Theodore (Xavier's Hatchlings #2) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,65

I need to work on that, being a better male when it comes to what I think a woman should be doing.”

“You don’t have to if you want to have the shit knocked out of you by your mate.” George asked him if he thought his mate would be a ball cruncher. “Have you met any of the Manning women, George? I mean, there isn’t a timid one in the bunch. That goes for our mates too. I’d not want to take on any of them. And work very hard in keeping on their good side. Related or not, I think they’d find a way to have me fall from a great height and let me lay there until I healed.”

They pulled into the driveway of Jamie’s home. It was something, this home that she’d just had updated. It was larger than his by a great deal, and even Finn’s home was small by comparison. She was sitting on the front porch, rocking in what appeared to be like one of the swings his parents had at their home when he’d been younger.

“I think I might have run off Jangles. He was here for a little while this morning but decided I’m going to have to find me something to do.” Jamie laughed. “I’ve been getting my recertification to work in the new hospital. What are you guys up to?”

“We’ve brought Milo over to see if he’s your mate.” Theo looked at George and wondered if the guy would ever find a way to ease into a conversation. He was entirely too blunt and honest right from the start. “Mom said you might be able to tell, and then we’d all know.”

“You’re not getting on my good side, George.” He asked her why not. “Because this isn’t how I wanted to start my day off. I was going to take a walk. Then maybe go into town and have some lunch. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a meal out on my own before. Now you two show up with my potential mate and fucking ruin my day.”

“I’m sorry, Jamie.” She looked over at Theo as he told George to get back in his car. “I don’t know what we were thinking. Milo is going to rest up for a little while, and he’ll see you when he sees you. I’m sorry.”

“How does this work?” Theo asked her if she wanted to see too. “I do. I don’t know what it might mean for me, or him for that matter, but I’d like to know. Since you’re here already. Will he wake up if I’m his mate?”

“Honestly? I haven’t any idea. Mom didn’t give us any details when we spoke to her about it. She just said to come by and see if you might be his mate. You don’t have to do this.” She told him she knew that. “All right. I guess you’d have to do the sniffing thing. I know you hate that, but I really don’t have any other idea on how we need to check.”

Leaning into the back seat where Milo was sleeping, she stood up. The look on her face was pure confusion. When she didn’t say anything, he didn’t either. However, George didn’t have the filter that he would hopefully get when he found his own mate.

“Are you?” She looked at his brother, then looked at him. “You’re teasing us, aren’t you? That’s good that you can have a sense of humor about this. I know that when my mate comes along, I’m going to dazzle her—”

“Hush.” George snapped his mouth closed with an audible click. Jamie looked at Theo before she spoke again. “He smells funny. I don’t know what it is, but it’s like he’s ill. I haven’t any idea why, but he smells of old blood.”

“Old blood or iron?” She asked if there was a difference in the smells. “I don’t know the answer to that, but Milo isn’t a dragon. I didn’t think iron would kill him any more than it would any of us, but if you smell it, that’s something we need to have checked out. I’m going to call Winnie here. She’s the protector, and she might be able to help with what it is you’re detecting on him.”

Winnie appeared just as he finished telling her what was going on. She asked him a couple of questions that he didn’t know the answer to. He and George were told to take Milo into the house, and