“A mate is a true soul mate. Shifters don’t get to decide who their mates are. It’s been written into their destiny by the Fates. That instinct is in us to find our mate. Once a shifter finds his or her mate, they will move heaven and Earth to be with that person for all the days of their lives.
“So, if you are looking for someone who will love you like no other. Through sickness and health and all those human things you profess at a wedding, Kingston is the one for you. He will never stray. Hell, he won’t even look at another woman. The second he found you, every other woman on this planet was erased from his vision simultaneously.
“He will always want only you. This will never be a situation like you’ve found yourself in before with some of the guys you’ve dated in the past. Forget everything that you have been through. Everything you think you know about relationships. Kingston is already yours. All you have to do is say yes to him.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
Emmy’s breath caught in her throat. After her conversation with Gerri, it was all she could do to keep her shit together. She hadn’t realized the full consequences of getting involved with Kingston. What it meant to him. What the repercussions would be for her life. They would reverberate through every square inch.
She had thought jokingly about what it would be like to live in Hawaii, but she hadn’t given it serious thought. If she was going to be with Kingston, she would have to give up her life on the mainland. He was set to be the King of the Pacific Dragos. It wasn’t like he could chase after her.
Emmy tried to imagine him in her apartment and laughed at the thought before the tears threatened again. He would be utterly miserable there. He had told her that he loved everything about island life. That the island was in his blood, and she believed him. Even more so after she found out that he was a dragon.
She needed time. Time to get her head together and figure out what she wanted. Gerri had given her the keys to her car, so she could head back to the hotel and spend some time she desperately needed to process her thoughts.
Emmy clicked the fob, trying to find the car. Gerri had told her she had parked a block away. She looked up and down the street, looking for any flashing lights.
Nothing.
Figuring she had nothing to lose, she clicked the alarm button, hoping to hear the horn. That should tell her where the hell Gerri parked. Hearing a horn in the distance, she spun around, trying to determine the direction she needed to go.
The wind picked up, swooshing around her. One second, both her feet were on the ground. The next second, she was flying high in the air. Terror washed over her when she looked up and saw that an orange dragon had snatched her up off the ground.
“I don’t know who you are, but you damn well better let me go,” she shouted, knowing the beast understood her.
“Are you sure that’s what you want, human?” the dragon snarled at her.
Clearly, he was not friendly.
“Let me go!” Emmy screamed and squirmed with all her might.
“Fine! Have it your way, human.” The dragon released the hold he had on her, and she dropped instantly.
Maybe demanding to be let go was not what she should have done. Just as she was about to hit the ground, the dragon swooped down and grabbed her once again with his talons. She felt the skin on her back tear open as his claws tore through her shirt.
“Ahhh,” she screamed.
“Keep your mouth shut, or I won’t save you next time.”
Emmy did as she was told and kept her lips zipped, not wanting to bust every bone in her body when she hit the pavement. Panic rushed through her. She had no idea who the dragon was, but she had to assume he was one of Kingston’s brothers. One of the ones they had discussed.
The panic she had felt was quickly replaced by anger. Anger for that fact that the asshole carrying her to God knew where thought he could use her as some sort of pawn in his feud with Kingston.
As slowly as she could, she grabbed her phone out of her pocket. She looked up to make sure the dragon wasn’t paying attention to her. She quickly slipped the cell phone back into her pocket, realizing if he were to see the light from the phone, there was no telling what he would do.
After a short flight, he dropped her a foot above the ground into a clearing. Shifting as soon as his feet hit the ground, he grabbed her by her hair and dragged her into a small shack. She tried to fight back, but it was no use. He was just as big and strong as Kingston.
“Behave, human. I have no attachment to you, and you’re already bleeding. I’m not sure how much more your frail body can take,” he growled.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked as he shoved her into the structure.
“Do you always ask this many questions?” He kicked the door closed behind them and flipped on a light switch.
“When I have no idea what the hell is going on, yes, I do,” she yelled back at him.
“You know what I find amazing?” he asked.
“I have no clue. Why don’t you fill me in?” she said, steeling her spine.