Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Swallowing a sigh, Dimitri forced a smile to his lips as he turned to face Samuel. “Good news! Misha found you on the schedule. You’re supposed to be heading to the clan for a meeting tomorrow.”
“Yes, I’m aware of tomorrow’s meeting. It’s why I’d like to find my hotel as soon as possible. I’ve already been traveling for more than twenty-four hours. I would like to rest and gather my notes prior to the appointment.” Samuel waved the stack of papers under Dimitri’s nose. “If you could tell me how to get to my hotel—”
Dimitri snatched the papers out of his hand, earning a surprised squawk of protest. He folded them a couple of times and shoved them into a pocket, out of Samuel’s reach.
“Look, Sam—”
“Samuel,” the mage corrected with a dark glare.
Oh, that was the wrong thing to say. Now Dimitri absolutely had to continue using nicknames. The flush that rose in Samuel’s cheeks was delicious, and that angry sparkle in his eyes was addictive.
“Sammy, the Valerii would like to extend an invitation to stay at our clan compound. It’s big, beautiful, and safe. We’ve even got our own private stretch of beach.”
“It’s Samuel, or Dr. Hunter if you would rather, and no thank you. My hotel will do just fine.”
Dimitri placed his hand on the mage’s shoulder and lightly squeezed, keeping it friendly. At least that’s what he was aiming for. It was hard to tell if he was coming off intimidating when he considered how those deep ocean-blue eyes widened on him and those plump lips parted to almost form an O.
“You’ll love it. You’ll meet more dragons.”
“If they’re anything like you, I can do without the experience.”
Dimitri ignored the jab. “Plus, we’ve been here for roughly five centuries. We know the area really well. There are plenty of dragons and mages who would be happy to talk to you about the area. It could help with your research.”
There it was. The look of distaste immediately shifted to interest.
“You don’t think they would mind?” Sam asked cautiously, taking a step forward.
“No! Not at all. You can swap stories with some mages and dragons. See if it helps you to home in on the exact area you want to research. The mountains are quite treacherous and there are lots of dangerous creatures out there. The better our knowledge, the quicker and safer we can make this trip.”
“It would be nice to have a chance to talk with someone who has lived in the region for so long,” Sam murmured. He took another step closer to Dimitri, but he didn’t look like he was entirely aware of it. That was fine with Dimitri. If Sam’s brain was all busy with thoughts of lost, dead things, then he wasn’t arguing.
Reaching out while Sam seemed distracted, Dimitri grabbed the strap of his duffel bag and pulled it from his shoulder. While the mage squawked, Dimitri grabbed the strap of his hiker’s backpack with his free hand and pulled, forcing Sam to spin with a gasp as he lost the heavy load.
“Wait!”
“I’ve got it. Let me help. Dragon, remember? This is nothing for me.”
Sam frowned, as if he didn’t trust Dimitri with his possessions, but he stopped fighting, a relieved sigh sneaking out of him.
“It’s a short drive from here to the compound,” Dimitri said, leading the way down the block. He glanced over his shoulder to see Sam take a few skipping steps to catch up with him. “We’ll get you all set up in a comfortable room, introduce you to the dragons and mages. We can even get you tested while we’re there.”
“Tested?” Sam’s steps came to a sharp halt, his expression shifting into a scowl. “What are you talking about?”
Dimitri turned to face him. “Tested, to see if you’re a mage.”
Sam waved a dismissive hand and started walking again, catching up to Dimitri. “I don’t have any interest in that nonsense. I just need to speak to any elders who might be willing to discuss the region with me. And if you have a library with records on the area, that would be wonderful too.”
“Seriously?” This time Dimitri was the one who struggled to get his feet working again. This man…was the strangest creature he’d ever met. He began walking toward his Jeep again. “You don’t want to know if you’re a mage? The test only takes a second and—”
“No, thank you,” Sam stated with a sharpness that could have slit Dimitri’s throat. “I am here for one reason alone. I won’t be sidetracked.”
Dimitri smirked and kept walking in silence. Oh, this little mage was in for a rude wake-up call. He might be here for an entirely different reason, but that didn’t change the fact that he was a mage whether he liked it or not.
Samuel didn’t entirely trust this situation. The world was adamant that a dragon could always be trusted, true. Dimitri Valerii was also part of the guide team he’d hired. Honestly, that was the main reason he’d gotten into the Jeep. If he was going to trust this man with his life in the mountains of Brazil, surely he could trust him to guide him around the city.