Dragon Keep Me

Chapter Four

Natalie

I really did do Pilates and I was on the swim team in high school and college, so I was decently athletic and in shape. I sprinted past the tree line, looking back to see if he was following me. He wasn’t where he’d been standing a few seconds ago. When I turned to keep running, I ran smack into him, nearly breaking my nose on his chest. Stumbling back, I fell hard on my butt, and glared up at him. That was impossible. He couldn’t have gotten in front of me.

He sighed. "Don’t do that. You can’t outrun me."

"Screw you," I snapped, rubbing my nose.

He snickered. "You are a difficult woman."

"Oh I’m so sorry!" I yelled. "Are your usual kidnap victims a little more placid?"

"You just remind me of someone. Someone I knew once."

His tone was strange—wistful. I looked up at his face and caught a hint of sadness in his eyes, but it was gone the next second as he started walking back towards the car.

"Are you coming?"

"Nope," I said, crossing my arms and staying seated on the wet ground even though I could feel the moisture leaching through my hiking shorts.

He returned and picked me up, tossing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"How dare you?" I screeched. "Put. Me. Down!"

I kicked and punched him, but it felt like I was attacking a brick wall. He was completely unaffected by the aggression, giggling at me like a little boy.

This hulk of a man opened the passenger door and tossed me inside the car, then closed the door and headed around the front towards the driver's side. I glanced over and realized that the keys were in the ignition.

My adrenaline surged and I launched myself across the middle console, pushing the lock on the door down just as he reached for it. He looked at me, his eyes wide, and then he sighed.

"Open the door, Natalie Norman."

I was already climbing over the console and starting the ignition. Yes! What an i***t. I laughed out loud, flipping him off.

Just as I reached for the shifter, he grabbed the door, forcing his fingers into the cracks, and yanked the entire thing off. I screamed, ducking my head in my hands as the metal squealed in protest.

He tossed the door aside like he was discarding a piece of tinfoil and put his hand on the wheel. "Are you done?"

I didn’t answer, just stared at him.

"Scoot over," he hissed.

I listened, scrambling back over the console to the passenger side.

He climbed in, calmly clicking his seatbelt on, and chiming, "Seatbelts save lives."

I hesitated, looking at him with my mouth half-open, and then grabbed my belt, slowly pulling it across my body and clicking it in place.

This all had to be some kind of weird dream. People didn’t just rip car doors off like that. It wasn’t possible. I stared out the front window as we drove down a dirt road. Luckily it was a warm day, because it was a drafty drive without a door.

I thought about bailing out and making another run for it, but I concluded there was no point. I might get hurt, and even if I didn’t, I imagined he would catch me anyway.

No, I had to bide my time. If I could earn his trust, maybe I could sneak away if he let his guard down.

"So," I said, "what’s your name?"

His brow furrowed, like he wondered if he should tell me.

"Cassian," he mumbled, "but I go by Cass."

"Cassian. That’s unique. I like it."

I could schmooze. I could kiss ass when I needed to. I’d treat him just like those douchebags at corporate. Compliments. A sexy smile here. Laugh at their dumb jokes. Easy.

He didn’t answer, but pulled a cigarette out of his shirt pocket. It was broken in half and he glared at me.

I shrugged and smiled. "Did I do that? Whoopsie."

He rolled his eyes and ripped off the broken part, tossing it on the floor. I watched the landscape pass out my window. Trees, just trees. Even if I did manage to get away, I had no idea where I was. I heard him exhale and when I turned back, the cigarette was lit and he was puffing on it.

I stared at him, confused. I hadn’t heard a lighter click or a match strike, and I’d only looked away for a few seconds.

The cigarette smell hit my nose and I smiled inwardly. The scent didn’t bother me like it did some people, although I didn’t take him for a smoker.

"Marb Reds," I said, staring at my hands. Out of my peripheral eye, I saw him look at me. "My dad smoked them."

"Your dad. He was human?"

My brow furrowed, and I blinked twice. "Uhm? Yes?"

He didn’t elaborate any further. What was with this human, not human stuff?

We turned off of the dirt road onto what looked like a private paved driveway. It went uphill, and when we crested the top I gasped. A beautiful estate with a white mansion sat in front of us.

Whoever lived here was obviously loaded. It looked like one of the mansions I’d seen in the Garden District when I’d taken a trip to New Orleans during college. The white pillars and the wraparound porch and everything. We pulled into the driveway and a man greeted us, taking the keys. He stared at the open door frame, sans door, but didn’t say anything. Cass didn’t elaborate, either, coming around and opening my door for me.

"Don’t run again, please," he sighed. "Or I will carry you the whole way."

"What is this place?" I asked, still looking at the house.

"This is the packhouse," he said, glancing behind him. "My friends are here, as well as the witch that’s going to tell me why you smell so strange."

I blushed, and when he turned away for a second, I sniffed my armpit. It smelled like deodorant. Thank god I packed the expensive stuff for this trip. I didn't stink, so what hell was he talking about?

"What’s a packhouse?"

He stared at me, once again getting that look on his face like he wasn’t sure if he should tell me something.

"Hmm, you’ll see," he answered.

I frowned, crossing my arms. "Well, what do you mean witch? And what do you mean I stink?"

"You ask so many questions." Cass turned and headed towards the house. I followed, half-jogging to keep up with his monster strides. "And I didn’t say you stink. You smell…nice. But, strange."

I blushed again. How annoying. Men never made me blush. Nothing made sense anymore, but I hoped I would find some answers inside.