The corner of his mouth turned up in that half smile that made her weak, and he lifted his arm slowly, gently pushing her hair back from her face. “I understand, and I’m okay with that. More than okay with it, really. Even if you didn’t have past experiences that made you wary, you’d still be different to me. And everyone has baggage, Liv. I don’t think one single person makes it through like without it. Some of them just have heavier loads to carry. I don’t mind yours, and I won’t run from it. I can promise you that.”
She searched his warm brown eyes, finding nothing but sincerity and conviction. Her baggage was much different than the average humans, though, so she wasn’t sure he’d feel the same way once he knew the truth.
But that sliver of faith she’d found was burning in her chest, and she knew she was going to put her trust into whatever was developing between them.
With the way she already felt about him, she honestly wasn’t sure she had a choice.
“Then as long as you accept that I have a past, one I’m not willing to talk about, one that might make having something with me difficult… then I’m in this, too. I’m willing to give it a chance.”
He gave her a brilliant smile, one that stretched wide, showing off his dimples. “That’s all I ask.” Glancing up at the screen, where the countdown to the second half of the movie was ticking away, he looked back over at her and raised an eyebrow. “Need a refill? We sh
ould hit the concession stand before the movie starts again.”
Nodding, she grabbed her cup, unable to resist teasing him. “You’re really into this movie, aren’t you?”
Shrugging unrepentantly, he lifted the hand he still held in his and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles, the simple action making her body burn. “It’s one of my favorites. I’m more into you, though.”
Her smile turned shy as he untangled their fingers. Sweet heavens, could he be any more perfect? She knew he had flaws, everyone did, but the man she was coming to know was amazing.
It made her sure that whatever his flaws were, she could easily overlook them.
They both reached for their door handles at the same time, but before they could get them open, the lights at the drive-in flickered. Pausing, they glanced at each other before looking around as the lights continued to blink in and out.
Panic and unease began welling up inside of her, but she tried to push them back down. It’s just an electrical malfunction, Liv, she told herself. Or maybe there’s a storm rolling in, and that’s causing it.
Some of her panic abated at the thought. She hadn’t checked the weather today, so she was sure that was it. And if she normally felt incoming storms in her bones, well, that didn’t mean it still wasn’t true. She’d been extraordinarily distracted that day, after all.
But then the big screen suddenly changed to a new image, one that made her blood run cold. The background was black, the words bloodred.
We’re coming for the abominations.
The message was short and sweet, but it made her muscles lock into place as fear took over.
The dragons. They must be talking about the dragons. But how had anyone found out they were there? They’d told no one except the Enforcers, and she knew they wouldn’t say a word to anyone.
“What the hell?” Cody muttered, eyes focused on the screen. She glanced over at him, taking in his narrowed eyes and the muscle ticking in his jaw. “If this is someone’s idea of a joke, it’s a fucking bad one.”
The flickering lights finally extinguished, leaving only the movie screen lit up, the awful, terror inducing message still showing. All around them, vehicles were starting and pulling out as people left, proving that she wasn’t the only one feeling the unease in the air.
“Maybe we should leave too,” she said, trying not to let her panic show. Someone who wasn’t a shifter or didn’t know about them wouldn’t understand, and she had no interest in cluing him in. Not right that moment.
Shit. Did this mean the dragons needed to leave, find somewhere new to live? She should absolutely be on board with that plan, but despite the terror worming its way through her body, it still made her sad.
She didn’t want to leave Cody and what they were beginning. It felt like it could be epic, and she knew once they were gone, she’d mourn him and what could have been for the rest of her life.
Realizing he hadn’t answered, she turned her attention from the screen and all the customers leaving to look at him. He was gazing intently into a darkened corner of the lot, next to the woods.
“There’s something…” he trailed off, eyes narrowing. “I think there’s something over there. I’m gonna go check it out.”
Before she could tell him what an epically bad idea that was, he was out of the truck and striding toward the corner. The panic she’d been trying to keep muted welled up, taking her over so completely that she couldn’t stop shaking.
What the fuck was he thinking? Something very, very wrong was clearly going on, and instead of getting to safety, he went to check out what was a potentially dangerous situation?
God. If there were hunters out there, he could be walking into certain death.
This was all her fucking fault.
Go. Follow him, she told herself firmly. Give him the protection he doesn’t know he needs.