The Vigilante & The Dragon - Book 1 of the Guardians Saga [COMPLETED]

Bonus Chapter - Shopping with Dragons

"When did you want to go shopping?"

Alex opened her eyes to find Rile's face over hers, while he held her hand. She shrieked and bolted off the couch. She lit her now free hand and hurled a blast at him.

"I told you what would happen if you touched me again!" She fired another blast at him.

"I only held your hand. I swear." Rile dodged and held up both hands again in surrender. "Easy, crazy lady."

Alex looked wildly around the apartment, up and down Rile, and then up and down herself. She inhaled and exhaled deeply. Cale watched from the kitchenette, astonished.

Gabe dashed in from the bedroom. "What did you do, Rile?"

"I only asked when she wanted to go shopping. I swear."

"He startled me awake. That always ends badly." Alex ran a hand through her hair. "Dibs on the bathroom."

Alex scrubbed her face and walked out to the kitchenette. Cale had made pancakes again. Again, she checked for green slime and was relieved it wasn't there.

"I'll buy the couch, mattress, and recliner first this morning," Alex said as they sat around the table. "Then I'll return to the carriage house and work on organizing. It'll take time for the stuff to be delivered."

"I'll come," Gabe said.

"I want to come with you," Cale said.

"I'm not working alone," Rile said.

"Shopping, humanoid, alien dragons?" Alex said. "Okay. I guess y'all don't get out much."

*****

After breakfast, they walked to Alex's tiny, rusted car but were intercepted by Dr. Dewey on the driveway.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Shopping for mattress, couch, recliner. They wanted to come." Alex shrugged.

"You can't take them shopping." Dr. Dewey frowned down at her.

"I thought they could disguise." Alex looked up at him, unbowed by his professor's disapproving demeanor.

"We can," Gabe said.

"That's a bit much. Please don't go," Dr. Dewey changed to a conciliatory tone.

"We'll wear the caps of baseball that you gifted us," Cale said.

"We'll shop Magazine Street," Alex continued. "Deep in the culture of New Orleans weird."

Cale dashed into the carriage house and returned with three baseball caps.

"The Saints?" Alex asked. "Those losers? They win like what? Once every quarter century?"

Dr. Dewey, offended, sniffed and straightened his back.

"You know what, I admire the New Orleanians," Alex said with sincerity. "Good for them for loyalty to the Saints through all those losing years. Who dat."

Dr. Dewey's smile was so sweet that Alex felt her heart twist.

Just a little bit.

"Everyone into my car." Alex pointed at the tiny, rusted, two door car.

As if it heard her, the back bumper creaked and the left side groaned down to the concrete. Alex yanked open the door, pulled out a large roll of silver duct tape, and proceeded to tape it back in place.

"What?" she challenged the horrified onlookers. "Get in or be left behind."

Gabe claimed the front passenger seat after staring down Rile. Cale sat behind Gabe. Alex resisted the urge to slide her seat back into Rile's knees.