Free Compelled (The Secrets of Dragons Book 1) by Kat Barrett

We don’t want to leave her sore and reluctant to do it again.”
    “I’m well aware of that, Eric.” The boy was head over heels in love with Lou, but he was trying to remain level headed about the entire relationship. They had no idea if she would bolt when they told her the truth. Then she would have to be made to forget it and they would have no more contact from that day forward. “Do you ever dream of Lilly?”
    The depth of Eric’s sigh resonated over the low music on the radio. “I try to keep her from my mind, but it doesn’t always happen. Too bad we can’t forget.”
    “Yeah. I agree, but it’s not possible. Our brains hold eternal information. It does have its downside.”
    “It’s hard being so close to home and knowing we can’t go visit.”
    “We’ll go. One way or another, we always find our way home.”
    ****
    Lou wandered out to sit on the sofa. She snapped her seatbelt on. “Where are we?”
    “We just crossed into Virginia. Eric called and got us a reservation near the beach. We should be there in an hour or so. How did you sleep?”
    “Amazingly well. Thank you. How’s the drive been?”
    He chuckled. “Thankfully boring. We haven’t even hit a traffic jam. Knock on wood.”
    She yawned. “Shit, how can I still be tired?” The question was rhetorical, and didn’t require an answer, so she didn’t receive one. Lou flipped up the footrest on the chair knowing the open recliner blocked all access to the bathroom with the slideout pulled in for travel. Taking the pillow from beside her, she puffed it under her head and closed her eyes. The boat-like rock of the RV indicated it was windy, and they were on an open stretch of highway. The repetitive movement slowly lulled her back to sleep, despite her urge to remain awake.
    ****
    Leaning closer to Alex, Eric whispered, “I think we have a problem.”
    “What’s that?”
    “Remember we were warned our mating scent has an overly calming effect on some humans? I think Lou is one of them.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    “She just fell back to sleep.”
    “Oh, shit. So she’s gonna want to sleep for ten or twelve hours every time we have sex?”
    Eric had no idea of the exact time span, but if that were the case, then it was possible. “I don’t know. What do we do about it?”
    Alex shrugged. “Make love with the window open. It’s not like we don’t generate a ton of heat during sex.”
    She would flip, but there was no way to explain the nuances of what they were, without explaining the entire thing. “That might help. Maybe we could stop and buy her a nose plug.” He barely finished the sentence without laughing. The mental image was enough in itself to be funny.
    Alex laughed, shaking his head. “I’m sure that would go over well.”
    Back to the seriousness of the conversation. “It can’t hurt her, can it?”
    “I don’t know.” Alex was silent as he drove and when a rest stop came up, he pulled into it. Shutting the motor off, he took out his phone. He scrolled through the contacts and hit one, but Eric had no need to know who he was calling. It was Yassie.
    ****
    “Evening.”
    “Yes, it is.” Yassie replied. “To what do I owe the honor? Don’t you usually go to your sister’s for Easter?”
    “Not something I want to discuss right now. I have a question.”
    “Okay.” Yassie’s tone relayed concern. It wasn’t as if he or Eric usually called for a petty reason.
    “You told us once about the scent sleep. Can you give me more details?”
    “May I ask why?”
    “Eric and I met someone, and we did—for the first time earlier. She fell asleep about five minutes later, slept for four hours. Got up long enough to move to the sofa and then was back asleep. Should we be worried?”
    “Did you use protection?” he asked in an angry tone.
    That was a hell of a question. “Of course we did. We aren’t stupid.”
    “I didn’t say you were. I just know passion runs hot.”
    Alex had to laugh.