Page 4 of Tempest Awakening
He sighed, running a hand through his raven hair. The movement drew my attention to the strong line of his jaw, the slight stubble that shadowed it.
"No, I suppose you couldn't," he muttered, his voice gruff but with a hint of grudging respect.
I became acutely aware of how close we were standing. The heat radiating from his body seemed to envelop me, and I caught a whiff of leather and something wild, like a forest after a storm.
His gaze roved over me, and I felt a blush creep up my neck. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, his tone softer now.
I nodded, not trusting my voice. My skin tingled where his eyes had traced.
He cleared his throat, taking a step back. "Good. Then I need to get back to work."
As he turned to leave, I felt a pang of disappointment. "Wait," I called out, surprising myself. "Will I... see you again?"
He paused, looking back at me over his shoulder. For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of interest in his eyes.
"This city's full of dangers," he said cryptically. "Who knows? We might cross paths again."
With that, he strode back towards the crash site, his powerful gait drawing my gaze. I watched him begin to coordinate with the emergency responders, his authoritative presence commanding attention.
As I stood there, still processing the encounter, I felt a sudden warmth wash over me. It wasn't physical heat, but a sensation that seemed to bloom directly in my mind. Startled, I turned to find the dragon's massive head lowered near me, its golden eyes fixed on mine with an intensity that made me shiver.
Then, to my utter shock, I heard a voice in my mind—deep, ancient, and unmistakably draconic.
“Well done, human,” it rumbled, amusement coloring its tone. “You've impressed us both.”
Chapter 2
Tess
"Mom?" I called out, kicking off my shoes in the entryway. "You'll never believe what happened—"
The words froze on my tongue as she emerged from the kitchen, eyes narrowed beneath perfectly coiffed blonde bangs. My excitement deflated instantly, replaced by a familiar knot of anxiety in my stomach. I'd seen that look a thousand times before—the one that said I'd already disappointed her somehow, and I hadn't even finished my sentence.
I swallowed hard, trying to quell the sudden urge to retreat. This was why I'd been hesitant to share my extraordinary experience. Mom had a way of taking anything magical or exciting in my life and twisting it into another reason why I wasn't living up to her expectations.
Even in casual loungewear, Mom carried herself with an imperious air, as if the world owed her deference.
"There you are." Her tone bordered on accusatory, like my mere existence was an intrusion.
I swallowed hard, the excitement over my supernatural encounter deflating under her withering stare. "I, uh... I wasdriving down the highway, and there was this accident, and then this dragon showed up—"
"Really, Tess," she interrupted, each word dripping with thinly veiled judgment. "This fixation on dragons and magic isn't doing you any favors. At your age, with your... proportions, you ought to be focusing on more realistic goals. Like finding a stable partner."
I glanced down at my jeans and t-shirt, heat rising in my cheeks. "There's nothing wrong with how I look," I mumbled, suddenly aware of the way my shirt clung to my curves.
"Of course not, darling." Kendall's tone dripped with condescension. "If you're happy being... overweight and alone, who am I to judge?"
The barb struck deep, reigniting the familiar insecurities that had plagued me since childhood. I opened my mouth to retort, but Kendall had already moved on.
"Speaking of your pitiful love life, how is that boss of yours? The one you're so enamored with?"
I tensed, knowing full well where this was going. "James is fine. And I'm not enamored with him—he's just my boss."
"Of course, of course." Kendall waved a perfectly manicured hand, her lips curling into a disdainful sneer. "Because a lonely, single woman like you would never be interested in a... what did you call him? A werewolf?"
Of course Kendall would have an issue with my boss, James, being a werewolf. She saw the world through such a narrow, human-centric lens, blinded to the wonders that lurked just beyond her privileged, suburban existence.
I ground my molars, swallowing the litany of retorts that clamored for release. Fighting her was as futile as combating the tide.
