Trapped between a Demon and a Dragon

Chapter 18

"Are you unharmed," Aeron askes after the shattered glass stopped falling and the frantic splashing in the pool quieted down to gentle strokes and light panting.

"Yeah. I think so." Harper glances up and winces as she takes in the broken window frame dangling above their heads. "What happened?"

"I am unsure, but it is likely that I will be in possession of a new pair of dragon hide boots before the night ends," the demon growls as he sits up, dislodging the glass fragments that settled on his back, sending them cascading down to the ground. His eyes scan her body before turning his back to her. "Please tend to your brother while I strive to converse with our most objectionable guest."

Before she could open her mouth to explain all the reasons why this plan is a terrible one , Aeron disappears and the sound of voices raised in anger drifts down from the giant hole where her window used to be. Please don't put a second gaping hole in my house, she prays as the voices increase in intensity.

Although her mind is telling her to get up and check on her brother, the body refuses to listen. Muscles lock up, eyes settle on glittering remains of the window, and the energy to move just slips away. As she stares at the splintered glass fragments, the only thought that enters her head is "same".

Something in her feels fractured. Maybe it is all of the stress of the past couple days catching up with her or too many intimate encounters with death in the past two days. Knowing that someone out there wants them to become the next undead member of the household but not knowing who the actual threat is would probably crush most people. If she is honest with herself though, Harper knows that this feeling started before now.

But when did it start and why? And how does she fix it?

"Get it together," Harper mutters to herself with a little shake of her head. "Wallowing in depression can come after you deal with whatever else this hot mess of night is going to throw at you."

Tiptoeing around the glass, she strolls over and crouches down next to her brother, who managed to swim to the ledge and draped himself over it. His lower body is still submerged while his forehead is pressed against his folded arms on top of the stone pavers. "I think I need to call Nat Geo," she teases in an attempt to lighten the mood. " Because I am not sure if any of them knew that narwhals could fly.'

Pulling an arm up from under his head, Kye flips his sister off. "Your ex threw me through a window. You'd think I would be entitled to some sympathy."

She slides down into a criss-cross position and pats her brother on the head. "To be fair, you are the one who decided to go exchange words with an angry dragon. Not sure how you expected that to turn out for you."

"Hold up." Her brother's head whips up, throwing her hand off. His eyes narrow as he glares at his sister. "Since when was he a freaking dragon?"

"Umm, I assume since birth, but I only found out about it yesterday."

"Great," he grumbles, his head flopping back down on his crossed arms. "You couldn't have given me a heads up before letting me stomp off to confront the guy?"

"Would you have reconsidered going to challenge him if you knew." The silence that follows tells Harper the answer is a firm no. "Didn't think so. Seriously though, are you okay?"

"Yeah," he grunts as he pulls himself out of the water. "Ego is a little bruised but otherwise I am fine. Were-genes mean I'm a little tougher than I used to be." Once he is out of the water, Kye leans back until he is splayed out on his back, looking up at the night sky. "Do me a favor though. Don't tell Yuki about this. He's already a little on edge about Aeron being a demon. I don't know how well he'll take me pissing off a dragon."