Page 3 of Her Enemy Dragon Captor (Dream Team Shifters #5)

CHAPTER 3

T he location was just a walk away and as the address came into view she stared at the converted warehouse with a mix of curiosity and caution. The place looked innocuous enough from the outside—though it had certainly seen better days. The large industrial building could have used a fresh paint job and the paving was cracked beyond repair. But still it was hardly the compound of doom she'd been half-expecting.

"Alright, Jane. Game face on," she muttered to herself, checking her appearance in the rearview mirror.

Lucy that is. Lucy Watkins. Right.

She'd gone with casual attire—jeans and a green t-shirt—nothing that screamed "undercover FBI agent."

As she approached the front gate, she assessed the others that were arriving—some wearing full animal costumes, others sporting just ears or tails. A few were dressed normally, looking slightly nervous, much like she was pretending to be.

There was a guard at the gate, but nothing that set off alarm bells. He was big and burly and maybe in better shape than your average rent-a-cop, but seemed bored as he checked off names and allowed them to pass inside. She provided her name and was checked off like the rest.

So far, so good.

The entrance opened into a surprisingly clean, organized space. What had once been an industrial warehouse had been transformed into something between a community center and a new-age retreat. She was in a large open space, but realized it made up only a small part of the full warehouse complex. There were meditation areas with cushions arranged in circles, separately by thin rice paper shoji screens, and then exercise equipment along one wall, with mats spread around. Finally, there was another section with rows of folding chairs facing a whiteboard, creating what seemed to be a little classroom or lecture space.

In one of the meditation circles, a slender woman with warm eyes was leading a session. The participants sat with eyes closed as she spoke in a soothing voice.

"Now, I want you to really connect with your fursona. Feel its energy flowing through you. What would it feel like inside if you could really be a fox... or a bear..."

You’ve got to be shittin’ me...

But no sooner had she had the thought than the woman's eyes swept the room and seemed to land directly on Jane as she added, "...or a dragon?"

A strange tingling sensation swept through Jane, so unexpected that she nearly stumbled. But the woman had already moved on, continuing her guidance to the group.

What the hell was that?

She did her best to shake off the odd feeling.

Of course, you feel weird. These people are clearly nuts.

Now get it together, Janie.

She made her way toward what appeared to be a registration desk. And there, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else in the world, was the man from yesterday—Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Hostile. He was even more imposing in this setting, his broad shoulders and stern expression giving him an air of authority that the other staff members clearly respected.

His amber eyes widened slightly when he saw her approach, then narrowed in what looked suspiciously like annoyance.

She was pretty sure her own face mirrored his.

Great. Just my luck.

"Good morning," Jane said brightly, channeling every ounce of her "Lucy" persona. She couldn’t let her personal feelings get in the way of the investigation. No way, no how. "I'm here for the orientation? Cindy invited me."

"You." The word came out like an accusation.

Play dumb. You’re clueless na?ve gullible recruit Lucy.

Now act like it.

Jane maintained her smile with effort. "Me! We met yesterday, though I didn't get your name."

"Alex," he said curtly, looking down at a tablet. "And you are?"

"Lucy Watkins," she supplied, her cover identity sliding off her tongue in what she hoped was an effortless manner.

"Cindy invited you, huh? Well, that’s just wonderful. So, Ms. Watkins , what exactly brings you to our... organization? Beyond the invitation, that is..." Could this guy possibly give her any harder of a time?

Well, actually...he probably could...

Shut the front door. She almost said it aloud she was so irritated with her wandering mind.

This guy is an ass.

Not to mention you are undercover.

But look at those pecs.

"Well, gosh, where do I start?” she said, adding in a little hair toss of her pony tail. I've been into the furry community since college," Jane said excitedly, the rehearsed line – and tone – coming easily. "I heard about your group and how you help people connect more deeply with their fursonas, you know their real deeper inner expression, and it all just sounds so cool. I mean I love getting into my fursuit...it’s like I can do anything...” She tried to punctuate every third or fourth word with another hair toss... “It’s just so freeing... I mean-“

“Yes, I’m sure it’s amazing,” the resident dick interrupted, his voice flat with barely concealed disdain.

Still, his eyes bored into hers, as if trying to see through her cover story. "And what is your fursona? What animal do you identify with, exactly?" He seemed to almost spit the word “fursona”.

"A gecko," Jane replied confidently, having prepared this detail thoroughly.

Alex's eyebrows shot up a fraction. It was subtle but unmistakable. A small smirk played at the corner of his mouth. "A gecko," he repeated, his tone hovering somewhere between amusement and incredulity.

"Yes, a gecko," Jane doubled down, feeling a strange mix of defensiveness and an unwelcome heat rising within her. "Is there a problem with that?"

"No, no problem at all." His smirk widened fractionally. “That’s a small lizard if I am not mistaken. Very small.”

“Yes, so?” She didn’t like his tone.

“It's just... most people here identify with more... formidable creatures."

Jane crossed her arms. "Geckos may be small, but they are also incredibly resilient. Did you know they can lose their tail when threatened and then grow it back? Plus, they can climb almost any surface with their specialized toe pads." The words spilled out before she could stop them.

Alex leaned forward slightly. "Fascinating. So, when danger comes, their primary defense is to... run away and hide? Is that right?”

"They're adaptable," Jane countered, as she leaned over the little reception desk, forgetting momentarily that she was supposed to be meek, eager-to-please Lucy. "And they serve an important role in the ecosystem... ridding the world of annoying little insects.”

She couldn’t help but glare at him as she spoke the last few words.

Calm down Janie. Don’t blow your cover.

“And they survive,” she continued. “If that means dodging and running away, so be it. But they live to hunt another day. There’s more to being a predator than being big and scary." Her gaze locked with his, a silent challenge passing between them.

How did she let this guy get under her skin? And why did it feel so...intoxicating?

Annoyingly so...

Deep breaths Janie...

Something flickered in Alex's amber eyes. Surprise? Or was it something more? Maybe a tiny bit of grudging respect?

"Big and scary, huh?" He got out of his chair and straightened to his full height, the movement fluid and powerful, like a predator uncoiling. It forced Jane to tilt her head up, the close proximity making her heart race. But she didn’t break eye contact, an almost reckless thrill coursing through her veins. "And what sort of creature would you consider... big and scary?"

"Oh, I don't know," Jane said, her voice a little breathless despite her attempt at faux innocence. "I suppose dragons, maybe?" She nodded toward the small pendant visible at his collar—a dragon curled around what appeared to be a crystal, her gaze lingering on the strong column of his throat.

For a moment – another flash. Surprise? Or recognition?

She wasn’t sure.

Stay focused, Janie.

Just get signed up already, or whatever hoop they want you to jump through to join their cult.

"This isn't just some little club, Ms. Watkins. Certainly not like your girl scouts.

“ My girl scouts?”

This guy sucked at pulling people into cults.

No used car salesman grin. No lofty promises of deep knowledge and belonging.

I should tell his boss.

“We take our mission very seriously. There are... commitments involved."

There ya go. That’s a little more like it. Now we’re getting culty.

"I'm quite serious about my interest," Jane said, having fully recovered from her earlier strange need to defend her love of geckos. She was back in her overly eager Lucy persona.

Alex studied her for a moment. "I’m not so sure."

Jane felt a flare of genuine annoyance.

This was a situation she had not prepared for.

Am I getting rejected by a cult?

"I, um I don’t see how you can make that determination based on a two-minute conversation..." she said, her voice sweet but her eyes challenging.

Stay in character Lucy...

"I am committed. More committed than you’ll ever know.” For a moment she locked eyes with him, her eyes blazing with challenge before she quickly averted them...

Also, stay mousey Janie...

She did a quick hair flip to recover from her momentary slip.

“This place just feels like it’s where I belong," she added, softening her shoulders and shifting her tone to her most ingratiating. “I do have something to contribute and am ready to further the mission. I won’t let you down."

Alex's eyes narrowed, but there was something different in his expression now—not just annoyance, but that spark of reluctant respect again. Or maybe just a weird resignation.

"I can see your gecko has some fight in it after all," he said, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. He tapped something on his tablet. "Fine. Welcome to orientation, Ms. Watkins."

"Lucy," she corrected, feeling a small surge of triumph and wanting to build on the barest rapport she felt she had established.

Even if he is an ass.

"Whatever." He nodded toward the main room. "Follow the signs to the welcome area. Someone will get you started."

How dare he ‘whatever’ me...

Rock hard bod or not, she would be happy if she never had to see him again...

She almost believed that thought too...

Before Jane could respond, which was probably just as well, the young woman she had seen leading the guided meditation appeared beside them, her expression warm as she greeted her.

"Hello, and welcome!” The woman exclaimed brightly. She glanced at Alex's tablet and smiled. "I see you are all checked in... oh Lucy! Welcome indeed, I’m Cindy... we emailed – and texted?"

"Cindy, yes! Hi!" Jane responded, genuinely relieved to see a more friendly face. "I was hoping to run into you."

"Perfect timing," Cindy said, linking her arm through Jane's in a gesture that felt surprisingly natural. She gave Alex a look that was part amusement, part exasperation. "I hope Alex here didn't give you too hard a time."

"He was... thorough," Jane replied diplomatically, earning a small snort from Alex.

"I was just doing my job," he said, his attention already shifting to his tablet. "She's your responsibility now.” For a moment he paused before giving her a look. “A gecko. That’s a new one."

Dismissive. Again.

His tone was unmistakable.

But this time Jane held her tongue. No need to jeopardize the mission for her pride. Besides why did she care what he thought about her stupid fursona anyhow. That was just a phase back in college.

"Don’t be so quick to judge, Alex, there is a place for everyone here," Cindy said in her defense as she guided Jane away. "Come on, Lucy. Let me show you around and introduce you to some of the others."

As Cindy led her through the space, Jane caught herself glancing back at the surly man.

Alex.

For an instant their eyes met again. Jane forced herself to hold his gaze. She wouldn’t let him feel he had won. Not even in their little staring contest.

Never mind the buzzing pleasure it caused in her lady parts.

Yeah, never mind that at all.

How about you just get those thoughts out of your head?

You’re on mission... remember? Not ‘Love Island.’

"Sorry about that," Cindy said as they walked, pulling her back to the moment. "Alex takes security very seriously."

"Security?" Jane echoed, genuinely puzzled. "For a meditation group?"

Cindy's smile didn't falter, but something flickered behind her eyes. "Oh, yeah, you can never be too careful these days. You’d be surprised the kind of nutjobs that want to join us."

You don’t say...

But there was something disarmingly sincere about her.

And that’s how they suck you in. Don’t buy it.

"I can only imagine," Jane said, doing her best to capitalize on Cindy’s friendly demeanor, injecting enthusiasm into her own voice. "I am just excited to take the next steps with my fursona. You know it’s one thing to put on my fursuit from time to time, but if there’s a way to tap into that freedom all the time... to really bring it into my daily life. That would be amazing!”

Cindy's face lit up. "Yes! You are in the right place then. You can’t imagine how much I can relate. I would say that most, if not all people are kind of living inside of cages of their own making...”

And gee, don’t tell me... you have the keys to let me out?

Now she was getting somewhere. This was exactly how her sister talked.

“Oh my God, yes... that’s exactly how I feel!" Jane gushed.

“Thing is most don’t even want to be let out...” Cindy replied matter of factly.

“Well, I do. I am ready!”

For a second Cindy paused as she gave her a deeper look. It was just for a moment. “Gecko huh? Yeah, I am thinking there is more than just a little lizard inside of you...”

“Really?” Jane found herself replying with genuine interest before she caught herself.

“You’ll see.” Cindy led her through the facility, explaining the various areas to her and introducing her to a few other recruits. Jane studied them all carefully. To her surprise, they didn't have the glazed, euphoric expressions she had come to associate with the vulnerable types often pulled in by cults. They seemed... normal. Grounded, even. Enthusiastic about whatever this place was offering them, but not in a way that screamed ‘brainwashing’.

After giving her a little tour and leaving her with another teacher for some sort of orientation, Cindy had said her goodbyes for the time being. As the instructor began to cover the basics of their housing and meal schedules, Jane found her mind wandering. She was genuinely confused. If this was a cult, it was subtler than any she'd encountered before. She had actually really liked Cindy. But her confusion was short lived before her FBI mind kicked back in.

Of course it’s a cult. The most dangerous kind.

In her research she had come to realize that the most dangerous cults were the ones that really did offer some real benefits. If it was all bad, no one would join...

No, this was definitely culty. There were plenty of signs.

As the teacher began to prepare them for some sort of short mindfulness meditation Jane tried to go over all she had learned... but despite her best efforts her mind just kept coming back to the jerk who had signed her in. The jerk who also happened to be an absolute specimen.

And then there was that pendant... the dragon.

“Now just focus on your breath...”

But all she could focus on was the heat that continued to build at her core...

Can it Jane. Focus on your mission.

This was going to be tough assignment for sure.

A hard one.

Definitely hard... so hard.

Oh shit.