Read Online Wildfire by Mina Khan - Free Book Online

“She didn’t even want to let me see you before I moved from Houston.”
    “Yeah, she got a bit overprotective.” Lynn gnawed on her lip
for a moment. “After Obaa-chan died, I had on and off visits from
members of the North American Dragon Council.”
    “Dragon Council?”
    “It’s an oversight body, the members quietly keep track of
dragon births, deaths and everything in between.”
    “They sound like Big Brother.”
    Lynn managed a half-hearted smile, one she didn’t really
feel inside. “They questioned me over and over about her death.”
    “What was there to question?”
    Her gaze flickered away to a painted butterfly caught in a
carefree dance. “I told them that someone else was there, that she was killed.
Murdered.” A sob tore from her throat. “But they didn’t believe me.”
    Jen pulled her into a hug again and held on.
    Lynn skipped over the period when they thought she’d killed Obaa-chan .
Those memories —the accusing words and looks— still gave her nightmares, bled
her dry. Her mind had crumbled under the pressure like a weak wall. Stop. Don’t
go there. She shied away as if from an attacking knife. “In the end, they
decided she’d set herself on fire. Old dragons tired of life sometimes resort
to self-combustion.” A shivering breath escaped her. “And that I was a
grief-stricken mess.”
    “What do you believe?”
    “I don’t know. With my dragon powers wacked out and me
losing control…I’m scared.” She grasped Jen’s hand. “I’m scared that I’m going
to lose to the dragon and turn rogue.”
    She let go of Jen and stared into her empty wine glass. “I’m
scared that I will never have what Brenda Jarvis has— a family. If I can’t
control the dragon, people are not going to be safe around me.” She blew an
unruly curl out of her face. “Not that I really need a family to further
complicate my life.”
    Jen slipped an arm around her shoulders. “I want you to get
this clear. You’re my best friend; you’re very important to me and you deserve
every kind of happiness. I’m going to be right next to you as we get through
this.”
    Lynn nodded. “I know. I just wish I knew how.”
    Jen bit her lip. “Well, Obaa-chan always said,” she
began.
    “A calm mind can conquer anything,” both of them ended
together.
    Jen smiled. “Maybe, she did know what she was talking about.
Meditating and focusing on the good of the dragons might be the answer. Like
people, dragons can be good and bad. You have a choice.”
    Lynn nodded and snatched a couple of Cheetos. “That’s what I
hope. I figure if I can do something about the fire-starter here that should
bring me some good karma and balance the scales.”
    “Did you sense anything at the fire?”
    “Not enough.” Lynn licked her fingers clean of the neon
orange powder. “I could sense a dragon, but nothing useful as to who it might
be.” Of course, her libido had recognized the dragon as male, but Jen didn’t
need to know that. She’d never hear the end of it.
    The phone rang again. Startled, Lynn stared at it. Another
ring shattered the silence. “Must be Rob ready for round two.”
    She pushed the talk button and returned the phone to her
ear. “Hello?”
    Rough breathing echoed down the line.
    Lynn rolled her eyes. “Hello?”
    “I can’t stop thinking about you.” The gravelly whisper
scraped her nerves raw.
    “What?”
    “I dream of dragons.”
    A cold click ended the call. Lynn listened to the droning
dial tone for a long moment, then jabbed *69.
    The mechanical voice announced the last call came from an
unlisted number.
     
    Sheriff Dan Roberts shut the arson file and kneaded his
forehead. The words had started dancing together and clues didn’t lead anywhere
straight. He looked up at the clock on the wall. 11:45 p.m. With a sigh, he
pushed out of his chair and grabbed his car keys from the hook near the door.
    As he stepped out of his office, he looked around and nodded
at Jenkins. As an