Read Online Valentine (The Dragon Kings Book 3) by Kimberly Loth - Free Book Online
Authors: Kimberly Loth
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me. I expect Val will join us as well.”
“Why can’t I come with?”
“Because we cover massive amounts of ground.” Aspen looked away from her. “I can’t tell you how. It’s a secret.”
“We don’t have secrets.”
Aspen snorted. “Yeah, we do, Sis. I can’t tell you about this, but trust me. I can cover more ground without you. You’ll be better off searching with Mom and Dad.”
“You’re not making sense.” Hazel creased her eyebrows.
“I expect a lot of things don’t make sense. Like why Rowan was out in the woods anyway. Like Teddy being here. Like that marking on your ankle.”
Hazel gasped. “How do you know about that?”
“Because I have one too. Come over tonight, and we’ll explain some things. Well, I can explain everything except the mark. No one knows why they are showing up. But I can help you understand the rest. For now though, we need to focus on Rowan. I have to go.”
No flipping way. Aspen had one too? Hazel felt a sense of relief. At least she wasn’t crazy. Aspen stood, and Hazel grabbed her arm. “You can’t just leave. You need to explain.”
Aspen shook her head. “Sorry, I need to go find Rowan. Come to dinner. Seriously. The boys can answer questions that I can’t. Gotta run. Love you, Sis. See you tonight.”
Aspen stood and slipped between the tables before Hazel could argue. But Hazel wasn’t letting her get away. As she was about to stand up, another person sat in the seat Aspen just vacated. It was the third to last person she wanted to see.
Paul.
“W HEN DID YOUR gorgeous self arrive?” Paul asked.
“Last night.” Hazel wasn’t sure she could handle any more drama. Though with the exception of the time he proposed out of nowhere, he was usually pretty drama free. That was what she liked best about him.
He looked good and had filled out since she left. A five o’clock shadow made him look sexy along with the army fatigues he wore. They had a complicated history, but they started out as best friends in middle school. Then when she came back from Yosemite with her heart broken, he had been her shoulder to cry on. Eventually they moved into the murky area where they made out but put no labels on it. She dated other people, and he seemed okay with it, but he’d thrown her for a loop when he proposed.
She ran. They still kept up a little via Facebook, but she kept him at arm’s length.
“I don’t remember you mentioning you were military,” Hazel said.
“National Guard. We got called up to deal with the Yellowstone issue. But it’s spread now.” He ran a hand through his shaggy blonde hair, and it fell into his eyes. Hazel put her hands in her lap so she wasn’t tempted to brush it out. She had enough boy drama with Teddy and Val. She didn’t need to add Paul to mix.
“What do you mean?” she asked, genuinely curious. She hoped he wouldn’t mistake it for interest in him.
“You haven’t heard? There was a death in Hawaii at Volcanoes National Park.”
“What?”
Rowan needed to remain the center of their search. Not some other poor soul in a different park. She knew that was selfish of her to think that, but if deaths were happening in other parts of the country, the government might shift resources, and right now, she wanted everyone looking for Rowan.
“No witnesses, but it left behind a hand, just like the early deaths here.”
“Damned dragons. What do you think will happen?”
Paul shrugged. “Dunno, but the fact it’s happening that far away isn’t a good thing. It means there’s more than one.”
“Either that or this one has moved. Maybe it couldn’t take the heat here in Yellowstone. Too many people looking for it.” Hazel took a drink of her latte that had now gone cold.
“Maybe, but it will have a harder time hiding in Hawaii. Think about it. The dragons here are all silver and gold. Down there they’re all bright red.”
Hazel bit her lip. She couldn’t keep all that was happening straight. She
“Why can’t I come with?”
“Because we cover massive amounts of ground.” Aspen looked away from her. “I can’t tell you how. It’s a secret.”
“We don’t have secrets.”
Aspen snorted. “Yeah, we do, Sis. I can’t tell you about this, but trust me. I can cover more ground without you. You’ll be better off searching with Mom and Dad.”
“You’re not making sense.” Hazel creased her eyebrows.
“I expect a lot of things don’t make sense. Like why Rowan was out in the woods anyway. Like Teddy being here. Like that marking on your ankle.”
Hazel gasped. “How do you know about that?”
“Because I have one too. Come over tonight, and we’ll explain some things. Well, I can explain everything except the mark. No one knows why they are showing up. But I can help you understand the rest. For now though, we need to focus on Rowan. I have to go.”
No flipping way. Aspen had one too? Hazel felt a sense of relief. At least she wasn’t crazy. Aspen stood, and Hazel grabbed her arm. “You can’t just leave. You need to explain.”
Aspen shook her head. “Sorry, I need to go find Rowan. Come to dinner. Seriously. The boys can answer questions that I can’t. Gotta run. Love you, Sis. See you tonight.”
Aspen stood and slipped between the tables before Hazel could argue. But Hazel wasn’t letting her get away. As she was about to stand up, another person sat in the seat Aspen just vacated. It was the third to last person she wanted to see.
Paul.
“W HEN DID YOUR gorgeous self arrive?” Paul asked.
“Last night.” Hazel wasn’t sure she could handle any more drama. Though with the exception of the time he proposed out of nowhere, he was usually pretty drama free. That was what she liked best about him.
He looked good and had filled out since she left. A five o’clock shadow made him look sexy along with the army fatigues he wore. They had a complicated history, but they started out as best friends in middle school. Then when she came back from Yosemite with her heart broken, he had been her shoulder to cry on. Eventually they moved into the murky area where they made out but put no labels on it. She dated other people, and he seemed okay with it, but he’d thrown her for a loop when he proposed.
She ran. They still kept up a little via Facebook, but she kept him at arm’s length.
“I don’t remember you mentioning you were military,” Hazel said.
“National Guard. We got called up to deal with the Yellowstone issue. But it’s spread now.” He ran a hand through his shaggy blonde hair, and it fell into his eyes. Hazel put her hands in her lap so she wasn’t tempted to brush it out. She had enough boy drama with Teddy and Val. She didn’t need to add Paul to mix.
“What do you mean?” she asked, genuinely curious. She hoped he wouldn’t mistake it for interest in him.
“You haven’t heard? There was a death in Hawaii at Volcanoes National Park.”
“What?”
Rowan needed to remain the center of their search. Not some other poor soul in a different park. She knew that was selfish of her to think that, but if deaths were happening in other parts of the country, the government might shift resources, and right now, she wanted everyone looking for Rowan.
“No witnesses, but it left behind a hand, just like the early deaths here.”
“Damned dragons. What do you think will happen?”
Paul shrugged. “Dunno, but the fact it’s happening that far away isn’t a good thing. It means there’s more than one.”
“Either that or this one has moved. Maybe it couldn’t take the heat here in Yellowstone. Too many people looking for it.” Hazel took a drink of her latte that had now gone cold.
“Maybe, but it will have a harder time hiding in Hawaii. Think about it. The dragons here are all silver and gold. Down there they’re all bright red.”
Hazel bit her lip. She couldn’t keep all that was happening straight. She
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