Chapter Three
823 Words
Amelia
What the hell?
“Pardon me?” I couldn’t help the words as they spilled out of my mouth. At least it hadn’t come out “What the f**k?” which was what I had been thinking. No rudeness in front of the old crone. “I’m sorry, I’m a little confused as to what you actually both want from me” I waved a hand in no one’s particular direction.
“David needs a witch to protect his son”
I turned my eyes back to the oracle; I hadn’t meant to stare at the dragon, but my eyes just couldn’t seem to move away on their own. Damn him.
Dragons.
Too good looking for their own good.
And my own good as it happened.
“And you thought I was a good candidate, are you actually for real?” My work persona slipped as I blew out a breath. “Why would a dragon, especially this dragon need protection from a little old witch like me?” I gulped down the vodka, hating yet loving the burn that trailed down my throat. I couldn’t get drunk, not in front of these two hyenas but god I needed the buzz.
“Are you not the councils man?” I raised my eyebrow at him with the question. Weren’t all dragons in league with the council. The same council who had left me parentless. “I don’t understand what I am doing here”
“Maybe she isn’t the right candidate after all” Hi voice grated on me. “Maybe she feels she isn’t powerful enough”
“I’m plenty powerful enough to…” I did something then that I hadn’t done since the early days of college. I almost lost control.
Not powerful enough? Sparks winked into exitance between my fingertips. I would give the god forsaken dragon not strong enough.
“Amelia” The oracles voice was out raged, her own hands were splayed in front of her. Was she really going to counter me if I attacked him. “David, she is more than powerful enough. You are both acting like children”
David bowed his head. “You are right, my apologies ladies. Ami, I hope you can forgive me? My son is precious to me”
“David has gone against the council, at great risk to himself and his child so just this once Ami I would like you to put your prejudice away”
Prejudice? I bit my lip again. If I kept doing that, I would make myself bleed. I wanted to bleed. The pain would wake me from this surreal nightmare I was in. A dragon going against the council. There were rumours of course. Of the lesser dragons turning against the shifter ruling body. But never one of the really old ones. Never one of the ancients.
“Why?” I couldn’t help myself. I had to know.
He looked shocked, it fleeted across his handsome face in a second, replaced by a worried look. It was a rehearsed look and I felt my eyebrows come together. “I want my son to grow up” His eyes raised and for the first time I could meet them without flinching. “Free”
“I can understand that” And I could. I would never want another child to go through what I had gone through. Even if it meant working with a being who physically made me feel ill. I could work alongside the stupidly handsome dragon to protect his son from the council.
Because this is what they did. They kept their iron grip on the majority of the community by threatening to rip families apart. My Parents hadn’t fallen in line and they had. … I couldn’t even finish the thought. They were gone. My innocent childhood was gone. I could never get it back, but I could help this child. I could help him not ever go through what I had to.
“Are you ok” The warmth of his fingers was unexpected but not wholly unwelcome and I found myself nodding. “What do you need me to do?” There wasn’t any question that I would do it. I didn’t want even one more child to go through what I did.
“Ami, meet your new fiancé”
Wait what? I couldn’t believe the smug look on his face. It was a look that didn’t last long as I spit the mouthful of vodka down the front of his shirt, spluttering in shock. Why the hell had I agreed to do something without getting all the details?
“Hello Lover”
- Writer
