My Wicked Dragon

Chapter 8- An Interesting Offer

Alex watched Cody and Laney enter the building from the doorway of his second floor office. His observation went unnoticed from his vantage point for a few moments while they checked in at the reception desk. Finally, catching Cody’s eye and giving him a quick nod, he returned to his office to phone the Seer. After only a partial ring, she answered.

“Alex! What a surprise!”

Alex snorted at her sarcasm. “They are on their way up now.” Without saying another word, he hung up the phone. They had worked together for several years, no more words were necessary after knowing each other for so long.

Meredith was an attractive woman, about average height, strawberry blond hair, green eyes, perfect hourglass figure, and full breasts. She was not what you would envision from someone with her title. Alex had considered bedding her a time or two but decided that someone who could see the past as well as predict the future wouldn’t make a good bedmate.

Alex stood as Cody knocked on the door and then entered, pulling Laney in behind him. The introductions were awkward, it was obvious that Laney was very nervous. Alex decided to get right to the point in an attempt to ease her nervousness.

“Laney, the reason I had Cody bring you down here was mainly so I could offer you a position with my company.”

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“A Job?” She asked with a confused look on her face.

“Yes, a job. I know from what little history we have of you that your brothers had previously employed you as a sort of geologist for them because of your unique talents.”

Laney sharply cut him off.

“You mean enslaved me. I wouldn’t call forcing a child to work sixteen to eighteen hour days employed.” She stated angrily.

Alex cleared his throat and looked away from her for a moment in embarrassment. He didn’t want to admit that he hadn’t known about the conditions of her employment. Irrational as it was, he felt guilty about not having helped her as a child.

“Ummmm, yes, OK……enslaved. What I have in mind for you is vastly different. I think Cody may have already briefly explained what we do here at Chase Enterprises?”

“Yes, you guys take on jobs that “normal people” can’t handle.” She stated.

“That’s correct. But we do more than that. We have two departments. One department contracts out, mostly to government agencies. They help investigate and solve cases that are more on the paranormal side.”

Laney rolled her eyes at him in disbelief. These last twenty-four hours had been the strangest in her entire life and it still felt completely surreal. She was still trying to process the fact that her would-be suitor could change into a large black jungle cat.

Alex’s gaze grew intense as he stared at her a moment before shooting Cody a questioning look. He opened his mouth as if to explain, but was interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

The Seer glided in with a friendly smile on her face. Laney was startled by her beauty. She had to be one of the most attractive women she had ever met. Dressed in a cute flowy summer dress in baby blue she looked very young and innocent, completely out of place in a business office.

Laney stood up quickly, nearly knocking over her chair in the process. Her cheeks flushed pink as she reached out her hand in greeting. Meredith paused briefly, glancing quickly at Alex before reaching to grasp her hand after his nearly imperceptible nod. Meredith’s arm jerked on contact and her eyes widened in shock momentarily before she schooled her features.

“It’s wonderful to meet you Laney. I hope you decide to come and work with us.”

Laney smiled back, feeling an instant connection with her. She had a feeling that they could become very good friends.

“Well I’m considering it. I’m waiting to see what the job description and benefits are before I sign on for anything.”

Meredith looked questioningly at Alex.

“I was about to get to that part when you arrived. Please, take a seat.” Alex gestured for her to sit on the other side of Cody.

“As I was saying, one department works as contractors for mostly government jobs. The other department focuses mainly on cases that concern our kind.”

“Our kind? What does that mean?” Laney looked intrigued.

“People such as Cody, myself, possibly you. Shifters. Or people like Meredith here, who is a psychic. We employ her as our Seer. She has been instrumental in helping us to solve the more difficult cases and, incidentally, she is also the one responsible for keeping your brother from catching up with you back at the club.”

Her gaze landed sharply on Meredith. She studied her face for a moment with a critical eye before bowing her head in thanks.

“Thank you. I am in your debt for that.”

Meredith nodded in acceptance, trying hard to cover up the horrors she observed in Laney’s head that were threatening to overtake her. Most people that knew her wouldn’t dare shake her hand, they knew that one of her talents included being able to see into their past just by touching them. Laney was unaware of this talent and she felt a little regret at not being honest with her about it. She was able to look for whatever memory she sought if she had an idea of what she was looking for. In her case, Meredith had been looking for what had really made her run from her brothers. The vision she received had made her want to vomit.

She glimpsed a seventeen year old Laney with a cut, bleeding lip, face pushed into a counter, sobbing, while her brother prepared himself to r**e her. She had cut off the vision, not wanting to see the outcome she was almost certain happened.

Alex cleared his throat, bringing Meredith and Laney’s attention back to him.

“Anyways, sometimes we get calls from our brethren about an artifact or some item of value that needs to be recovered. Some of these are quite dangerous, while others are important because they could potentially expose our kind to the public. I believe that’s where you could be most useful.”

She sat quietly and processed that information for a few moments.

“ OK, I’m listening…..go on.”

“I would like to see if we can hone your skills, focus your energies and see how much further you can push the boundaries of your talents. So right now, if I’m correct, you’re able to sense where and what precious metals or gems are near you?”

Laney inclined her head in agreement.

“ OK wonderful. As a dragon, with training we should be able to increase that ability to a much further reach. Possibly even be able to refine it so much that you could sense a specific item we need to recover from miles away. You may also have the ability to shift like Cody and myself, but we need to prepare for that beforehand.”

Alex looked nervous for a moment while Laney studied his face with a curious expression on her face.

“Historically, dragon shifters have created a bit of an issue for our kind. Other than the literal fiery temper, if the general public were to catch sight of one, it would cause mass chaos and potentially expose our kind.”

“So, you think that I could shift into this big, scary, mythical being, huh? Wouldn’t that have happened by now?” She asked in utter disbelief.

Alex shook his head in denial.

“Had you been raised in a normal shifter household, yes. But that wouldn’t have occurred generally until after you came of age. You would have been aware of your instinct from the beginning and the transition would have been pretty smooth. Unfortunately, you didn’t grow up that way, so the only way that could have happened before now would be by accident. Generally, a highly distressing or dangerous event would have brought that on.”

Laney was startled at that. Thinking back to her near r**e and the sudden surge of rage and power she’d felt when her brother was attacking her.

“We don’t know if you’ll be able to shift or not. You’re a half breed, so you’re a bit more unpredictable.”

Laney felt deep down that she would be able to shift. Her nervousness and fear of her brother began to melt away with the knowledge that she might actually be able to defend herself against him. This information was very powerful and freeing for her.

Cody suddenly placed his hand on hers to gain her attention.

“That’s why I had to tranq you that night we left the club. You started to a have a panic attack and I could sense your instinct rising. I didn’t know if you could do a full shift or not, so I felt I had no other choice. I’m sorry.”

Cody had no idea the effect that statement had on her. She felt all her reservations about him melting away as she found she could now completely trust and forgive him. She placed her other hand on top of his.

“I suppose I can forgive you. But if you do it again, I might not be so understanding.”

Cody decided he wouldn’t be telling her that he’d actually had to tranq her twice that first night or that he had actually had another on standby when she’d first woken up in his bed.

“I can only promise that I won’t do it again unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

She narrowed her eyes and glared at him before deciding to let that argument go for the time being. Looking back at Alex, she asked;

“So, should I decide to take your offer……what’s in it for me?”

“Well, all my employees are very well compensated. You’ll have full coverage insurance, paid for exclusively by the company. Wages will put you in the moderately wealthy range, and we will help you get established with whatever home you want, even if it’s in another country. Our company owns several private jets, so you will have those at your disposal as well.”

She stared at Alex in astonishment, ignoring the fact that Cody had growled at the mention of her establishing a home elsewhere.

“However, for the time being, we ask that you stay living with Cody so he can work with you and ensure you can control your dragon should you ever shift.” Cody visibly relaxed.

Laney looked down at her hands for a few minutes while she contemplated the offer. Her heart was racing with excitement, she could scarcely believe her luck. To finally have a home she wouldn’t have to leave and a well-paying job that she could be proud of was a dream come true. She looked up to answer Alex but he cut her off before she could respond.

“Before you answer, you should also know that there is a downside to this job. It can be dangerous, you’ll work odd hours and days because there is no set Monday through Friday schedule, and you’ll be expected to be ready to travel on a moment’s notice. Sometimes internationally.”

Laney smiles at Alex.

“You had me at “moderately wealthy”, now you just made it even more enticing.”

Alex and Cody chuckled.

“Great! Now that we have got that settled, let's head down to the gym so you can meet the security detail I’m posting on Cody’s property until we get this thing with your brother worked out.”

She stood and allowed Alex to lead her from the room. Still in mild shock over the most recent events, her gaze was transfixed on Alex while he continued to describe their large training center in the basement of the building. Cody began to get up from his chair to follow but was stopped by Meredith when she placed her hand on his arm.

“There is something you should know about your intended mate. First off, you need to bond with her very soon. I sense her dragon will rise soon and only her bonded mate will be able to call her back from the change or calm her in that form. Second….” She closed her eyes and swallowed hard before continuing. “The brother you saw at the club on the night you retrieved her, may have.......brutalized her.”

Meredith had tears in her eyes as she said this. Cody’s body shook with the effort to control his sudden rage. Fighting his instinct to shift, he leaned heavily against the wall and took several deep calming breaths.

“You know this for certain? You saw it when you touched her?”

Tears trailing down her face, Meredith nodded.

“I saw them up until the final act. I……couldn’t watch anymore.” She said, looking away in shame and rubbing her arms for self-comfort.

Cody was blown away and completely crushed by this latest news. His instinct roared inside him for revenge. He gritted his teeth and snarled.

“I. Will. Gut. That. Fucker! I will rip his d**k off with my bare f*****g hands and shove it up his own ass before he takes his last breath!”

Seeing that Cody was in a murderous rage, Meredith paled and carefully edged around him to escape the now too small office. She disappeared quickly down the hallway. Cody let her go while he silently battled with the turmoil inside of him. His concentration was momentarily broken when Alex yelled from the elevator.

“Hey! Cody! You coming with us or what?”

“Yeah, give me a minute. I’ll meet you there.” He barked back.

He heard the elevator door shut and let out a long breath. Grabbing the chair nearest him, he smashed it on the floor, splintering it to pieces. The offices surrounding him suddenly became very quiet. He shut the door and then howled out his rage a moment before calming himself. He dispassionately inspected the mess on the floor. Shrugging at no one in particular, he stalked out of the room to the elevator. Time to take his mate home and attempt to repair the damage that had been done to her. Silently he said a prayer, hoping it would be possible.