Part 17 (1/2)

”I'm ready.” She sighed. ”I can't wait to spend forever with you.”

”Are you sure I can't change your mind about the other thing?”

Pauline nodded. ”I'm too young for that.”

Flame seemed to realize that Julie was still there. He gave her a sympathetic look. ”I'll see you soon, Julie.”

She nodded. He was finally leaving. She almost looked to the ceiling in order to say a prayer of thanks.

”I'll see you in a few.” He winked at Pauline.

”I'll be counting the minutes.” Pauline sighed.

”I'll be counting the seconds, honey.” He kissed her, yet again. It was a wonder their lips weren't chapped and bleeding.

”Enough, you two. Go away,” she growled at Flame. ”Neither of you will die without the other.”

Flame grinned. ”I think I might. You'll need to resuscitate me when you get back to the chamber.”

Julie groaned. ”Kill me if I ever sound like the two of you.”

Flame laughed. ”No can do. Coal would kill me. He'll kill anyone that even looks at you funny. That male is smitten.”

The thought both scared and warmed her. No, it scared her. ”He's not smitten. We're friends...with benefits. That's all it is.”

”If you say so, Julie.” He winked at Pauline. Flame finally walked away. Pauline watched him until he was out of sight. She had a goofy smile on her face.

”You have it bad.” Julie said as the s.h.i.+fter rounded the corner.

”Oh so very bad. I'm seriously in love. Like totally and utterly.” The woman grabbed her chest and sighed. ”Look at him. Just look at him.”

”Um... he just left.”

”You know what I mean. He's so d.a.m.ned hot and so sweet. Do you know that he won't let me do anything? He insists on cooking, cleaning... doing everything. I'm not allowed to lift a finger. The only thing he let's me...” She blushed. ”Never mind.”

Julie could imagine. ”What's with this whole taking the plunge thing?”

Pauline sucked in a deep breath. ”I've decided to mate him.”

”What? You too?” Julie shook her head. ”One week isn't nearly enough. You know that don't you? I don't care how cute he is or how gifted in bed he is, you can't possibly know him well enough.”

”I don't need to know everything about him. I've never felt this way about anyone else. I don't have much to go back to but that's not the reason I want to stay. I love him... that's all there is to it. I was also a little skeptical of Lisa when she told me she was mating Scorch.”

”His name is Scorch?” She could hear the disbelief in her voice. These dragon s.h.i.+fters had the weirdest names. Coal was the most normal of the lot. She only hoped it was spelled Cole and not Coal or that would be weird.

”Yes.” Pauline nodded. ”Fire dragons all have fire related names.”

”I had noticed. You were telling me about Lisa.”

Pauline made a noise of affirmation. ”Yeah. I thought she was just using him. Each of us has a sob story. I was about to lose my house and you lost your job and had just become homeless.”

”Don't remind me,” Julie muttered.

”Point being.” Pauline raised her brows. ”Each of us had our own problems. We were chosen by the dragons because they hoped that they could help us as much as we could help them.”

”I'm still not entirely convinced, but okay.” Julie folded her arms across her chest. Pauline was young and innocent. She'd obviously led a sheltered life. Well, up until her parents had died.

Pauline licked her lips. ”Remember how high and mighty Lisa acted?”

Julie nodded.

”She told us that her dad died and left her a billionaire, well, it's true that he died but he didn't leave her anything. All of his wealth went to to his young wife. A woman only two years older than Lisa. The dumb cow had her dad change his will while on his deathbed and not thinking clearly.” She took a deep breath. ”Can you imagine? Lisa was contesting the will but it was her word against the wife's. There was a good chance Lisa was going to lose. Especially since her dad's doctor was bonking the stepmom and is standing in as a witness. It was only a matter of days before she was kicked out of her own house. How horrible is that?”

Her eyes were wide and she used elaborate hand gestures while she spoke. ”Poor Lisa cried when she spoke about her father. She blamed him initially but it clearly wasn't his fault. Anyway...” Pauline raised her brows. ”My point is that I thought Lisa was using Scorch, since the dragons live decently...” She gestured around the opulent lair that was really more of a castle. ”But I was wrong. She seriously loves him. They're already trying for a baby.”

”This is getting more crazy by the second.” Julie rubbed her face.

When she looked back up, Pauline's eyes were bright. ”A tiny, little baby with big blue eyes and blond hair. He'll be so cute and-”

”Are you talking about your own baby or Lisa's?”

Pauline frowned. ”Okay... maybe I was talking about mine. Mine and Flame's little one. I'm not ready though and he's not going to pressure me.” She scrunched up her face. ”No, he will put pressure on me. He won't be able to help himself. It's their instinct to procreate. That's why we drive them so mad when we're in heat... ovulating.” She corrected. ”I'm too young to have a baby though.”

”Far too young. You're too young to get married.”

Pauline nodded. ”I'm too young for marriage but not too young to be mated, I'm taking the plunge. I'm ready. Flame is the guy for me.”

Vomit.

These women were losing their minds. ”Have you heard anything about Jo and Candy?”

Pauline's eyes widened. ”Jo is also taking the plunge and mating her guy but Candy isn't happy at all. I've heard that she keeps demanding to be sent back. She's with some crazy king from one of the other kingdoms. He's a meanie so no wonder she's unhappy.”

”Oh no! I'll have to ask Coal about her.” Poor Candy. Julie hoped that she was okay. Coal had promised her that none of them would be forced or hurt. Was the same true for the other kingdoms? Her heart was beating fast. Her mind raced at a hundred miles a minute.

Chapter 15.

Coal watched as his brother walked from one side of the room to the other. His fists were clenched. His eyes blazing.

”Calm down,” he growled. ”I have things under control.”

”Do you?” Blaze growled right back. He stopped and wheeled towards Coal. ”Send her back. There is another hunt planned for next month. Thanks to you, Granite didn't get a female. Torrent has not had any success with his human, so chances are good there will not be a child any time soon. Neither of the dragon females is anywhere close to their heat.”

”How can you be so sure?” His brother just looked at him, his face deadpan. Blaze had his sources. Spies that did his bidding. Coal ran a hand over his head. ”What if your information is incorrect?”

”It isn't,” Blaze growled. ”Torrent's human is on her way back to Walton Springs as we speak. The male couldn't make her happy. The human refused to mate him. My sources tell me that she hit him in the face.” Blaze laughed. ”The male is p.i.s.sed. He has locked himself in his chamber and refuses to speak with anyone.”