Her Hidden Dragon Mate: Sahara Pride

i could feel you behind my eyes

-Tiago-

     "Nice to see you again, Ms. Ghazi." I feel her eyes checking me up and down, not displeased.

      "Less formal, but a good look, Mr. De La Rosa." Hearing her remember my name sends a little spark of happiness directly into my bloodstream, a high I didn't know I could ride.

     "Less formal..?" Her girlfriend, whose name I don't know, gives her a quizzical look.

     "Oh, yes, I'm sorry. Felicity, this is Santiago De La Rosa, Mr. Graves' bodyguard. We sort of met earlier today during the video chat." I notice her careful response and realize she hasn't said anything about the mountains to them yet. I'm relieved but also a little apprehensive- now I know they don't know my secret but that I'm possibly still a secret in another way. 

     "I owe him a drink," Felicity says sheepishly, "but now I sort of feel like I embarrassed you with a coworker or something."

     "You didn't embarrass her at all, I promise. If anything, you're a credit to her- you were courteous and polite when you bumped into me where other people would have been rude." She flashed me a grateful smile when we were interrupted by Darcy staring daggers into Felicity's chest when she rudely shoved my new drink at me. The lionesses they came with seemed a little amused by the action and one in particular was studying me, a curvy thick one, about average height, with a tousled black bob and deep skin like chocolate. "What did she say your name was again?"

     "Tiago. and yours?" I decide to test my new drink out to make sure Darcy hadn't finally decided to poison me.

     "I'm Amisha. Did you guys hook up or something?"

     I sputter, coughing and spraying my hand with old fashioned and causing a chorus of laughter amongst the small group of lionesses. The look from Sam didn't escape me as she searched my blushing face. "No, in fact. Her boss is my best friend and she made a fool of herself offering to, ah... service me once. And she's been weird ever since, even sober." I could tell they were enjoying my presence despite the teasing and decided on an opportunity before I could make my exit. 

    Pulling out my wallet, I turn to Sam and say "I'm always looking for... new opportunities, as it were. I think keeping yourself open to possibility is very important. Here's my card, in case you should ever need security. I hope to hear from you soon. It was lovely to meet you ladies, and I hope you enjoy your night." There was something unreadable in her eyes as I walked away, back to the patio. She was going to need room to sort herself out before she could tackle the idea of two relationships- assuming she even wanted to try.

**

-Sam-

     I felt like I was holding my breath through that whole exchange. 

     I hadn't known what to say to Felicity yet, so I just kind of... hadn't. It's not uncommon for lionesses to have multiple mates- our drives are much higher than a male's, and I know some of my pride is fully polyamorous. I just never imagined it would happen to me, and I'd never considered needing to navigate the situation. "Hey, guys, I'm gonna head to the bathroom, I'll be right back."

     "Yes, Queen," several of them chorus. 

     Amisha studies me and says "I'll go with you."

     I don't argue, she's nearly as stubborn as I am and my precious childhood friend. When we get there she checks the stalls and locks the door. "What's going on? I think the rest are a little too tipsy to notice but I definitely smelled the weirdest mix of emotions coming off of you. What did he do? Is it his dickhead boss?"

     "I just... okay. Give me a minute to pee. I'll explain everything."

     Bracing myself after and washing my hands, I meet her eyes in the mirror and give her the most stripped down run down I can. "Basically, it's like this. I went for a late night hunt run the other night, when I got those deer. I ran into him in the woods and something just... clicked." She looks slightly confused and c***s her head, like a question. "Mish, he smells like home. Like the stones near the markets I grew up next to, where the spice merchant would set up every week, when the smell would soak in after every hot Sunday." Her eyes go big and round.

     "...Oh s**t. Isn't he human? How is this possible?"

     "Sun God only knows HOW it's possible that my life gets this complicated, but all I can say without giving away too much is I'm pretty sure he's not human. I'm also worried it'll send a weird message considering I basically have to work with his scumbag boss. I have no idea how to approach Felicity with this because I genuinely never thought it was something I'd have to consider."  She sighs, sympathy in her pretty brown eyes.

     "I'm so sorry, babe. I can't even imagine how weird and confusing this has to be for you right when you were finally getting into a good swing with work and taking in all those displaced lions. Maybe you ca-"

     We hear a series of loud thumps on the door and unlock it, feeling a little guilty about making someone wait this long. What I absolutely do not expect to see is Felicity, looking angry and uncomfortable and staring me down. "Babe, what happened, are yo-"

     She shows me her phone and I swear I'm instantly so nauseous it feels like the bottom of my stomach has just dropped out of my body. Somehow, when I put my phone away, I must've forgotten the voice to text function and since I had just messaged her to say I love you she was the last person open. Everything I had said up until the word send was neatly arrayed to make me look like a horrible secret keeping asshole.

     "I just wanted you to know exactly why I was heading home and would not like to sleep next to you tonight." Before I can respond, she's whipped around, long hair slapping me in the face while I groan and rub my temples.

     "I... hmm. I'm not going to do you the disservice of telling you you didn't mess that up royally. But I WILL offer you a triple rum and coke and a hug."

     "Thanks, Mish."

**

     I feel like my eyes are swimming in my head when I finally step outside onto the back patio, and I hear someone singing along to this old song I vaguely remember. 

     "I think I might've inhaled you, I could feel you behind my eyes..."

     Of f*****g course it's him. Just sitting there with his feet up on the railing, looking drunk and charming next to the wolf owner of the bar cleaning up glasses and plastic cups from a table. I can't explain why but it makes me irrationally angry and I stomp right over to him, aware that we are the only three out here and it's close to closing time.

     "Did you plan it?"

     His eyes look bleary and his smile is beautiful. "Plan what? Christ, you're so beautiful." He puts his head back and closes his eyes. "Sing with me, cariño. When you move honey, I'm put in awe of somethin' so flawed and free..." It's such a rich, deep voice, putting deep knots in me, clenches I don't want right now.

     "Stop that. I meant coming here and basically exposing me. What the hell, man."

     He just looks confused now. "I just like Hozier and wanted to sing. I don't know your schedule."

     I'm heated and I say something that I probably shouldn't have. "Sure, dragon boy, how the hell am I supposed to believe that when I meet your giant gold ass two nights ago and then see you every day since?" The second I say it I notice the owner go absolutely still and he almost falls out of his chair. She says nothing, looking at him for a long second and brings her dishes into the bar, hurt very obvious on her face.

     "Nobody knows. Not even my best friend, who probably hates me now that she thinks I told you my biggest secret, and I swear to God if she's hurt enough that we never speak again I don't care what it takes but I'll make sure I never see you again." 

    His gray eyes are swirling with unshed tears, almost translucent against his deep olive skin, and I feel even worse than I did before, nausea combining with a sensation like an elbow to the gut and I have to hold back tears myself. He grabs his jacket and rushes into the bar. I text Amisha that I'm going to take an Uber home and take a seat to cry at the royal mess I've made of my life.

**

-Tiago-

     "Thal, wait, if you could just-"

     I can feel the rage coming off her in waves and prepare for the yelling that never comes. I clear my throat. I'm so drunk, so so drunk, stepping on my own feet and stumbling to follow her. "Thalia, I've never had a friend before you." She stops, but doesn't turn her back to me. When she speaks, her voice is very quiet.

     "Did this start out as some weird joke? Were you asking me questions about shifters even though you ARE a shifter to make me to see how f*****g dumb I could be or something?"

     I'm blinking rapidly, trying to lean against a table to keep my balance as patrons are slowly filtering out. I see Darcy is already gone. "No, nothing like that. I owe you an explanation. Can I help you with the tables and tell you my story? For real this time." She gives one curt nod and I'm relieved. 

     As I help her clear the room I explain everything- my grandparents escaping Europe and going into hiding from dragonpoachers into Cuba, my parents meeting there and having me while they were both laying low, being raised outside of shifter society because they both died when I was a child in a boating accident. I can tell I'm winning her back when she goes from fascinated, to horrified, to sad. "I haven't met another dragon since my parents when I was 5. I barely know anything about being one, let alone other shifters. I've been living with the fear of being killed for my scales since they died." She starts the bar dishwasher while I chug water sitting on a stool, miserable about my past.

     "...Goddamnit. I can't be angry anymore. How the hell could you trust ANYONE after that?"

     I give her a lopsided smile. "Well, I escaped to the US and I met you. It's impossible to resist being your friend. You're the closest thing I've ever had to family I've ever had and I was terrified to put you in danger just by knowing me. I'm so sorry. I should have trusted you earlier." I'm swaying on my feet, hoping it doesn't make.me look so stupid it takes away from my message.

     She comes around and wraps her arms around me. "I forgive you. Hearing it all, I completely understand why you never said anything. Can I ask something, though?"

     "Anything."

     "Is there enough space here for you to shift?"

     "Ah... I mean, yes, on the stage there is. Is the building empty?"

     "Yeah, Darcy is gone. I'll go turn the cameras off." I'm relieved. "Thank you." I slowly make my way to the stage, stripping down to my boxer briefs when she comes back out. The spotlight is warm, almost blue white. When she comes back out she gives a low whistle. "Damn, De La Rosa, that eight pack looks good."

     "You're the worst," but I'm laughing anyways. "Okay. Here I go."

     I close my eyes, feeling my body get lighter as my bones hollow out and lengthen, and the familiar itch from my back as my shoulder blades sprout the beginnings of wings and my spine shoots into a tail. The scales are my favorite part. It's almost as if a warm smooth shimmering blanket erupts onto my skin, comforting and protective. When it's done, I'm almost afraid to open my eyes. I feel a small light touch on my snout.

     Her tone is light, but shaky. "I mean I knew you were hot, Tiago, but this is a little much."

     The closest thing I can do to laughing is snorting and little jets of smoke come from my nose when I do, making her jump and break contact. I rear up on my hind legs, feeling the alcohol burn its way out of my system at lightning speed as I stretch my wings fully and whip my tail out for display. 

     "Your scales are real gold?" I nod. She picks one up that shed when I shifted, eyes wide as she turns it in the light. I begin the slow shift back into my human form, making a point to turn around so she wont's see me fully naked. I put on my clothes as fast as I can and when I turn I see her still turning the large scale in the light, marveling at the ridges and shine. "Earth to Thal?"

    "I'm so sorry it's just-"

     "I know. They turn to just yellow gold when they shed. It's why dragons are basically extinct." Her face falls and she hands it back. "You're beautiful, dude. I'm sorry you can't share it and be open like us. I can't imagine how it feels."

     I sigh. "Now I just have to hope things get back to normal now that me and Sam have actually met."