Going Down in Flames (Going Down in Flames #1)(5)

There it was again. For a second, she could see her mom’s human face superimposed over her dragon face. Maybe that’s how dragons recognized one another. She filed the information away as one of the many things she’d ask about later. For now, she needed to focus on the basics. Her parents were shape-shifting dragons. And she was a shape-shifting dragon, too. Her brain disengaged, and she started to laugh.

Her mom, in human form, appeared at her side. “It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?”

Afraid she’d see her mom differently, Bryn glanced sideways. The same golden-skinned woman she’d known all her life smiled back. Her dad came up on her other side. He still had the same auburn hair, green eyes, and fair skin.

Avoiding the current issue, she reflected on the fact that, given a choice, she would’ve chosen her mom’s coloring. Freckled strawberry blondes weren’t known for being sex symbols.

“Bryn, honey, are you all right?” her mom asked.

Time to tune back into the problem at hand. “Just taking a small vacation in my head.”

“Understandable.” Dad squeezed her in a sideways hug. “Any questions?”

Just a thousand and one. Better to start with something simple. “Why didn’t you bust out of your clothes like the Incredible Hulk?”

Her dad chuckled. “That’s your first question?”

“Public nakedness isn’t something I want to experience.”

“Good point. When we change, our clothes, our jewelry, anything we are wearing is spelled to shift with us. Otherwise, we’d attract too much attention when we shifted back.” His expression became hopeful. “Do you want to try shifting?”

“Yes and no.” She took a deep breath and blew it out. “Do you think I’ll be purple?”

“You’d look regal,” her mom said. “Shifting is innate. Your body knows what to do.”

God, she hoped so. It wasn’t like she could play ostrich and this would go away. Maybe it was best to get it over with. “Okay. Walk me through it.”

“First, you need to center yourself,” her mom said, “like we do in yoga.”

Bryn focused on moving air in and out of her lungs until she felt centered.

“Gather your life force in your abdomen and let it expand outward. Feel yourself growing larger.”

Her mom had obviously had an ulterior motive in teaching her yoga since she was five. She imagined her life force as a small sun, glowing in her belly. Taking another deep breath, she visualized the ball of power expanding.

Her muscles stretched, protested, and threatened to cramp. She gritted her teeth against the pain. Joints popped and expanded. Sweat ran between her shoulder blades, and then there was a sense of something inside of her unfurling. Thrown off-balance, she pitched forward.

“You did it,” her mom cheered.

Okay. Her body felt different. The room appeared different. Everything seemed smaller. She shifted her weight, trying to adjust to her new center of gravity.

“I feel strange.” Her voice had a husky quality.

“You’ll get used to it,” her mom said. “Now, look in the mirror.”

Time to suck it up and do this. She turned to face the mirrored wall at the far end of the studio. No way. When she moved, the dragon in the mirror moved. She was a dragon. A real, live, fire-breathing dragon. Nervous laughter bubbled from her throat and came out as an odd growl.

“Are you all right?” her dad asked.

“No, I’m not all right.” Sparks shot from her nostrils, glimmered in the air, and then burned out. “I’m a freaking dragon.”

“You can change back whenever you want,” her mom said in a soothing tone.

“Right.” Realizing she could shift back calmed her nerves. She examined her reflection. She wasn’t as bulky as her father. Her scales were red, but the edge of each one was tinged with blue. Her horns and wings were tipped blue as well. Good God, she had horns and wings. What would Devin Marconi think of her now?

The light reflected off her scales, making them look like armor. “I look pretty cool.”

The electric chime attached to the front door of the karate studio sounded, and a cloud of frost filled the air. Bryn backed up a step.

“You look,” said a voice full of disdain, “like an abomination.”

Both of her parents shifted back to their dragon forms and moved to stand between Bryn and the Blue dragon baring his teeth at her.





Chapter Three

Her father advanced on the stranger. “What do you want?”

“I’m here on business for the Directorate, Ian.” The intruder’s gaze turned to her mother. “Sara, it’s been a long time.”

Her mom shifted into human form and gave the newcomer a look of loathing. “Ferrin. It hasn’t been long enough.”

The other Blue dragon shimmered and shifted. In human form, he was tall and thin. His aristocratic nose was set between piercing blue eyes. Golden blond hair framed his face and hung down to his square jaw.

“Bryn, try to change back,” her dad instructed. “Concentrate on your human form.”

Closing her eyes, she did as he said. Her muscles constricted painfully. Losing her balance, she stumbled forward.

“Not very graceful, is she?” Ferrin said.