Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 62528 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62528 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
“If I were to say yes, how do you expect me to change this dragon’s mind about shifting back to his natural form?” he asked.
Cimil shrugged. “If I knew the answer to that, I wouldn’t be wheeling and body-dealing with you, cowboy.”
So he had to figure it out.
With a sigh of resignation, Damien polished off his whiskey and set the glass on the glass table. “I’ll think about it, but Cimil, if I agree, I want your word you’ll turn yourself in.”
She nodded with a sly smile.
“I mean it. Swear on the lives of your untamed rascals.” Cimil had somewhere around nine children with her husband, Roberto. They were dangerous beasts in tiny packages. Unsurprisingly, Roberto had recently left Cimil and taken the kids because of her stunts.
Cimil raised her left hand. “I swear on the lives of my sweet, mini terrorists that I will turn myself in as soon as our dragon gets busy with the dragonettes.”
Damien still wasn’t sure if he was going along with this, but he’d make that choice after he spoke to Sky.
“So where do I find this dragon of yours?” he asked, thinking it might be a good idea to have a quick chat with the big winged lizard. If Damien could understand the beast’s reluctance, perhaps he could find a solution.
“Great question,” Cimil said. “He was supposed to work the eight o’clock show, but he flaked. Or scaled? Whichever dragons do.”
And there it is. The Cimil surprise. “So you want me to find him, too.”
“Bingo!”
This was already turning into a bad idea, probably not worth risking the wrath of Votan. “And where does he work?”
“My new strip club, of course! Dragon man is part of the show. The ladies love him!”
The dragon was working as a male stripper? Things were beginning to make sense. The dragon was probably having too much fun to care about mating with a bunch of winged dinosaurs.
“Then I will begin my search there.” After I speak with Sky. If she did not want to come back to life, then Damien wouldn’t bother.
“Good. And bring your baby oil.”
“Sorry?” he said.
“Well, I need someone to fill in for the midnight show.”
“Cimil, I am not stripping.”
Cimil stuck out her pink lower lip. “Then no bodies for Sky.”
See! This was what he was talking about; nothing with Cimil was straightforward.
He got up and showed Cimil the door. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Here’s the address.” Cimil produced a pink card and tucked it into his jacket pocket. “Come, Minky. Our tailor has some manscaping to do in preparation for his sexy dance.”
“I am not…” He shook his head. Arguing with Cimil was a waste of time.
“See you at the club in a few.” She winked and disappeared as a brisk wind whipped through the room. No doubt, Minky making her exit.
Gods, I hate those two.
Now he had to talk to Sky and discuss Cimil’s offer. Hopefully, she and Pet would be along soon.
CHAPTER TEN
“Jac! Let me out!” Dash yelled from the other room.
“Just ignore him,” Jac said to Sammy, the vet tending to Heebie’s leg. Sammy was an older, salt-of-the-earth woman who’d earned her stripes working for several zoos before opening her practice about fifteen years ago. She mostly dealt with farm animals these days but was always gracious with her time and cost structure when it came to the sanctuary.
“Welp,” Sammy said, “if you got that man in a cage, I know it’s for a dang good reason.”
“Yup.” Jac watched Sammy finish setting the leg while Heebie lay there doped up. “How long do you think it’ll take for the bone to heal?”
“Kittens are very resilient, but figure on at least six weeks. Then we’ll see.”
“Thank you so much, Sammy. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Sammy grabbed her things and put them into her leather backpack. Her mobile vet RV out front had everything from an X-ray machine to surgical equipment, so this was an easy call in comparison to what she usually dealt with.
“You could try paying your bills on time, but I know things are tough for the sanctuary right now.”
Jac groaned. “Thank you. I’m working on getting everything caught up.”
“No problem. You just give Larry a big hug for me. Such a tall stud that one.”
Jac smiled. Larry the giraffe had a thing for Sammy, always bending his neck all the way down to give her a full-body lick when she did his checkups.
“I will.”
The two walked out together, passing Dash’s cage as Sammy headed toward the exit. She stopped and gave Dash a look.
“Boy, if you’re going to piss off a woman, next time make sure she doesn’t carry a tranquilizer gun.” She laughed. “Or deal with large carnivorous animals.”
“This is kidnapping. And now you’re an accessory,” he snarled.
“Silence, beast,” Jac said. “Or I’ll go get Maynard.”
“Who the fuck is Maynard?” Dash asked.