Page 54 of Dragon Charmed

“Seriously? This guy is a con artist. What does he hope to gain?” Marcus said.

“I don’t know.” She held up her hands. “Listen. There’s something I have to tell you both.” She hesitated before scolding herself to get on with it. They needed to know the truth.

“What?” Eric asked.

“He told me he does remember one thing. He remembers killing another dragon, and they were in a cave.”

It only took a few moments for the realization to set in for both of them.

“Fuck!” Eric screamed, and he took off at a run toward the motel.

“Eric, wait!” Marcus yelled as he and Tessa ran after him.

Eric kicked the door open and stepped into the room. Marcus and Tessa ran in behind him a few moments later.

Instead of attacking him, Eric just stood there staring at Ben, whose face was lowered. “Look at me!”

Tessa had trouble breathing as Ben raised his head and met Eric’s gaze. Ben’s solemn eyes and thin-lipped grimace told her he was ready to accept whatever Eric was going to do to him.

When Eric stood there frozen, Tessa moved so that she could see his face. Eric’s eyes radiated hate, but after a moment they changed. Confusion followed by recognition, and was that happiness?

What the hell was happening?

Eric stumbled forward a step. “Oh my God. Adam, is that you?”

Tessa gasped like one of the actors on the telenovelas she was addicted to. Was Eric seeing things?

Ben frowned at him and shook his head.

Marcus stepped closer. “It is you!”

What was happening right now? Were they under some sort of spell? Had this been the plan all along and the witches were involved?

She looked outside, holding up the Taser. She wasn’t sure if a Taser would take a witch down, but she would damn well try it.

“Guys, Adam is dead. This is some sort of trick.”

Ben gaped at them before turning to Tessa.

“Say something!” Eric demanded.

“What is happening?” Ben said.

Marcus nodded. “It’s him. I would recognize his voice anywhere.”

“Guys. Listen. It has to be a trick!” Tessa shouted.

Eric walked over to Ben. “Adam has a scar on his left elbow from when we were kids. It’s pie-shaped.”

Since Ben was still handcuffed, Eric pulled up his sleeve and examined the back of his elbow, grinning through his tears. “It’s there.”

Tessa dropped the Taser and plopped down onto the end of the bed when her legs gave out.

Marcus held out his hand to her. “Keys?”

Tessa blinked at Marcus.

“Tessa, where are the keys to the cuffs?”