Page 73 of Nexus
As per my request, we stopped at a fast-food restaurant to grab a couple of burgers. I could have eaten five of them on my own, but I handed one to Aurora. We wolfed them down as we continued our journey to the center of Nexus.
I pulled a t-shirt out of my backpack and handed it to Aurora. “Put this on,” I suggested. My jeans were far too large for her and she’d never be able to keep them up. She shucked off the jacket and the werelion almost ran up the back of the car that had stopped at a light. He slammed on the brakes when his colleague sucked in an alarmed breath. We all jerked against our seatbelts, except for Ruen, who hadn’t buckled himself in. His reflexes were good enough to lift a hand and brace himself against the seat. He didn’t even bother to open his eyes.
“Watch the road instead of the naked girl,” the second lion growled, but he turned to watch Aurora wriggle into the t-shirt. She pulled the jacket back on over the shirt, then leaned against me. It was a bit weird to have a woman clinging to me like this. I’d grown used to her affectionate nature in the underworld. Now that she’d assumed a human form, it was going to take some adjustment for us all.
The SUV pulled into the driveway to the underground parking area of Drake’s building. It parked in one of the slots for employees and Ruen opened his eyes. “Home sweet home,” he said peevishly.
“Aren’t you glad to be back in our world?” I asked as we climbed out.
“I had a certain freedom in the underworld that I lack here,” he replied, then cut a look at our escorts without elaborating. I knew he was talking about being able to kill, maim and feed on our enemies. Now that we were home, the restrictions his boss had placed on him had returned.
“I can feel someone very powerful and magical somewhere above us,” Aurora said in a low voice.
“That’s Drake,” I said. “He’s the dragon shifter I mentioned.”
Her eyes widened and she seemed to be on the verge of fleeing. Then she braced herself and followed us into the elevator when the door opened. She slid her hand into mine and became glued to my side as it whisked us upwards. I felt bad for her for being in a new form in a new world where everything was strange and frightening. I needed a bit of comfort myself after our ordeal, so I didn’t tell her to let go.
Chapter Fifty-Four
AURORA’S KNEES WERE practically knocking together when the elevator opened. The shifters didn’t follow us into Drake’s office. They took the elevator back down to the garage.
Lord Gilden stood in front of a window next to the French doors with his back to us. “I’m glad you made it back, safe and sound,” he said as he turned around.
“We’re relieved to be home, my lord,” Ruen said. “It wasn’t easy, but our mission was a success.”
Aurora began to tremble when the dragon switched his attention to her. I squeezed her hand, silently telling her she wasn’t in any danger. “I see you’ve brought someone back through the gate with you,” he said in heavy disapproval. “I’m sure you have a reasonable explanation for it.”
“This is Aurora,” I said in introduction. “Aurora, this is Lord Drake Gilden. He’s in charge of the supernatural community in Nexus.”
“Hello, my lord,” she said in a trembling voice.
He inclined his head in greeting, then switched his golden gaze to me expectantly. He wanted to know my reason for bringing her back with me and he wanted to hear it now.
“We ran into Aurora shortly after we entered the underworld,” I began. “She was being attacked by a pair of hungry dogs. I saved her from them and she helped us find the scroll.”
“She knows about the scroll?” Drake asked in a sharp tone.
“She led us straight to it,” Ruen told him. “We probably would have stumbled around for months without her guidance.”
“How exactly did you find the scroll?” he asked, belatedly gesturing for us to take a seat. He’d been expecting an extra guest, going by the third chair that had been placed in front of his desk. We all took a seat and Aurora glanced at me for guidance.
“Aurora can sense magic,” I explained. “She has a different form in the underworld.”
“What form might that be?”
“She’s a bird,” Ruen said. “She’s smaller than a peacock, but similar in coloring.” Aurora would have been drab shades of brown if she’d resembled a peahen.
“A bird isn’t your natural form, is it, Aurora?” Lord Gilden said, piercing her with his gaze. She trembled harder and shook her head, but clamped her lips shut.
“Do you want the scroll?” I asked to distract him.
“That can wait for a few moments,” he said, to my surprise. “Would you like some refreshments? I’m sure you’re all famished from your lengthy journey to another dimension.”
Ruen’s fangs descended and he swallowed when he began to salivate. “If it isn’t too much trouble, my lord,” he said in a tone that was almost humble.
My rumbling stomach had to be the cause of Drake offering us refreshments. The constant noise was getting on his nerves. He called someone to bring some food and blood up to his office, turning away to face the French doors while he spoke.
“It’s okay,” I whispered to Aurora when her trembling didn’t diminish. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”