DragonsHeart.wps (7 page)

“If your father gets his way—I just might be. How many will he kill in the name of his cause?”

“He will destroy anyone that defies him. I don’t know if he intends to enslave the human population—or if he intends to massacre them.”

“He’s a real touchy feely kind of guy, isn’t he?” he said, trying hard to make a joke.

She looked over at the television. Blinking her eyes, she squinted them to make out the vision in the screen.

Her weird actions caught his attention. “What is it?”

She shook her head. Tremulously, she spoke, “I think I need to get some winks in, now I’m seeing things.”

“What sort of things?”

“I thought I just saw a man in the television screen, and it’s not on."

“Oh … well, you might not be going wonky. That could be my old mate,

Nicholas.” He stood up, so he could gain a clearer view of the screen. “Yep … that’s Nicholas.”

DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

“Well, tell Nicholas, to stop freaking me out by showing up uninvited in my

television screen!”

Grumbling, she stood up and was immediately consumed by a wave of dizziness.

Off balanced, she had no choice but to flop back down on the sofa.

“I feel so disjointed. I guess that dagger injury is still taking its toll on me.”

“Well, sit down. I don’t mind you hearing what Nicholas might have to say to

me. You have to be in the know from now on, anyway.”

“Is it safe, so to speak?” Nicholas’s image grew brighter. He actually looked like he was acting in a television program. “I only have a few seconds until I’m due in Cheltenham. We’re holding a last minute meeting of the council. Our spies in Dragonia are getting restless .…”

“Spies?” she muttered beneath her breath.

“Long story—I’ll explain in a minute.” He gave her a fleeting glance. “It looks to me like I’ve been left out of the loop on both sides of the wand … with my people and with yours.” He looked about as happy as she felt. They'd both been left out of the loop, and that rankled Grania to no end.

Could it be that her king and queen were wary of her relationship to Draco? The Queen was her mother’s sister—Draco might spare her when and if he finally took the palace, but there was no certainty in that.

He shook his head, placing his finger to his lips. Startled, she pulled back, suddenly realizing that he'd heard her thoughts. This was going to be a thorn in her side, if he kept listening in on everything she was thinking. She'd have to guard her thoughts more closely from now one whenever he was in telepathic range.

“Am I interrupting something?” Nicholas’s voice sounded more than curious.

“No … not at all, Nicholas. We’re just winding down for the night,” Dylan

muttered, giving her a serious look.

“My day is far from over. Lucky you. I haven’t had sleep in thirty-six hours.

I’m so buzzed out on my Auntie’s hot chocolate that I won’t be able to sleep for a month.”

“Well, that’s what you get for drinking that sort of a magical brew.”

He laughed. Sobering, Nicholas looked directly at Dylan. “Get a move on with that spell, Dylan. We don’t have the time to lose—the forces are mobilizing as we speak.

Your mother consulted the
Warrior Wizard of Defense
and told him to start getting our warriors ready for combat.”

“Warriors? Are you telling me you have a cohesive fighting force and you’ve

stayed out of the conflict for these last few years?” She was appalled.

“We are an advanced society—we might live in the mists, veiling ourselves from humans most of the time, but we do know how to run our people. Unlike you dragon shifters, we are a diplomatic society. Our monarch has to consult the parliament before she can make any executive decisions. Don’t worry; our forces have doubled their might since our last war with your kind. We’re more than a match for your father’s forces.”

“I’m getting a learning experience on your culture and customs, then.”

“Our magical community spans the entire globe—it’s not an easy business

keeping everything in order and the facts straight. We’re most concerned with keeping our society a secret. Mortals suspect that we exist, but we aren’t going to let them see proof of that though. Sure, the odd human slips through the security cracks—we usually DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

alter their memories, or enlist them as our operatives.”

“How good and kindhearted of you.”

“We tend to think so. Humans can be morbidly nosy, you know.”

She sighed. “I think I’m going to allow you to chat alone with Nicolas.”

“No worries about taking your leave, dragon shifter. I’m off soon. I just wanted to make contact with Dylan, and appraise him of our current situation.”

“Well, jolly good. Dylan, I’m off to bed.”

Nicholas made a hooting noise. “So, are you already shagging her? Rumor has it that you and she are going to light up the world with your collective passion.”

Her ire rose. “You should keep those thoughts to yourself, Nicholas. It’s rather rude to discuss such subjects in front of me. You wizards can be most vulgar. Your crassness does not become you. You might be an advanced society but you leave something to be desired when it comes to social etiquette. Think of me no more. I’m off.” Standing up, she fought the woozy sensations flooding her and carefully made her way to the staircase.

DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

Dylan watched her leave, worry jumping in his heart. He desperately wanted to follow her. He couldn't stand the thought of her being out of his line of sight. She could fall and hurt herself. “I—look, Nicholas, try not to be a prick. I have to go now—you have fun at that council meeting. Give my regards to the representatives.”

“I will. She’s feisty. You are going to have your hands full with that one. Just make sure you guard against the fire she can breathe out at you. I know that you can be just as charming as me when it comes to dealing with the fairer sex.”

“I can’t listen to you, right now. She’s been wounded, and she needs my help.”

“I sort of think that a woman like her doesn’t require anyone else’s help—but

you’re right, the clock is ticking and I can’t turn back time in this instance. See you at the next meeting of our club.”

“See you—if we’re both still alive. You get some sleep … being a spy among the dragon shifters requires your full attention. I’m ordering you to go home and sleep after the meeting of the council.”

“You are ordering me?” Nicholas laughed. “We aren’t in school anymore—you

don’t outrank me in this world.”

“That might be true—but I’m the great Dylan Lightfoot, saver of worlds … you

just heed my advice and rest that body and mind of yours. If you fuck up, it could cost us everything.”

“If
you
fuck up it could literally cost us everything. Think long and hard about it before you go and give that dishy little dragon shifter a screw. The consequences of that action will definitely come back to bite you in the ass, and I know you’re not into that.”

“Farewell, Nicholas.”

Nicolas smiled at him, and faded from view.

He stood up; somehow, he had to go upstairs and smooth things out between him

and Grania. He was going to have a time of it, since her stubbornness more than equaled or surpassed his.

“You can sleep downstairs tonight.”

He stopped at the foot of the stairs. “What are you talking about?”

“I don’t want you within a few feet of me. I can feel the blood rising inside of me. I need to sleep—and calm my passions.”

“Calm your passions? I don’t understand what the hell you’re talking about.”

“The Mating Fire—you do recall our conversation about that?”

“Oh, God. You were just wounded—how could you possibly be in the mood to

consummate our relationship?”

“It’s not that I’m in the mood, you silly bugger! It’s because I can’t help myself!

I’m being magnetically drawn to you—it’s like denying your want to drink water!”

“Well, I guess you’re going to have to call upon the deepest recesses of your self-control.” Cautiously, while she considered and deliberated on her reaction, he started to make his way up the steps.

DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

“I don’t like your friend. He isn’t sympathetic when it comes to my kind.”

“I can’t imagine why—I mean, Nicholas’s father was murdered by a dragon

shifter.”

“Murdered? Impossible.”

“Possible. Quite. He has the proof. He doesn’t need you telling him he’s mad.

It’s been proven, and the dragon shifter responsible was brought to justice. Our form of justice.”

“Like the kind you meted out on James and Orion?” A catch entered her voice,

her face got even paler. She was still being deeply affected by his actions earlier.

“You have to learn to let go of what I did—if you don’t—you’re going to have

difficulty bridging the gap being erected between us! You will hate me and love me at the same time.”

“I can live with that. And, even if I couldn’t it doesn’t look like I have a choice in the matter. No one has ever been able to fight the mating fire—I’m not pretentious enough to think I can accomplish what my betters could not.”

He now stood directly outside of her bedroom.

“Your humbleness becomes you, Grania.”

“You can stop right where you stand, Dylan. Do you think I am an imbecile? I will not allow you to cross the threshold into my inner sanctum.”

“You talk like you are an actual dragon, and I’m the slayer crossing over into your cave.”

“I think not. You are not here to hurt me. Even I’m not that foolish—you are here to woo and hopefully in your mind, win me. I think however, that we’ve seen enough excitement for one day. I am exhausted. I need my rest now—the ointment is telling me to rest.”

“A magical healing agent like that was created by strong magic indeed.”

“You said yourself that we dragon shifters possess our own kind of magic—it

would seem that our healing enchantments might even rival the healing magic of your kind.”

“You know, when we have children, we will have to decide on a new name for

them.”

“Will we? You seem to be planning for the future. I advise you to not make any rash plans, especially when I am getting ready to take a shower and you stand waiting outside of my bedroom door.”

“I could easily break through the spells guarding this door.”

“And, then, you would be faced with a fire wielding pissed off dragon shifter.”

“I can conjure the hot flames as well.”

“Aye, but I can use them far more effectively.”

He hesitated, listening to the silence that draped between them. She had moved into the bathroom for he could no longer sense her presence. A moment later, and he heard the sound of rushing water.

He approached the door. She might have rigged it with her own form of magical alarm system—if she had, he’d be finding out soon.

He could hear her thoughts whispering against his temple. He watched in awe, as the door handle turned. The door swung inward—granting him access to her haven.

He wondered at the opportunity. She was a contradiction—and it troubled him to DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

no end. They had only known each for a fraction of time when weighed against their immortal years, and yet; he could feel how right they were.

If they did cross into the territory of no return, they would stay together for the rest of their unnatural long lives.

‘
Dylan?
’

She called to him telepathically. The voice in his head was akin to that of a siren’s song. He had to fight it … he had to control the riotous emotions battling for domination inside of him. They were both consumed by the same passion—on one side, they knew they danced with folly—on the other hand, they wanted to drench themselves in that folly and luxuriate in it. They were playing with fire—and neither one of them cared if they got burned.

“Time is a thief—did you know that, Grania?” He spoke aloud, rather than using telepathic speech.

No answer.

The water still roared. He inclined his head to the side. Worry crept into his heart. Had sleep overwhelmed her before she could finish her shower?

The door wouldn’t budge when he tried the handle. He directed his index finger at it. A few bright sparks shot out, making the lock click open. He used his magic to move the door aside.

“Grania?” His words were of shallow comfort to him. His heart lodged in his

throat. The bathroom grew steamy not only from the heat of the water, but also from their combined ardor. “Grania?” He raised his voice, feeling uneasy at the frantic sound erupting in his voice. His eyes scanned the relatively small bathroom. Crammed into a tight space were a single tub, shower stall, sink and toilet. Steam furled through the air.

He felt suddenly sweaty and stifling.

She would have answered him by now—he felt as sure of that as he felt about his spells. Something was wrong. As his protector, she would have answered him even if she hadn’t wanted to. His eyes locked on the shower stall. He couldn’t see anything for the steam misted on the shower door.

“My love?” His heartbeat quickened again at the sound of the endearment

crossing his lips.

Summoning his magic, he effectively cleared the steam from the room. Fastening his eyes back on the shower stall, his heartbeat began racing in his chest. She stood frozen in the shower stall. Even though she remained upright, he knew there was something wrong with her. The water crashed over her—her flaming red hair drenched around her shoulders. She didn’t turn when he approached the shower. That added to his ill at ease feeling.