Chapter Twenty-One
Aric
“Appear human?” He laughed lightly, amazed at how easy she was taking the news so far.
“Yes. If you’re a dragon, how do you appear human?”
“I’m a shifter,” he said. “I’m a human who can shapeshift into a dragon. The animal entity and I share the same mental space.” He grimaced. “It can make things difficult, but most shifters can control it, and we can change on demand. I suppose you could call it magic. We’ve never really looked into how it works with modern medical science. Too risky if the wrong people got a hold of our blood.”
Kaitlyn was still looking wan, like she was about to be sick.
“I don’t understand. So are you human or dragon?”
He mulled over the question. “I mean, technically we’re both. There is another…presence? Spirit? Soul? I’m not sure what you would call it, that lives within me.” He paused. “Though since we don’t come into our powers until puberty, I guess you could say we’re more human? Though I wouldn’t say that myself.”
His mate brightened considerably at that. “Not until puberty? So you’re completely human up until then?”
“Yes.”
“That…must be hell on parents, having to deal with hormones and latent dragon powers,” she said uneasily.
Aric grinned. “It’s definitely different, but when you’re also raised to expect it, to prepare, then the transition goes easier.”
Kaitlyn seemed to be coming back to herself, and to her credit she was adjusting to this revelation fairly easily. On the outside.
“How are you handling this?” he asked cautiously.
“Not well,” she admitted. “But having seen some video and firsthand evidence of it all is helping to ease the shock. Though I suspect I won’t truly believe until I see a dragon with my own eyes, you know?”
He nodded. “I get it.”
“Now, what’s this about mates?” Her voice was almost chilly. “Especially in regard to you and me.”
This was the tricky part. The place where he could either win Kaitlyn, or lose her, potentially for good. There was no way for him to know how she would take what he was about to tell her, and no way for him to back out either. He had committed to this action when he’d admitted that dragons were real, and that he was one of them.
“Dragons can date, and take lovers, much like humans. There is courtship and emotion and physical connection, just like you would expect. However there is only one mate for each dragon. Ever.”
“So a soulmate. You stole that from us,” she said smugly.
Aric returned her look. “Actually no, your mythology stole that from us.”
Kaitlyn’s forehead wrinkled as her eyebrows lifted. “Really. That’s interesting.”
“Thieves,” he joked, before resuming. “Anyway, when a dragon finds his or her mate, they will become mated, a pairing that lasts until the dragon’s death.”
He watched her face, saw the lines and creases come and go as she thought through all the implications in her head. “And you’re saying that I’m your mate.”
“No, not quite. I’m saying that we’re mated. To each other.”
“But I’m not a dragon.”
“Doesn’t matter. We’re drawn to each other. That’s why our connection is so good, so strong, despite it being such a short period of time.”
“When did you realize this?” she asked suspiciously.
“On the plane here.”
Hair bounced everywhere as she shook her head. “How did it take you nearly a month to come to that conclusion?”
“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “But on the plane I sensed that something was different about you. Something had changed.”
Kaitlyn’s attitude disappeared in a flash, the white, pasty look returning to her normally pinkish-tan skin. “Oh?” she croaked. “What was that?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t figured that out yet.”
“What was all that talk about money then?” she asked. “Offering me a big payday if I would come along? If that wasn’t to mate with me, why not?”
He shrugged. “I wanted to have someone along who would be fun, so we could enjoy our time here. My goal wasn’t to sleep with you at all, to be honest. Only once we were on the plane did I realize I needed to form a connection with you.”
“I see.” Kaitlyn looked lost. “So there’s no payday then, is there?”
Aric suddenly realized something. “That’s why you were so upset with me earlier, about the negotiations being postponed?”
“Yes,” she said sharply, the subject of mates already being pushed into the background, much to his dismay.
“I didn’t realize you were so obsessed with money.”
“I’m not.” She spoke quickly, too quickly. “I wasn’t, at least. Like you said, things have changed. I could use it for something important. I don’t like being lied to about money either.”
Aric laughed. “Kaitlyn, you never have to worry about money again. You can trust me on that. You’ll have access to more than you ever dreamed of with me. I’m sorry; I had no idea you were so worried about that. I didn’t mean to leave your well-being hanging.”
Kaitlyn smiled tightly before looking away. “You’re forgetting something, Aric.”
His smile faded at her quiet words. “What’s that?” he asked, nervousness coursing through him like a flash flood.
“I haven’t agreed to be with you.”