Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
But the dragons kept it to polite check-ins and queries of whether he needed some help. The moment he said no, they backed off. They trusted him to know his own limitations. They listened to him. And to be truly heard was a drug Samuel could stay addicted to for the rest of his life. That meant he was being coddled on his own terms.
Besides, it wasn’t like he was lying to them, claiming to be something he wasn’t. He’d been very clear that he wasn’t a mage. It was on their heads if they wanted to treat him like this. Why shouldn’t he enjoy it? After he left Brazil, there was a chance he’d never experience anything like this again. He just had to soak it in while he could.
As they crossed the courtyard, Samuel gazed up at the cloudless sky that had turned a murky gray now that the sun had set below the trees in the west. Stars were starting to peek out in the growing gloom, while in the distance he could make out the dance of flames from the bonfire on the beach. Shadowy figures moved around the flames and Misha’s laugh rang out above the crash of the waves.
A smile grew unexpectedly on Samuel’s lips. While he could do without the stares and questioning looks from the other dragons and mages, he did enjoy hanging out with the tracking team. It was sort of what he thought it would be like if he could sneak a peek into a fraternity. Crude jokes, exaggerated stories, constant teasing, and a pervasive feeling of camaraderie.
“And you said he wouldn’t come!” Dimitri shouted as they neared the small group.
“No! We said you couldn’t make him come!” Gregori called back, which was immediately answered by a round of cackles and the mild stinging burn of embarrassment on Samuel’s cheeks. Dimitri replied by lifting both hands and flipping his dragon brothers off.
When he reached the bonfire, Samuel found that they’d brought chairs down and arranged them in a semi-circle around the fire, facing the ocean. As he approached one of the empty chairs, Ilya called out, “Hey, Samuel! Beer or wine? We also brought the fixings down for caipirinha, assuming Sofi hasn’t drunk all of the cachaça.”
“Hey!” Sofi gave her mate’s shoulder a shove, which did absolutely nothing to the tank-sized man.
“Um…beer is fine.” Samuel wasn’t much of a drinker, but one beer to relax wasn’t going to hurt anything.
Ilya leaned over and pulled a bottle out of the large cooler next to him. He twisted off the cap and handed the beer over to Samuel.
“Thanks.”
“Not a problem. This is a little tradition of ours.”
Samuel halted his descent with his butt mere centimeters from his seat. “You drink with your clients?”
Dimitri clapped a hand on his shoulder, pushing him the rest of the way down while he dropped into the empty seat on his right. “No. We usually have to travel to meet our clients. We don’t normally bring them back to the clan.”
“But then, you’re the first client we’ve had who’s been searching for something related to mages and dragons. We’re happy to have you here,” Luka chimed in.
“Who are your usual clients?” Samuel’s eyes darted around the circle at each of the dragons and the one mage. Ilya really couldn’t stand to be separated from his mate for long, not that Samuel had a problem with Sofi being there. She was a sweet young woman with an infectious giggle.
“We’ve had a wide range of clients. Everything from mining companies to forest preservation groups. Lots of scientists,” Vasily explained.
“But my favorite are the tour groups,” Luka murmured. He reached out and placed his hand on his lover’s arm. “The business groups are always looking for something and are never happy. But with the tour groups, we set the itinerary and pace. As long as they see something interesting and eat good food, they’re happy.”
“Do you remember the group of Canadians?” Gregori said with a cackle. “They were so sweet about everything. And helpful! Loved them.”
Luka shook his head. “I liked the Italian group from about three years ago. They were my favorite.”
Vasily snorted. “That’s because it was filled with empty-nest mothers on a group excursion. They took one look at you and thought you needed feeding.” As he spoke, he pinched Luka’s cheek.
“That’s because everyone thinks Luka is adorable and needs someone to take care of him,” Dimitri teased.
Luka batted Vasily’s hand with a smirk before sending a glare in Dimitri’s direction. “Don’t care. You’re all just jealous.”
“Are you excited to get started tomorrow?” Gregori asked, turning his attention to Samuel.
“I am. Very much. Being here kind of feels like a dream. After all the years of research and countless hours spent in libraries, I never thought I’d actually reach this phase of having boots on the ground, following a solid lead.”