Dragon Heat by Charlene Hartnady

Chapter 20

Her phone buzzed for the fifth or sixth time. There was more knocking on her door. “I know you’re in there,” Melina said. “It can’t be that bad!” she shouted, even though shouting wasn’t necessary. “Let me in so that we can talk about it.” She didn’t just knock on the door this time, she banged on it.

Humans!

Her friend was making a scene. Others would hear. Also, Melina had helped her out so much that she owed the female an explanation. She sighed, since a conversation was the last thing she felt like right now. Azure was too upset, too raw. She took deep breaths as she marched to the door. Melina was trying to help. She was being a good friend. The fact that dragon males were assholes didn’t have anything to do with human females. “I’m done with all the beauty nonsense,” Azure said as she threw the door open.

Melina took a step back and gave her a measured look. “Did you chip a nail or something?” She was completely serious.

Azure rolled her eyes and bust out a laugh. “No, my nails are perfect.” She held up both hands.

“Oh, good. So, it’s something else that’s got you all riled up then.” Melina walked inside.

Azure closed the door. “I guess. You’d better come in.” She gestured to her living room. “Do you want something to drink?”

Melina shook her head. “I need to know what happened. You look upset.” Her eyes were filled with concern.

“He’s going on the stag run this weekend.” She had to work not to get emotional, which was tough since she was on the verge of tears. Azure chewed on her bottom lip.

“That’s great!” Melina yelled. She was doing it again, acting all irrational.

Azure groaned and covered her face with her hand for a moment. “How do you figure? He’s on the mating list. He’s going into human territory to find a mate.”

“No, he’s going to run away from you. He’s going to sleep with another woman in the hopes that he’ll forget you.”

“Even if that were true, how is that a good thing?”

“It’s good because you’re not going to give him the chance to run away, or to sleep with another woman.” She shook her head.

“How will I do that? Should I tie him to his bed? Injure him so that he can’t fly? Beg him not to go? Because none of those are going to work for me.”

Melina giggled. “No, silly. Although, tying him to the bed might work…” She winked at Azure, pretending to give it some real thought.

“I’m not tying him to any bed. We discussed this previously.”

“In that case, I think the only course of action will be to go on the stag run as well,” she deadpanned, like that was the easiest thing in the world for her to do.

Azure’s mouth fell open. “You want me to do what?”

“You mentioned that he invited you to go on a run before. You’re going to accept that invitation…that’s all.” She gave a sassy smile.

“I was invited previously when the whole team was going. He won’t want me on this one. Especially if he’s running away from me.”

Melina shrugged. “Semantics. You’re going to go, anyway.”

“I can’t.” She shook her head. “I’m in charge on Saturday if we don’t make our quota of game tomorrow.”

“That means you’ll have to make your quota, because you’re going.”

“It doesn’t work that way. We might not find any game.” She sounded exasperated.

“How often does that happen? You’re dragon shifters; you’re built to kill.”

“We mostly do because we’re efficient hunters.”

“I’d say!” Melina snorted.

“We don’t kill indiscriminately, though. We give the animals a fair chance at escape. That way, the stronger, faster animals will have a chance to reproduce. There are plenty of rules surrounding what we can take out, and what we can’t. As well as the way in which we approach things, including how we choose our targets. It changes with the seasons.”

“I love you, hon’, but I don’t want to talk about hunting.” Melina wrinkled her nose.

Azure sighed. “I can’t just go. It doesn’t work like that.”

“The men go regularly. Why can’t the women go as well? That’s bullcrap!”

“I suppose it is. I never thought of it that way.” The things Melina told her made sense.

“Stand up for your rights. You’re going on the stag run,” Melina insisted. “Get your quota tomorrow and then get your name on the list. Make it happen for yourself, especially if you want Ice.”

Azure’s shoulders slumped. “I do want Ice, but I don’t know if I should do it. There are so many things that could go wrong.”

“You’d better not be backing down because something could go wrong.” Melina wagged her finger at Azure. “I know you’re stronger than that. Of course you should go for it. Do you want Ice to sleep with another woman? Do you want him to possibly find a mate? It could happen, you know!”

“I know, and that’s the thing; what if I go and he leaves with a human, anyway?” Her gut churned. There was only one thing worse than knowing Ice was going to pick a female to rut; it would be witnessing him do it first hand.

Melina narrowed her eyes. “He won’t leave with someone else if you’re there. Ice won’t leave you in a pickup joint all by yourself. It will never happen.”

“Are you sure?” Melina had never steered her wrong before. She trusted the other female…her friend.

“One hundred percent sure. He’ll be jealous when all the guys hit on you.” She bobbed her brows.

“I don’t want a whole lot of males to hit on me. It’s irritating.”

“Enjoy it. Most guys are really nice.”

“I don’t want them. I don’t want to play games.” She sighed. “But I can’t just tell Ice how I feel. I know he would turn me down.”

“Exactly. Go, have a little fun and watch Ice come to you. It’s what you’ve wanted all along.”

“I’m still so scared he doesn’t respond the way you think he will,” Azure insisted.

“He will!” Melina looked sure. “Dragon men are possessive. He’ll growl and get angry and then maybe you can tell him how you feel. Don’t worry too much about it, just go with the flow.”

“What if no one hits on me?”

Melina laughed. “Holy shit, lady, you really have no idea how gorgeous you are. Even after I’ve told you plenty of times. The guys at the pickup joint won’t be able to resist, since I’m going to help you out in the wardrobe department. I’ll also teach you how to put on a touch of makeup like we did the other day. The guys will go nuts. Trust me on this.”

“Okay.” Fear churned in her belly. If it weren’t for Melina, she definitely wouldn’t have the courage to do something like this. Her friend was right, as always. If she really wanted Ice, she needed to go after him.