“I’m gonna grab a shower, I’ll meet you downstairs.” I kissed her cheek and took my chance to escape her probing expression.
In the quiet bathroom I shed all of my clothes and stared at my reflection for more than ten minutes. Not because I was weird and vain, but because, finally, I could see the dragon mark. It was black with slivers of red threading through it. At first glance it looked tribal, but that was only if you couldn’t see the entire picture. The image was a weird, shadowy spectra of a dragon, larger than I expected, wrapping around from my lower back and up the left side of my stomach. I continued to turn and spin, trying to see it as clear as I could. But it seemed an impossible task, especially as it continued to shift and move. Finally I couldn’t stare any longer, I needed to finish my shower and get downstairs to find Louis. I couldn’t let the Four find me.
By the time I’d made it downstairs, the living area was filled with massive individuals. I was scooped up by Tyson. “Hey Jessa babe, you look like yourself again,” he said as he kissed my cheek and handed me off to Jacob.
The fey squeezed me tightly, before singing a few bars of my favorite song into my ear. He knew that calmed me like nothing else. Then it was Maximus’ turn. The massive vampire crushed me to his chest, and I knew – because it was his personality – that after Braxton he’d been the most worried when I’d gone missing. This was also the reason he’d taken the secret so hard.
“I’m so sorry.” I was babbling again. He just held me tighter.
His low growls started in my ear. “I told the boys we shouldn’t be friends with girls,” he muttered. “I told them that they’re mean, and will do things like break our hearts and scare the shit of out us.” His deep words washed over the room. I heard a few chuckles.
When he pulled back I examined his tense features. “When did you tell them that?” I asked.
Jacob snorted. “Remember when we were five and you stole Max’s piece of cake. Right around then.”
“And when we were eight and you ran him over with your bike,” Tyson added.
“Not to mention when you kicked him in the b–”
“Okay, okay. Apparently, Max has spent much of our childhood lamenting the fact I was an annoying girl.”
Braxton stepped in the front door, his dark hair damp, stylishly tousled. “Don’t let them fool you, Max loved you from the first second you came into our lives. Twenty years.”
Maximus eyed his brother. “I’m not the only one, bro.”
Their intense exchange continued for a few long beats. I didn’t even want to know what the hell that was that all about. I was only grateful to feel that things were repaired between Maximus and me. The small rift which had appeared last night seemed to be gone. Everything felt right and normal.
Lienda broke the moment. “Okay then, maybe it’s time to head over for breakfast?” She was all snuggly with Dad on the couch. Which no longer seemed to piss me off. I’d gone from hating the woman to respecting her strength and thinking of her as a mother. Mind you, it would be a long time before I called her that.
“Wait!”
I spun to find Louis in the doorway, his cheeks with the slightest flush to them as if he’d run the entire way here. Although, I knew he could magic himself from one place to another, so I doubted he’d ran.
“The Four are here. They just requested permission to enter the perimeter. I need to spell Jessa now.”
I let out a large sigh. “Those assholes could not wait until after breakfast, seriously.” My parents’ horror-filled eyes locked on me. “What? A girl’s got to eat. It’s just rude.”
I huffed my way across the room to stand before the sexy mage. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
Jacob snorted. “That’s what all the girls say to Louis.”
With a grin the sorcerer waved his hand and Jacob seemed to freeze to the spot. The fey opened and closed his mouth but couldn’t speak again. I stepped even further into Louis’ personal space. We were mere inches from each other.
“First time I’ve ever seen someone shut up Jake.”
Tyson laughed. “I need to learn that nifty trick.”
Louis chuckled before sweeping me into his arms and striding out the door.
“Fucking sorcerer,” I heard Jacob curse as we stepped into some sort of blurry wormhole thing and out the other side. We were at Louis’ home. He dropped me to my feet.
“My wards here will protect us while I try to contain your massive energy.” He leveled all of his intensity in my direction. “Tell me what happened when your mark was released?”
His purple eyes regarded me, and I felt as if he already knew I’d shifted into a dragon.