Hope showed up to dinner in her red and sexy dress that had been in her closet for over six months. In this instance, her brown hair was free, all combed on one side, its tips resting seductively over her left breast, her dress exposed on the right.

Drake couldn't take his eyes off her. He started from the bottom, following the generous curves of her body, to the very well highlighted chest, the delicate collarbone, and the fragile neck. Her slightly parted lips tempted him to touch them and her gorgeous, bright eyes seemed to prod him to do things impulsively.

Hope sat down elegantly but did not wait a few seconds and said what she had to say as directly as usual. "I need your help, and you need mine. What if we helped each other? "

Drake raised his chin proudly, chuckling. "What makes you think I want to be your knight in shining armor?"

Hope smiled sarcastically. "I don't need a shiny armor because I'm apparently a shield meant to protect humanity."

"What?"

For the second time that night, Drake was astonished. First, there was her completely divine appearance, and now this. What did she mean? But the woman gestured with her hand for this subject to be set aside. "Nevermind. It is not important."

Drake sighed. "Apparently, we have to talk. And somehow, I don't know why, but we manage to talk and get along only when we drink. It appears to be a social adhesive."

Drake made a gesture with his hand, and in a few moments, a servant brought a bottle of wine and filled their glasses.

When the servant left the room, Drake continued. "Now we will play my version of never have I ever. Each asks a question, and the other must answer honestly. That's all. "

Hope chuckled, considering his game ridiculous. "So what is the wine for?"

"Just to give us the incentive and courage to tell only the truth. Now I'm going to start this time. Why did you leave?"

"I told you that from the start. To find out who I am and what I want from life."

"And did you find out?"

"This is another question. Wait your turn. Why did you mark me with the Dragon sign? "

"Ask the Fire Dragon, not me."

Hope's voice was harsh and almost frightening. "I asked you, and you will answer me. It wasn't Fire Dragon in control then; it was you. So he told you what that tattoo was, and you agreed to print it on me. Why?"

"He said that this way, we will be able to defend you if you are in distress, you can call us through the fear that you will transmit. I did it thinking I would feel closer to you, but I was wrong. You don't know what fear is."

After a pause, Drake continued. "You have changed. I no longer see in your eyes the playful sparkle of a child who has discovered a new and interesting game. Your voice is louder and more threatening. It's almost like looking at myself in the mirror. Or close enough. What happened?"

"I killed people."

Drake drank, showing a sarcastic sad smile. "Yeah, that can suck the life out of you too if you're not careful."

"I don't want to be careful. I won't kill anyone ever again. Why are you trying to be evil?"

"Ha, ha, ha, I am not trying, I am, and I am pretty good at being evil. As to why that, I couldn't say. I have been this way for far too long to remember why I have chosen this path, and I don't like to think about the past."

"I understand. So, you forfeit the game?" Hope smiled, trying to push his buttons to make him open up.

Drake raised an eyebrow, not understanding her implications. "What?"

The woman was as assertive as she was beautiful. "That wasn't an answer, just a lame excuse not to tell me the truth. I thought this night was all about saying everything needed to start trusting each other, to be of help. Don't you want my help anymore?"

Drake sighed, knowing what her endgame was but still deciding to indulge her. If she wanted so badly to know his pain, then so be it, but he didn't think Hope would ever comprehend such feelings. "You can't possibly understand how it feels for a teenager to have a beast inserted inside of him, a dragon's consciousness merged into your own. The constant whispers of the Old God were always enhancing my darkest urges and sharpening my fears until I had to shut down my emotions completely just to keep him caged."

Hope was speechless, maybe for the first time in her life. Her troubles seemed unimportant whims, hearing the sadness and hate engraved in his voice. His eyes were icy cold when he glanced at her again. "Have you ever considered how I felt when you left? You barged into my life, making me care and melting the ice wall I have struggled for years to build. And when I finally thought that maybe having a soft heart in a cruel world is courage, not weakness, you left."

Drake managed to recompose himself, his usual smile reappearing on his face. "I will help you only because I still need your help, and unfortunately, you are the only one who can help me. Tomorrow you will tell me what you need to know and I will provide you with the information you require. Then you tame the dragon."

Drake sat up when Hope grabbed his wrist, pinning his gaze with her burning desire. But there was only the ice wall reflecting her glare and his stone-cold voice. "Although feelings are tough to kill, they are even harder to resurrect."

Lord Springwood yanked out his arm from her grasp and stormed out the room. He wasn't going to let her in again, allowing those feelings to creep once more inside his heart. The only thing that mattered was to reach the perfect connection with the Fire Dragon, a better one than Wrenn had if he was ever going to stand a chance against him.