dragon figurine clenched in her hand. “There’s something awful going on here.” It wriggled, and she stretched forward to deposit it on the concrete patio.
Watching it grow, she experienced a sense of pride at seeing what she’d done and sadness knowing the dragons were still in danger that she wasn’t able to pinpoint.
When the last dragon lifted itself into the sky, she stood and went to the railing. All of them had soared straight up, hovered briefly then oriented themselves north before taking off in that direction. It was almost like a bird’s radar; something was compelling them north.
Exhaustion hit her. It was a little before midnight, and she sagged against the railing. Her head spun, and she was hungry.
“Bringing dragons to life is tiring,” she muttered and pushed herself away. “How was the shower, Mason? Good water pressure?”
She retreated into the room, noticing for the first time that Mason wasn’t there. His bag was on the bed, and the door to the bathroom was cracked.
“Mason?” Skylar pushed the door open to reveal an empty bathroom. The towels were all neatly folded still, the shower curtain open to show a dry basin.
She rubbed her face, worn out, but worried. He’d been acting weird since leaving Caleb’s. Tugging her phone free, she checked it for missed calls and texts. Gavin had texted again, but there was nothing from Mason. She tried calling him, only for it to go straight to voicemail.
“Shit.” She snagged the second keycard off the dresser and left the room for the parking lot.
His SUV was parked where they left it. Placing a hand on the cool hood of the vehicle, she was able to guess he hadn’t used it since they arrived.
She retraced his steps, her concern turning into alarm. Skylar checked the hallways and stairwell and elevator for signs of struggle – flecks of blood, pieces of clothing – without finding anything. Finally, she returned to their room and stood in the middle, scouring every surface and corner.
She rummaged through his bag to find spare clothing, a small, unused toiletry bag, and an extra pair of gym shoes.
“He came in, dropped this on the bed and then …” She twisted around, mimicking his movements. “Left. Disappeared. Got kidnapped? Ugh, Mason!”
She would’ve noticed a scuffle a few feet behind her, even if she was fascinated by the dragons. No one had knocked that she knew of, and Mason left no note or message about where he was going.
He was simply gone.
Skylar was still, pensive. The only trouble she knew about was from whatever happened at Caleb’s that Mason hadn’t wanted to discuss. As much as she dreaded going back after how quickly they’d left, she had a feeling the answers she needed were there.
She texted Mason then snagged the keys off the dresser and left for his SUV.
Skylar hopped in, started it and headed north, towards Caleb’s house.
Chapter Seven
“Maybe it’ll show up in the morning, whatever it is we’re looking for,” Gunner said.
Chace lifted his gaze from the crackling fire. The cold night drove them both closer to the fire, and they’d wrapped their space blankets around their shoulders. Orange flames danced across the reflective surfaces of the silver blankets.
“Maybe.” After sitting on the top of the mountain for hours, he was beginning to think Freyja had set him up. Hadn’t a thousand years cooled her anger? Did she send him to the top of a mountain in the hopes he didn’t make it down in one piece? “Were the shifters okay when you left?”
“Yeah. Your friend Mr. Nothing took over the bar. He’s kind of a dictator. Created a curfew and drags in shifters who refuse to be there by curfew whether or not they want to be there.”
“Good. They have no idea what they’re facing.”
“I think I speak for everyone when I say we wish you were there not him.”
Chace said nothing for a long moment. He hadn’t just abandoned Sky; he’d abandoned the only family he’d
Watching it grow, she experienced a sense of pride at seeing what she’d done and sadness knowing the dragons were still in danger that she wasn’t able to pinpoint.
When the last dragon lifted itself into the sky, she stood and went to the railing. All of them had soared straight up, hovered briefly then oriented themselves north before taking off in that direction. It was almost like a bird’s radar; something was compelling them north.
Exhaustion hit her. It was a little before midnight, and she sagged against the railing. Her head spun, and she was hungry.
“Bringing dragons to life is tiring,” she muttered and pushed herself away. “How was the shower, Mason? Good water pressure?”
She retreated into the room, noticing for the first time that Mason wasn’t there. His bag was on the bed, and the door to the bathroom was cracked.
“Mason?” Skylar pushed the door open to reveal an empty bathroom. The towels were all neatly folded still, the shower curtain open to show a dry basin.
She rubbed her face, worn out, but worried. He’d been acting weird since leaving Caleb’s. Tugging her phone free, she checked it for missed calls and texts. Gavin had texted again, but there was nothing from Mason. She tried calling him, only for it to go straight to voicemail.
“Shit.” She snagged the second keycard off the dresser and left the room for the parking lot.
His SUV was parked where they left it. Placing a hand on the cool hood of the vehicle, she was able to guess he hadn’t used it since they arrived.
She retraced his steps, her concern turning into alarm. Skylar checked the hallways and stairwell and elevator for signs of struggle – flecks of blood, pieces of clothing – without finding anything. Finally, she returned to their room and stood in the middle, scouring every surface and corner.
She rummaged through his bag to find spare clothing, a small, unused toiletry bag, and an extra pair of gym shoes.
“He came in, dropped this on the bed and then …” She twisted around, mimicking his movements. “Left. Disappeared. Got kidnapped? Ugh, Mason!”
She would’ve noticed a scuffle a few feet behind her, even if she was fascinated by the dragons. No one had knocked that she knew of, and Mason left no note or message about where he was going.
He was simply gone.
Skylar was still, pensive. The only trouble she knew about was from whatever happened at Caleb’s that Mason hadn’t wanted to discuss. As much as she dreaded going back after how quickly they’d left, she had a feeling the answers she needed were there.
She texted Mason then snagged the keys off the dresser and left for his SUV.
Skylar hopped in, started it and headed north, towards Caleb’s house.
Chapter Seven
“Maybe it’ll show up in the morning, whatever it is we’re looking for,” Gunner said.
Chace lifted his gaze from the crackling fire. The cold night drove them both closer to the fire, and they’d wrapped their space blankets around their shoulders. Orange flames danced across the reflective surfaces of the silver blankets.
“Maybe.” After sitting on the top of the mountain for hours, he was beginning to think Freyja had set him up. Hadn’t a thousand years cooled her anger? Did she send him to the top of a mountain in the hopes he didn’t make it down in one piece? “Were the shifters okay when you left?”
“Yeah. Your friend Mr. Nothing took over the bar. He’s kind of a dictator. Created a curfew and drags in shifters who refuse to be there by curfew whether or not they want to be there.”
“Good. They have no idea what they’re facing.”
“I think I speak for everyone when I say we wish you were there not him.”
Chace said nothing for a long moment. He hadn’t just abandoned Sky; he’d abandoned the only family he’d
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