How to Date a Dragon(10)
“I told you never to call me that,” she hissed through gritted teeth.
“Sorry, Gaia. It’s just that you gave birth to Zeus, who’s my father, so therefore…”
She glared at him and a violent wind ripped through the room, blowing cards off the table and rippling everyone’s long, white gowns.
“Sorry, Goddess. Forgive me.”
She sighed. “I’ll forgive you this time, but only because you’re my favorite.”
The other gods gaped at them, several with raised eyebrows.
“Oh, relax,” she called out. “You’re all my favorites.” Then she rolled her eyes.
They looked away, although some of them still appeared tweaked. A moment later, the cards were magically back in their hands and they resumed their game.
“So what’s wrong? How can I help?”
“That fucking Caribbean dragon, Zina,” Mother Nature muttered. “What’s she doing up here?”
Apollo shrugged. “You probably have a better idea than I do since I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
Gaia pointed her long finger at a motorcyclist cruising down Storrow Drive. “That bitch right there. Thanks to a voodoo priestess, she’s run amok for two centuries and there’s nothing I can do to stop her.”
“What’s she doing that you need to stop?”
Gaia threw her hands in the air and whirled away from the glass. “Everything. That creature does whatever she damn well pleases and cares nothing about the consequences. I understand she has a lair where she keeps sex slaves. She finds men vacationing alone, and suddenly they’re never heard from again.”
“Why haven’t we been supplicated? Beseeched? Prayed to for help?”
Gaia chortled. “Come on… Do you really expect men to complain about being sex slaves?”
Apollo shrugged.
“But that’s not all. Humans have almost spotted her in dragon form, either through her carelessness or because she’s tempting fate on purpose. It’s happening more and more frequently.”
“Why would she do that?”
“I swear she’s goading me. She’s a spoiled brat, and the last time I caught her flying, I paid her a little visit. I thought she understood my stern warning. After that, I decided to take a nice walk on the beach and she zipped past me, singing, “Neener, neener, neener.”
“Don’t let her get to you.”
“Oh, sure. Be the bigger goddess, right? Ignore her, right?”
“Exactly.”
“I can’t!” Mother Nature shouted so loudly the gods jumped and dropped their cards. “She’s coming into her fertile cycle. If she mates with another dragon, I’ll have to deal with more of them.” Mother Nature crossed her arms and muttered under her breath, “I was almost rid of them too.”
“Why do you want to get rid of them?”
“I don’t make mistakes, but sometimes… Never mind.”
“So, what should we do?”
“We shouldn’t do anything, yet. There are barely any dragons left, so chances of her finding one are slim. But just in case, contact the Balogs and ask them to keep an eye on that bar where the paranormals hang out. If she shows up there, we’ll need to know right away.”
Chapter 2
Bliss sat at the family dining table, trying to concentrate on her work despite constant interruptions. For some reason, her mother could not understand that talking while Bliss was trying to think was the same as interrupting.
“Is it so terrible to be back home? You’ve done nothing but mope for days.”
Her mother stirred the pasta sauce bubbling on the stove. The tangy tomatoes mixed with garlic and spices smelled like home. Under other circumstances, it would be wonderful. If Bliss were in her own apartment, she would have simply opened a jar. Try to be nice.
“I’m sorry, Ma. It’s not bad. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
Bliss sighed. “I don’t know. I feel like a nine-year-old when I’m back home, letting you cook for me, sleeping in my old bedroom.”
Her mother wiped her hands on her apron. “If you were married, I’d let you have the guest room.”
“And give up the opportunity to sleep in a bunk bed again?” Bliss slapped a hand over her heart in a dramatic gesture. “Perish the thought.”
“Yeah, yeah, Miss Sarcastic. Look, we don’t know how long you’ll be here. It could be months or years, and what if your married brothers and their lovely wives come to visit?”
Bliss tried not to groan out loud. “Why would they stay over? They live less than a mile away.”