I hug one of the pillows close and let my tears fall. Why is nothing ever simple? Why does nothing ever work out for me? Why does no one ever want me for me? Why am I always just an afterthought?

I must have fallen asleep while crying, because I wake up a short time later, my cheeks wet and my head aching. It feels unnaturally quiet in the store, and I blink, trying to rouse myself. Dakh?

There’s no response. He must still be out of range.

I shouldn’t have driven him away. Now I’m irritated at myself as well as everyone else. His big, bronze chest would be nice to snuggle up against and have a good cry. I’m not mad at him. Heck, I’m not really mad at Claudia anymore.

I’m just really, really disappointed in everyone. I wish I didn’t care so much, but I do.

I close my eyes, about to drift back off to sleep when I smell something…awful. Skunky and rotten and a little too familiar. It reminds me of Emma’s deer urine scent, except she said she was out. I open my eyes, frowning.

And then I hear voices.

Male voices.

“You’re sure the dragon’s gone?”

“Yeah, he flew off a while ago. That’s why we’ve got to be fast. Come on. She’s this way.”

My body grows stiff with fear. That low, cold voice sounds like…Tate. But why is he here? And why is he disguising his scent? I reach over the side of my mattress, looking for a weapon. There’s nothing but books and crackers. With Dakh around, I have no need for a weapon, ever. I’ve been so careless, not thinking to equip myself…

And sending my dragon away. God, I am such an idiot. I sent him away and now Tate’s back.

Is he…here to murder me? I clutch a thick paperback, ready to chuck it at his head the moment he comes around the corner. I get to my feet, padding a few steps forward. If I can get over to the next aisle, my kitchenware stuff is there, and I’ve got a knife…

“Oh no you don’t,” says another voice, right behind me.

Before I can turn around, something thick and heavy is tossed over my head and I’m flung to the ground. I cry out, my cheek banging against the hard floor.

“Got you,” says the voice, and something—someone—heavy lands on my back. He grabs one arm and twists it behind me brutally, then the other. A moment later, handcuffs are put around my wrists, tight and painful.

“Who are you? What do you want?” I call out, frantic. Under the bag, it’s hot and musty, and I feel like I can’t breathe. Dakh, I mentally scream. Dakh! Hear me!

“You got her? Good.” I hear Tate’s voice again. “She’s heavier than I remember.”

“Guess sucking a dragon’s dick feeds her better than you did,” guffaws another.

“Very funny.” Tate’s voice is as cold as ever. “Unless you want to suck the dragon’s dick, you’ll shut up and concentrate on getting her out of here. No one’s going to want to be around when he gets back and figures out his little girlfriend is missing.”

“Shit no,” says another, laughing. He sounds young and reckless—he’d have to be, if he’s helping Tate out.

“Let me go,” I beg them. “Please. I haven’t seen your faces. I won’t tell him you were here. Take whatever you want from the store. I won’t say anything, I promise.”

“All right,” Tate says, and my heart skips a beat for a moment. Is he really going to let me go? “You boys heard her talking.”

For a moment, I’m shocked. Did that work?

“She’s a yapper,” Tate continues. “That means we need to shut her up in case the dragon can hear her.”

Shit! No, no no no no. “Please—”

“Who’s got the spray?” A pause. “Rick, do your thing.”

Spray? Thing?

A hand touches my face through the burlap bag over my face, and I splutter.

“Hold still, girlie.”

A moment later, something hard and heavy hits me across the back of the head. Red fireworks bloom behind my eyes, and then everything fades to black.

41

DAKH

An hour without my mate passes endlessly. I sit atop one of the crumbling nests in Old Dallas, waiting. I do not know how long it has been since she sent me away, but I hate every moment of it. I want to feel the touch of my Sasha’s mind. I want to hear her laughter. I want to breathe in her scent.

I want her. All of her. I want to make her tears go away. I want her to realize how much she means to me. How I am nothing without her.

Instead, I must sit here and wait for her to finish crying, alone. I test the faint bond in our minds, but it is too far away for me to see how she is feeling, only that she is there. Growling in frustration, I fling a rock off the ledge of my perch and watch it fall to the ground far below.

Dakh…is that you? Kael’s thoughts are faint, but surprised. Why have you returned?

My mate is angry.

Ah. So is mine. Kael’s thoughts are tired. She is hurt that we did not go after your mate. She feels that your mate will think she is betrayed. My Claudia has been raging and weeping all night. She will not listen to reason.

I sigh. My Sasha is the same. She sent me away because she did not wish to have me in her head.

Having a mate is difficult at times, Kael agrees. I have tried explaining to my Claudia that we did not chase you after that fight because she was gravely injured. She nearly died. Yet she still feels she has let your mate down and is upset.

I vaguely remember him telling me such things before. It was not something I remembered, but perhaps it would ease my Sasha to be reminded of this. Then again, perhaps not. She knows your mate was injured, I tell him. Her feelings are hurt. I will try to calm her when I go back. She feels betrayed right now.

Then how do we fix this? How do we calm our mates?

My friend, if you think I knew how to calm an upset mate, would I be out here in your territory, hiding from mine?

I can feel Kael’s rumble of tired laughter. You are right. He pauses. I have not told my mate that we need to find her sister a drakoni mate. The girl’s scent grows stronger every day that passes, and our nest gets more and more interest—from both angry females and interested males. I cannot keep them away forever, and I cannot send her back to the human hive, so I must find her a mate. Somehow. My Claudia, she will not like this idea. She wants to protect her sister always.