New Breed (#1) (Dragon’s Fire) Read online

“I need to apologize for last night. I was coming back from one of the bars nearby and I wasn't even sure if I saw you. I thought I imagined you. I expected to wake up and not have the phone number anymore,” Annabel confessed as she nibbled nervously on one of the breadsticks from the table. She chose one of the nearby Italian restaurants for them to have their first date of sorts. It wasn’t too busy and she could get to know him better without needing to yell for his attention.

  Crispin leaned on the table to position himself closer to her. “I wish I knew that earlier. I could’ve said you made up the whole story about breathing fire.”

  She didn't understand. “Are you regretting being out with me?” They could end this right now and she’d go back home – there was pizza waiting in the fridge.

  “Not at all. I'm regretting the lame excuse I used.”

  “You saying you're a fire breather isn’t a lame excuse. It's beyond lame.” She laughed. She hoped he realized she made a joke. She wasn't trying to be rude to him but she knew sometimes her words came out awkward.

  He laughed. “You're very fascinating, Annabel. I've met lots of people in my life but there’s something about you I haven’t in someone else. I can't figure out what it is.”

  “That's a great line to keep someone interested. I'm sure you tell all the girls you save that.”

  “I'm not Henry. That hurt,” he said leaning back with an expression of hurt. He smiled at her in a few seconds to let her know there was no real harm done.

  She smiled at him. He had a good sense of humor. That was a positive trait on her scale. She brushed her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “Have you been here before?”

  “This place or do you mean the city in general?”

  “Both.”

  He shook his head. “It's my first time for both. I haven't gone around and checked out all the places in the area. I'm content staying away from people and not being pushed into place.”

  “Is it because you're a dragon?”

  “Shh,” he said harshly, looking around and hoping no one heard her. “Don't ever say that in public.”

  “Sorry,” she said. That was the only problem she had with him. He thought he was a dragon. It wasn't the worse problem he could have but it was weird.

  The rest of the meal passed by slow; both only making small talk with one another. Annabel wasn't sure if she had blown her chance at going on an actual date with him. Eating food together wasn’t technically a date – she hadn’t heard the word ‘date’ yet. “So...what are your plans for tonight?” she asked, pushing her fork around her nearly empty plate before looking up at him. She hoped there was a chance they’d do something together.

  “I can't go out with you. I have no plans on seeing you beyond tonight. This was just a one-off thing” he said abruptly. He frowned as he spoke, his attention remaining on his plate.

  She felt foolish. “That's fine. I kinda figured and…I had stuff to do anything.” She wanted to leave now before it got worse. She’d crawl under the table if she knew it’d keep her from dealing with this awkwardness.

  Crispin shook his head. “It's not because of you. It is me. It’s so me.”

  “That's one of the oldest lines in the book. It's fine. We weren't even dating. This wasn’t a date. We were just eating together and, I thought, made some kind of connection but I guess not. Doesn’t matter. This is a preemptive break-up. I…we’re broken up.”

  He opened his mouth to say something but Annabel kept talking before he could.

  “And I'm already in a very deep relationship. His name is,” she looked up, trying to think of a name. “Paul. His name is Paul. It's very serious too. He's not a dragon either. He’s…human.” She knew she was blubbering at this point. If she formed a complete sentence she was proud of herself.

  “That's nice,” he said putting his napkin on the table. “Do you - “

  “No.” She didn't want to hear what he was asking. “I'm going home right now. That’s the best thing for me to do. I wouldn’t want to keep Paul from waiting.”

  “I'm –

  “See you later, Crispin,” she said, standing before he did. She walked to the front and paid for the meal, fumbling for the cash within her jean pockets. Her cheeks were burning from being embarrassed in front of him. And Paul? She didn’t know a single person named Paul. She should’ve chosen another name and then found someone to pretend to be her boyfriend. This was a mess. A complete mess.

  She left the restaurant and headed to her car. She was going home and explaining to June how the whole thing was a mistake. It was like everything else she did. Perhaps she needed to swear off guys for a while. She grabbed her keys from her pocket and gripped her ignition key.

  “Hello,” a voice spoke behind her. She turned around. It sounded as if it spoke into her ear. There was no one there. She scanned the area rapidly.

  “Hello?” she asked. She listened carefully. There was nothing outside. She didn’t hear cars on the street either. There was something wrong. The air was too still.

  “Annabel,” the voice said again. It came from behind her once more. Its tone sent chills down her body. She knew that voice. She had heard it before but didn’t know who it was.

  “Who are you?” She didn't turn around.

  Another shiver ran down her body. “You look scared. Are you afraid?”

  “I don't know what you're talking about.”

  “It’s very rare to touch a human,” the voice said with added emphasis on the last word, “and not have them crumble beneath me. Who are you, Annabel Wells?”

  She was scared. Whatever this was, it knew her name. She didn't know how it did. “What do you want? I don't have any money on me.”

  A wisp of cold air moved past her neck. There was a laugh from the creature that echoed around her. “Money doesn’t solve every problem. I want to know who you are.”

  “You already know my name. That’s all there is.”

  “I want to see how you look inside. What your inner being feels like, how your emotions run.” The voice sounded colder than before. The threat was real.

  Annabel swallowed hard. She wasn't letting this creature kill her. She took off running. She didn't know where she was going. She only knew was she was getting away from it as fast as possible.

  The dark shape appeared in front of her instantly. “You think you can get away from me that fast? Nice try.”

  She turned around and started to go back when the shape appeared in front of her again. Everywhere she turned, the shape was there. It began growing as it had the night before.

  A massive spike formed in the creature's hand. She saw clearly this time, unlike the other attack when it was only a blur before being driven away by Crispin. This creature, the Unseen, was going to kill her and she had no way to defend herself. She raised her arms above her head and closed her eyes.