” Dom asked.

Somehow, Conan could talk to us both at once. It was insane. And good to know.

“A part of our family. You must let her see me. It is hurting her to stay away.”

“I don’t understand,” I said slowly.

“Hurting her how?” Dom asked.

“I can’t explain it. Bring her to see me. Let her have the codes. She is safe. She is family.”

Dom and I exchanged a look.

“Not even born yet and already giving orders and keeping secrets,” Dom muttered, though his tone was fond, and his mouth was turned up in a smile.

“Will you let her see him?” I asked.

Dom nodded. “I’ll bring her myself as soon as I can. She must already know he’s a telepath. They’ve clearly been speaking to each other so there’s no reason to keep her away. I’m not giving her any codes, though.”

“You’ll learn to trust her, and then you’ll give her the codes.”

Dom and I shared a look that said not likely.

“I have to go. The meeting is in four hours. I’ll see you then,” Dom said.

He kissed my forehead, then Conan’s egg, said something softly in Druidic, and left.

I lay down on the tiny bed with Conan, content just to be near him for a while.

I was not a peaceful soul. I rarely sat down, rarely rested unless it was for required for sleep. But being near Conan was different, or rather, I was different when I was near him. I could lie beside him for hours, doing nothing but tracing his beautiful golden shell.

My world was in chaos, but one thing was clear. Motherhood was changing me.

CHAPTER FIVE

BAGGAGE-FREE VERSION

“Whoa, there. I haven’t seen you dressed like a girl in so long, I forgot that you were one,” Christian said as I stepped off the elevator. He didn’t faze me. He usually didn’t. But especially not right now. I’d just spent hours with Conan, and it had put me in a good mood.

I was dressed in a short, floral summer dress that I’d picked up at one of the dress boutiques in the casino. It was white with large violets painted across it. My sandals were tan and ridiculously high heeled, considering that I was tall barefoot. Most days I was in the mood for a black T-shirt and jeans but today, apparently, I was feeling my feminine side. I couldn’t deny that had a lot to do with the fact that we were meeting with Dom, and this dress showed plenty of skin, from some impressive cleavage, to my shoulders, arms, and a whole lotta leg. It might be too much skin for a business meeting, which was where we were headed, but it made me feel good, so I’d worn it anyway. I’d even made the rare effort of having my hair curled into soft waves. I’d only worn a tiny bit of makeup, but black mascara’d lashes, and pink glossy lips had a dramatic effect with my still gold-touched skin.

I nodded at Caleb and Christian. They were here for the meeting with Dom and the other members of the task force, as well. I welcomed the help. I wouldn’t have made this mess the druids’ fight, but since my family had done that, I was happy to work with them now that the battle lines were drawn.

I strode through the casino toward the bank of elevators that led to the office wing of the vast building. Caleb and Christian fell into step on either side of me, naturally flanking me. The casual observer probably thought they were my bodyguards.