“I am Dr. Kostich, head of the L’au-dela Committee.”
“Ah. The archimage.” Avval did an amazing thing then—he managed to give the impression of looking down his nose at Dr. Kostich without actually doing so. “Your interference is not welcome. You may leave.”
Dr. Kostich was obviously a man who recognized just what a unique being Avval was, but just as obviously, he didn’t like the fact that he more or less had to kowtow to him. After a few moments of visual struggle, he finally gestured toward me and said, “This woman poses a danger to the entire Otherworld. She cannot be allowed to run amok.”
“Oh, you haven’t seen me run amok,” I said, annoyed as hell that he’d interrupted what was probably going to be a humdinger of a kiss. “You want to see it? Because I’m happy to do it. Watch me put the entire town to sleep!”
I took a deep breath, but Avval stopped me by sliding his arm around my waist, and pulling me up to his side. I stared at him in utter surprise.
“If you so fear her in your world, then she will simply reside elsewhere,” he said calmly.
Dr. Kostich’s gaze flickered back and forth between Avval and me. “I see. I ... yes, I believe I see.”
“I’m glad you do, because I don’t,” I snapped, pushing myself away from Avval. “You’re not talking about killing me, are you? Because you can’t look at me one minute like you want me to take off all your clothes and touch you everywhere, and lick that fabulous tattoo from dragon head to pointy tail, and do all of the things that I suddenly can’t stop thinking about, and in the next want to take me off this mortal coil.”
“On the contrary,” he said with a slow smile that set fire to my soul. Literally. Fire burst out at my feet and slowly climbed upward. “I intend to do just that.”
I stared at him, confused, until he pulled me against him, his lips teasing mine, his fire burning bright in and around me when he said softly, “I do not abide in the mortal plane, Charity. You will come into the Beyond with me, and share your life with me. You will be away from the threats posed by ignorance and fear, and will sing for me whenever you like, not because you are trying to save yourself, but because you wish to.”
“The Beyond? That’s like another form of reality, isn’t it?”
“Of a sort, yes. I have a home there, with gardens, and fountains, and animals of all sorts. Do you like animals?”
“So long as they don’t bite or sting me, yes. What do you do in your house?”
“Whatever I desire.”
I sighed a little, my heart yearning for what I knew it couldn’t have—a home. One filled with security and love. “That sounds idyllic.”
He was silent for a moment, his thumb stroking my cheek. “It was for a while. Of late, it has made me aware of just how alone I am. How separated from my kin I am. And how empty my home is.”
Tears pricked my eyes when he bent down to kiss me, tears of gratitude mingled with heartbreaking sadness. He must have noticed, because he broke off the kiss to gaze at me with eyes that were turning a bronze color. “Why do you weep?”
“I can’t stay with you,” I said softly, wishing like hell that Dr. Kostich wasn’t standing there listening to us.
To my surprise, he turned around and walked away, going to the entrance of the park before stopping. The two men who had captured me were still under the spell of my push, and mindlessly unaware of what was going on around them.
A little frown ruined Avval’s smooth forehead. “This makes no sense.”
“Unfortunately, it makes every sort of sense.” I took a deep breath. I’d never before opened up my heart to anyone, man or woman, and doing so now made me feel incredibly vulnerable, but there was nothing for it. “If I stay with you, I’m going to fall madly in love with you. To be honest, I think I’m partly there now, since there’s nothing I want more than to spend my days and nights with you, watching your eyes change, and listening to you talk about your dragonkin, and catching that little smile you make when you think no one is watching, and ... oh, a hundred other things. But I can’t.”
“You have someone binding you here?” he asked, looking around as if such a person would suddenly manifest. “I did not sense a claim upon your heart, but perhaps living as a modern dragon has affected my ability to judge such things.”
I put a hand on his chest, right over where his heart beat so strong and true beneath my fingers, the tears in my eyes calling my throat to ache. “No, there is no one here for me. But that’s just the point—if I go with you, I’ll fall wholly and completely in love with you, and then you’ll love me back, and then we’ll both be miserable because you won’t be a god anymore, and you’ll have to come back here and be a mortal, and then they’ll capture me again, and we won’t be together.”
His frown deepened. “What is this? Why would I be mortal?”
“You know.” I nudged him. “That rule where gods can’t love mortals without losing their powers.”
He stared at me as if I suddenly had a hundred Newfoundland dog demons dancing on my head. “There is no such rule. I do not live by rules. I am as you see me. Nothing can change that.”
“Jim told me you couldn’t fall in love with me, because then you’d be mortal.”
“He lied.”
I gawked at him for the count of three, then swore. “That bastard! I bet he told me that whopper because he’s a demon!”
“More likely that he thought telling you we had no future would make you want to have one with me.” Avval’s eyes were alight with humor.
“Regardless, when I see him again, I’m going to sing him into a pretzel shape that will take him a week to untangle.”
Amusement smoothed his brow again, and lit his eyes with bright silver lights amongst the bronze. “You are so sure that I will love you in return? I am the First Dragon.”
“You are that and much, much more, including a very sexy man who has a warm and loving heart, one that doesn’t dally with women without having some sort of an emotional bond.” I leaned close and whispered in his ear. “Just like you, I have a sense about these things, and you’re falling in love with me, too. I see it in your eyes, I feel it in the way your lips touch mine, and I know it by the way your fire flows from you to me.”
His mouth was hot in answer, his kiss everything I knew it would be—pushing me higher and higher until I was a blazing sun, burning bright in the glow of his love.
“Come with me,” he said at last, when I could breathe (and think) again. “Be my mate. Live forever with me in the safety of the Beyond, and watch my dragonkin grow and flourish.”
“Oh, yes,” I said, suddenly limp with happiness. He laughed then, a rich sound, one that filled with me with infinite joy, and scooping me up, he swung me in a circle before taking my hand and kissing my palm.
“Ouch!” I snatched back my hand at the sudden burning sensation, staring in surprise at the dark brown mark. It reminded me of a diamond-shaped flower, one bearing four main blossoms, but with four small leaves between. “What on earth? Did you brand me?”
“You are my mate,” he said with satisfaction. “All mates carry such a mark. Are you ready to leave the mortal plane now?”
“We can go now?” I asked, glancing around the park. The sun was coming up, and people were emerging from their homes to take to the street. “Right here? We don’t have to go somewhere special?”
He reached out into the air, and made a gesture that left a complicated pattern of light in the air. “Anywhere I am with you is special.”
I punched him in the arm. “Stop it. You’re going to make me cry, and I’m already moist of eye because you said nice things to me, and you want me to be your mate, and you’re offering me a haven. Are you sure, Avval? Are you really sure?”
He disappeared into the pattern of light flecks that danced on the air. For a moment, time froze, my brain stuttering to a stop at the realization that he had left me, just left me.
Then his hand emerged from the light, and his vo
ice, that deep, infinitely smooth voice, reached out to me. “Come, mate. I will bring you home.”
Epilogue
From: Ysolde ([email protected])
To: Mates Union Members
Subject: Welcome to the newest mate!
Ladies, I’d like to introduce you all to Charity. She’s gone and done the impossible—taken the First Dragon off our hands—and for that I’m infinitely grateful. Now Brom can sleep in peace without fearing the FD will pop in and try to turn him into a dragon. Now Baltic won’t be subjected to visits wherein the FD stands around moodily and makes him (Baltic) feel guilty about everything. Now I won’t have to put up with any more of his (FD’s) cryptic remarks about me fulfilling the promise that he sees in my future, which, I swear, if I hear just once more, I’m going to shank someone.
Anyway, welcome Charity.
From: May ([email protected])
To: Mates Union Members
Subject: Woot!
I’m so glad you’re one of us now, Charity. Hope your chase went well. Gabriel and I ended up in the Tuileries, where we were almost caught by a group of tourists.
From: Bea ([email protected])
To: Mates Union Members
Subject: What???
The First Dragon has a mate? When did this go down?
From: Aisling ([email protected])
To: Mates Union Members
Subject: Charity
She met him here, Bea, at Ava’s party. I wish you could have been here. Although in hindsight, it’s probably better if Gary stayed away from crowds—I wouldn’t want him getting stepped on. Jim sends its love, btw. It asked me to have you ask Constantine if Gary can come for a visit sometime.
From: Aoife ([email protected])
To: Mates Union Members
Subject: I second the what!
I’m happy for the First Dragon, and of course, equally happy to have a new mate to hang with, but holy cheeseballs, people! Who knew the First D. could have a mate?
From: Sophea ([email protected])
To: Mates Union Members
Subject: ???
So ... I’m not the new kid on the block anymore? Yay for that. And welcome, Charity. I look forward to meeting you and seeing how His Royal Interferingness is doing (remind me to tell you how he has a habit of materializing just when things are getting hot and heavy with the dragon of your choice).
From: Aisling ([email protected])
To: Mates Union Members
Subject: Charity, part two
Not sure if she can actually see these e-mails in the Beyond. Maybe May can fill us in on that at our next meeting, which is next month on Tuesday the fourteenth, at our house in London. I hope you can all still make it. Drake says he wants the sárkány that got messed up because of the portal, and everyone having to fly home, and evidently you all had chases that took you all over Paris (which I’m insanely jealous about, because there’s nothing I love more than a chase, but I know I’m preaching to the choir).
I do hope Charity can make it, but assuming she can’t, because Dr. Kostich meant what he said when he swore he’d have her arrested if she comes back into our world, perhaps we can Skype with her. We’ll have to see if the First Dragon has Wi-Fi.
See you all next month!
Aisling closed up the laptop, checked that Ava was snoozing soundly, and went to find the dragon of her dreams.
He was downstairs in his study, at his own laptop. “Are you finished?” he asked, rising when she entered the room.
“Yup. Mates Union business all finished.”
“Did you ask Bea about Gary coming for a visit?” Jim asked from where it lay on the floor reading a gentlemen’s magazine.
“Yes, I made the invitation, although don’t get your hopes up. You know how fond of Constantine and Bea Gary is.” She made a face. “Which, given that he’s a disembodied head, is a bit odd, when you think about it, but meh. I’m just not going to think about it. Jim, stay.”
“What?” The demon looked up, startled, then started snickering when Aisling pulled Drake toward the door. “Oh man, it’s that time again, is it? You going to chase him, or have him chase you this time?”
“None of your business,” Aisling said, and, blowing a kiss to the demon, left the room.
Drake waited until they were outside the house, the balmy evening air filled with calls from night birds. “We’ve had three chases already this week, kincsem. Are you sure you’re up for another one?”
“You’re not losing your taste for it, are you?” She leaned forward and kissed him, relishing the roar of fire that never failed to follow.
“I would have to be dead a good sixty years for that to happen,” he answered, his green eyes glittering in the dark. “Would you like me to go inside to give you a head start, or—”
He stopped, stiffening for a moment at the sound that drifted toward them.
“Oh,” Aisling said on a breath, turning to face the same direction. “Someone’s singing. Isn’t that beautiful? It makes me want to cry, and dance, and shout with happiness at the same time. It’s like a hundred songs all compressed down into one perfect bit of music. You don’t think—”
Drake smiled, but it was a smile filled with heat, his attention wholly on her. “I think you had best run, kincsem. Run now, before Charity finishes her song.”
Aisling ran, her heart filled with joy both at the dragon who was patiently counting to fifty so that she had a head start, and for the music that was lifting over the night, bringing happiness to everyone within its sound.
KATIE’S GUIDE TO ALL THINGS DRAGONS
Black Dragons
History: The black dragons have had a tremendous impact on the weyr, both in the past and present. One of the original four septs to be created at the bidding of the First Dragon, the black sept was comprised mostly of dragons living in the Baltic and Russian regions of Western and Eastern Europe.
The most famous member of the sept is also the most infamous: the dread wyvern Baltic, who was named heir to Alexei Istomka after he challenged and beat the existing heir. Baltic took over as wyvern in 1212, and was the original target of what came to be known as the Endless War when the wyvern of the red dragon sept declared an all-out war against the black dragons. Since the black dragons were, at that time, defending themselves from attacks by the blue sept, a weyr-wide war was not long in forming.
Baltic’s handling of the black dragons during the Endless War was cited as Constantine Norka’s reason for leaving the black dragons and forming the silver sept. As the war progressed, the black dragons began to focus more on reclaiming the silver sept, but that goal was lost when the war was brought to an end at the beginning of the 18th century with the death of Baltic at the hands of his heir, Kostya Fekete. With the black dragon stronghold, Dauva, destroyed, and most of the sept dead, the few remaining black dragons went into hiding, emerging only recently with the reappearance of the current wyvern.
Traits: Although dragons, as a rule, do not exhibit many abilities related to various forms of magic, the black dragons have an almost uncanny ability to do that which other septs can’t: they wield a particular form of elemental magic based on their natural element, energy.
They can transform the energy they gather from the relationship between living things surrounding them, and translate it into particularly effective spells. They are also experts at deception and hiding, which is why they are seldom found if they desire to remain hidden from the prying eyes of other dragons. That ability extends to objects, which can leave their lairs and items of value extremely difficult to locate.
They are also very resilient, and although they can be killed, their ability to pull energy from their surrounding allows them to survive where other dragons would not. There is a rumor that their essence turns to pure energy when they succumb to a fatal blow.
Population: 14
Current Wyvern: Kons
tantin Nikolai Fekete (Kostya)
Born: 1 January 1584
Mother: Doña Catalina de Elférez
Father: Cziriak Toldi Fekete
Siblings: one living
Mate: Aoife Dakar
Took control of the sept: 2009
Previous Wyvern: Baltic
Blue Dragons
History: Originally from Eastern Europe, the blue dragon sept relocated sometime around the first millennium to Italy, where the highest concentrations of members still live.The blue dragons were for centuries the weakest of all five septs, and were almost completely destroyed in the Endless War when two-thirds of the members were murdered in a brutal attack by the black dragons. The sept withdrew from both mortal and immortal socializations following the war, per the request of the Wyvern at the time.
The following century was a time for restructure and reorganization, with the blue dragons returning to active participation in the Weyr by late seventeenth century. Notable members include: Rosana Flore (the first female wyvern, later murdered by her brother in 1318), Alberti Da Ghiacceto (who is said to have created the recipe for the dragon’s blood beverage), and Bastiano Blu, uncle of the current wyvern, who was unsuccessful three times in his attempt to take control of the sept. He went insane shortly after the last attempt, and is rumored to be living in a remote villa in the Italian Alps.
With Bastian’s coup in taking over control of the sept, members divided themselves into camps that followed either Bastian or his nephew Fiat.
Traits: The blue dragons are best known for two specific abilities–tracking, and telepathy. Possessors of strong social skills, they are skilled in the art of manipulation, and are renowned negotiators. They also have a keen grasp of mortal psychology, and as such, have done extremely well in businesses in the mortal world. They prefer distance fighting to hand-to-hand combat, and are fascinated with technology of any sort.
Population: 142
Current Wyvern: Bastiano de Girardin Blu
Born: 1 January 1413, Firenze, Italy
Dragon Unbound Page 11
