by Lili Zander
His arm automatically circles me, and he pulls me against him. I relax into his hold, loving his warmth. “Hello, love,” he says, his sleep-roughened voice sending a skitter of desire through me.
I wriggle my ass against his growing erection. “I’m drunk and horny,” I giggle. I stroke his cock through his shorts. “Want to do something about it?”
He laughs. “You certainly are drunk.” He kisses my cheek fondly and then gets out of bed. He goes into the adjoining bathroom and returns with an aspirin and a glass of water. “Drink up,” he says.
I do as I’m told. When I’m done, he takes the empty glass from me, and comes back to bed, pulling me close to him. “Go to sleep, love.”
92
Casius
To no one’s surprise, Aria is painfully hung over the next day. She doesn’t wake up until noon, and when she drags herself down to lunch, she looks like hell.
“Why do I drink?” she groans. “Oh God, my head.”
I probably shouldn’t laugh, especially when she gives me a death glare. “I blame you, Casius,” she says. “Talk to Bea, you said. It’ll be fun, you said.”
Okay, I can’t hold the grin back. I laugh out loud at her expression. “You drank a bottle of wine, and it’s my fault?”
“Two bottles.” She lays her head down on the dining table with a moan. “I went through the first one too fast, so I decided to sneak down to Bastian’s cellar and grab another one. I’m such an idiot.”
Rhys chuckles. “You don’t have to sneak down, love. If Bastian lets you drive his cars, he’s not going to mind an incursion into his wine cellar.”
“You missed your lesson,” Mateo says, trying for sternness and failing miserably. “I was going to start you on healing today. And you didn’t show up for sword practice either.”
“Do you want me to handle a sword in my condition?” she mutters into the tabletop.
Valid point. I give her a fond look and turn to Mateo. “She might hurl when the food shows up,” I point out to the mage. Mateo’s a great believer in learning some lessons the hard way, but it seems cruel to watch Aria suffer. “We wouldn’t want that to happen.”
“Oh, fine.” He closes his eyes and mutters something under his breath.
“What the…?” Aria sits up in shock. “Did you just magic away my hangover?”
“Just this once,” he says to her. “You’re on your own the next time.”
“There’s never going to be a next time,” she vows fervently.
Bastian shakes his head, amused. “I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve asked Mateo to do that for me,” he says wryly. “Yet he’s never once magicked away my headache.”
“You’re not as charming as Aria,” Mateo quips, and then his expression turns serious. “I heard from Christina right before lunch. She’s got the results of the analysis of the spear.”
Aria looks up. “The spear that almost killed Erik?”
Mateo nods. “You were right in your suspicions,” he says to Bastian. “It was coated with a poison of some kind.”
“And the knife that the Norm muggers threw at you?” I glare at Valentini. “You downplayed that incident pretty well but let me guess. It was also coated with the same poison.”
“It was,” he admits with a grimace. “Christina says she’s never seen anything like it. In her tests, it temporarily prevented someone from reaching for their magic.”
Bastian frowns. “I’ve never heard of something like that before. If Zyrian has access to it…”
“That’s the thing,” Mateo interrupts. “Christina knows as much about dragon magic as I do. Erik was stuck, unable to shift back into his human body. I couldn’t reach for my dragon. The shifting magic is innate in us. Nothing should be able to disrupt the transformation.”
I have a very bad feeling about this.
Rhys raises an eyebrow. “What are you saying, mate? That it might not be Zyrian?”
Aria groans. “Seriously? A new enemy? Kill me now.”
Mateo gives me an amused glance. The moment I see his expression, my suspicions are confirmed. He suspects the alchemists. Fuck.
“Not exactly,” he replies. “Kioko is difficult, as are the rest of the alchemists, but I wouldn’t go so far as to call her an enemy.” His lips twitch. “At least, not until a dragon slept with her and didn’t call her the next day.”
Aria turns to Rhys. “You ghosted her?”
Rhys raises his hands. “It wasn’t me, love,” he protests. “I’m too smart to mess with Kioko. She scares me.”
I exhale in a long sigh. I’m not proud of getting involved with the alchemists. “It was me.”
Aria’s eyes widen. “Casius?”
I can’t make out her reaction. “We dated casually for a month,” I mutter. “I assure you, it wasn’t serious. We were both using each other. She wanted dragon blood, and I was fascinated by the way the alchemists were able to use magic, even though they have none of their own.”
She fixes her gaze on me. “You’re hundreds of years old, Casius,” she says mildly. “I’m assuming you have a past. I don’t care about your exes, not unless you’re still hung up about them.”
Phew. “Not even a little,” I reply emphatically.
“Is she still hung up on you?” Bastian asks bluntly. “The alchemists have never been very cooperative. If we want answers from Kioko Yone, and she’s still nursing a grudge, she’s even less likely to answer.”
“She’s not likely to be helpful,” I reply. “The alchemists guard their knowledge like treasure. They don’t share.”
I’m used to knowing the answers, but even though I know more about alchemy than the others, I don’t know enough. But Kioko Yone, the Head of the Society of Alchemists, knows more about potions and poisons than anyone alive.
“Why would the alchemists want us dead?” Bastian frowns. “It doesn’t add up. Kioko Yone and the rest of her kind keep to themselves.” He takes a deep breath. “What if they’ve decided to ally themselves with Zyrian?”
Mateo looks grim. “That’s not good,” he says. “Derther Roth said that the Dark Dragon’s power is waning rapidly, and the evidence backs his theory. So far, Zyrian’s avoided making a direct move against us. But if the alchemists are working with him…”
“Then we’re actively at war.” He looks at me, worry etched on his face. “We need to talk to Kioko.”
Rhys cuts in. “Tell you what,” he says. “What if Casius sends her a message? In the meanwhile, tonight I’ll head down to the bar that Mateo was at. Poke around. Ask a few questions. See if I can find out anything about the Norms who attacked Mateo.”
“I want to come,” Aria says promptly.
“Sure thing, love,” Rhys grins. “It’s date night. Let’s kill two birds with one stone.”
I sigh again. While I’d prefer that Aria stay in the castle, she’s proved that she can take care of herself.
The truth is, no matter how I’d like to deny it, our mate’s destiny is wrapped up in the curse. And though I don’t particularly want to talk to Kioko, I will do anything to keep Aria safe.
93
Aria
Bastian’s standing in the entryway, blocking the door. I give him an exasperated look. “You’re not going to stop me from leaving, are you?”
A smile softens his face. “As Casius frequently reminds me, I can’t pull my Master-of-the-Universe shit on you. I thought I might come too.”
Rhys nods immediately. “Strength in numbers. Good idea. After what happened to you and Erik, we can’t be too careful.”
“Do you even have a car that will fit all of us?” I ask Bastian skeptically. “Everything I spotted in your garage was a two-seater.”
Bastian’s lips twitch. “Mausezähnchen,” he says, a wickedly amused glint in his eyes. “You do realize I’m a dragon, don’t you? We’re not going to drive to Cologne. We’re going to fly.”
I’ve only seen Bastian’s dragon form once, the night that he was att
acked. I was too busy then to admire the deep ruby gleam of his scales, his graceful wings and his sinuous tail. I ogle shamelessly now.
Not only do I have five freakishly attractive mates, but they’re also dragons. I’m not entirely thrilled about the prospect of impending death, but this part, Maija Essen got very right. I’m a lucky, lucky girl.
“Hop on, love.” Rhys helps hoist me on Bastian’s back and makes sure I’m securely settled between his spikes. When I’m ready, Rhys nods to Bastian, who springs into the air.
I can fly on dragon-back a million times, and I’ll never get used to the head rush.
Bastian’s wings flap, lifting us high into the night sky. It’s an overcast night, and he climbs until he breaks through the cloud layer. The air feels chilly and damp, but Mateo’s clever warmth spell keeps me from freezing.
Rhys is flying to my right, his strokes lazy and languid, taking advantage of Bastian’s slip-stream to conserve his energy. From this angle, the flight of the dragon looks very different, and I notice things that I just can’t see from the ground. The way their necks and tails curve and bend with the wind, almost as if they’re skimming through the air. It’s exhilarating to watch…
…and over too soon. Bastian swoops low and lands on a flat roof. The moment I slide off his back, he transforms back into his human self, and Rhys comes in for his own landing. Then I realize something. “You’re not wearing any clothes,” I giggle. “You can’t go into a Norm bar butt naked in the middle of winter.” Technically, I guess they can’t really walk into a bar butt naked year-around.
Bastian chuckles. “This building houses one of my offices. I keep a change of clothes for occasions just like this.”
“And Rhys?”
He grins at the other dragon. “I’m sure I can find Rhys something to wear too. For a price.”
Half an hour later, we’re seated in a bar, glasses of Kölsch in front of us. Rhys and Bastian are squabbling about a Picasso, and I’m looking around covertly, trying to spot anything that looks out of place.
Mateo was drinking here. Under pointed questioning, he confessed that he felt wrong the moment he stood up to leave. I’ve been thinking about his attack, and lots of things don’t make sense.
The other dragons are right—there’s no way the three Norms who mugged Mateo should have been able to get a jump on him. In my practice sessions, I’ve tried to fight Mateo with a sword while he holds me off with magic, and I’ve never once been able to get past his shield. He’s incredibly good at what he does, experienced and powerful.
Which means that the knife that almost killed him wasn’t the first part of the attack. I’m absolutely convinced he was poisoned before the mugging. Something prevented him from using magic to defend himself against the three hoodlums who attacked him.
There’s a small chance that this is a wild goose chase, but the hair at the back of my neck is standing up. I’ve got good instincts for trouble, honed by years of practice. And every instinct is telling me that this bar is important.
“Penny for your thoughts, love.” Rhys’ voice interrupts my reverie. I look up to see him on his feet. “Service is really slow tonight. I’m going up to the bar to get another drink. You want one?”
Ugh. Not after last night. Mateo might have magicked away the hangover, but the memory of this morning’s headache remains. “I’m just going to sip this one,” I reply.
Rhys chuckles at my expression, and heads in the direction of the bar.
A sudden, alarming thought strikes me. I lean forward and pitch my voice low. “What if our beers are already poisoned?” I ask Bastian.
He shakes his head. “It’s safe.”
I don’t ask him how he knows. One thing I know about the dragons by now—they’re fiercely protective of me. If Bastian had any doubts about the beer, I wouldn’t be drinking it. Chances are, he’s already taste-tested mine somehow.
“I haven’t really had a chance to ask you how you’re doing.”
I put my hand over his. “I’m not going to lie. Mateo’s announcement was pretty damn scary. But I’m getting back to normal.” I tilt my head to one side and survey him. “I’m pretty surprised you haven’t sent me back to safety.”
“It’s too late for that.” He sighs heavily. “As much as I hate to admit it, the safest place for you is here. Plus, as I said to you back in the castle, I’m really trying not to be as high-handed as I’ve been in the past.” He grimaces. “At the end of the day, this is your life too. Even though my motives come from a good place, I still can’t make your decisions for you.”
My expression must show my shock. “What?” he says defensively. “People can change. I’m trying to be better.”
At the bar, Rhys is deep in conversation with the pretty blonde bartender. I’m ten-percent jealous and ninety-percent hopeful that he’s pumping her for information. Well, maybe twenty-percent jealous. Hey, I never said I was a saint.
“You are.” I turn my attention back to Bastian put my hand over his. “When we were in Manhattan, you wouldn’t have let me come to the bar.”
His lips quirk. “Back then, you’d have sneaked away regardless of the danger. We’ve both changed.” He takes a deep breath. “I’m really sorry my mother got you into this. She had no right to control your destiny.”
“I’m not sorry.”
“You’re not? Why?”
I feel my cheeks heat. “Because if she hadn’t, I would have never met any of you. And meeting the five of you…” I’m really not good at discussions about feelings. “Well, I really wouldn’t exchange it for anything.”
He tugs my hand toward his mouth and presses a soft kiss on my palm. “Every single day,” he says, “I’m so profoundly glad that you decided to steal from us. We were going through the motions, all of us, and me more than anyone else. My life was dull and colorless, and then you came along.”
I can’t meet his eyes. There’s so much sincerity in his voice that I’m afraid I’m going to start bawling. We’re in a bar. That’d be seriously awkward. “You’re just saying that because I’m part of the prophecy.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it,” he replies calmly.
Compliments make me uncomfortable. Unless they’re about my thieving abilities. “I’m not some kind of special snowflake,” I murmur. “I wanted to know the truth about my identity. That’s mostly why I stuck around.”
He snorts. “You’ve known the truth about your identity for a month now,” he says. “You could have left anytime after that, but instead, here you are. You’re taking magic lessons. Sparring with us. You could be shopping in Berlin, you could be spending money in Paris, but instead, you’re at our side, ready to face whatever lies ahead.” His expression, when he looks at me, is tender and loving, and my heart starts to beat faster. “Has it even registered with you how rich we are, mausezähnchen?”
I roll my eyes. “Let me see. A wing of your castle is filled with treasure. Including Odin’s legendary spear. You have a hangar filled with cars that you don’t drive. We flew to Germany on a private plane. I’m not blind, Bastian. Trust me, it’s totally registered.”
“Whatever is ours is yours.”
I exhale. “Look, I’m not some kind of saint. I like being rich just as much as the next person. Money is a useful thing. Erik paid off Silas’s hospital bills. You flew Dr. Burdick halfway across the world so he could treat Silas. I couldn’t have done any of that when I was working a minimum wage job in New York.”
I take a sip of my beer. “I don’t want to sound like I’m above it all, because I’m not. After all, I’m spending the million that Raedwulf gave me to steal the Bloodstone, even though I failed to deliver.”
“To set up a scholarship for your friend Beatrice.”
“Casius is far too chatty for his own good,” I grumble.
“Was it a secret?” He raises an eyebrow. “If you’re trying to convince me you’re a materialistic kind, then you’ll do a better job of it if you go on a sh
opping spree. Take the credit card, go buy yourself a hundred-thousand-dollar handbag.”
“Are you kidding me? Somebody should slap me on my head if I ever spend that much money on a bag.”
He laughs. “I love you, Aria.”
I freeze. Did he just say what I thought he said? Did he mean it, or was it just a figure of speech? Because we’ve never used the L-word before.
He gives me a slight smile. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. After all…” He gestures to my t-shirt.
I look down to see what today’s slogan is, and wince. I don’t want feelings. I just want tacos. “It’s just a t-shirt.” I want to say it back, but I can’t seem to spit the words out. There’s been too much emotional tumult in the last few days, and I’m drained.
Right now, I just want uncomplicated. All action. No feels. Because if I uncork the bottle, everything that’s tightly contained inside of me is going to explode, and I don’t know what will happen.
Bastian doesn’t seem fazed by my reaction or lack thereof. “Rhys looks like he’s got some answers,” he says. “Let’s see what he’s found.”
94
Rhys
I know nothing about magic. I’m a competent fighter, but I’m not obsessive about training, not the way Erik is.
What I’m good at is flirting.
Which is exactly what’s needed right now. A compliment or two, and the girl at the bar is more than happy to tell me everything she knows.
“What’d you find out?” Bastian asks as soon as I set the beers on the table.
I sit down. “The bartender was only too happy to chat.”
“I noticed,” Aria says, a slight edge in her voice.
I bite back my grin at her expression. “Aria, love. You’re my mate. There’s no one else for me. She’s annoyed because they’re short-staffed tonight. She was supposed to have the day off, but she got called in because the usual bartender didn’t show up. He hasn’t shown up to work for the last two weeks. They’ve tried to call him, but he’s not answering.”
