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Even using snowmobiles, it took several hours to complete the clean-up. The charred and melted spots in the snow ended up covered by blown drifts, leaving no sign of the carnage. The front door proved a tad more difficult to fix, but once the truck was pulled free, Maddox set to work covering it with a tarp.
As all this went on, Malone woke and, not surprisingly, was a ranting lunatic about his new status. Abaddon took great delight in telling Malone that he only lived by his mercy and that disobedience would be punished. Although Malone did calm down a bit when told he’d be expected to continue his dragon studies so long as everything learned was shared.
The morning after the storm—and thankfully after pre-breakfast nookie with Maddox—the cops showed up. They eyed the tarped front door, but surprisingly didn’t ask about it, most likely assuming storm damage. Then again, they’d come on more serious matters. They questioned us—us being me, Maddox, and Leo, who promised to behave if he could spend time with Abaddon—about the car with its dead occupants found in the ditch nearby.
No, sir. I don’t know them. No identification? How odd. And that was the end of it, for us at least. A news report theorized they were drug smugglers, seeing as how the vehicle had never been registered and the plates were fakes.
The next few weeks we settled into a routine. I woke, made my dragon’s breakfast, showered, made him his second breakfast, then headed off to work with Maddox, leaving Abaddon with Leo who was allowed free reign during that time under the dragon’s watchful eye.
I didn’t worry about Leo trying to do anything because, quite frankly, I’d never seen someone so utterly besotted. I didn’t think he could shove his nose any further up Abaddon’s ass. As for Little Fella, you know he enjoyed the adulation.
With Leo not working, the tattoo shop kept me busy. Too busy, until we hired two more artists, one to replace Leo and an extra so I could reduce my hours. After all, I no longer technically needed to work. Leo provided everything we needed and as an apology to me, had the prebuilt house we’d been talking about dropped on Granny’s lot in case I ever decided to leave the ranch. I couldn’t see that happening. Our current location offered Abaddon everything he needed and I wasn’t about to abandon my Little Fella.
Things with Maddox were going well, to the point he and Princess moved permanently to the ranch. Suzy took over his apartment. He let her have it rent-free and made her a partner at the pet shop, which meant more time for us to spend together—time to fuck, talk, and convince Abaddon he needed his own bedroom.
The latter proved easier than expected. Abaddon declared himself too old to be sleeping with servants. Guess Princess didn’t count. Rather than sleep with us, she’d taken to hanging with Abaddon. Those two had become the best of friends and you rarely saw one without the other.
As for Malone, he remained a surly and annoying man, but I would give him credit. He knew a shit ton about dragons. He might be angry at being held captive, but that didn’t stop the cryptozoologist from studying Abaddon and comparing what he learned to what he’d studied in the old texts the so-called dragon stewards had passed down.
Life was good. Even great. I should have known Abaddon would ruin it.
“Pip, I have some exciting news,” he announced, bouncing on the bed Maddox had just rolled out of with a promise to fetch me a cup of much-needed coffee.
“It’s too early for this,” I grumbled, shoving my head under the pillow.
“Too early? It’s already past my first breakfast time,” was his disdainful reply.
“Because it’s Saturday. The day I get to sleep in.”
“No sleeping in. You must pack your belongings. You are going on a voyage.”
“To where?” I grumbled.
“South America.”
That grabbed my interest. I peeked at Abaddon—now the size of a large dog—and noticed he trembled with excitement. “Why do I need to go to South America?”
“To find a dragon, of course.”
And that was the reason why Maddox and I ended up on a private jet—with Abaddon left behind with Leo, who would coordinate anything we might need—heading to South America to embark on a wild jungle adventure.
Will they find another dragon? Find out in the next book, Serving My Dragon.