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)
Bernard nodded.
“Good. I’ll call you later.” She grabbed her suitcase.
“What about that?” He pointed at the dead dragon.
“I don’t know. Just pretend it’s not there. Not like he can hurt you.”
Suddenly, steam rose from the surface of its flesh, and the dragon corpse began melting.
The two watched in fascination and horror as the body broke down into a desiccated husk and then into dust. After a moment, a gentle breeze carried it all away.
And that explains why no one has ever found evidence of dragons. She wondered if the same thing happened to dead aliens. What would happen to her when she died?
“Okay, well, dragon-body problem solved,” she said. “I’ll call you from LA.” She rushed to her truck, dragging her suitcase. “Oh, and could you take care of the last four snakes? They’re still hiding somewhere,” she called out. “Maybe in the storage building! They’re the types that like to pop out and attack instead of roaming.”
“Which snakes?” Bernard asked.
“Two tiger snakes, the king cobra, and the saw-scaled viper. But don’t worry! I wrangled the others already!” She could hear Bernard swearing up a panic-storm as she slid into the truck. She rolled down her window. “I have plenty of antivenin in the infirmary!” At least she hoped she did. Funds were low, and she hadn’t been able to restock lately. “Better you don’t get bit, though!”
She drove off.
Damien shut off his phone, took a long hot shower, and sat on his balcony to watch the sun come up.
To say he felt betrayed was a colossal understatement. Sky had cut him out of her life to get what she wanted: a new body, her family back, and a fresh start. There’d been no discussion with him, no considering other options, and no trust given.
I can’t believe she dumped me again. At least, that was how it felt. He couldn’t blame her for wanting those things, but somehow she’d absolved herself of all guilt by accusing him of hiding his feelings. She claimed that he hadn’t fought for her.
Ridiculous! It boggled the mind. He’d told her how much she meant, but more importantly, he’d shown her. He had not pulled the guilt card or gotten angry when she expressed her desire to return to investigative journalism. He’d put her needs first. Let’s not forget the hell Cimil put me through to score a new body for Sky that first time.
He’d never worked so hard to do right by a woman. Excluding the killing-her thing with my SUV.
Damien scratched his head. I just don’t get it. Did women want men to devolve into angry cavemen when relationships encountered bumps, or did they want men to be supportive?
“I’m cancelling my subscription to Women’s Self-Love Weekly.” He’d read that estrogen-infested trash for months, all because he believed it was a man’s job to be strong for his woman. Not so easy for a two-hundred-year-old deadly weapon. The exercise tips were good, though. My ass has never looked better.
If there was one takeaway from this mess, it was that his gut had been right. Deep down, he knew they weren’t meant to be. Too many obstacles. Too many cosmic forces keeping them apart.
“Hey,” squeaked a tiny voice.
Pet sat on the balcony’s railing, her lavender wings deflated at her sides.
“What’s the matter? Did you run out of amphibians to molest in my garden?”
Pet shook her glum little head. “The garden orgy is still on, but I’m just not in the mood.”
A sex fairy not in the mood. “Why? And before you reply, I do not want to know if it’s because you’ve contracted fairpees again.”
“No,” she said glumly. “You can only get that once. Never goes away.”
Vile. “Then?”
“Sky said I had to go away. She said her new life had to be clean, happy, and beautiful. She said I was an ugly, diseased little cockroach, and she never wants to see me again.”
Sky wasn’t completely wrong, but it was a little harsh. “I’ve seen very nasty roaches, Pet,” he said reassuringly, “and you’re nothing like them.” Because I can get rid of those.
She looked up at him with big, blue, hopeful eyes. “You think I’m pretty?”
“Hit the sex-brakes, tiny porn star. I would not go that far.”
She covered her walnut-sized face with her penny-sized hands and bawled. Damien watched as Pet’s sobs turned into a full-on meltdown, her tears drenching her tiny white toga.
His chest constricted. Dear gods. Why does it affect me when women weep? “Pet, you’re not ugly. Stop your crying.”
“No? But I heard you! You think I’m disgusting.”
Damien rolled his eyes. “I think you are avoiding the true issue here: Sky dumped us all.”
“She sure did.” MF came up behind him with Maxton in tow. She plopped down on one of the overstuffed chairs and put her booted feet up on the coffee table. Maxton sat next to her.