Pursuing Flight
Page 31
Are you coming? I’m waiting, she said, her mental voice edged with a mirth he didn’t understand. Oh, you’ll see.
What do you mean, I’ll see? His thoughts jumped to earlier that evening, when they’d made love in his bathroom. We’re having breakfast, right? It’s morning. My kids will be down soon.
Don’t tempt me. Heated desire rushed through the mental connection, adding to his hope that he could convince her to stay with him. And yes, we’re having breakfast. Then… The desire turned to scorching need.
Breakfast couldn’t come soon enough, because after—
After, he’d take a moment to catch his breath with Becca, but a moment was all he could allow. Things were still dangerous and complicated, and now Becca, not just his puzur, was at risk. He wasn’t going to mentally add her to the puzur, not until he knew for certain she wanted to stay—
Mother, he wanted her to stay, hoped what he sensed from her meant she would.
Their relationship was still young, barely embryonic even by the standards of short-lived humans. It wouldn’t be fair to assume anything about what she wanted. He could be feeling from her what he wanted to feel and ignoring everything else.
Besides, his day might have been stressful, but hers had been a nightmare. Even if he hadn’t had the experience of helping his kids deal with the horrors of awakened magic and family abandonment, he’d known that what Becca had to deal with would take time to emotionally recover from. All he could do was be there for her, in whatever way she wanted him, and take one day at a time.
For his part, he still had to deal with Regis’s decree demanding all dragons return to Court, as well as giving the prince the heads of Hunter and Anaea within the week.
Problems he didn’t even have answers for, and ones he feared would finally force his hand against the Royal Coterie. He didn’t want to be the latest dragon to attempt a coup against Regis, but he would if it was the only way to protect the people he cared about.
He stepped into the hall, and his phone buzzed, indicating a text message. Terry — a member of the puzur and a human graduate of Nero’s program — had Werner and the other mages settled in a motel. Until Nero could trust them, he wasn’t inviting them home, but he also wasn’t going to leave them to the streets. It would be a long road for many of them, and a lot of work for Raven, but he was hopeful they could be saved. They hadn’t deserved what Zenobia or Stanbury had done to them, and while he couldn’t — and wasn’t going to try to — atone for someone else’s sins, he could try to do right by these people.
Of those sins, though, it was Stanbury who concerned him the most. Yes, the woman was dead, but she’d been a strong enough sorcerer that she’d been able to rip his dugga’s magic from his soul. That kind of magic didn’t just naturally or quickly manifest. Not with the level of control and knowledge about hieroglyphs that she possessed. He should have been aware of her years ago and that re-raised the question about his failing dugga’s magic.
Except he was positive now it hadn’t been failing. Grey had been right, and it had been Nero’s sudden soul bond with Becca that had surged his dugga’s magic out of control. Without much thought and without any seizures, he could pinpoint Werner in his motel room and watch him from above — and not from within him, like how he’d connected with Becca. Nero had also sent a quick message to Diablo using the dugga’s mental connection without any problems, either.
Well, without problems from his magic. The younger black drake had been strung tight about something and had jumped at the idea of the potentially dangerous investigation of Stanbury’s facility.
Nero hadn’t really expected a yes, or even an answer to his mental call, what with how Diablo had vanished from the house after the surge had zapped Raven. And if there’d been any other drake who was as good an option, he would have asked him or her. But Diablo already knew about Becca, the facility with the gatelock, and could rapid free gate. Also, as much as Nero hated to admit it, Diablo was his most reliable and best hunter. The younger black drake took the responsibility to save human mages seriously — probably because it was something his sister held dear.
Voices carried down the hall, Becca’s husky alto and a reedy tenor.
“Sometimes he gets distracted in his office,” a young soprano said. Mia. His fourteen-year-old auger who, while still shy and sweet, was starting to show signs of feisty independence — a far cry from the terrified girl he’d rescued.
“I’m sure he’ll appreciate this,” Becca said. Your children really care for you. Awe and affection and familial love swept through their connection, along with a flash of surprise.
He rounded the corner and stepped into the kitchen — a large space with granite countertops, a massive island, three fridges, and two stoves. Mia sat with Becca, giving her a warm, welcoming smile, and across from them sat Tyler. All were on stools at the island, while Jeff — in his workout sweats — stood at the stove, frying bacon in a pan.
Mia, her petite fourteen-year-old frame still in her pajamas and her mousey brown curls pulled into a ponytail at the top of her head, hopped from her stool, rushed to Nero, and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Bad dream?” Nero hugged her back. He couldn’t imagine how terrifying it was to be able to see the future and not be able to do anything about it. And while he’d called it a dream, they both knew it had been a vision of the future.
“She was screaming.” Jeff jerked his thumb at Tyler. “Woke the new guy.”
“So you decided to make breakfast?” Nero asked.
Jeff shrugged and cracked an egg into a second frying pan. “Mia suggested it.” And, according to Raven, Jeff would do just about anything for Mia. “For Becca here.”
And for you, Becca said.
He met her gaze over Mia’s head and warmth swelled around his heart. She looked like she was right where she belonged, among his family, as part of his family.
“She said Becca needed the welcome,” Tyler said.
Mia sat back on her stool beside Becca. “And Ivy, too.”
Air whooshed from down the hall, and Hunter, Anaea, Grey, and Ivy walked into the kitchen.
Your unusual and unique family. Becca flashed him a wide smile, showing more than enough teeth to make him hard.
“Checking in before we head to the Handmaiden’s residence,” Hunter said, his gaze sweeping over the occupants of the kitchen. “You’re Rebecca?”
“Grey and Raven mentioned you,” Anaea said.
“You didn’t mention they’d all be here.” Jeff opened the closest fridge and pulled out another package of bacon. “Should I cook enough for Capri and Ryan, too?”
“I don’t know,” Mia said with a mischievous smile.
She does know. She’s teasing him. She thinks Capri and Ryan will be down in a few minutes.
Nero pulled out the stool on Becca’s other side and sat. “Welcome to my family.”
She laced her fingers into his, the action feeling — from her as well — natural, as if they’d always been holding hands.
Grey pulled out the stool beside Tyler and offered Ivy the seat. “Do you still need us to find information about the dugga’s magic? Or has that been figured out?” His gaze slid to Becca. Nero didn’t need Becca’s telepathy to know Grey was wondering if sealing his soul bond with Becca had stabilized his magic as predicted.
Nero rolled his eyes. “Real subtle. I’m sure everyone here but the kids know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, we know as well.” Jeff added more eggs to the frying pan.
“I had that dream last night, but then tonight, you were in danger.” Mia shivered and hugged herself.
Hunter raised an eyebrow.
Nero squeezed Becca’s hand. “Long story.”
“We’re okay,” Becca said.
“And you’re staying.” Mia said it as if it were a fact.
“Well, she’s staying for breakfast,” Jeff said.
Becca locked gazes with N
ero and her affection for him filled her. I can’t explain it. This, being here with you, with your friends and family, feels right. It was something she’d been missing and longing for since she’d left the army. I’ve never been more scared than when I couldn’t sense you in my head, when I thought I’d lost you. What I want— how I feel— “It doesn’t make sense.”
“Welcome to the world of dragons,” Anaea said.
“Things here are dangerous and complicated.” With every fiber of his being, Nero wanted her to stay, even if she didn’t fully return his affection, but being with him put her in danger.
Becca rolled her shoulder, the one with the tattoo and the scars. “Dangerous and complicated doesn’t scare me.” Even feeling what I feel for you doesn’t scare me. “That bacon does, though.”
“Hey!” Jeff scooped the over-crispy bacon onto a paper towel to sop up the extra grease. “My bacon is perfect.”
“Looks good to me,” Hunter said.
Grey snorted. “And of course the fire drake likes his bacon fried to a crisp.”
Nero raised Becca’s hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.
“Oh, Jeez,” Tyler groaned. “Tell me now if there’s another part of the house I need to avoid. Catching Ryan and Capri was bad enough.”
“What’s bad enough?” Capri asked as she and Ryan entered the kitchen.
Jeff threw his hands up in mock disgust. “Mia!”
“I am yours, my inamorata,” Nero said. “Heart and soul, if you’ll have me and my crazy family.”
Her emotions swelled through him. Love, awe, and desire. This was a connection of souls that he never thought he’d have again, with a woman who amazed and inspired him. “I wouldn’t have you without your crazy family.”
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Don’t miss the next book in the series!
SPLINTERED SOULS
A Dragon Spirit Novel: Book Five
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COMING SOON
Other Books By C.I. Black
THE DRAGON SPIRIT SERIES
Immortal Coil, Book 1
Shattered Spirits, Book 2
Hoarding Secrets, Book 3
Pursuing Flight, Book 4
Splintered Souls, Book 5
Broken Scales, Book 6
Enduring Essence, Book 7
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THE MEDUSA FILES
Case 1: Written in Stone
Case 2: Heart of Stone
Case 3: Escaped From Stone
Case 4: Carved From Stone
Case 5: Cold as Stone
Case 6: Broken Stone
Case 7: Set in Stone
Case 8: Cut From Stone
Case 9: Shattered Stone
Case 10: Shards of Stone
Case 11: Fallen Stone
Case 12: Trapped in Stone
Case 13: Hard as Stone
* * *
GRAVENHILL ROMANTIC SUSPENSES
Compulsion
About C.I. Black
C.I. Black has always lived in a world of imagination. When she’s not daydreaming, she puts her flights of fancy down on paper writing urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and romantic suspense books.
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She’s the author of The Dragon Spirit series and The Medusa Files series. You can find a complete list of C.I.’s books at www.ciblack.com.