“You two are most definitely brothers, and it isn’t the resemblance,” West says, making me flinch at how rude he sounds. I know deep down, he’s a good guy, but they don’t know that, and right now, we need their help. We can’t be rude to Jarrod and Stephan. We can’t afford it. Quite literally.
“Thank you so much for coming to our aid,” I quickly say.
“Yes.” Maddox clears his throat. “We appreciate it.” He gives West a glaring look that seems to shut him up.
“Forge’s shop is a few miles up the road. It’s no trouble.” Jarrod doesn’t look so sure.
“I was on my way to Buns, but they’re too small to accommodate a big group, so we’ll head to Aunt June’s,” Stephan says. “I’ll order you a three-cheese omelet?” He lifts his brows.
Jarrod nods. “I’ll be there in a few.”
“Do you need help hitching…?” Stephan starts.
Jarrod shakes his head. “I’m good. You go ahead.” He looks at Barrett again, getting that same weird look on his face. Then he seems to shake it off. “We can talk over breakfast,” he adds.
“Yes, we will.” Stephan widens his eyes.
I wonder what that is all about.
“My car is a five-seater,” Stephan says. “One of you will need to sit in the truck bed.”
“Not necessary,” West says. “Raven can sit on my lap.”
“I’m not sitting on your lap,” I snap at him.
Stephan looks between me and West, like he’s sizing up the situation. West is making it look like we’re together. He’s definitely trying to stake a claim on me. I don’t like how that makes me feel because I’m not sure what Stephan will think. I shouldn’t care either way, but I do. Maybe because it looks like Stephan might care too. I’m hoping he doesn’t get the wrong idea.
“Why not?” West growls, making things worse.
“It’s not far…a couple of miles,” Stephan says. “The bed isn’t big, but it’ll do the job.”
“I…” I start, intent on agreeing to sit there myself. There is no way in hell I’m sitting anywhere near West. I can’t believe how put out he looks when I make that particular reality crystal clear. He still doesn’t get it. We’re done! Finished! It’s over.
“I’ll sit in the back.” Maddox puts up his hand. “You sit up front since you’re the tallest,” he says to West, who immediately accepts with a curt nod. He doesn’t look completely satisfied.
Jerk!
‘Thank you!’ I mouth to my brother. I watch as Maddox gives Jarrod the keys to the car.
After putting our bags in the trunk bed with Maddox, we pile into Stephan’s Jeep. I sit in the back between Zale and Barrett. It’s a tight fit, but we manage. Then we’re heading to the diner. Our immediate future is quite literally in the hands of strangers. I hope to god my gut feeling about Stephan is right. I catch his gaze in the rearview mirror for a second or two and feel better in an instant. I’m not sure why exactly, but I feel I can trust him.
5
Stephanus
Everyone orders food. I stick with pancakes. I know they won’t be as tasty as Buns can make them, but it’s what I feel like.
We’re squeezed into a large booth on the quiet side of the diner. This section overlooks the parking lot instead of the freeway. We’ll be able to talk here without being overheard.
The server arrives with a tray, which she sets on our table. Her eyes are overly large as she takes us in for a few moments before serving our drinks. It was almost comical when we walked in. She dropped a full plate of eggs and grits right on the floor, her eyes just as wide as they are now. We’re five huge guys. Humans tend to find us appealing. I’m not sure what Raven and her gang are, but they’re definitely not human. We look formidable. As scary and menacing as we are attractive, hence the plate of food on the floor earlier. And hence the looks she’s throwing at us right now. Her cheeks are flushed.
“Um…” I notice her hand is shaking a little as she puts West’s large soda in front of him. “Here you go.” Then she puts a glass of OJ in front of me, followed by a coffee mug in front of everyone else. Her hand is still shaking when she pours the coffee. She manages to overfill Maddox’s mug, causing a spill. “Shoot!” She rubs her lips together. “I’m being such a klutz today,” she says as she wipes the counter down, her eyes still on Maddox.
He stares blankly ahead. Not acknowledging her.
“Thanks.” I smile at the server, trying to look friendly.
She seems to relax a little. “Your food won’t be long.”
“Thanks, Avery.” I read her name tag.
Avery smiles back at me; it’s strained. She picks up her tray. We watch as she leaves, making sure she’s far enough away before we start talking.
“I’m a dragon demigod,” I say.
“Told you,” West growls at Maddox. He grins for half a second. It’s more menacing than anything else. They seem to know what a dragon demigod is. I normally have to explain myself. Not that we’ve had to tell many people, but the reaction has always been the same. Confusion. Interest. Shock. Something along those lines.
“Which god?” Zale asks, narrowing his eyes. Interesting. I have an idea of where this is going, although I could be wrong. I highly doubt that I am.
“What does it matter?” West growls before I can answer. His eyes are blazing.
I shake my head. “First, tell me more about all of you.” I ignore West’s outburst. Everyone else seems to as well. “What are you?” I keep my eyes locked with Raven’s for a few beats before letting them drift across the group.
“We didn’t think there were more of us,” Maddox confirms my suspicion.
Holy fuck!
Wait just a minute. Does that make Raven a dragon demigod as well? My heart beats faster. Maybe a straight demigod? Who sired her?
Fuck!
I squirm in my seat. Maybe she’s my half-sister? She has my ability to see into the future. That would be all kinds of fucked up since I’m attracted to her.
Maybe she can read my mind because she juts her chin forward. “I’m a dragon shifter. No blood of the gods in these veins.” She holds up her arms, wrists-up.
I gulp down some juice, trying to hide my relief. I’m not planning on acting on my attraction to her. She may have kissed me on the cheek yesterday, but she doesn’t seem to feel the same pull that I do. Also, there’s something going on between her and West. I note that she has chosen to sit on the opposite side of the booth to him. A lover’s tiff? Were they together? Are they still together? Something else entirely?
I’m at the end of the booth. I pulled up a chair. I’m three seats up from Raven. I need to avoid accidentally touching her. I do this out of respect. I hate my visions. If she read me once, chances are she’ll read me again. That is, if she’s anything like me. I don’t want that for her, even though I wouldn’t mind knowing more about the vision she had.
Maddox takes a sip of his black coffee. “The rest of us are dragon demigods. Same as you.” He looks shocked to his core. Like he’s mulling it over. I can see his mind working. “We’re twenty-six years old.”