Not His Dragon by Annie Nicholas Read Free Book Online Page A

he dialed his tattoo artist and oldest friend. The answering service picked up since it was still daylight. “Viktor, I need you to gather what information you can on the human who runs the back-scratching service off Newman Ave. I need it as soon as possible.” He cut off the call. The vampire ran a tattoo parlor but he also had a wide network of friends within the supernatural community. Viktor owed Eoin.
    He stripped of his t-shirt and jeans, tossing them at the entrance before shifting to dragon form. The process wasn’t painful for him like for most shifters. Or maybe, with age came tolerance and he didn’t even register the discomfort anymore. Either way, the process didn’t take long. Black scales covered his skin as spikes rose from his spine. Sharp horns grew from his head and his glorious wings extended from his shoulder blades.
    With a swish of his thick tail, he cleared the broken glass from the foyer floor. He closed the double doors to the dining hall. She wouldn’t need to go in there. A few strong beats of his wings had the leaves blowing out the front door.
    He’d ready the ballroom. It had the space they needed. The architect who had designed the area had spared no expense. God knew what state that room was in at present.

Chapter Seven
     
     
     
    Angie pulled out a work polo from her laundry basket and smoothed the wrinkles. Maybe she should iron it? She rolled her eyes. What was she doing? It wasn’t a date. Actually, he’d seen her covered in sweat, wearing flip-flops and a ketchup-stained shirt, so clean clothes would be taking a step up. She’d made quite an impression on Eoin when they’d met. Looking professional wouldn’t erase his memory of the pepper spray.
    Using her apartment building’s Laundromat after work had taken longer than she’d expected so she only had enough time for a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dinner. Maybe she’d make another to go. Her stomach ached with hunger. She’d only had a bowl of cereal for breakfast, since her toaster malfunctioned yesterday, and she hadn’t had time to run home for lunch. It didn’t help that Beth kept trying to order in meals, but without knowing the gender of the cook, Angie wouldn’t touch the food.
    She set the polo on her bed next to her work khakis, the ones she should have been wearing these last two days if she’d done the laundry sooner. She needed to shop for more durable uniforms. Shifter fur was difficult to get off clothes. She’d tried everything from ice to hair spray to special pet brushes, but the small coarse hairs worked themselves into the fabric. What did employees at those grooming places wear?
    Aprons…that was the ticket.
    Before she could add the idea to her to-do list, someone knocked on her door. Damn, Ken was early! She glanced down at her outfit, the comfy yoga pants and worn t-shirt she’d changed into after work. The shifter would just have to take a seat and wait while she finished getting ready. If he could find a chair. She’d used them to separate her clean from dirty laundry.
    She crossed her loft and opened the door and fisted her hands. “Ryota?”
    The alpha filled her doorway. “You don’t look ready.”
    “For what?” Angie recalled Ken’s comment about Ryota letting her break-up with him. Her stomach knotted. Did he think they were still an item?
    “To go to the dragon’s castle.” He brushed past her and grimaced when he saw her apartment. “You should have let this place burn.”
    She gave him a slow blink. “I don’t recall discussing this with you.”
    He tossed her a smug look over his shoulder. “I’m alpha. You think either Ken or Beth would let you go there without letting me know?”
    Traitors. She’d never get Ryota out of her life if she continued hanging out with werewolves.
    “Don’t be angry with them, Angie. They have to answer to me, they can’t help it.”
    “Oh, I’m not angry with them.” She crossed her arms and got in his face.