Ran looked uncharacteristically hesitant, and she saw him share a glance with Draven before putting his hands behind his head and reclining the chair slightly.
“I’m not sure how much to say. None of us were planning this. We’re all a little taken off guard. Honestly, we weren’t expecting you there that night, and we broke protocol by bringing a human witness here,” Ran said.
She bit her lip. “If this is dangerous for me, I should know.”
“Honey, you didn’t think about dangerous when you walked out to face about a dozen feral werewolves,” Ran said, smirking.
“I didn’t know they were werewolves.”
“Hm, and bikers look so much safer…” he teased.
She laughed as a flush crept up her cheeks. “I guess I didn’t care. Someone was in trouble. I was the only one available to help.”
“Ridiculous,” Draven muttered.
She sighed. “Maybe. But I couldn’t have lived with myself if I hadn’t done something.”
“And what good could you even have done?” Draven asked, as the vehicle swerved slightly and Ran placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him. When Draven had collected himself, he continued. “What could you have done if we hadn’t been there? You’d be dead, but not before they’d made you wish you were.”
She swallowed.
“You’re going to have to be more careful from here on out,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “You aren’t immortal yet.”
“I know,” she said. “Look, I don’t know what to tell you. I didn’t do it to make you angry. I did it because it was the right thing to do. Stepping in when something innocent or helpless is at stake.”
Ran gave her a reassuring smile, but Draven just cursed.
“That’s our job. And sometimes we’ll have to leave you at home to go do it, and I need to know you’ll stay home and be safe,” Draven said.
“Dray’s a little protective,” Ran said with a laugh. “It’s one of his better qualities. And one of his bigger flaws.”
Draven grumbled something under his breath and Ran raised an eyebrow.
“What was that?”
“I said with your reckless ass around, someone’s got to be the careful one.”
“He’s too careful,” Ran said, giving Melissa a warm look that heated her from head to toe. She wished she could see in Ran’s head like he could see in hers.
“Anyway, not all dragons are like Quill. And as other dragons find out about us, they may come to challenge us for you,” Draven said.
“Not likely,” Ran said.
“True,” Draven said. “But possible. Dragons are getting more desperate for mates that can withstand the change.”
“The change?”
Draven shook his head. “I’ve said too much. I’m not sure you’re the one, and I don’t want to have to take more of your memory than necessary if you decide to run.”
“I’m not a runner,” she said stubbornly, folding her arms. “Bravery, stupidity, whatever you want to call it, I don’t back down. There’s no point. I rush headlong into things. I don’t see any point in hiding.”
Draven shook his head. “If I’m going to risk letting you into our lives, I need to know you know the difference between bravery and stupidity.” He sighed. ““How you’ve survived to this point, I don’t know.”
She flinched and then her expression drew into a glare. “You know, I’ve wondered the same thing, because by all rights, I should be dead,” she retorted. “But I’m not dead, and all I can do is live to the best of my ability, doing what seems right to me. I’m not going to apologize for that, and you don’t have to like it.”
“Fine,” Draven said, gripping the steering wheel and staring straight ahead. “We’ll be there in a half hour or so.”
6
After a day of errands, Draven was still stewing in his own doubts. He wished he could just fall into this as easily as Ran and Melissa seemed to, but something was bothering him.
Aside from Melissa having no concern for her own personal safety, she also seemed to lack any meaningful connections in her life.
“Look at that constipated face,” Ran said. “I think we need to get him home and do something relaxing.”
“I’m not constipated,” Draven grumbled, tapping his glass lightly, enjoying the slight tinkling sound. “I just don’t see how the two of you can take this so lightly.”
Melissa and Ran’s smiles dampened slightly, though they continued to lean against each other as they studied him warily. Melissa’s beautiful brown skin and dark, curly hair looked amazing next to Ran’s golden beauty. The sight of them together threatened to take his breath away, filling his head with thoughts of the bedroom.