Fire Dragon

by Caris Roane

  “You don’t look a day over twenty-five.” Which was true. Dusane inhabitants lived long lives and stayed youthful until pretty much they kicked the bucket.

  Jane switched hands and continued her slow progress on her nails.

  Emma planted her fists on her hips and glared at her friend. “You’re pissing me off.”

  Jane just looked at her then continued filing. “By the way, what’s in your hand? There’s a chain attached. Is it a necklace? Maybe, a locket? Um, maybe the one you’re looking for?” She drawled the last bit.

  Emma lifted her right hand and opened it.

  There it was. A wave of relief flowed through her then irritation as she glanced at her friend. “How long have you known?”

  Jane shrugged but didn’t meet her gaze. “I don’t know. I suspected. Yet, somehow it seemed more important that you keep hunting like some kind of wild animal.”

  Emma looked around. “What a mess.”

  Jane only chuckled. She then slid off the stool and put her file in her pocket. She moved to stand directly in front of Emma. “So, show me the photos.”

  Emma released a heavy sigh. “It’s just my mom and dad. Mom said it was taken the day she learned she was pregnant.” She found the tiny latch and popped the locket open.

  There they were, the parents she’d lost when she was sixteen so many decades ago. “How odd that the pain still feels so fresh.”

  Jane caught her forearm. “It’s okay, you know.”

  Emma frowned as she looked at the two faces she loved so much. “They’re with me. They’re always with me.”

  “What exactly did Logan say to you?”

  “That I’m afraid Liam will abandon me like they did.”

  “Wow. Do you think it’s true?”

  Emma pressed a hand to her cheek. “It must be which is why I hate Logan for saying it.” She chuckled but felt anything but amused. “I struck out at Liam, before he could hurt me. That’s what I think really happened. He made this move like he was going to leave the bed, just like he did the first time we slept together. Part of me panicked.”

  “That Logan. He’s the biggest lug, he’s a terrible tease, but he can be amazingly perceptive.”

  “I’m really going to have to apologize to Liam, aren’t I?”

  Jane laughed. “Duh.”

  ~ ~ ~

  You’re not even trying. These were the last words Liam had ever thought he’d say to his battle partner. He was in full-dragon and Emma levitated in from him. Her cheeks were drawn and tight, her lips grim. Liam had never seen that expression on the woman before.

  He wasn’t sure what was going on with her, but she wasn’t herself, not entirely.

  Now that they’d been exclusive battle partners for several weeks, he’d come to know her well, the way she stared off into the distance when she was thinking something over, the exact feel of her knees and thighs as she hit the saddle of his neck, the way her shoulders drew back at the mention of a challenge.

  Right now, her shoulders remained immobile as she stared at him. “Let’s try it again. I can do better.”

  The words were right, but something was off. He didn’t know how to reach her. Let’s go.

  She gave a dip of her chin, and using her superb levitation, threw herself into the air.

  She landed on his neck with precision. He liked that about Emma. Everything about her was precise down to the tight braid she wore with her hair pulled back when she was training or in battle. He trusted her as a partner, which only made his dilemma on a personal level that much harder.

  He flew above the lake twenty miles distant from Blue Lake South proper. They were near the town of Khancliffe. One of the riders, Charlotte, commuted to HQ from there.

  The entire lake system was five hundred miles long with cities, towns and villages peppered along both coastlines. The lake was life to the central part of Arranfar.

  I’ll make a circuit then we’ll try the roll again.

  Yes, Sir.

  He liked that as well, how she addressed him while training. Still, something wasn’t working.

  He flew in a brisk circle then initiated the roll. She was to bring her rifle across his back at the same time and the moment she was parallel with the horizon, she was to fire.

  But she failed again and again. Her timing was off and more than once she’d lost her seat and was airborne. So not like her.

  His patience grew thin, though he had to admit a small part of him was glad she wasn’t on her A game. He could pretend for a moment he didn’t like as much as he did.

  Dismount and face me, Warrior.

  She levitated away from him. He remained in place while she made her way to float in the air in front of him once more.

  She didn’t flinch as he began his dressing down. He told her to pick up the pace and focus. She’d been lagging since they’d started the drill. He expected better from her.

  Her shoulders drew upright, and she lifted her chin, but damn if tears didn’t fill her eyes. He was surprised, then appalled believing he’d gone too far, that he’d brought a woman of Emma’s tough mettle to tears.

  Shit, I’m sorry, Emma.

  It’s not what you think. Liam, could we go back to the hanger? There’s something I’ve got to say to you.

  He paused. He wasn’t sure which was worse, that the woman had something to say to him or that she was brushing tears off her cheeks. He heard a churner start up and make a low thumping sound far below them. There wasn’t much of a wind today, so he supposed someone was testing the machinery.

  Fine. Hop on. We’re done for the day.

  As he flapped his wings, she flipped herself in the air and once again made a perfect landing on his natural saddle. It was a rare woman who could do that.

  He felt nothing but grim certitude Emma meant to take him apart for being unreachable as a man. It was one reason he never dated a woman more than once. By a third date, those were the exact words women used who wanted more from him. So, one date it was.

  He slowly began building up his walls, steeling himself against Emma and whatever it was she meant to say to him. It had been a long time since he’d felt so completely vulnerable to a female, not since his wife. This much he could admit to himself. But after their failed moment at Ethan’s lake house, as well as his argument with Logan, he’d decided that despite his desire for her, keeping his distance was the only way to go. Now Emma had something to say to him.

  Great.

  Once in the hanger and she’d dismounted, he sensed she’d placed herself at a safe distance, probably in an upper corner of the tall ceiling. Sometimes the shift back to human could send his dangerous thick tail into a sudden whip before disappearing into the skin, muscle and bones of his human self.

  More than one attendant, not thinking and drawing too close during a shift, had ended up in the hospital for weeks of recovery.

  But his shift this time was seamless, probably because of all those tight walls he’d been constructing. He thanked the attendant for the towel and drank the bottle of water quickly. Staying hydrated was part of the program for keeping a shift-lag at bay.

  Emma slowly made her descent and fell into step beside him as he walked to the HQ entrance doors.

  Another attendant preceded them and held the doors wide. Liam was used to the protocol. After a period of training or after battle, the dragons were taken care of, a necessary and sometimes life-saving regimen.

  The attendants didn’t just provide water and open doors. They made sure that if a dragon went into shock, he or she received immediate medical attention. Shock could happen at any time after a shift.

  Liam could feel the attendant’s constant scrutiny like sensors attached to his skin. Sometimes, it was an annoying sensation. Right now, he wished like hell he could trade places with the man.

  Yet, the woman who never wept had shed some tears. He needed to hear her out, even if his dragon scales crawled with apprehension.

  Besides, in about a hun
dred ways over the past couple of weeks, Emma had proven her worth as a dragon-rider and fellow warrior. He needed to honor his belief in her essential character despite that part of him still felt shredded by what had happened after he’d made love to her.

  As he walked along the halls heading to the men’s locker room, he made a decision.

  It wasn’t easy but it felt right.

  He reached for her mentally. Have you ever been to Dragonslip Gorge?

  He didn’t look at her, but from his peripheral vision he saw that she glanced at him, then quickly averted her gaze. No. Never. I’ve heard it’s beautiful. You have a home there, right?

  I do. A large piece of land that caravan-driving has allowed me to buy. There’s a small waterfall on the property as well as a natural pool. I’m in the mood for a swim. How about you? Does that sound like something you could use?

  He heard her release a sigh of relief and he knew he’d made the right decision.

  I’d like that a lot. Her voice in his head sounded just like her regular tone, melodic and strong, a reflection of the woman herself, another sign he’d made the right call.

  He wanted to look at her but kept his eyes forward. For a fraction of a second, he wanted to take her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. He knew whatever she had to tell him was serious and he knew this wasn’t easy for her.

  They both signed out for the day then headed to the east exit where she rose easily into the air beside him.

  He couldn’t imagine a strictly human life conducted on two feet: no flight, no shifting, no levitation. But on the other hand, Earth had a helluva lot of cars, something he envied.

  As they flew southeast toward the gorge and rose high above the training ground cliffs, he thought about how many times he’d threatened to buy a car. He’d wanted one since they’d come into existence and had watched the evolution on Earth with interest.

  There were a couple of manufacturers on Dusane, which meant the price of any automobile was sky-high.

  It wasn’t that he couldn’t afford a car. He could. As well as a garage rental in the city where he would keep it.

  But his life as a caravan driver and a keeper-of-the-Dusane-peace hadn’t allowed him much free time. Besides, by the time he brought a caravan safely back to Blue Lake South, or after he’d battled the latest Magi intrusion, or spent hours in full-dragon running training drills like today, all he wanted was a swim, a steak and to sit on his landing patio with a beer or two. Watching the stars appear one-by-one had become his solace.

  The five miles to his property was an easy flight for him. He didn’t have to ask Emma if she was fatigued. The woman had stamina probably developed with her ten-mile run every day.

  As he directed her toward the gorge and began to descend, she tracked with him beautifully. He would have expected nothing less. She’d quickly become a battle-worthy dragon-rider and used her abilities even now to sense his moves.

  Maybe Santos had been right to pair them exclusively. After several weeks of working together, she could read him like a book.

  When he cleared the edge of the massive gorge, he heard Emma sigh. This is one of the most beautiful places in Arranfar.

  He smiled as he began to slow then ease his way toward the waterfall. He owned an entire half-mile stretch of the gorge. Most of the gorge’s length, even as far back as fifty miles, was owned by the wealthy of their continent. The homes and estates were second properties for most, but for Liam, this was home.

  A dragon security service patrolled the developed region. He took a moment to telepathically contact the service center to let them know he and a guest were on his property.

  He let Emma know what was going on as well.

  A moment later, a security detail flew by and lifted a hand in welcome.

  Liam acknowledged them with a dip of his head then descended toward the narrow river that millions of years ago had begun the process of carving out the gorge. The water ran clear and cold, exactly what he wanted after a work-out like today.

  Trees, shrubs and ferns lined the steep canyon walls.

  This is incredible. Emma’s voice once more slid into his mind easy as Pi. He had to admit he loved that about her. It occurred to him, and not for the first time, that damn if she wasn’t his equal.

  I’m privileged to have a home here.

  Flying up the gorge to the waterfall didn’t take long. He landed on the banks of the pond and didn’t apologize for stripping off his flight suit and diving in.

  The cold water was a balm on his hot, fire-dragon skin and his tailbone was intact, thank God. He made long strokes to the falls then back.

  Having returned to his starting point, he found Emma standing on the rocky bank, her back to him as she looked out over the gorge. He’d had a contractor expand the natural pool at least two decades ago, which had created a shorter second fall into the river below where she was standing.

  Emma still wore her flight suit. At first, he wondered if she was more modest than he supposed. But he quickly realized she was doing what he often did: She was taking in the beauty of the steep cliff walls, the exposed dark rock face, and the winding river below.

  He chose not to disturb her. He eased onto his back and stroked toward the main waterfall.

  As he swam, his gaze counted the stars that had just started to appear. The view of the Milky Way that Earth enjoyed would soon arrive in Dusane’s night sky. Dusane and Earth were companion planets, similar in size, structure, the amount of ocean-water-versus-landmass and connected by a wormhole. But it was the unusual creatures, like dragons and vampires, who had discovered the wormhole and had begun settling Dusane thousands of years ago. Werewolves lived mainly on the northern continents which had even more forested areas than southern Arranfar.

  When he heard the water splash and felt a wave reach him, he knew Emma had joined him. He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of her swimming naked in his pond.

  She said nothing as she approached then passed him.

  When he stood up in the chest deep water a few yards from the waterfall, she was beneath the strong flow of water and laughing. This is an incredible treat. Thank you, Liam.

  You’re welcome. And…you’ve earned it. I’ve been meaning to tell you how impressed I am with your performance.

  She moved out from beneath the water and sank to swim toward him. She didn’t respond until she was next to him, then said, “Even though I failed to figure out the move today?”

  “Yes. Beyond today’s struggles. You’re amazing, Emma.” He felt sobered suddenly. The smile that had curved his lips disappeared. “You said there was a reason you weren’t able to focus.” His heart began thudding. He really didn’t want to have this talk, but the moment seemed right to open the door.

  But what she started with surprised him. “I was sixteen when my parents died.” She closed her eyes for a few seconds then continued. “They perished in ’68.”

  He got it right away. “The Great Caravan Disaster.”

  She nodded slowly.

  “That was a bad one. We lost over forty security dragons and of course the caravan driver. We felt it in the ranks for a long time afterward. The winds that day had exceeded three-hundred-miles-an-hour. That was long before satellite imaging. But I had no idea your folks were on that train.”

  “I rarely talk about it and I don’t want it known generally. It tends to dominate everyone’s thoughts.” She sighed. “I loved my parents so much. They were going on their first vacation in years. I was so happy for them and happier for me that I finally had the house to myself for the first time ever. I remember loving how much they trusted me.”

  Liam’s parents were both still alive. He’d never been without their supportive presence for the two hundred years he’d been on Dusane. His heart ached for her. “So, you’ve been orphaned most of your life.”

  “Yes. But I’m not without family. I have an aunt and an uncle. Cousins and second cousins. Still, the deaths of my parents left a huge
gap.” She was still moving her arms and staying afloat though he watched her swallow hard.

  He had to look away. He wasn’t sure why she was sharing this with him or what it had to do with her lack of focus during training, but these were core issues. They all had them.

  God knew he had his own.

  The image of his beautiful wife, just before she’d given birth, pierced his mind. She’d been so excited.

  His throat tightened.

  “Liam?”

  He took a deep breath and forced the memories away as he turned back to her. “I’m here.”

  She nodded. “The reason I brought up my parents is because I’ve come to believe that their deaths affected me more profoundly than I’ve realized. I have a long habit of throwing grenades into the middle of my relationships and I threw one the other night, when we were at the lake house—” she broke off and stood up on the sandy bottom of the pool. The water reached her shoulders as she turned to face him squarely. “I want to apologize for what I said that night, for mentioning your wife in such an offhand, insensitive way. I can only think of it with profound sorrow that I was so unkind. I hope you can forgive me. That’s what I wanted to say, what I needed to say to you.”

  Once more, he slid his gaze away from her. The last thing he’d expected was a direct apology. He honestly thought she’d intended to reprimand him for cutting her off as well. “There’s no need.” His voice sounded thin to his own ears.

  She half-stepped, half-swam toward him, closing the gap. Her proximity forced him to look at her. “There’s every need,” she insisted. “I’m ashamed of what I said. You didn’t deserve that. You’d been so wonderful, and the lovemaking had been amazing and incredibly satisfying. I think I got scared.” She lifted her hands out of the water and made a splash. “There. I’ve spoken the truth. I was feeling too much and threw my grenade quite perfectly straight at your heart. I’m so sorry.”

  He let his knees bend and sank down into the water all the way to his chin. “Thank you for apologizing. I believe I understand what it cost you to talk like this.”

  He felt uneasy suddenly, like there was something he needed to add or to explain. But the words wouldn’t come.