Andria
“You need to get down to the pub. Now.”
The words echoed in her head as she weaved through traffic. Cowl had called her while she was working on a project in the library. He’d not wanted to say what was going on over the phone, but the darkness in his tone told her it wasn’t good.
Was he going to break up with her? Were they even together to the point that he could break up with her? That was all part of what she’d wanted to find out earlier, to determine what the hell was going on between them. Andria wasn’t sure if she was ready for anything despite her body’s apparent claims to the opposite. She didn’t regret sleeping with Cowl, but it had made things unnecessarily complicated, something she’d been desperate to avoid.
That she trusted him enough to let him into her body spoke volumes about how much she trusted him, but that wasn’t the same as saying she was ready for something serious. Baby steps.
Pulling up to the pub she noticed several police cars, and a heavier-than-normal civilian presence out front. The parking lot in the rear looked normal however, and because of the direction she was coming from she wasn’t actually able to see the front of the pub until she parked and hurried around. Only the flashing lights down the alley between the pub and the dry cleaner next door alerted her to the police presence.
“Cowl?” she called, emerging from the alley itself.
“Over here.”
He was standing in front of the pub, his white hair and size immediately setting him apart from the crowd of bystanders. He pointed one giant arm toward her and everyone seemed to part, allowing her to rush to his side.
“What’s going…” her question died away as she saw the front of the pub.
Or what was left of it. The windows had been smashed in, and the doors ripped off the hinges. Giant chunks of brick had been ripped off the outer wall to reveal the wooden frame below.
“Oh my God.” She covered her mouth with both hands as the devastation truly registered on her.
Chairs had been thrown out the windows and they lay scattered about the remnants of tables. Glass was everywhere, and she could smell booze from here. Boxes of full beer bottles had been tossed haphazardly, and she could only imagine the extent of the devastation on the side. It had to be thorough.
“What happened?” she asked, blinking swiftly and pressing her tongue to the roof of her mouth, trying not to cry. She’d worked there for eight years and had never seen the place look so terrible. Not even close.
His voice was filled with icy fury when he replied. “It was Jake and his friends.”
“What?” She lifted her head, staring at him in disbelief. “No. You can’t be serious.”
“I am. Deadly serious.”
“How can you tell? Did the police find evidence?”
He shook his head. “I can smell them.”
Andria wilted. She’d thought that they actually knew who the perpetrators were, and that maybe justice would be brought. “You can smell them. Right. Because you’re a dragon.”
“Yes. And I’m going to kill them for this.”
“What? You can’t do that, Cowl.”
He stared at her, his blue eyes cold and white, the blue almost faded out entirely. “Why not?”
“Please tell me you’re kidding?” He shook his head. “Because you can’t just go around killing people, that’s why!” she hissed at him, trying to keep her voice low so others wouldn’t hear.
“That’s a stupid rule. They deserve it.”
Andria sighed. “Come on.” She took his hand, tugging him away from the scene. “There’s nothing more we can do here. Not with you acting like this. Mr. Logan is here, and he’ll handle everything.” She pointed out the pub’s owner to Cowl, who had yet to meet him.
He stood his ground. “With me acting like what?”
She shot him a hard look. “Like a murder vigilante out seeking justice.”
“But I am seeking justice. Look what they did to the pub. They deserve it.”
Andria pulled hard and finally he relented, allowing himself to follow her. “Cowl, you can’t prove it to anyone but yourself. Nobody is going to buy the excuse that you can smell them.”
Cowl was still furious. “I know a few people who will. I’m going to track them down, and—”
“No! You’re going to stay here with me.” All at once she couldn’t hold it back any longer and the tears she’d kept walled away started to flow. Andria hated how emotional she was, bursting into waterworks over every little thing, but she couldn’t control it. She cried a lot.
Right away Cowl’s demeanor changed, the icy fires melting away as warmth poured into his eyes. “Andria? Andria, what’s wrong?” His powerful arms embraced her as she nearly flung herself at him in desperate need of support.
She’d been strong for so long, without anyone to lean on. Doing it all herself, keeping up the act, pretending that she was fine. But this was the straw that broke her. The final weight on her shoulders that made her crumble.
“What’s WRONG?” she shouted. “What’s wrong is that I’m finished. It’s over, Cowl. Done.”
He stared at her blankly, his hard features softened by the blur of salty tears in her eyes. A strong hand took her face into it, and Cowl’s thumb wiped away her tears, first on one eye, then the other.
“Andria, it will be okay. I promise you this. You’re not finished.”
“I am though.” Her voice was hollow. Empty. Like the rest of her. “I needed the pub, Cowl. It was my only source of income, and the only thing putting me through school. I was already likely to be nearly three thousand dollars short for tuition for second semester. With no bar, I won’t make any money, and I’ll be even more behind. Which means I won’t be able to stay in school. Which means no Master’s degree. Which means I have to stay in this fucking city for even longer!”
Cowl held her tight, but he didn’t speak again until she’d cried herself out of tears for now.
“You don’t need to worry about that,” he said, kissing her head.
“What?”
He spoke softly. “You’re going to school. You will finish your degree. This I promise you.”
“But I have no—”
Cowl cut her off. “I’m aware of that. I’m going to pay for it.”
The little hope that had been building in her flickered out like a candle in the wind. “How are you going to pay for it, Cowl? You’re even more broke than I am.”
He scoffed loudly.
“You work at a bar, Cowl. For even less money than I make, by the way.”
She stepped back as he laughed in her face.
“I’m sorry, Andria. But did you really think I was working there for money? No, you’re wrong. I’m a dragon. I will use my treasure to pay for your school.”
“Right. The whole dragon thing again.”
Cowl grabbed her by both shoulders, bending at the waist until he was even with her. “I’ll make you a deal.”
She eyed him warily. “What sort of deal?”
“I’ll prove to you I’m a dragon. But in return, you have to tell me what is going on between you, Jake, and that arrogant old man you say is his father.”
Andria looked away. How was she supposed to tell him what had happened? To reveal what had been done to her? She desperately didn’t want Cowl looking at her differently. She loved the raw sexuality and desire when he was checking her out and he didn’t think she could see it. He looked at her with a sense of curiosity about what lay under her clothes.
It was so very different than everyone else.
Of course, if I have to tell him, it’s only after he somehow proves that he’s a dragon. And I get to decide what makes good-enough proof. He’ll never be able to come up with something strong enough.
Andria nodded, her decision made. “Fine. Deal.” She stuck out her hand, and Cowl took it immediately.
Either way, this ought to be good.