Daddy Dragon Guardians: The Complete Series Boxset, page 16
“Okay! Well, you guys enjoy and just shout for me if you need anything.” She picked up the tray and headed off across the floor, stopping to check on another table.
Xander eyed Nora as he broke her chicken nuggets into bite-sized pieces and handed her one of them. She gobbled it up and grinned at him as though nothing had happened. “That was a close call. I can’t thank you enough. I’m not sure what I would have done if someone had seen her.”
Summer smiled and shook her head. “It was my pleasure. I’ll admit that I don’t usually do those sorts of things outside the comfort of my own home, but I know how tough it is when people stare at you. I can pass as a regular person, but I don’t think anyone would believe Nora was just wearing a Halloween costume.”
He knew that he should have been the one to take action and help Nora calm down. It made him feel somewhat ashamed but also very excited that Summer had stepped up. It meant that she really did care for Nora as much as she seemed to. It warmed up that pit of flames inside him, but in a very pleasant way. “You could just as easily have walked away,” Xander said quietly.
“I wouldn’t have. I think you know that.”
Xander did. Maybe he knew her better than either one of them had realized. “Yes, but I don’t think you realize what an amazing woman you are.”
She blushed. “It wasn’t that amazing. Just a little parlor trick, really.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about—well, not just that, anyway. Your magic is impressive, and it’s definitely something I’d like to learn more about. But the fact that you would do that for us says a lot as well.”
“I don’t mind at all, really. And don’t go proclaiming me a hero. I didn’t think I was really all that interested in children until Nora came along. She’s so adorable; I can’t help but want to spend time with her.” Summer smiled at the little girl as she reached across the table to wipe a little piece of chicken off the corner of Nora’s mouth. “Does she have a bib? I’d hate to see her ruin that pretty dress.”
“Oh! Of course.” Nora’s transformation had left the after-effects of adrenaline coursing through his system, and he had completely forgotten. Xander whipped a bib out of the bag and fastened it around Nora’s neck. “Don’t forget to eat your mashed potatoes, Nora.”
The tot shook her head emphatically. “No taters. Nuggies.”
Xander pressed his lips together. If they were at home, and if circumstances were normal, he would have pressed the issue. After all, he was her father and it was his job to make sure she ate well-balanced meals. But considering the reaction Nora had just had when she’d gotten bored and tired, he was concerned. It dawned on him that his daughter’s ability to shift could truly backfire on him as she got older and she could threaten to turn dragon if she didn’t get her way. Xander had read that teenagers liked to rebel, which was not unlike the way things had been back on Charok. But there, no one would accept a dragon sitting at the table.
“Please?” he asked.
Nora pointedly put a bite of the chicken nugget in her mouth.
“You know, when I was younger, I would babysit my cousin sometimes,” Summer said, one slim eyebrow raised in thought. “Nora is a bit older than he was at the time, but she might still enjoy this.” Her fingers began moving again.
Xander glanced around the restaurant, making sure no one was looking their way and the waitress wasn’t coming back to check on them. Somehow, Summer using her magic in public didn’t make him quite as nervous as the potential for Nora to shift.
This time, the spoon lifted from the table and scooped up a bite of potatoes, swerving through the air in front of Nora. “Here comes the airplane!” Summer announced as she guided it with only the twitch of her finger toward the tot’s mouth. “It’s got cargo to deliver! Open wide!”
Fascinated, Nora did as she was told. She gobbled up the bite of white fluffy stuff and instantly began looking for more.
Xander couldn’t help but laugh. He had never seen his daughter quite so happy with her food, even though she’d never been a particularly picky eater. She abandoned her chicken nuggets and eagerly ate every bit of her potatoes. When they were gone, she happily started in on her green beans herself.
“If I recall correctly, you told me just a few days ago that you don’t really know anything about children. I think you underestimate yourself.” Xander smiled lovingly across the table. He knew this was supposed to just be a dinner as friends, but there was no one more perfect in the world than Summer. She made his body burn, but even if he hadn’t had that reaction to her, he would have been trying to find an excuse to proclaim her as the one. Never had he met a woman so gentle, sweet, and smart.
Summer dabbed at the corner of her mouth and set down her salad fork. “No, I really did mean it. I watched my cousin a couple of times, but I’m no expert. I think Nora just makes me want to try. I’ve never met a kid who grabbed at my heart so readily, and I have to commend you for that. I know it must be hard for you to raise her in such a strange world, one that’s even difficult for the natives. But you’ve done a good job with her, and it really shows.”
“Even when she turns into a different being at the dinner table?”
“Yes,” Summer laughed. “Even then. I know children are far from perfect. You should have seen my sister and I when we were younger. We had a touch of natural magical talent about us even before we were officially taught, and of course the fact that we’re twins just made things worse. We always knew what the other was thinking, and we could act on our plans without discussing them. We caused all sorts of trouble, and I’m sure my mother didn’t appreciate it at all. But in the end, I’d like to think we turned out alright.”
“I think so, too.”
The waitress brought their check and Xander automatically took it.
Summer picked up her purse. “What’s my share?”
“Zero dollars and zero cents,” he replied as he attached his debit card to the little clip board. “This is on me.”
Her face narrowed. “Xander, I thought we agreed that this was just as friends.”
“And a guy can’t buy his friend dinner?” he countered. He knew what she was getting at. Things had been changing slightly over the past few decades, according to his research, but the check wasn’t normally split if a couple was out on a date. Still, he understood why Earth men always insisted on paying. The gesture made him feel as though he was taking care of Summer, and he didn’t want that to be taken away from him.
“Not if he’s doing it without honorable intentions.”
The fire lit in his chest again, but it wasn’t a pleasant one. He felt attacked, and his body was instantly ready to fight back. “I’ve had nothing less than honorable intentions with you, Summer. I’m not just trying to get you in the sack, here.”
She shook her head and waved her hand in the air. “I don’t mean it like that. I’m sorry, because I can see now how it came out. What I meant was that you agreed to go out to dinner as friends, but if you’re picking up the check, then you clearly mean it as more than that. It’s not fair to me, Xander.”
“Alright then you can pick up the check the next time we go out.” He grinned. He knew the game he was playing, even though he didn’t want to be playing games with her. But Xander had to keep trying with her, whatever it took.
“Nice try. Xander, I thought things were going well between us, and I admit that I had a small spark of hope that you might be right. The idea of two people being destined for each other is incredibly romantic. But I’m still not sure I’m the right person.” She looked sad as she spoke to him, as though she truly regretted what she was saying.
“But I know you are.” He barely moved his lips as he said the words. His body was fighting him once again. It had relaxed a little as they had interacted over dinner and he was able to fool himself in believing that they were heading the right direction. But now that she was threatening to slip off into the night and never see him again, he wasn’t sure he could move a muscle without instantly shifting. And it would be a lot more noticeable than when Nora had done it.
“And I need you to understand that I need to know that, too. It can’t just be all about you, Xander. I know that you’ve dedicated your life to Nora and to finding a mother for her, but you don’t really want me to agree to such a thing if I don’t know that I can be happy, do you?” She reached across the table and touched his hand, pleading for him to understand.
“No,” he gritted out. The touch of her hand was almost more than he could bear. His body and his mind were in such conflict, and he felt like he might explode at any moment. “But don’t you see what this would mean for you as well? I’m not just asking you to be my partner and Nora’s mother. I’m promising that I will love and protect you from now until the end of time.” He was sweating now, trying his damnedest to get the words out. If they had been at her house or his apartment, then it might have been different. He could have let his claws or his wings out to just release a little bit of the tension, and it would have made things so much easier. But not there. “And it’s not just that. I would do anything for you, Summer. You are the one person on this planet—no, in the universe—that can make me feel this way. It’s how I know that as terrible as the reasons were for us leaving Charok, we were meant to do so. You and Nora are absolutely everything to me.”
Tears welled in Summer’s eyes. “That’s very sweet, Xander. It really is. I like you, but I don’t know that I’m ready for something like that. I’ve tried to tell you, but it seems that what I need only comes secondary to what you say you need. I’m an open person, and that’s why I was willing to give this a try, but I just need more time to think things through.” She picked up her purse and stood up.
“Summer, please don’t go. We can go somewhere private and talk this out. I know this is going to take some time to get used to, and I meant it when I said I would do anything you ask.” He reached for her hand. Xander knew that it was dangerous for him to do so; the chemistry he could feel between the two of them was almost too much to bear.
She didn’t pull her hand away from his, but she turned her sad green eyes on him. “Xander, all I’m asking of you right now is to please give me some space.”
She waved goodbye to Nora and was gone in an instant.
8
Summer felt numb as she hailed a cab and took it to the edge of town. She had truly hoped that their dinner would go well, and for the most part, it had. Nora, despite her little reptilian fit, had absolutely enchanted her. Summer had felt the panic from Xander when she had shifted, and she wanted nothing more than to help. She didn’t even mind using her powers in front of a man she hardly knew, because the time they’d spent together at The Enchanted Elm had made her feel as though she could be comfortable around him. He had been patient and kind, and those were qualities she looked for in any person.
She felt her heart was finally beginning to open itself to him, but the way he had acted right at the end of the meal had made her realize that she’d let her hope get ahead of her head. He was fun to talk to and spend time with, but Xander still wanted far more from her than she was ready to give.
“Right here is fine.”
The cabbie pulled over as they reached the edge of town, where the houses had become more scattered and the lights of downtown were nothing more than a glow on the horizon. “You sure? This is the middle of nowhere.”
“Yes, this is it. Thank you.” She paid him, tipping generously as she always did, and got out. Summer was grateful that she wasn’t one for high heels, or else the long walk to the end of her driveway would have been an uncomfortable one. As it was, she tried to use the time to realign her energies with the earth. Summer tipped her head up at the stars, studying the bits of flame in the sky, wondering just where out there the mysterious planet of Charok was located. She knew that she would never be able to see it, but that only made it harder to understand. Xander and his friends had traveled across the universe to find a safe haven where they could raise their children. How did it make any sense that she could be the one for him? If he had been able to stay on his home planet, would he eventually have found a female dragon who would have made him feel the same way he claimed to feel about Summer? There were so many things to think about.
A gentle breeze tugged at her hair as she entered her driveway. Trees lined it on both sides, which after sunset, made it a dark tunnel. Fortunately, she wasn’t the kind of person who thought there were things to be afraid of in the dark, and she touched each tree as she made her way to the house, feeling the way the rough bark pulled at her fingertips. What would happen to Nora? Would Xander have to settle for a woman who wasn’t his “destined mate,” or would he simply remain a single dad for the rest of his life? Was it fair to leave him in the lurch like that when he really did need someone? And it wasn’t that he was incapable as a father, but that Summer knew how hard it was on single parents in general. She’d had countless young women come into the store looking for herbs or potions for money, peace, and wellbeing. They were always stressed and worried. No one should have to go through that.
Reaching her door, Summer headed inside and grabbed a few things, putting them in a simple sack without bothering to turn on the lights. She didn’t want to ruin her night vision, and she knew where everything was by memory, anyway. Stepping out her back door, she headed for a clearing in the woods that she had come to know well. Summer kept the leaf litter swept away on a regular basis, so she wasn’t hindered as she drew a circle in the dirt on the forest floor. She stepped inside and called the four elements to assist her.
Summer turned to the east and threw her arms wide. “Welcome East, power of Air! Intuition, knowledge, and wisdom, come and send forth your inspiration, and be here now.”
The south was next. “Welcome South, power of Fire! Energy, head, and flame, come and set forth your passion, and be here now.”
Two steps to her left had her facing west. “Welcome West, power of Water! Emotions, love, and courage, come and set forth your tranquility, and be here now.”
The north was the last step in casting her circle so that the elemental guardians would watch over her ritual space. “Welcome North, power of Earth! Stability, structure, and growth, come and set forth your strength, and be here now.”
A shiver made its way down her spine, but it wasn’t one of fear or uncertainty. It was the thrill of magic in her system and a circle that had been cast well, despite the numerous distractions that were still running through her mind. Fortunately, Summer had done it so many times, it was old hat. The circle provided a safe space that kept her energies focused with it and kept negative elements out, and she could see the pale blue shimmer of power that radiated along the line she had drawn on the ground. At other times, if she was casting a specific spell, she might have any number of candles, stones, herbs, and other tools with her.
That night, though, she had no specific spells to ask of the universe; it was purely a meditation session. She would likely have been set off-kilter by the absence of her twin in the first place, but having Xander waltzing into her life had been enough to make her feel as though she had never come to know her spirit guides in the first place. She was torn and needed to center herself, control her thoughts, and seek guidance.
Summer reached into her bag, knowing each stone by the way it felt in her hand. The light from the stars barely penetrated through the trees, but she didn’t need it. Sitting down in the center of the circle, Summer set a clear quartz in front of her for clarity of mind. Next to it, she placed a large amethyst for calming her thoughts, which were swirling like an ocean in a hurricane at the moment. On the other side of the crystal, Summer gently placed a lapis lazuli for awareness and truth. More than anything, she wanted to know just what she was supposed to do. Hopefully, her spiritual guides would support her.
Pulling a deep breath through her nose and letting it out slowly through her mouth, Summer let all the thoughts and worries she had been focused on come to the front of her mind. She tried not to formulate any words to go with them, concentrating on the visuals and the emotions behind them. The spirits didn’t care how she phrased it, but more about what it meant to her.
She could easily see Xander’s face, with those liquid eyes that were always soft when they turned to hers, and his dark hair that was a distinct contrast to hers. He invoked joy and intrigue. But also confusion. She couldn’t deny that she felt a certain pull toward him that was growing stronger by the day. In fact, it was precisely because of that pull that she had let this whole thing bother her so much. If it wasn’t there, Summer could just as easily have stopped thinking about him and moved on. It was he who created the most chaos within her that she’d ever experienced, and she didn’t know if that meant his talk of fate and destiny was correct, or completely off-base.
Then there was Nora. With her dark curls and doe eyes, she induced the warm, sappy feelings that could be found in poetry and greeting cards. It made her want to learn more about her own surroundings so that she could teach that knowledge to the child. Even her little fit was endearing in its own way, and Summer sent waves of love radiating out into the universe.
Finally, even though it seemed narcissistic, Summer turned her thoughts on herself. She preferred not to put herself first, but in this particular situation, she felt that she had to. After all, accepting Xander’s story would change the rest of her life. It would determine how she acted, what she said, and who she spent time with. It wasn’t simply a friendship, but a lifelong and life-changing commitment. She mentally pushed out her heartache, her confusion, but also, her desire for a life of beauty and understanding.
The stones and her spirit guides began to do their work. Her tumultuous thoughts crashed and canceled each other out like waves as Summer concentrated on the way the Earth moved through the universe and the vibrations of the night sky around her. She inhaled peace and exhaled understanding. There were no direct words that came to her, but Summer knew that her guides had their hands on her shoulders. In a way, that was the only thing she really needed. She had someone on her side, and even though she knew she had Leah’s support, it meant so much more to know that she also had it from the celestial beings who watched over her.
