~~~
Melanie heard the clicking of keys and knew Arabella had gone back to typing on her laptop. She knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but not even asking about something that clearly interested Arabella was getting the dragonwoman to talk with her. She was going to have to try a different approach.
Turning around, she found Tristan on the far side of the room with his arms crossed over his chest. He gave her an inquiring look, but she ignored it and turned back to Arabella. Her dealings with Tristan gave her an idea. Maybe the siblings were more alike than either had acted at first.
Mel went over to where Tristan’s sister was sitting, stopped next to her, crossed her arms, and waited.
It wasn’t long before Arabella stopped typing and frowned up at her. “Why are you staring at me? If my actions weren’t clear enough, I can say it now: I don’t want you here.”
Melanie took a fortifying inhale and let loose. “I don’t like passive-aggressive behavior. If you’re going to dislike me, I want you to tell me straight to my face, because as of right now, I have done nothing to warrant such hatred.”
Arabella’s eyes flashed. “How dare you talk to me like that in my own home. You humans are all the same—you think we dragon-shifters owe you everything.” She slammed her laptop closed and stood up. “You’re the reason we even have to bring in humans like you to breed. You killed our kind to near extinction, and if that weren’t enough, you now use us as magical blood fountains.” Arabella narrowed her eyes. “I despise all of you.”
Mel raised her chin. “If you’re going to tell me that dragon-shifters are purity and innocence incarnate, I’ll start laughing right now.” She poked Arabella in the arm. “Violence and wars take two sides to complete. Dragon-shifters have fucked up, just as humans have, but blaming each other for what a small minority has done throughout history is a waste of time. After all, we can’t change history. We can only create our own.”
The pupils of Arabella’s eyes flashed to slits and back. “Thanks to your kind, I have no future to look forward to.”
“And why not? You seem clever, stubborn, and are attractive. You’re a lot like your brother, actually, and if he can find a woman who likes him, I don’t see why you can’t find someone. If it’s a mate you want, you first need to step outside of these walls and talk with people.”
Arabella lost a little of her bravado. “No male would want me.” Mel opened her mouth, but the dragonwoman spoke first. “Don’t try to say otherwise. I hate fake encouragement and pity nearly as much as I hate humans.”
Mel was starting to understand what kept Arabella cooped up inside this house.
Maybe she was crazy, but Mel decided to keep pushing. “Do you think I’m really the type of person who gives fake encouragement? If I only cared about my own skin, I never would’ve goaded a six-foot tall dragonwoman into an argument. So when I give you a compliment, take it. The only reason you think you have no future is because you keep yourself locked up inside this house and in front of a computer. But it’s not protecting you, Arabella. It’s slowly killing you.”
~~~
Tristan couldn’t help but think of how Melanie Hall was bloody fantastic. Even with his sister towering half a foot over her, the human had held her ground and given Arabella an earful.
While he didn’t think Ara would hurt the mother of his child, his dragon was prowling around his mind, telling him to be careful. They needed to protect their human. Compared to the dragonwoman, she was fragile.
Melanie might be physically fragile, but bloody hell, the woman was strong inside. He’d seen a glimpse of it when she argued with him, but seeing it as an observer rather than a participant put things into a whole new perspective.
Then the human mentioned if a woman could like Tristan, then Ara could find someone too. Was she talking about herself?
Not that he had time to dwell on Melanie’s words. Soon her words made Ara’s eyes flash to dragon slits and he blinked. Tristan hadn’t seen that happen in over a decade. Had he been wrong all these years? Was Ara’s dragon-half still inside her somewhere?
When Melanie called Arabella on her shit, Ara’s eyes flashed again and his sister said, “Here you are, all proud of yourself for standing up to me, but you’re no different than the rest. When I met you at the door, you pitied me like all the others. There’s a reason I stay inside this house, and it’s because I don’t want to have to explain myself to people like you. I have a job and help the clan. Your pity, along with everyone else’s, just takes time away from my work.”
Melanie shook her head. “You’re wrong. I didn’t—and don’t—pity you. I felt sad for what had happened to you and the pain you must’ve endured.”