Early on, she’d considered abandoning him there at the shore and running over to the house by herself, praying that someone was home who’d call an ambulance for her. But just then, there’d been a distant rumble in the sky. Terrified that the fire dragon might return, she’d continued dragging Gregory towards the house, close to tears, but determined that she wasn’t going to give up without a fight, dragon or not.
At last, when they’d made it to the house, she was nearly too weak to ring the bell, her hand shaking from the exertion of dragging a guy who was 100% muscle towards shelter.
Her heart thudding in her chest, she waited. Then she rang the bell again, and again, finally knocking on the door and desperately calling out for help.
Everything remained silent.
Taking a deep breath, Naomi straightened, wiping away the tears that had begun to run down her face. Abandoning Gregory at the door, she made her way around the house. It was a nice house—exactly the sort of house a billionaire would buy who wanted some quiet time by the ocean, without the screams of tourists splashing in the waves.
At any other time, Naomi would’ve admired the dramatic landscape—the ragged cliffs and wind-worn rocks seemed to cry out for an artist’s hand.
But right now, Naomi couldn’t think of anything but Gregory’s wounds and the threat of the dragon, who for all she knew could still be soaring above them, ready to attack at any moment.
No one was home. The patio was abandoned, chairs and tables and a large barbecue grill all covered up. When she looked inside through the wide glass doors, she found the same picture waiting for her inside: sofas and chairs hidden beneath white covers, and not a single trace of a human being somewhere inside the house.
Desperately, she rattled at every door and window she could find. Everything was locked.
At last she picked up a rock, dubiously eying a window. She had no choice, she told herself firmly. Anyway, she wasn’t breaking in to steal—and Gregory was rich. He’d surely pay the owners for a new window.
Gathering all of her courage, she smashed a window that seemed to lead into a guest room. The sound of splintering glass made her wince, but she managed to avoid being hit by the falling glass. With the stone, she widened the hole until she could reach inside, and then she opened the window.
Ignoring the aching of her battered body, she climbed inside, waiting for the sound of sirens—but if she’d triggered an alarm, she couldn’t hear any sign of it.
Anyway, right now she had bigger worries than an annoyed homeowner.
She hurried towards the door, opening it from the inside. Gregory hadn’t moved, and so she once more had to drag him inside the house. There was a large, soft sheepskin in the living room; when she laid him down there, he groaned softly, but didn’t open his eyes.
“Gregory? Can you hear me?” She pressed her hand to his forehead, kneeling down by his side.
His eyelashes fluttered. He didn’t answer her, but his breathing had sped up.
“Gregory?” she said again, carefully brushing away a smudge of ashes on his cheek.
At the gentle touch, Gregory at last opened his eyes. He looked dazed, but Naomi wanted to weep with relief.
“How do you feel? Don’t try to move. You’re hurt.” She swallowed as she looked down at his chest once more. Then sh
e blinked.
Hadn’t she seen several large blisters just minutes ago?
His skin was still red and looking painfully burned, but there were no blisters that she could see. Had that just been her own panic?
“Hey.” Gregory’s voice was weak, but even though he had to be in pain, there was a small smile on his lips. “You’re safe. Good.”
Gregory sighed deeply. There was a strange, silver light in his gaze. She could see it clearly now; she was so close she felt as if she only had to lean forward to drown in his gaze.
His eyes were the color of a stormy sky—and that light was the strange, silver twilight of storm clouds illuminated from behind, like jagged bands of pure light crossing the sky.
Right now that light was gleaming in his eyes as he looked at her. She felt that same pull towards him once more, that force that told her that here was the freedom she had thought lost long ago.
His smile widened a little. “How do you feel?”
“How do I feel?” She sounded incredulous, and for good reason. “How do you feel? You just got yourself burned by a dragon! You just... You... You were a dragon!”
Gregory winced as he slowly pushed himself up.
“I would’ve told you,” he murmured hoarsely. “But there was no time before he attacked.”