The Arena novel Chapter 82

Two Months Later

I haven’t gotten Tana pregnant yet. We knew that it would be difficult after her uterus ruptured with Liekki. But my mate wants another pup or dragon, and I’m doing my best to give her one. I can’t say that constantly trying to get her pregnant isn’t fun, but I know she’s becoming more and more convinced that she’ll never have another baby.

We still haven’t found The Chief. We’ve gotten close, found old facilities, and learned how he detonates the explosives he puts into the dragons’ brains, but we haven’t found him yet.

Ishir did find a doctor who would help us. He’s human, in his mid to late thirties, but he does seem to care about the supernatural community. Or, more specifically, he is fascinated by us, especially the dragons. At first, I thought I might have to kill him. He kept staring at Tana and Kenna. But when Avani, Zephyr, and Kaylani showed up, I realized it has more to do with the beauty of the dragons than my mate and daughter.

Ishir explained to him about what we are up against and what we are trying to accomplish.

“It would help me if I understood dragon anatomy better. I don’t want to be forward, but would any of you be willing to allow me to study you in your dragon form?”

“My mate and daughter are off limits,” I say without hesitation. I don’t know what he intends to do, but it won’t be with my family.

“I’m not exactly comfortable with you, human. So, my answer is no,” Avani says.

“I have a young son that I need to care for. I’m sorry, but I don’t have time to let you learn about our anatomy,” Zephyr tells him.

He turns, looking at Kaylani. “What about you? Would you be willing to let me learn about you in your dragon form?”

“What would that entail, doctor?” Kaylani asks him.

“Call me Everett, Kaylani. If we’re going to get to know each other, we should be on a first name basis, don’t you think?”

Kaylani blushes sweetly at his comment.

“And I would like to examine you in your dragon form. Since I haven’t actually seen any of you in your dragon form, I don’t know exactly how long that will take. Are you very large?”

“They’re about the size of a five-story building, doc,” I tell him.

His head whips around to look at me. “Five stories?” he asks, and his voice is a combination of awe and excitement.

“Our wingspan is about 200 yards,” Zephyr tells him.

His eyes go wide. “Two football stadiums?” He turns back to Kaylani. “But … but you’re so tiny.”

Kaylani laughs prettily under his praise. “Not many people call me tiny, Everett.”

“Well, I mean, you’re very tall. But so thin and so beautiful. I just can’t imagine you shifting into something so large.”

“We’re dragons first, Everett. The human form is to help us blend in so your kind can’t find us and kill us off,” Avani tells him.

“Of course. I didn’t mean any offense. I’m just … in awe of you.”

“Would you like to see me in my dragon form, Everett?”

His eyes glitter with excitement. “Yes. Yes, I would very much like to see that.”

We all walk outside, and Kaylani begins stripping to shift.

“What, uh, I mean, I am a doctor, but …” Everett begins stuttering.

I can’t help but smile. He’s trying not to look, but it’s nearly impossible. Dragons are beautiful to shifters; I can’t imagine how much more beautiful they are to humans. They would seem almost created from the gods themselves.

“Easy, human. If she doesn’t take her clothes off, she’ll shred them when she shifts,” Avani says to him.

“Yes, yes, of course. I have much to learn about your species.”

“And all supernaturals,” I add.

“Yes,” he says, looking at me.

When Kaylani shifts, I think the doc might actually have a heart attack. “God almighty!” he whispers, looking at Kaylani in shock.

“May … may I touch you?” He extends his hand, which is shaking like a leaf in a windstorm.

Kaylani agrees that he can touch her, and Tana translates for her.

When his hand touches her, I see her body quiver. “So soft, so much softer than I thought you’d be. I thought your scales would be hard and brittle, but they aren’t, they’re warm and almost velvety smooth.”

“Don’t rub your hand against the scales, doc. They will cut you if you do,” I warn him.

Zephyr steps up, walking him through the anatomy lesson that Tana gave me all those years ago. When she walks him onto her back, Kaylani turns her head to watch them.

“We’re not hurting you, are we? I can get down. I don’t want to hurt you,” he says, looking at Kaylani.

Zephyr chuckles. “You weigh nothing to us.”