Dralle's Bride (Crystal Glass Dragons 4)

12

Heather

The workday was hell without Isaac. I wondered distantly if he would come back the next day or if I’d have to pick up all of his work for a second day.

The guilt was so bad I couldn’t even text him to apologize.

He was right.

I was into the man that I’d seen kill him hundreds of times through the years. He was my fated mate. I should have pushed Dralle away at first sight and just ignored that he existed, but he called to me.

It felt like there was a hole in the center of my chest when he wasn’t around.

I knew that I was my own person without him, and yet, I didn’t really feel complete until I was holding and kissing him.

Starting my shower, I stripped out of my clothes and brushed my teeth. I was too frustrated and annoyed to eat; I’d instead just go to bed and sleep all of this off. Dralle came to mind, and I wished I could call him to me- but my guilt made me unsure if it was okay to see him.

He didn’t know me well enough to have to deal with this shit.

Billy nudged against my hand, and I petted him and scratched his ears. “You’re the only guy I need in my life, right boy?” I huffed a laugh. Billy whined, and I put some extra food in his bowl so that he’d leave me alone. I’d have to be careful about that, or he’d start putting on weight from all of my stress.

Stepping into the stream and spray, I let the hot water beat away the long day of work. It relaxed my muscles, eased my mind, and let me breathe a little easier. Shampooing the work’s grease out of my hair, I considered taking the time to condition it, but I couldn’t be bothered. The urge to stay in the shower for longer than necessary and just enjoy the hot water was strong, but I couldn’t do that.

I towel dried my hair into its usual messy nest. I only brushed my hair down for ponytails and whenever Dralle was around. Staring down the facemasks I’d been given by Richard for my birthday six months before, I considered putting one on and then changed my mind.

Unwinding, for me, was more like putting on bad sitcoms when I was a kid and eating junk food with no nutritional benefits. Towel dried, I stepped out of the bathroom into my bedroom and also punched Dralle in the face.

“What! What are you doing here?” I pulled back my hand and relaxed.

“Today was a mess; I just really wanted to see you.”

I half-heartedly laughed and nodded.

“What happened?” Pulling me to him, he kissed my forehead and moved my damp hair away from my face. I couldn’t tell him the truth. My stomach turned, and I wanted towantto send him away.

“My brother and I got in a fight about some visions I had as a kid.”

It wasn’t entirely a lie.

“What were they?”

I pulled the towel a little tighter and sat down at the kitchen table.

“Just nightmares; I don’t think they’re going to come true.”

Dralle got a little more serious.

“You can tell me if anything’s wrong, you know.”

“I know,” I lied. I knew that Dralle would have wanted to do anything he could to help, but I also knew that it would change how he thought I viewed him. A man like this, so understanding and patient and sweet to me, wasn’t a murderer.

His past in the military didn’t matter.

All I knew was who he was at that moment.

Leaning down until he was kneeling ahead of me, resting one arm across my thighs, he lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my palm. “I’ve felt like you were calling to me all day.”

“Really?” I couldn’t mask my surprise.