Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 119764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
He’s a good guy. I don’t know why I’m always so nervous about…well, everything. It’s just hard to turn off that part of your brain when it’s been wired to be on high alert for so many years.
I move around a broken-down car, picking my way through the old parking lot. As I do, I come across another vehicle I hadn’t seen yet, an old ambulance, its tires flat on one side and the entire thing tilted as if sinking into the ground. Weeds have grown up around it, and a small tree is sprouting through one wheel well, but that’s not what draws my attention.
It’s the neon green DRAGON LOVER IN BOOKSTORE spray-painted across the entire side of the ambulance.
I stare at it for a moment, reading it once, twice, before my heart starts to pound with anxiety. Taking Murr’s kilt, I move to the painted words and try to rub them off, but they don’t budge.
Shit. Shit, shit, fuck, damn and shit.
Who knows that we’re here, other than the nomad? And how does he know about Murr?
I know exactly what this sign is, of course. It’s a callout to anyone in the area that if they’re looking to cause trouble, I’m one to pick on. The worst thing you can call someone in the After is a dragon lover, or a dragon sympathizer. It means you’re no longer on the side of humanity. It means you’re aligning yourself with the dragons that have set fire to and destroyed our homes for the past ten years. I don’t think enough time has passed with the dragons no longer attacking us for that mentality to change.
“Hey, guys?” I call out. “Can you come look at this?”
The others come over to where I’m standing, and Dottie curses under her breath at the sight of the lettering. “That damn nomad is determined to cause trouble.”
“You think it was him?” I ask, worried.
“I do. He’s done this shit before. His hobby is harassing people,” Dottie says. Aggie is unusually quiet for once, but her expression tells me that she’s just as unhappy about this as Dottie is.
“We can paint over it, Mom,” Rabbit says, moving to my side. “I’m sure we can find some paint cans and cover it up. It’s not a big deal.”
She’s right. There’s no need to panic. We can cover it, like she says. There are bound to be paint cans around somewhere that haven’t turned to glue. I put an arm around my daughter’s shoulders in a hug. “You’re right. Thanks, baby.”
I’m just being overprotective. Panicky.
I glance over at Aggie, who’s still quiet. She’s staring off in the distance, and I follow her gaze.
DRAGON LOVER is painted on another car, with an arrow. Beyond that one, there’s another car that’s been hit by the vivid green spray paint.
Jesus, this guy really is determined.
CHAPTER 33
DAKOTA
I must look like I’m ready to explode. Rabbit gives me a worried look, touching my arm. “Mom, are you okay?”
“I kind of want to kill a man right now, actually,” I say, keeping my voice cheerful. “Just find that guy that’s trying to ruin our lives and put a few arrows through him.”
“You and me both,” Aggie says, her voice mournful. “He won’t give up. We should probably just all leave the bookstore to him, Murr included. Just go somewhere else and live peacefully.”
Rabbit scoffs, leaning against the car as if she can cover up the hateful words with her body. “Why would we do that? Murr can just eat the guy.”
“We don’t want that,” Aggie says, suddenly alarmed. “That’s just wrong!”
Is it? Or is there something else going on?
I round on the two women, narrowing my eyes. Why is it that finding a big dragon-man living across the parking lot from us hasn’t been half as chaotic as these two old ladies coming into our lives? What is it about them that brings such craziness? “Don’t you find it strange that this guy won’t fuck off? That he’s picking on women who haven’t done anything to him?”
Dottie frowns at me, folding an old quilt as tightly as she can. “What are you saying?”
“If he’s a mercenary, why won’t he just leave? We don’t have anything he wants. If he wants some books from the bookstore, he’s welcome to come grab them. Why hassle us? And why are you suddenly so gung-ho on us leaving? What is it you’re not telling us?”
Aggie just scowls. “I don’t like your tone, missy.”
It’s Dottie that lets out a heavy sigh and turns to her friend. “Maybe just tell them the truth, all right? I’m tired of all this subterfuge.”
Aha. Now we’re getting somewhere. “You’re working with him, aren’t you? That’s what all this is about.”
Aggie’s mouth quivers and for a horrifying moment, I think I’ve made an old lady cry. “It’s not what you think. It’s not like we have a choice.”