Seed of the Dragon: A Paranormal Dragon Shifter Romance (7 page)

I reached the ground finally and I took out my cell phone. I called Missy, I was going to need back up Intel wise.

“Hello?” Missy answered.

“Hey, I found the cause of the storm,” I said, not completely lying.

“Is there a dragon shifter?” Missy asked in excitement.

“That is yet to be seen, but I need a favor from you,” I said.

“What is it?” she asked.

I recalled that there was mail on the coffee table addressed to Rachel Angelo.

“I need to know where all of Rachel Angelo’s friends and family live,” I said.

“Rachel? Is she the shifter?” Missy asked.

“That or her kid, Michael,” I said.

“Michael… Angelo!? Oh my god she’s a genius for naming her kid that,” Missy laughed.

“Don’t laugh! This is serious Missy!” I yelled.

“Sorry, sorry, it’s just such a lucky name,” Missy explained. “I’ll get you what you need, just sit tight for a while.”

“Call me alright?”

“You got it, Shawn,” said Missy.

I hung up the phone and sighed. That feeling in my stomach was only getting stronger, that worry…

I wonder what Rachel has done with her life since we met. She has a kid so she might not be a model anymore… unless he’s adopted. The question was who was the dragon shifter? Had Rachel been a shifter all along and I just hadn’t known? Or was the kid…? There’s no way that it’s my kid right? She said she was on the pill! There’s always a chance for failure though, there’s always a small percentage that she did get pregnant with my seed. If so, then I have a son? I have a son. A son named Michael.

I felt something in my chest bloom, and perhaps it was some sort of pride. It felt warm and nostalgic, like the time I made my mother a flower crown and wanted to show it off to her. It felt like happiness and melancholy. I hadn’t been there for my kid. He had grown up for four years with a single mother and I could have been there for him but I wasn’t.

Thoughts of my romanticized fantasies with Rachel came rushing back, thoughts of getting married, of settling down, of just being together. Perhaps it was something I could do now? Now there was a kid in the picture and I felt an obligation, no, a need to be with them. I needed to teach this child how to control his powers and to use them to his advantage.

He needed to learn before he accidentally hurts the people that surround him. People like his mother, Rachel, who doesn’t yet understand the dangers of a shifter at a young age when they can’t control themselves yet. He could accidentally breathe fire, or touch someone and burn their flesh. Someone needs to be there for that kid before he does something he will regret for the rest of his life. Not to mention he was at the right age to shift for the very first time…

My phone began to ring.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Hey, it’s Missy, I’ve got a list of addresses for you,” Missy said.

“Thanks, just send it via text,” I said.

“Shawn?” Missy called.

“Yes?” I asked.

“Don’t come back,” Missy said.

“Pardon?”

“They’ll kill you,” Missy explained.

This was most likely because I failed the last mission. They thought I knew too much.

“I got it, thanks,” I said.

I didn’t really care that much since right now, my mind was only on one thing: making sure Rachel and Michael were okay. I hung up the phone.

“Shawn?” a voice called.

I looked towards a stranger.

“Who’re you?” I asked.

The stranger was a man in his 20’s. He was balding and wore cargo shorts and a t-shirt. He was immensely tall, towering over me.

“Let’s talk in private,” the balding man said.

“I’d rather not,” I said.

“You don’t really have a choice,” the stranger said.

“I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else,” I said.

“Oh, I don’t think so,
dragon
,” said the man.

I made a break for it. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me away from this man. He followed behind me. I ran down a busy street and did my best not to bump into anyone, failing terribly.

“Sorry, excuse me, sorry!” I called out as I made my way through the crowd.

“Shawn!” the stranger called out, “run all you want, we’ll find you!”

I kept running and paid the bald stranger’s words no heed. I needed to get out of there as fast as I could. I turned around the corner and hid in a bush. I held my breath as the stranger ran past me towards the direction he assumed I had gone. After he turned down a different street, I let my breath go.

I sighed and sat in the bush for a moment while checking my phone. I needed to start checking the addresses Missy sent. I could probably rule out any outside of London for now, since I should finish up here before moving on elsewhere. I scrolled through the London addresses and whistled. There were only three in the vicinity of where I was. I should be checking those first.

I got up and dusted off my jeans. I began to walk towards where the first address should be, according my map. It was in a suburban area with houses and belonged to Rachel’s aunt. I jogged down the street taking in the sights of such wonderfully kept houses.

I imagined what it’d be like to live in one of these with Rachel and Michael as a family. I imagined it’d be exciting to learn her habits; maybe she snores? Maybe she likes to do dishes but not cook. It would be nice to go back to a normal life like I had with my parents before they… well it’s all over now.

I arrived at the first address Missy had sent. It was a nice bungalow with a beautiful garden in the front. I walked up and went around to the back. There, I fiddled with the lock before it clicked open.

“Is someone there?” called out a feminine voice.

I froze in place. I didn’t expect to be caught. What should I say?

“We need to go,” I explained as the woman rounded the corner and faced me.

It was Rachel. She had aged but she was still just as beautiful as she was in that blue dress. Right now, she wore jeans and a tank top, along with some jewellery around her neck.

“Shawn?” she said after a moment, recognizing me.

“Yes,” I said.

“It’s you… I…”

CHAPTER SIX

“Rachel”

There he was, in front of me. He was wearing dress shoes, jeans and a well fitted t-shirt. I felt my mouth water as want built up in my body.

“What are you doing here?” I asked. I never expected to see Shawn ever again.

“Mommy?” Michael called out from the other room.

“Yes, Michael?” I asked.

“Who is it?” he shouted.

“No one, darling, just keep playing,” I said.

“He’s my son isn’t he?” Shawn asked.

“Excuse me?”

“Isn’t he? Can I see him?”

After all these years and Shawn wanted to see him? After all those years I searched him out and
now
he wants to see Michael?! “No. You cannot,” I said, putting my foot down.

Shawn’s shoulders sunk. “That’s alright…”

He looked terrible, as if he’d been up all night. He had eye bags and he seemed to be a little out of breath. I felt a pang of sympathy before I smothered it.

“May I come in?” Shawn asked.

“You’re already inside,” I noted.

“Ah, that’s true,” he said. “Sorry,” he apologized.

I sighed and gestured for him to enter the kitchen. Auntie was out at work and I had the day off today so I was looking after Michael alone. Shawn sat at the kitchen table as I began to prepare some tea for myself.

“Would you like some tea?” I asked.

“Could I have water instead?” Shawn replied.

“Of course,” I said.

I grabbed a glass and filled it with tap water and placed it in front of Shawn. Closer up, he looked even more ragged than before. He was still handsome and his eyes were still that beautiful gold, but something was off about his demeanor, as if something was bothering him.

The kettle clicked, informing me that the water was boiled. I grabbed a mug and put a tea bag in and then poured the water into it. I then put it onto the kitchen table and sat across from Shawn.

“What are you here for?” I asked.

Shawn fidgeted. “To be honest I’m not entirely sure how to explain,” Shawn said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Um, well I thought you and Michael were in danger after I went to your apartment...” Shawn said.

“My god, you were in my apartment? Why? How!?” I exclaimed.

I was starting to get creeped out. Did he think he could just shove his way into my life like this by breaking into my apartment? I bet he even went through my underwear drawer!

“I told you, it’s a long story,” Shawn began.

“Get out,” I said.

“Pardon?”

“I said GET OUT,” I said tersely.

I got up and grabbed Shawn’s glass of water and splashed it onto his face. “I have no time for creeps like you and Justin,” I said.

“Who is Justin?” Shawn asked but I was already dragging him out the door.

“Stay out!” I said as I closed the back door and locked it.

“Rachel!” Shawn shouted from outside.

“Leave!”

I grabbed a chair and boarded the back door. I then ran to the front door and did the same. This was so stupid, how dare he return to my life like this?! I was fine with how things were before. I didn’t need men being so stupid in my life, first my agent turned out to be a pervert and now this??

A knock at the front door surprised me.

“Rachel?” a feminine voice called out.

“Auntie!” I suddenly realized that I had locked her out as well. I unbarred the door and let her in, locking and boarding it up again as soon as she was inside.

“What’s going on, Rachel?” Auntie asked.

“There’s a weird man trying to get into the house,” I said.

“Should we call the police?” Auntie asked.

“No, no, he’ll go away I’m sure,” I reasoned.

“Are you talking about that nice man in the black t-shirt?” Auntie asked.

“What? You saw him?” I said.

“He said good afternoon to me!” Auntie said, “And he seemed like a nice man to me.”

I crossed my arms being defensive. “You don’t know Shawn,” I said.

“You do?” Auntie asked.

“Not well…” I realized.

“Then don’t judge a book by its cover!” Auntie said, “did you get the heebie-jeebies?”

“The heebie-jeebies?” I asked.

“You know, that horrible shiver down your spine when your gut is trying to tell you not to trust someone,” Auntie explained.

I thought back to when I got that feeling with Justin. “No I didn’t actually,” I said.

“Well then, he must not be that bad,” Auntie said.

“Auntie!” I exclaimed.

“However, I won’t let him in if you don’t want me to,” she said.

“Thank you…” I sighed in relief.

I looked out the front window to see Shawn sitting on the lawn admiring Auntie’s garden. I couldn’t trust him, he only just returned, and just because my gut said it was okay doesn’t mean that it was.  I needed something more, something to make me trust him.

“Won’t you let him in? They said it’ll rain tonight…” Auntie said.

“Oh no, he is NOT coming inside,” I said tersely.

“Do you want to talk about it, Rachel?” Auntie asked.

“Hell yes, get some tea ready,” I said.

We both laughed. Auntie went to the kitchen while I went to check on Michael. I entered mine and Michael’s room, finding him on the floor playing with his train again. I kneeled down next to him and watched him for a little while.

He had my lips and nose… but the eyes, the eyes were Shawn’s. I didn’t even know his last name and now he shows up saying that we’re in danger? I couldn’t trust that, I wasn’t about to go along with him on the slight chance that what he was saying was true. After all, how could I be in danger? Perhaps it had to do with what happened with Justin and Michael. I still hadn’t told anyone since I didn’t think anyone could believe it.

“Mommy?” Michael said.

“Yes, baby?” I answered.

“Who was that man that was here?” he asked.

“No one, darling, it was no one,” I said with a smile.

“You were yelling, I was scared again,” Michael said with a frown.

“It wasn’t the bad man from before,” I reassured my son.

Michael went back to playing with his toys.

“Michael? What happened that day?” I asked out of curiosity.

“Which day, Mommy?” Michael replied.

“The day the bad man came, what did you do?” I questioned.

Michael looked up at the ceiling and then down at the ground.

“I protected Mommy,” Michael said as he looked up at me seriously.

“Yes, but how?” I said.

“I felt hot, and my skin felt hot, and I felt... angry,” Michael tried to explain.

“You felt hot?” I repeated.

“Yes, I felt hot,” Michael said, “and the bad man’s skin turned red.”

I hummed. It was weird to admit but somehow Michael had burned Justin? That must’ve been why he shook Michael off and ran away instead of retaliating. How was it possible? I thought of Shawn, maybe he would know, but I didn’t want to rely on him. He was, however, my only source at the moment. Auntie wouldn’t know and anyone else I asked might look at me like I was crazy, but Shawn, Shawn was already crazy so what did it matter if he thought less of me.

First though, I would talk with Auntie for advice. I returned to the kitchen and sat down with Auntie. She had brewed both of us a mug of our favorite herbal tea. Two spoons of sugar for hers and none for mine

“So?” Auntie began.

“So…” I started, “he’s the father.”

“That man outside?” Auntie said.

“Yes,” I admitted, “we met five years ago at a party.”

“Did you ever date him?” Auntie asked.

“No, it was a one-time thing,” I said.

“Rachel…” Auntie said in disappointment.

“I was on the pill at the time and he seemed trustworthy. Have you seen his face? It’s so handsome it makes me want to strangle something,” I joked.

“I get the idea!” Auntie laughed.

“I looked for him after I realized I was pregnant, but I couldn’t find out who he was. He wasn’t even on the list of guests for the party,” I explained.

“So now he appears out of nowhere?” Auntie said.

“Yes,” I replied.

“How rude,” she remarked.

“I agree!” I said.

We both laughed. I took a sip of my tea.

“You still have feelings for him,” Auntie stated.

“Is it that easy to tell?” I asked.

“Well otherwise you would’ve let me call the cops,” Auntie said.

“You know me so well Auntie…”

“So should we let him in?”

“Still a no,” I said.

She sighed. “As you wish, darling,” Auntie said.

We spent the evening playing with Michael and talking about other things than what was currently going on. Soon, it was time to head to bed and I was making myself comfortable just as I heard the first few drops of rain hit the window. I made my way to the living room and pushed the curtain aside a little. There he was, sitting underneath the rain, still looking at the flowers. I sighed and unbarred the front door.

“Come inside,” I said quietly while I gestured him in.

Shawn got up from his place on the grass and walked up to the door. “Are you sure?” he asked.

“No, but it’s getting suspicious,” I said.

“Point taken,” Shawn said as he walked inside. He took off his shoes and then looked at me. “Thank you, Rachel,” he said.

“Don’t thank me just yet,” I said, “what are you doing here, and where were you the past five years?”

“It’s a long story, can we sit down?” Shawn asked.

I sighed. “Let me get you a change of clothes first, you’re wet,” I said. I went up and grabbed some of Auntie’s husband’s old clothes. “Hopefully they’ll fit you,” I said as I handed over a pair of pants, a shirt, underwear, and socks.

“Whose are these?” Shawn asked.

“My uncle’s, but he passed away a long time ago,” I explained.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Shawn said.

“The bathroom is over there,” I gestured towards an open door.

“Thanks,” Shawn said as he went to change.

I sighed and went to the kitchen, turning on the lights. The storm was getting worse outside; the rain pelted the windows in hard drops. I boiled some water for tea and put some tap water into a glass for Shawn. I sat in my pajamas on a chair and placed my hands around the warm mug. I reveled in the heat that the hot tea gave me.

The sound of the rain filled the room, along with the sounds of Michael and Auntie snoring in their respective rooms. It was so quiet and tranquil, so perfect, but now Shawn was here and he was about to shake up my world like he did last time, I was sure. I enjoyed the moment until I heard footsteps coming into the kitchen. It was Shawn.

He silently took the chair across from me once again and looked at me. “Thanks for hearing me out,” he said.

“I haven’t just yet,” I replied.

“Still… thank you.”

We sat in silence as I looked at my tea. I looked up at Shawn to see him staring at me. I opened my mouth, about to say something but the words died in my throat.

“I missed you,” he said.

“Liar,” I said.

“I dreamed about you,” he admitted.

“Don’t lie,” I reprimanded.

The wind died down a little and the storm calmed. Rain still fell but it was much calmer and collected. It was the opposite of me. I felt something burn up in my chest, it was something like rage and sadness and betrayal, but I didn’t let it control me. I swallowed those feelings and let it burn within my gut. I let it simmer with all the other disappointments in my life.

“Have you noticed anything weird about Michael?” Shawn asked.

“Weird?” I replied.

“Has he had any crazy fevers, or perhaps burned someone by accident… did a storm ever appear when he was angry?” Shawn questioned.

“What?” I said, surprised. I looked down at my tea. Shawn knew something that I didn’t. He knew something about Michael that I didn’t.

“You have, haven’t you?” said Shawn.

“What’s going on with Michael?” I found my voice.

Shawn looked at me sympathetically. “This might be hard to believe,” he said, “but Michael is a shifter.”

I looked at Shawn in disbelief. “A shifter?” I repeated, “Like in the books?”

“Sort of,” Shawn answered, “he’s still young, so he can’t control his powers, but he’ll turn out very strong so he needs to be around someone who can help him control it.”

“And that person is you?” I guessed.

“Yes,” Shawn answered.