“A plane?” Jamie’s question snapped her attention from her thoughts. He glanced from the sky to her, his arms no longer over his head.
“It’s how we transport. Not as fast as your method.”
He squatted before her, brows furrowed. “What is a plane?”
“Like a car.” At his blank look, she tried again. “A boat?” He nodded. “A boat with wings.”
“Like a dragon.”
“Yeah, I guess, but planes are metal and dragons don’t exist.”
“Dragons don’t—” Jamie swallowed. “This place has no dragons.”
Why the incredulous tone?
“Only in myths. Did you expect to find one here?” Her breath hitched. Was Hottie deranged? Or was she for continuing to call him Hottie?
Jamie ran his hand over his head as he stared at the ground, taking too long to answer. As if he chose his words with care, deciding how much truth to mix with a lie. “Another metal conveyance. What is it with you people and metal?”
Way to change the topic. Perhaps in his language, whatever that was, a dragon meant something different. But what? Why hide? Well, that was obvious. If he answered that he expected to find dragons hiding in the fields it would mark him as crazy. Which probably meant he wasn’t and just had language difficulties. Hopefully.
“You can’t tell me metal’s not used where you’re from.”
“Of course we use metal. Just not to the extent you do.”
“And why is that?”
Another hand through the hair. Another pause. Truth or lie?
He shrugged. “Erik is around here someplace. Do you see a building?”
Master of changing the topic. What was he hiding? Was it dangerous? Given enough time she would discover his secrets. “I thought you could find things.”
“I can. But I can only get close to the object. The rest is up to me.”
“Why? Why not land next to the object?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. But it doesn’t work that way. I get close, and then I can find the person. Or thing. But I have to find it. It never appears before me when I transport to it.”
“No offense, but that’s a rather strange power.”
“It works for me. Now, do you see a building? Someplace where he could be held? Not too far off.”
What she saw was a too-hot-to-be-real man avoid fully answering her questions. The airstrip, security fence, and airplanes almost close enough to touch, faded into the background as she watched Jamie. What was he hiding? No, make that what exactly was he? How did he transport? She’d given up on the idea this was a hallucination. Not even in her wildest dreams had she ever come close to this experience, not to mention it felt real. Definitely not a dream. Nor a hallucination.
So how did he transport? Maybe he was from the future and had some sort of device? Come on, Parker, do you really think he stepped out of a scene from a sci-fi movie?
“What about there?”
Parker blinked and followed the line of Jamie’s point, straight to the terminal off in the distance.
“Doubtful.” He’d have a better chance of being held prisoner in the tunnels.
Parker snorted.
“What do you find humorous?”
“Sorry. That’s the plane terminal. It’s doubtful he’s in there.”
Jamie turned back to the terminal, head cocked to the side. He sighed. “Yes, you are probably right. It’s a little out of my range. He seems close, but I don’t see a place where he could be held.”
“Maybe we can’t see it in the dark.”
“I see well, even in the dark. There are no buildings closer than that one.” Again with the pointing toward the terminal.
Nothing unusual about seeing in the dark. Really. Some people just had better vision than others. No reason for a chill to slide down her spine, a warning of the supernatural.
Evidence, Parker. Evidence.
A part entombed within her recognized Jamie as something more than human. He had abilities outside of the norm like she did. He used his while she tried hard to keep hers buried. Extra abilities did not mean she wasn’t human. She suspected plenty of others had odd abilities they kept quiet about for obvious reasons. Unlike Jamie.
Otherworldly? Yes. But no reason for chills. The longer she stood in his presence, the less she believed her original thought of him meaning her harm.
Just because she started to trust him didn’t mean she wouldn’t question him. “Where are you from?”
Jamie turned to face her. “What does that have to do with Erik?”
“Why can you not answer my question?” Maybe she should still be wary of his intensions.
His jaw tensed, lips flattening. “Draconia. Is it possible he’s in a cave underground?”
“Where is Draconia?”
“You said you’d help me look for Erik.”
“I will. I am. I want to know where Draconia is.”
“And if I answer your questions, you will help me find him now?”
“Yes.”
“You have not heard of Draconia?”
Parker shook her head. Did he really think if she’d heard of it she’d still be asking where it was?
Jamie gestured to the sky. “How far do these planes go?”
He wasn’t changing the subject that easily. “All over the world. Where is Draconia?”
“All over?” His eyes flared. “You have mapped the entire world?”
“Of course.” Most of it anyway.
“And you have never heard of Draconia?”
“No. Where is it?”
He ran a hand through his hair, then slammed his fists against his waist and stared at the heavens. “I do not know. I no longer know. We came through a cave and landed in the storage facility. What did you call it?”
“A warehouse.”
“Yes. We landed there. Then I found your essence, you were in trouble, and we went to you. I do not know where we are.”
“Colorado. Denver, Colorado.”
“This is a country?”
“It’s a state in America. The United States of America. Surely you’ve heard of us?”
He shook his head.
Impossible. Who in the world hadn’t heard of America? That sense of otherworldliness slammed into her, spreading through her veins like a Taser zap. He. Was. Not. From. Here. Impossible. Of course he was. There had to be an explanation. Yeah, Parker, there is one. You just don’t like it. Look at the facts.
First, humans in real life did not transport or form flames in their palms. Second, he didn’t seem to know about common things, like planes. Third, and most damning, he had never heard of America.
More evidence. More disbelief. She did not like the direction this interview was taking. Aliens did not exist. Besides, Jamie was definitely a man, no green skin or large eyes like all those depictions.
Perhaps he hit his head, giving him delusions. Even so, that theory failed to take into account the transporting.
“How did you come through the cave?”
“I don’t know. I felt you on the other side, touched the wall, and here we were.”
“Has that ever happened to you before?”
“Never. Erik’s powers did not work once we arrived, while mine did.”
“Powers?”
He shrugged.
Okay, then. Transporting and the flame in the palm trick were definitely powers. Much less destructive than her electrical charge when upset. And his words explained his accent and lack of knowledge of planes. He wasn’t from here. As in, not from Earth. She licked her lips and sighed. So much for not thinking she hallucinated.
“You aren’t hallucinating. Now—”
“How do you know what I’m thinking?”
“You’re…” he cleared his throat. “It’s on your face.”
Liar. He read minds. Another point for the alien explanation. Damn it.
“Now are you going to help me or ask questions all night?”
Parker
swallowed. Help an alien. Which of them was more deranged? At least he made for smokin’ hot eye candy. She cleared her dry throat. Twice. “He could be below ground. But I’m not sure what’s under there. Can you poof in and see?”
“If you mean transport underground, I cannot. Well, I can, but it is foolhardy to try without knowing how far to go or what is there. I could end up stuck in rock.”
“Oh. Then I don’t know how to get underground, or if there is even an underground.”
“Let’s say there is. What would be the best way to get there?”
“From the terminal, I’d guess. Unless there is an outbuilding around here. Or a door stuck in the ground.”
“I do not see an outbuilding.”
“I have no idea where in the terminal to go. It would be concealed and in the employees only area.”
“Erik is closer than the terminal. Perhaps the door in the ground?”
“You look around for a hidden entrance while I sit here. I’m still feeling a little weak.”
“I’m sorry. I should not have asked—”
She waved a hand in the air, cutting off his words. “Don’t worry about it. Look around. When you find it I’ll go through it with you.”
He nodded and started walking in small circles, expanding outward, canvassing the area. Every few feet Jamie stopped as if he was trying to feel where Erik was held. What a strange ability. Useful though. Except, apparently, in these situations where being the vicinity did no good.
“Parker? Come here, please.” One arm stretched toward her as he looked at the ground.
Parker lumbered to her feet, standing in place until the world stopped spinning. Damn drug. But at least she could walk. Much better than lying in a hospital bed. When she stood next to Jamie, she peered at the ground, trying to see what he found.
“Is that a door in the ground?” He knelt, running his hand across what looked like dirt.
Parker knelt beside him, sucking down a breath as she looked at the ground. No, not dirt. A ventilation pipe, colored to appear as if part of the landscape.
Her heart kicked, pumping a beat as if she’d sprinted after a suspect. “It’s a ventilation pipe. Too small to fit through.”
“It leads underground?”
“That’s my thought.”
He popped off the screen covering the opening. “Then hold on.”
Jamie grabbed her hand and her body shattered into thousands of molecules, before plunging down the shaft.
Chapter Seven
The room smelled musty despite the pipe bringing in fresh air. Jamie formed a flame in his palm and cast light around the small room. Metal lumps in various shapes stood around the room like statues. No surprise there. He doubted he could go anyplace in this city without encountering metal in some shape or form.
Parker grasped his flame-free hand as if she feared he would desert her. No chance of that happening. The longer he was in her presence, the more he wanted to stay with her. What started as saving a female from harm had morphed into never letting the female go. Incredible. It appeared something in his defective self worked correctly.
He was almost certain he’d found his mate.
Which was next to impossible. His lack of magic led all to believe he wasn’t capable of having a mate, of finding the one female destined as his. And she was human. Not to mention, he needed to find Erik and return them to Draconia, not fantasize about mating Parker. Mind on the task, Jamie, mind on the task.
He needed to find how to leave this room with its grotesque, lurking metal shapes. Where was the door in all this space?
“Maybe we should follow that pipe.” Parker pointed to three metal pipes running parallel about a foot off the ceiling as her voice whispered across his skin. Gooseflesh broke out along his arms, sending sparks straight to his shaft. Not what he needed right now.
“All right.” Maybe if he started moving, his Parker induced fantasies would disappear.
One could hope.
The pipes took them deeper into a large open space, the blue flame unable to reach into the shadowed corners. Erik’s presence grew closer, lines of pain woven through his essence. Jamie snarled, the Council rule of no involvement lost in a sea of rage. He would rescue Erik. He would wreak revenge on those who dared to hurt his friend. No matter the Council rule.
Some rules were meant to be broken.
“Do you sense him?”
Parker’s voice snapped his head around.
As soon as she saw his expression, her eyes popped wide, and she took a step back.
Jamie scrubbed a hand down his face, erasing his snarl. Last thing he wanted was to upset Parker. “Sorry. Was thinking of Erik. He’s been hurt.”
“You can tell that?”
“Yes. He is this direction.” He pointed to the right, listening for her tread as she fell into step behind him.
The closer they drew to Erik, the more upset he became. With the kidnappers. With himself. If he’d only followed Erik instead of Parker.
But by following Erik, Parker would have been on her own, an easy victim for the kidnappers. Why did the kidnappers want Parker? Why did they take Erik instead?
Questions for later. For now he needed to concentrate on the rescue. Revenge could be extracted once he freed Erik.
The vast room shrank to a hallway lined with lights glowing from the ceiling. Not glowlamps, nor were they candles. Yet another oddity about this place. Humming sounded from the lights as if the noise caused the brightness. Their footsteps echoed despite trying to use a light step. Light sank into the dark gray floor as if absorbed. Metal doors—surprise, surprise—lined the hallway, sentries with handles. Jamie stopped in front of one of those doors.
Erik’s essence was strongest here.
Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the handle and turned.
Nothing.
Locked. Goddess’s toes. Now what?
His heart pounded. How—oh right. Panic tended to make one forget. His magic worked in this place.
Picturing the lock’s tumblers in his mind, he imagined them turning and tried the handle again. This time it opened.
The coppery scent of blood assailed his nostrils, mixed with sweat and pain. A wedge of light cut into the darkness of the room, shining on limp black hair and a motionless body. Erik.
Jamie’s heart seized, his breath a frozen ball of ice behind his ribs. How bad was he hurt? Parker pushed past his frozen, guilt-ridden self, shattering the ice holding him in place. He beat her to Erik, kneeling beside his friend a moment before she mirrored his motions. Her shoulder brushed his arm as she grabbed Erik’s wrist, the touch a comforting warmth.
“His pulse is steady.” She patted Erik’s hand. “Erik, can you hear me?”
Hear, yes. Understand her, doubtful. As far as he knew, Erik didn’t speak her language.
“Erik?” Jamie shook his arm, speaking in Draconi. “Can you hear me?”
Erik groaned, eyes rolling behind swollen closed lids.
“I think his ankle’s broken,” Parker whispered. “Either that or a bad sprain. His boot needs to be removed before it cuts off the circulation.”
Jamie glanced to his friend’s foot, noting the enlarged ankle, swollen flesh pressing against his leather boot. Always treat the most pressing injury first. Keara’s voice echoed in his head. In this case, the most pressing injury was determining if Erik’s unconsciousness was temporary or permanent. Please, Goddess, let it be temporary.
“Erik?” Another shake. Another moan.
“Would you like me to remove his boot?”
“Not now. We’re going to move him when he wakes.” If he wakes.
Parker patted his arm, sparks of heat dashed through his veins, an unintentional consequence of the brush of her skin. At least he assumed it unintended.
Stop fantasizing and concentrate.
“Erik!” Jamie laced his friend’s name with a command and sent it aloud and through mind-speak as he shook Erik’s shoulder.
&nb
sp; Erik grunted and opened bruised eyes. “Jamie?” His voice rasped like a thing unused. “Jamie!” He tried to sit, but Jamie pressed a hand against his shoulder, forcing him to lie still, knowing a bout of unconsciousness made being vertical a dizzying experience.
Erik shoved at Jamie’s hand with the strength of a newly hatched young. When that failed, he pointed a finger. “You have to leave, scout. I’m handling this.”
“By getting your arse handed to you?”
“You don’t understand. You need to go.”
“Not without you, I’m not.”
Erik sighed, his gaze bouncing to Parker. Panic filled his eyes. “Why is she here?”
Why the panic? Jamie glanced to the open door. Empty except for them.
A crease sat between Parker’s brows as if she tried to decipher their words.
“We did not come all this way to leave her to harm.”
Erik shook his head, his eyes closing, opening. “She needs to leave. You need to get her out of here. Now.”
“We will all get out of here. Now.” Jamie drew one of Erik’s arms around his shoulders, reached under his friend’s legs and lifted.
“Put me down, fool, I can walk.”
The swat that smacked Jamie’s arm felt strong, no longer feeble. Erik probably could walk if his ankle wasn’t swollen the size of a small boulder.
Jamie turned sideways to not hit Erik’s head on the doorframe. “Not convinced.”
He almost made it to the overlarge room with lurking metal objects before Erik spoke.
“You need to take care of your female.”
“I am.”
“Then why is she being held with some sort of a weapon against her temple?”
Jamie froze. Which was odd seeing how his knees wobbled like a hatchling learning to walk. He turned with the speed of an aged dragon, breath caught in his lungs, his mouth dry as a summer wind in the desert.
The bearded giant held Parker, one arm banding hers against her side, his opposite hand pressing a black L-shaped object to her temple. Teeth gleamed, adding unneeded menace to his face. He tightened his grip on Parker and her eyes flared.
“Put him down, and I’ll let her live.”
Rage filled his veins, a blistering growth taking root in his heart.
The Detective's Dragon Page 6
