Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 88669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Used to.
A rogue thought, one that sliced through me. It happened to me quite often, ever since she died. Random things would bring back a vivid memory, so vivid I would almost think she was still alive. Expect to hear her voice when I got back home. It would be a scent from a perfume she would always wear, a song from a movie she’d always love to watch. It was shocking how many facets of a person you came to know during their lives and how clear and striking all those facets became after their death. Everywhere I looked was a new reminder of my loss. It created a fucked-up mosaic I could never turn away from.
It never hurt any less, never got any easier to deal with. I kept the pain hidden like a child would with a pricked thumb behind their back.
“We were almost victims,” I answered with as much calm and patience as I could collect in my voice. My throat felt tight. I realized my fists were so balled up that my nails were digging painfully into my palm. I took a breath.
“And the basilisk?”
“Good question,” I answered.
The Enforcer considered me for a moment. If I didn’t know any better, I could swear she was reading my thoughts. But that wasn’t something a Marvel—no matter how powerful they were—could do.
“Go,” she said to us before turning to the others. “Find the basilisk, and detain any vampires you come across.”
The group gave a unified nod and took off running down the snake-way track. The lead Enforcer gave us one last look before she followed, her rich white robes picking up behind her. I had no desire to stay underground any longer, and neither did Robby, judging by how quick he took himself up those stairs.
We exited the stairwell and stepped out onto the oddly quiet street near the heart of Hollywood. The station was close to the famous star-filled Walk of Fame and all the different shops and restaurants—a big tourist trap if you asked me. But the chaos that had been caused in the underground must have cleared out the area above because there wasn’t a single soul around. Very unusual for this time of night.
“Thank you again,” the teen said to Robby as he fumbled with his phone. “Can I, like, Venmo you or something?”
Robby shook his head, motioning for the teen to put his phone away. “Don’t worry about it. It’s this guy who did the real saving.”
He prodded at my chest with a finger.
“Well, my name’s Ty. I work at the Hollywood Bowl if you ever need, like, free tickets or anything.”
“Thanks, Ty,” Robby said, offering him a genuine hug.
He gave me a handshake before turning and disappearing toward the bright lights of Hollywood Boulevard. We could hear him calling a friend as he walked away.
“Bro, you’re not going to believe what just happened to me…”
My attention went back to the man in front of me.
Robby, Robby, Robby. He looked a mess. Sweat patches on his light blue shirt, curly strands of hair stuck to his forehead, a rip in his jeans. His brown eyes— no, they were more like golden pools— caught the light of a nearby street lamp and appeared to glow.
I wanted to pick him up and carry him to the bath. Wash off the dirt and sweat with some warm water and lavender soap. Brush aside his hair. Run my thumb across his lower lip. Push it between his teeth, onto his tongue…
He blinked, cleared his throat.
Right, I should probably say something.
“So, do you still want to go home, or do you want to come back to mine?”
This time, Robby didn’t hesitate with his answer. In fact, the eagerness spilled up and out of him. “Yeah, no, that sounds great to me. Let’s go to yours.”
I couldn’t keep the chuckle from escaping. “Great,” I said, cocking my head. I already knew his answer to my next question, but I still wanted to see his expression when I asked it:
“Have you ever ridden a dragon before?”
Eyebrow arched, lips parted, head slightly shaking from side to side. Surprise and a little bit of apprehension in his big golden gaze.
“Perfect. First time for everything,” I said, winking as my body became consumed in a red mist.
Chapter 9
Don’t Look Down
Robby
I had never seen a dragon before.
Yes, I’d seen them online and in movies and all over certain fanfic websites I used to frequent, but never in the flesh. Never breathing, blinking, twitching right in front of me. They were rare, and most never turned to their dragon form in public unless provoked or threatened. Sometimes, they could be seen flying, but they were just high enough to blur out any details and low enough to where they wouldn’t crash into any airplanes.
Damien was magnificent. Hard to really describe. I wasn’t sure where to settle my eyes. On those illustrious red scales that seemed to change hue with every subtle movement? On the massive leathery wings that were tucked up against his side? He had a long and thick spiky tail that flicked back and forth like a house cat waiting for his seventh meal of the day.