Finding Faith (Return of the Dragons)

She grasped the door handle, but she couldn’t make herself open it. Anger at herself welled up inside of her. Yes, she was scared for herself, especially after everything she’d been through. But her fear for Cody outweighed her fear for herself—yet still, she couldn’t bring herself to open the door.

Nothing will happen to you, her dragon said firmly. I won’t let it. I’m not suppressed—I’m right here, and I will torch anyone who harms you, and then eat their ashes.

What if they have suppressants? What if they inject me with it before you can come out?

Are you going to live your life in what ifs? Or are you going to keep holding onto your faith, and take your life back? The old Olivia would have been scared, but she still would have followed to protect Cody. Are you going to let what Fernandez did rule your every action now? Are you going to let something happen to him because of what happened to you in the past? I never took you for a weak coward, but you’re acting like one right now.

Fucking bitch, she muttered in reply—knowing she only said that because her dragon was right and was forcing her to see those truths, no matter how harsh they were.

And also knowing her animal would forgive her for it. Eventually, anyway.

Inhaling deeply and refusing to think about what she was doing, she shoved the door open and began walking in the direction Cody had gone. Normally she wouldn’t use any shifter enhancements in public, but the theater was mostly deserted now—and she had to, since she’d taken so long to get up her courage to follow.

Putting on a burst of speed, she took off in the direction he went, searching for any hint of him. As a shifter, she had enhanced vision and hearing, along with strength and healing, and she made full use of them as she went.

She heard the sounds of a fight before she saw them, and her heart leapt in her throat when she finally put her eyes on them.

Cody was fighting four other men—odds that seemed impossible, yet somehow, he was holding his own. She stood still and silent, indecision washing over her. Should she intervene? She wasn’t a fighter, but she could shift if she had to.

She just wasn’t sure if it was needed, since Cody was fending them off so well. Shifting where there were most likely still humans around seemed like a horrible idea if it wasn’t needed. Her dragon was too large to go unnoticed.

But then two of the men pulled knives, and she knew she had no other option. If she tried to fight in human form, she’d most likely just get herself killed, and she’d be zero help to Cody if that happened.

Drawing from the inner heat of her dragon’s fire, she tensed to shift. But before she could begin the process, something happened that froze her to the spot.

Cody spotted the same thing she had, and with a roar, he hunched over. It happened in the blink of an eye, but Olivia saw it in slow motion, every second seared into her mind.

His roar tapered off to a growl as his clothes shredded, a massive gorilla standing where just a moment before, the man she was falling for had stood.

But he was unlike any gorilla she’d ever seen, and her feet slowly started moving backward as he beat his enormous fists on his chest. His fur was the color of fresh, pure snow, and underneath that, the tough, leathery gorilla skin was bloodred. And his eyes—they were the same bloodred of his skin.

Fear of him replaced fear for him as she continued to back away. It was clear he could handle himself, even if he’d been fighting all shifters. Only one of the four men shifted, the rest still fighting as men, so she had to assume they weren’t shifters at all.

Gorillas weren’t as common as other shifter species, but still, she’d heard them described. Hell, she’d seen them with her own eyes, and they always looked exactly like their counterparts in the wild—only bigger, as shifter animals tended to be.

So what the hell was Cody? Because that wasn’t a normal gorilla. That was something completely different, something freakish and unnatural.

What the hell is he? she asked her dragon, her hands shaking as she continued to back away.

I don’t know. I’ve never sensed anything like him. Ever, her dragon replied, her voice solemn an

d laced with confusion. Remember when we thought we smelled that hint of fur, but weren’t sure where it came from or what it meant? Maybe this is why. Because we’ve never been around someone like him, so it didn’t make sense.

I don’t like this. At all, she said, finally turning around and walking swiftly toward the truck. I can’t do this. I need to go home—now. I can’t deal with this.

I know what you’re thinking, Olivia Jasmine. You are not going to live in fear of him. You are not going to convince the dragons to move. And you are not going to find a new company to do the renovation if you stay. This doesn’t change anything.

Are you fucking kidding me? It changes everything. That… that… whatever the hell that was back there isn’t normal. You can’t seriously be trying to tell me nothing’s changed.

How is this any different than if he’d been a human and you told him you were a dragon? You were just worrying over that. Don’t be a hypocrite.

Her dragon’s words gave her pause, but she shook her head, refusing to back down. I don’t care. None. Zero fucks to give. If that makes me a hypocrite, so be it.

You sure do love to drop the f-bomb when you’re worked up. I kinda like it.

Her animal was using her standard fallback of humor, trying to snap her out of the spiral of fear and distrust she was in, but she refused to give in. There was nothing she could say that would change the way she felt right now.

Nothing.