Page 15

“It’s been remodeled recently. Every twenty years or so, to preserve the integrity of the building and its structure,” Keifer explained as he led us into a bright room overlooking the backyard. “This is the sun room. It’s the perfect vantage point to observe the goings on outside while being protected from the elements.”

“Mmm,” I hummed, as I approached the windows to look out.

There were a lot of dragons outside, definitely more than there were when we arrived.

Keifer came up beside me and looked out right along with me; the more we stood there, the more nervous I got.

Which, in turn, triggered my newly acquired, yet still uncontrolled, powers to burst forth from me.

The windows, which had been clear and open, started to haze over as frost started to nip at the edges.

It almost reminded me of the fake snow that people used to decorate with over the holidays, except this ‘snow’ was most definitely real.

It started with the windows, but slowly began to fill the room around us and then beyond to the outside.

The fountain that was right outside the door slowly froze, becoming a beautiful work of ice and concrete before my eyes.

“Holy shit,” I breathed.

The three blue dragons I had met earlier, screeched in excitement and barreled straight towards the window.

I stepped back reflexively, but Keifer’s hand at my back had me stilling as we watched the three small dragons barrel into the ice, biting into the icicles.

“Wow,” I said in awe. “They’re eating the ice.”

Keifer laughed.

“They’re ice dragons. They’re from Alaska originally, but their home was destroyed by a horde of Purists who happened to stumble upon them. Those three were the only ones to survive the attack out of the entire pack of dragons that lived there. Their parents were among the first to go, but they managed to hide those three in a hidden cave on the property,” Keifer explained softly.

My heart broke.

Literally broke for them.

“That’s awful,” I swallowed. “Why would someone do that? From what I’ve been able to gather over my lifetime, dragons are harmless.”

Keifer moved to my back, warming me. “Think about something warm. Think about taking a hot shower. It’ll stop.”

I nodded, and thought about the way I was feeling right now with Keifer’s big, muscular body at my back, warming me in a way I’d never been warmed before.

It worked, allowing the ice to melt just as suddenly as it came over me.

Then it started to get really warm.

I’m talking seriously hot.

My mind was in hyper drive as I thought about what Keifer’s body was doing to my own.

In fact, I was so entranced by thoughts of what Keifer could do to my body that I didn’t realize that I was putting off so much heat.

“What are you thinking about, little Blythe? Surely a shower wouldn’t get you this hot,” he whispered seductively.

My face flushed, and I pulled away from him abruptly, turning to find us alone in the room, and his mother nowhere in sight.

“Your mom. I thought she was going to talk to me,” I asked in confusion. The room was returning to a normal temperature but I was still at a loss as to what was going on with me.

He looked at me with those beautiful golden brown eyes and smiled.

“She went to get the book,” he answered.

“What book? Why would I read any book right now when what I really want is answers as to why I’m here and what the hell is going on with me?” I asked, taking a step back when he moved to come toward me.

He grinned at the movement, but wisely chose to stay where he was.

“The answers you want are in the book…it’s going to change your life. It changed mine, and well…you need to read it first, and then I’ll do my best to get answers from my mother,” he answered.

I raised a brow at him. “Well then, where is this mysterious book?”

His mother entered the sun room at that moment, bringing with her a leather bound book that looked like one of those huge old dictionaries that you’d see in a library.

She held it out to Keifer, smiled at him, and walked outside, leaving us alone once again.

“Now,” Keifer handed me the book. “Sit down and read.”

Taking the book cautiously, I did just that.***

My vision had blurred by the time I finished reading.

I’d been so riveted by what I was reading that I hadn’t moved a single muscle except for the ones in my hand that were needed to turn the page.

Keifer, as promised, was still directly in front of me, staring at me.

He watched as I flipped the last page, and closed the book, silently.

I cleared my throat and gathered the courage to look up at him.

“You’re…you’re my mate? Is that what you’re trying to get me to understand?” I asked, voice cracking with astonishment.