Page 17 of So I Dared a Dragon (The Mating Game #6)

seventeen

. . .

Calista

Something was up. Bibi was usually an oversharer. She was so head over heels in love with her role as a fairy dragmother that she couldn’t help but tell anyone willing to listen every single detail of her latest project. Tight-lipped wasn’t her shade of gloss or her vibe—and this morning, she was trying to pull it off. Not only were she and Marissa speaking in half sentences, but Bibi never left the house unless she was at maximum capacity for fabulous. And today her outfit could only be described as half drag. Sure, she was in a wig and what I would consider makeup for her, but regular top and jeans? She might as well have just wrapped herself in a red flag.

So when it was announced I was headed to the library to do research, I knew it was just a fancy way of saying that I had a babysitter for the afternoon. Even though the production crew gushed about the resources at Laura’s disposal, the only thing I’d ever participated in at The Village library was spicy shifter romance book club, where after many, many glasses of wine, we skipped to the good part and the ladies of the Colorado Ranch pack took turns reading the passages out loud, and then reinforcing or debunking the myth of the scenes.

Those nights were so much fun, and I’d always wanted to chime in and tell them about my experiences with Aarix. But I never did. Not only had I felt like an outsider, but their mates were all wolves, lions, bears, and… Bigfoot.

Would they have even believed that a dragon wanted to claim me before they saw him with their own eyes?

And as much as I had built-in cred as Bibi’s childhood bestie, there was also a stigma as being the one she left behind.

“I’m so glad you’re actually here!” Laura gushed as Tina and I walked into the library. “Bibi keeps telling me to get ready for an epic research session, but we haven’t made plans.”

“These came together last minute.” Tina stifled a yawn and held up her travel mug. “I hope you don’t mind I brought coffee. I need all the caffeine I can get today.”

Laura gave the mug a disapproving look the way only a librarian could. “I’d prefer you enjoyed it out here. Not that I don’t trust you, but everything in the research room is one of a kind, and accidents happen.”

Tina nodded. “No worries. I’m a boy mom. I know all about accidents.”

“Late night last night?” I asked. I hadn’t been able to make out what Bibi and Marissa were saying this morning before I’d come out of my bedroom. All I’d been able to decipher was panic in their tone, but everyone insisted on acting like this was business as usual when I was in the room.

Sure, I’d given them more than enough reasons not to trust me. But I desperately wanted to feel like I belonged here. I didn’t know what the future would hold for Aarix and me, if we’d stay here or head back to Tennessee. If we even had a future, a thought that made my blood run cold and the scales that had become a part of me heat up. I had a feeling this morning’s mystery chaos had dragon written all over it.

“The twins don’t know what it means to sleep in.” Tina chuckled. “Usually, our schedule accommodates that, but this morning, I’m feeling it.”

Not the answer I was looking for.

“Follow me,” Laura said. “This is the newest and the oldest part of the library. The local packs didn’t have a system for keeping their history all in one place. When Mason let me take over the old library building, I was determined to give back to the pack. I wanted them to know I was one of them.”

So Laura had felt like an outsider at one point too, and now she was firmly part of the heart and soul of this pack. There was hope for me yet.

“Laura’s plan was met with so much resistance,” Tina added. “The elders had a rich oral history, and their family artifacts in their attics or in the hutch near the table. They felt like that was a safe system. Laura’s spent time with almost everyone in the pack, recording their history and putting it into searchable volumes.”

Laura beamed. “I’ve been working closely with Wendy—she’s an archeologist, so she’s been able to source existing books on the area history and wait until the Museum of Shifter History opens! The bigger artifacts will be there, but we want to keep the library as a place where the locals can feel close to those who’ve come before them.”

“That all sounds lovely,” I said as we walked into the research room. The vibration instantly changed, from fun and upbeat to serious and a little ominous. Like whoever’s stories were being held in this room were challenging us not to forget them. Not to fuck things up for those in the future who would rely on these resources. “But I’m not sure what I’ll find that will help the dragons.”

Tina and Laura shared a look, and I desperately wanted to add, but maybe if you told me what was happening, I’d know what I was looking for.

It wasn’t like me to hold back, but I wouldn’t be the only one who would pay for the consequences of my actions. Ha. Like I could protect a dragon. The scales throbbed, like Aarix was trying to send me a message.

Ugh. Maybe everyone was, and I was just on the wrong freaking wavelength.

“We’re not sure, either,” Laura said. “We’ve never known to look for dragon lore in our research.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s not there,” Tina added. “That’s what we’re hoping you might be able to help us with.”

I cocked a brow. My knowledge of ancient dragon culture would barely fill one page. I’d always hesitated to ask Aarix about his past. He was a prisoner and held himself responsible for what had happened to his thunder. I’d wanted our time together to be something that helped heal his heart, instead of giving him a chance to dwell on his regrets. “Wouldn’t the dragons be a better resource?”

“Of course.” Laura sighed. “But we’d love to have resources ready for them. So all we’re hoping for is a place to start.”

“I’ll do my best.” Now I understood. She didn’t want to go to them without anything tangible. Laura and I had more in common than I thought.

But also, relying on me to make her look like a reliable resource was a risky move.

The research room was amazing. The common areas of the library were painted light colors, lined with white bookshelves, and had soft, plush, colorful seating areas to enjoy your find. This room was in the back of the building and naturally shaded by some impressive pine trees. The walls were painted a dark marine blue, and the chairs were brown leather. Lighting was low, and everything was behind glass to preserve it. I took a walk around the room, inhaling the scent of leather, old books, and ancient secrets as Laura unlocked a case and carefully extracted some giant volumes.

“Am I late?” Wendy popped her head into the room. “Please tell me I didn’t miss any juicy dragon gossip.”

Girl, that makes two of us who need to be brought up to speed on the dragon tea…

“Nope, your timing’s perfect.” Tina laughed.

There was a wooden table in the middle of the room with live edges, like it had grown here naturally. Laura laid the books carefully in the middle of the table. “This is the best place to start.”

I couldn’t lie: The giant, ancient tomes were super intimidating. Not to mention that Laura’s first love was books, and Wendy was an actual archeologist—a job that I hardly had even dared to dream about.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve done serious research.” I chuckled nervously. “I didn’t go to college.”

Laura waved her hand to dismiss the fear. “You might not have a fancy piece of paper or soul-crushing student loan debt, but you have something money can’t buy—firsthand experience with dragons.”

“It’s pretty badass,” Wendy added.

Okay, these ladies had my back. And more than that, they needed me. I had something they didn’t. The scales warmed in an entirely new way. Previously, the heat felt like a warning, but this was more like a confirmation. I pulled my sleeve down. My newest accessory felt like it should stay a secret for a little while longer. “What should I do?”

“We don’t have any information about the dragons,” Wendy confessed. “At least we don’t think we do.”

“I can’t imagine they’d be completely omitted.” Laura frowned as she opened a sepia-colored book.“Unless something awful happened.”

I wished Marissa were here with us. Last night she’d woven some ominous connections between all the ancient artifacts and creatures that they’d encountered while working on The Mating Game.

“You discovered the Hudaknocker?” I peered over the blue book in front of me at Wendy.

“Not sure discovered is the right word. If that had been the case, I would’ve found it on one of the official digs I participated in during college, and not after it had been thrown away like trash when they were breaking ground on a housing development full of McMansions.”

“Someone wanted you to find it.”

“Yes,” Wendy confirmed much more easily than I expected. Apparently she had not gotten the don’t share any of the good stuff with Calista memo. “I was about to walk away from the show, from shifters entirely, and go back to my boring day job when I found the holy grail—the piece I’d been looking for my entire life.”

“Why do you think someone wanted you to find it? And the timing seems intentional too.” There was a reason we’d all been brought together in this way. Why Bibi had left the pack, and why I insisted on following her. Why I’d chased the ultimate thrill of giving my body to an enslaved dragon, and why Wendy made the archeological find of a lifetime just when she was ready to give up on her dreams and her mate.

Tina furrowed her brow, and I expected her to step in and change the subject or at least remind me it was her job to ask the questions, but she didn’t. She wanted the answer too.

“It’s a fertility idol. And it’s definitely lived up to the hype—bringing Gabe and me together, and you know Marissa still blames it for her accepting Bjorn’s advances—but seriously, have you seen the big, gorgeous polar bear? There was only so long she’d be able to resist him.”

“Right, but why you? And why now?” I leaned closer. I wasn’t giving up until I could connect all the ancient dots. “As an archeologist and a librarian” —I’d include Laura in this too—“you must have wondered what the significance is.”

It took Wendy a moment to answer. “At the time, it seemed serendipitous, but there were wolves who wanted to take it from us, so I’m not sure if I was the intended recipient.”

That was interesting. I thought back to the drama from Wendy’s episode—it had been edited to look like a land dispute. A developer who’d wanted to build, and shifters preserving their way of life.

“What do you think would’ve happened if you hadn’t found the Hudaknocker? If the real estate mogul got his paws on it first?”

Wendy leaned back in her chair and let out a sigh. “I have to wonder if he was working with the dire wolves that challenged Lars.”

“Ooh, yeah.” Tina’s brows raised sky high. “I bet he was. And if they’d had the Hudaknocker, they might have been able to do more than just revive ancient beasts—they could’ve used that DNA to create new ones.”

My mind was spinning, and I didn’t need to feel self-conscious when we talked about Hudaknockers and zombie shifters—no theory I could throw out could be more outrageous than what these ladies had already experienced.

“But why these ancient beasts?” All the answers gave me more questions. Better questions, though, which made me think we were getting there. “Is their DNA stronger?”

Laura and Wendy looked at each other.

“It would be different than modern human and shifters’ genetic makeup, sure,” Wendy offered. Her words were slow, like her thoughts formed as she was saying them.

The scales throbbed. Okay, we were getting warmer.

“All creatures adapt, and of course, we’ve been changed by environmental influences. And as we all breed, those genetics take on the strongest characteristics needed in the environment,” she added.

“Our research and contact with the creatures that lived during that time has also shown us that mating outside of your own kind was prohibited,” Laura added. “And also, forbidding the practice did little to stop it.”

“Okay, so what if the dragons have something to do with this?” I offered. “Aarix’s thunder was brought underground to serve a Night God—the same one who, in modern pagan lore, is responsible for the winter solstice. He captured the dragons to punish them when their goddess didn’t return his advances. Would all thunders worship the same goddess?”

“A version of her, most definitely. I’ve always been amazed at how similar the ancient traditions and oral histories stay, even when the packs—or, in this case, thunder—would’ve have very little contact with each other.” Wendy pushed the book aside and focused on me. “A goddess would be bigger than time and space.”

“Okay, so we have a motive.” I cursed myself for not asking Aarix more questions when we were together before, and for blocking out the dark horrors I witnessed in that mountain instead of absorbing them, learning from them.

I needed to get in touch with Darcy. She would know things none of the rest of us would. The only question was if she’d be willing to talk about her time in the mountain.

“The Smoky Mountain thunder had been tasked with mining minerals from the earth to give power to the Night God. He had a human form too—”

“Right, as that country music singer,” Tina said. “He always came off as an egotistical prick, and now we know why.”

“But he wanted to get himself in front of a crowd. A lot of people. Strong emotion.” The scales were prickling on my arm, confirming that I was onto something. “It’s entirely possible he needed something else from the Rocky Mountain dragons.”

Again, Laura and Wendy looked at each other, like they were silently assessing my claim, and they both nodded.

“Were the dire wolves important to their pack in their time?” I asked.

“One of them was an alpha, but don’t forget, we had a reemergence of an ancient shifter king,” Wendy said. “Lars’s brother Leif.”

“The legends thought the Shifter King had destroyed the ancient relics, therefore making the shifters mortal,” Laura said. “We had thought Lars had been the only one who’d survived that time.”

“The Night God is still alive,” I reminded them. “He’s agreed to play nice. Spoiler alert—he didn’t get the girl. Her true mate liberated her from the mountain and they’re living happily ever after in Summerland, Tennessee. Why would he have agreed to give these dragons their freedom if he didn’t have a solid plan B?”

Surprised looks blossomed around the table.

“You think he’ll come back for more?” Wendy asked. “Or he’s using these dragons as fuel for his latest plan?”

“I’m not sure.” I was purely spitballing, and it was dangerous. But it was the first thing that started to tie all the elements together and make them make sense. “My other thought was what if now these ancient, powerful creatures had seen the consequences of their actions, and they thought they could fix their mistakes if they got all their power in one place?”

“They’re both really good theories,” Tina said. Whoa. She hardly ever agreed with me. “We should run them by Aarix and the guys when they get back.”

“Are you going to tell me where they went?” I’d known there was little chance they’d stayed at HQ all night. All that power was too much to be contained.

“When the time is right, you’ll know everything,” she said.

I groaned, but reminded myself, baby steps . They saw me as important, which was an improvement from thorn in their side . So I put all my energy into suppressing my grin as I finally cracked open the ancient tome.

The pages felt waxy between my fingers and I was afraid the heat coming off the scales would melt them into the world’s most valuable ball of wax. I cautioned a peek at the other ladies, and they were all deep into their books as well, looking for the answers that would help my mate.

My heart warmed. It had been a long time since I’d felt like part of something bigger than myself—or even wanted to. The Montana pack never did any sort of deed—good or otherwise—with expecting payment with interest.

The book had a vibration that I’d never felt before. Like every cell in my body was singing a hymn in reverence at the chance of being this close to it. The artwork was hand drawn and surprisingly detailed. If I dared touch the page, I imagined I would be able to feel the bristle of the wolves’ stiff fur.

I closed my eyes for a moment, giving my own she-wolf a chance to make herself known.

Any time, wolf…

Nothing but a throb from my newly-scaled forearm.

“These are harder to read than I expected.” Tina’s voice startled me back into the room.

“Handwriting and language have evolved over the generations.” Wendy chuckled. “You get more accustomed to it the more you read the texts. If there are any words you can’t decipher, let me know. I’m familiar with some of them, and if not, I’ll do what I can to find the meaning.”

I loved that passion. I was envious too, because the only thing I’d ever felt that strongly about was trying to put my life back together in a way that I refused to admit was no longer possible. Maybe that was what Wendy wanted, to bring back these ancient civilizations in a way…which could be very useful if we were on the right track about these dragons.

Concentrate, I said to myself. I’d been so wrapped up in the illustrations, I’d barely looked at the curly script. The next page had a list that didn’t make sense out of context. I’d come back to it. There were more drawings, so lifelike I swear they moved as I turned the pages. I flipped back and forth, testing the theory, and I was right, but not in a way that I ever expected.

“The words are…” I looked up at the ladies, and then back to the rapidly changing page. “Disappearing.”

“No way.” Wendy was the first to leave her seat. Laura and Tina followed, coming to watch the words get swallowed into the ether as I moved the page.

“It’s like there’s a magic spell on the book,” Laura marveled. “The words vanished.”

“There’s something someone doesn’t want us to know,” Tina said ominously.

“Can I take a closer look?” Wendy asked.

I nodded and slid the book over to her. A chill went down my spine.

She moved the page the same way I was, tilting her head, repeating the motion more slowly.

“Give it another try.” She pushed the book toward me again. “Flip the pages.”

I wasn’t sure what she was looking for, or why, but she was definitely the expert in the room, so I did as I was asked.

She gasped. “The words are only disappearing when Calista turns the pages.”