Chapter Five

My eyes opened, and my mind rang with sharp clarity. I found myself reaching for my gun without knowing why, and once I was on my feet and facing the door, three strangers walked through my bedroom door. Juniper growled at them, her tail flicking and a dark blue rippling through her scales. “Get out of my house.”

One of them stepped forward. His blond hair was tidy like all of those businessmen I saw on the street, and while his suit was pressed just like their’s, his shoes were scuffed. His hands were raised in what I could only imagine was an effort to placate me, and I could see the dirt in the line of his palms. “Aurora, we’re not here to hurt you.” He gestured to Juniper. “We’re here because you’ve found something wonderful, and —“

I shot just to the right of his ear, and Juniper scrambled across the bed and clawed her way up my leg to wrap around my shoulders. “I said: get out of my house.”

The woman among them crossed her arms. “Now Miss Langley, it’s in your best interest to cooperate with us —“

I aimed my gun at the woman’s knee. “Really, it would be in your best interest to listen to the words that are coming out of my mouth.”

A smile spread across her lips. “I’d like to see you try to make me.”

Fine. If she wanted to call my bluff, then she’d be the one living to regret that decision. The man stepped in front of her before I could pull the trigger. “Aurora,” he said, and something tugged at my mind. “We just want to talk. We’re here to help you to understand what’s going to be happening to you and to understand the new world you’ve just stepped into.”

Curiosity tickled the back of my mind, and hesitation took hold as the reality of everything sank in. I didn’t know a damn thing about dragons or what this…bond with Juniper was going to do to me —

‘He is in your head, Aurora.’

I could feel myself lowering my gun.

‘I can help you kick him out, but you have to help me.’

Rage began to kindle in my chest, and I pushed. My mind was mine, and I’d be damned before I let someone wield that sort of control over me again. I felt something snap, and as the man collapsed, I rose my gun and squeezed the trigger.

The bullet stopped an inch within the woman before clattering to the ground, useless. Shock ripped through me, and she gestured at her other companion. “Christopher?” He nodded, and before I’d even had a chance to blink, he had crossed the room to stand beside me. I swung the butt of my pistol at his temple, which he deftly dodged, and as he reached for my arm, I dropped the gun and stepped away.

‘You have to get away,’ Juniper urged, coiling tight around my neck. “A little help here, Friday?” I asked. The man’s fingers curled around my wrist in a vice grip, and the world seemed to slow down as I sucked in a breath. I aimed a blow at his throat, and he reeled…but didn’t let me go. So I drove my knee into his groin and kicked his legs out from under him, which was enough for him to release me.

I stepped around the bed, and the woman stood in the doorway. “I’m giving you one last chance,” I informed her coldly. “Get out.”

That grin was still plastered on her lips. “You’re one hell of a woman, Miss Langley. It’s a pity your mother didn’t let us have you before now.”

My mother?

Friday took that as her cue to finally do something productive. An electric net came to life in the doorway, seizing the woman, and Juniper pulled at me to go. Yes, we needed to leave.

I walked into my closet, and Friday had already opened the sliding wood paneling for me. I stepped into the passageway, and by the time the door re shut itself, I was already down three flights of stairs. Once I got to the bottom, I yanked open the hatch and dropped into the tunnels beneath…only to find some unseen force binding me in midair. I twisted and turned, and desperation made my breath run fast and inefficient. I had to protect Juniper!

A whistle sounded throughout the tunnels. “You must be the one we’re looking for.” A stranger wandered up to me, his hands shoved in his pockets. “That’s a real talent, you know. Making it past good ol’ Kat, I mean. You’re the first.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He grinned up at her. “Well…most people tend to stay put when people mention real magic — or show it to them. Either they’re in shock, denial, or they’re insatiably curious. Those who run never make it far. Emerson typically soothes them, or Nicholas beats them into submission… And it’s easy enough for Kat to stop any who get past either one of those two.” He shrugged. “Really, I guess it’s her own fault for getting lazy. Should’ve known, with a Rider and all.”

“What do you want?”

“Chinese food sounds great right now.” When I narrowed my eyes, he continued, “The headmistress has identified you as a prospective student at our prestigious school for the gifted.” His voice had slipped into an almost…mocking tone.

“Which gives you the right to breach my home and overstay your welcome?”

He shook his head. “No, of course not. But they’re not used to much of a fight, so most people ignore that part.” He shrugged again. “You must understand, humanity does not know of magic — and we intend on keeping it that way. If they did, the mass panic… It would be hell on Earth, Miss, and I don’t know about you, but I have no intention on witnessing that. So, you must understand, the folk up at corporate treat this sort of thing real serious, and when another user — or prospective user — shows up on the radar, well…they’re snatched up immediately for training. Really, it’s for your safety as much as it is for the public’s.” He gestured to Juniper, who was still draped around my neck. “Especially with her… They haven’t seen a Dragon in a very long time, Miss, and the public certainly doesn’t even remember their existence.” He met my eyes. “Do you understand?”

‘I like him. He knows I’m not a him.’

I swallowed my response to Juniper and focused on the man in front of me. “What if I don’t want to go?”

He chuckled. “I imagine they’ll make it worth your while, Miss, but that’s not my department… If I let you down, will you run?” I shook my head, and my body started drifting toward the ground. “Do I have your word?” I felt the air drip with weight, and I took a long breath. I needed to have at least some kind of explanation, and if these people were offering, well…it would be foolish to not at least hear them out.

Besides, all I was promising was not to run. I could walk away, right?

I nodded, and the invisible bonds around me loosened. “Now I suppose this is when I’m supposed to convince you to make your absolutely wonderful computer release Kat.”

I sighed. “That does fall within my word, doesn’t it?”

He shrugged. “I mean, you might have better luck just leaving her. She’s not going to be happy.”

“Am I supposed to care?”

He chuckled. “I suppose not. Just thought you might appreciate the forewarning.”

“Any other useful hints?”

“Don’t accept chocolate from strange men?”

I nodded. “That’s fair.”

He offered me a chocolate. “Would you like one?”

I grinned. “Yes please.”