Dragonfury 02 - Fury of Ice

tight, she gave him a squeeze. “I’m so happy to see you.”
    The viselike pressure banding his chest backed off a notch, allowing him to take a full breath. Thank God for Ange. She had that effect on him. Always calmed him down. Made him think before he acted, which was why he’d lasted on the force for so long. A quirk of fate had paired them up just over two years ago, and he was so grateful for that. He’d gained more than a kick-ass partner that day. He’d found his family.
    But now, he had a new one. Dragonkind.
    Mac swallowed, suddenly nervous. Would Angela understand his new circumstances? Would she accept what he was and would become with the Nightfuries’ help? Or would his dragon side freak her out and send her running?
    He hoped not. The last thing he wanted to do was lose her.
    Taking a fortifying breath, he backed out of the embrace. She gave him one last squeeze, then released him, shuffling backward on the mattress, putting a comfortable distance between them. And yeah, that was about right. He and Angela might love each other, but it was purely platonic. Exactly the way both of them liked it. So hugging didn’t happen often, and when it did, the embrace was heartfelt, but brief.
    Wiping beneath her eyes, she ran her gaze over him, cataloging the almost-healed scrapes and fading bruises. “Are you all right?”
    “Yeah. You?”
    “Right as rain.”
    He raised a brow. “Liar, liar, pants on fire.”
    With a huff, Angela settled on her knees, bum to heels, and flicked the edge of his bandage. “Like you’re one to talk?”
    He shrugged, ignoring the twinge of pain, trying to figure out how to tell her. Where should he start? At the beginning? Near the end? Mac didn’t know, but somehow blurting out Surprise, I’m half-dragon, just like the bastards that kidnapped and tortured you didn’t seem the right tack to take.
    Yeah. Like that would win him any brownie points.
    “I didn’t know you were inked.” Reaching out, she touched one of the tattooed lines on his forearm.
    “I wasn’t…until yesterday,” he murmured, staring at the design—the swirling navy-blue lines he’d never consented to getting.
    Rikar thought magic was at the root of the tattoo. Something to do with being a water dragon. Mac frowned at it, flexing his arm, watching the pattern shift with his muscle. Maybe his XO was right. The tat, after all, had come with his transition. Along with his claws and the sharp blade running along his spine in dragon form. But unlike the horns on his head, the ink stayed in place, shifting from scales to skin, marring one half of his torso before moving over his left shoulder, down and around his biceps to his forearm. Human. Dragon. It didn’t matter what form he took, the pattern never changed.
    Which meant he was stuck with the thing. Whether he liked it or not.
    “Wow, look at that.” Her gaze on his tattoo, Angela leaned closer and watched the ink morph on his skin. The marking shimmered, moved from dark to light blue where she touched his arm. “Cool.”
    Cool? He blinked. Okay, he bought that. Most chicks liked ink, but right now that wasn’t his primary concern. He needed to man up, grow a pair, and tell her things had changed. That he had changed.
    Mac cleared his throat, searching for the right words. None came, so he copped out, and said, “You think?”
    Angela snorted. “You’re a pansy, you know that?”
    Mac frowned and glanced up. Angela met his gaze head-on. His breath hitched as he saw the understanding in her eyes. “Holy shit. You know.”
    She nodded. “Rikar filled me in.”
    Mac closed his eyes, relief hitting him chest-level. His partner knew, and yet she was still sitting with him. Wasn’t running in the opposite direction. Still wanted to be his friend…his family. Jesus. Her strength floored him, renewed his faith in all things good. And had the situation been reversed, he probably would’ve been out the door.
    “I always knew you were different,” she said, smiling a little, breaking his heart. “I just didn’t know how different. So I guess dragon DNA explains it.”
    “God, Ange,” he said, so proud of her his heart ached. “I didn’t think you’d—”
    “I saw him, you know,” she said, tone soft with wonder. “Rikar…in dragon form…when he came to get me. I have to admit, it was pretty spectacular. Could’ve been the blood loss and delirium talking, though, so don’t get your hopes up. I might freak out yet and shoot