He shook his great head, dislodging small fragments of sandstone overhead, and sighed once more. He had frightened the mortal girl the night before when he’d followed her home. He had forgotten how humans reacted to his kind. But this one cared for animals, which wasn’t unusual considering her real ancestry. Perhaps if she saw more of him she would lose her fear.
Settling his massive jaw between his claws and the spiky tip of his tail, he shut his eyes to nap and plan his strategy.
Seconds later, he opened them wide as the scales on top of his head fanned out in spears of defense. Another dragon was near.
Brighid had told him no dragons walked the earth any more. Cautiously, he breathed in the air. It was not that close—perhaps a good twenty leagues away—but he now recognized the scent.
Sigurd. The damn, white dragon that Hengist and Horsa had brought with
them. They had battled before and Pendragon had ultimately lost when Arthur was killed. He snorted once, thinking about revenge.
This time, he would win.
He had to.
* * * *
Sophie peered out the window of the clinic again. Yep, the reporters were still there, hovering like vultures waiting for the next kill. She’d managed to elude them by retreating to the Palo Pinto County Clinic yesterday, but the AP had gotten wind of the story and the phone was ringing off the hook. Her vet partner, Allison, needed her back.
With a sigh, she turned back to her computer and Googled “Dragons” once more.
Two days had passed without any return of the dragon—except in that weird dream she had.
Her cell phone rang again and she groaned. Robert had left at least a dozen voice mails since the sighting. She glanced at the Caller ID and frowned slightly. Toby Clark. Of all the reporters, he was the only one who hadn’t accused her of setting up some sort of publicity stunt for her clinic. She pressed her answer button.
“Hello, Mr. Clark.”
His voice sounded cheerful. “Dr. Cameron? I was wondering if I could do a human interest story on you?”
“I thought it was the dragon—or whatever it was—everyone was interested in. Why would you want to do a story on me?”
“The tie-in would be great,” he replied. “You’re a vet. You heal animals. Maybe the dragon is ill and needed your help?”
Sophie almost smiled. The dragon—or whatever it was—she was still not too sure she was ready to accept what should be a myth as reality—certainly had appeared healthy, if nothing else. “I really think it was just circumstantial that it hovered here.”
“But maybe not. Look, I’m a rookie at this reporting stuff,” he said with a note of desperation in his voice. “If you give me an exclusive interview, it would really go a long way with my boss. Plus, once you’ve given the story, most of this pack will melt away.”
Sophie glanced out the window again. That would be a help. Potential adopters were having a hard time getting past the crowd. “Okay,” she said, “but I can’t do it for a couple more days. We’re swamped right now.”
Toby hesitated and she was wondering how insistent he was going to get. He sounded sweet and nice, but she knew media types were predatory. To her surprise, he didn’t argue. Instead, they set a time for Wednesday morning.
She had just turned back to the computer when Janie, their assistant, appeared in the door. “There’s a man here to see you,” she said.
“A client?”
“Don’t think so. He’s really cute,” she said with a smile.
Sophie repressed a sigh. Janie was all of twenty and nearly every male under thirty was “cute” in her eyes. “Does he have a name?”
“Michael.”
This time she did sigh. What in the world was he doing here? After what she did to him, she wouldn’t think he’d ever want to see her again. Probably not too many women kneed the man. “Show him in,” she said.
Janie giggled and managed to brush against Michael as his broad-shouldered frame filled the doorway. He gave her a fleeting smile and then looked at Sophie. His dark eyes held hers instantly with an intensity that made her breath hitch as he crossed the room toward her. The sunlight streaming in from the French doors caught the deep auburn streaks in his almost-black hair and she thought she saw a flame-like halo around his head. She gave herself a shake. What would she be seeing next? Faeries floating around in the air? And why did her thinking go all goofy when Michael was around?
“Please have a seat,” she said quickly before he got any closer to her. “I must say I’m surprised to see you after our last encounter.”
He inclined his head as he drew a straight-back chair near to where she sat at her computer. “That was my fault. I’m afraid I took advantage of the situation.”
He was apologizing? She was pretty sure she had put him out of commission for at least twenty-four hours. Most men would be cursing her for that. “Well, I probably could have used an alternative way to stop you.”
A corner of his mouth quirked up in a small smile. “That might not have hurt so much.” He glanced at the computer screen. “You’re looking up dragons?”
She felt her face flush. “It’s pretty stupid. There’s been no sighting of anything unnatural since whatever that was happened.”
“What happened was real. You’re not stupid to want to know more. Go ahead,” he said. “Google it.”
Feeling like a fool, Sophie turned back to the computer and clicked on a link. There was the usual stuff about dragons liking bling, and collecting hordes of shiny treasures, along with lightning and thunder being the dragon’s breath and roar, respectively. Another link talked about their appearance: scales that rotate and overlap, horns, razor-sharp wings and spiked-spines with arrow-point tails. The third link was more educational.
“It says dragons, like birds, have hollow bones which allows them to fly. They can dislocate their jaw bone to take in large chunks of food.” Briefly, she thought of being dinner for the red dragon. “Here’s something interesting.”
“What’s that?”
“It says their scales form when iron from their food mixes with a protein called keratin in their cells.” She looked up at Michael. “Sorry. I get excited about biology.”
“No problem.” Michael moved closer and reached across her, his fingers brushing her hand as he moved the mouse to another site. That very slight touch left a pleasant, tingling sensation that spread up her arm and through her body. Sophie was suddenly aware of his closeness, although he did not touch her. In fact, he settled back in his chair.
“There’s some more biology for you,” he said.
She forced herself to refocus on the screen and not think about the scent of heather and woodlands that surrounded him. What in the world was wrong with her?
“This site says dragons live for centuries! Babies are called wyrmlings and are considered young adolescents at age sixty. I’ll bet the baby-boomer generation would appreciate that!” She peered more closely at the facts. “They aren’t adults until they’re five hundred and only middle-aged at a thousand!”
Michael leaned in again, only inches away from her to read over her shoulder. Her entire body alerted, nerve-endings ready for—what? It was almost as if she were wrapped in a warm cocoon that pulsated with gentle static. Yet he was not touching her, only his warm breath tickled her ear. She needed to focus on something besides Michael. Shakily, she began to read on.
“When the female seeks a mate, she lets out a special call and then begins to glow—” She stopped abruptly, her face heating. This was not the direction she needed to take.
“You’re glowing,” Michael said with a grin.
Before she could decide how to ignore the innuendo, Janie was back at the door, along with a very annoyed-looking Robert.
“I told him you were busy,” Janie said, but she didn’t sound too convincing since she was smiling at him.
He entered the room without preamble, glancing at Michael before staring at Sophie. “I guess he’s the
reason you haven’t returned my calls?”
Sophie felt her face flame and wondered if she might just spontaneously combust. Could things get worse?
“I’ve been so worried about you,” Robert said.
Michael stood, shifting his weight so he was balanced on both feet. Sophie recognized it as a defensive move from fencing.
“And you are?” he asked.
Robert regarded him coolly, using his best, impassive attorney face. “I am her husband.”
“Ex-husband,” Sophie said.
“You know we’re going to talk about that,” Robert said in the buttery-smooth voice he used to convince witnesses to talk.
Sophie bit her tongue and tried not to glare at the man. She didn’t believe in airing dirty laundry in front of strangers. “I am busy at the moment.”
“Yes. We were involved in a conversation,” Michael said.
Robert appraised him again, this time shifting his weight too and Sophie suddenly wondered if they were going to resort to squabbling like school boys.
“And who are you?”
“Name’s Michael McCain.”
“And what do you do?”
“I help a friend run a temp agency and I adjunct at the local college. Why?”
Robert’s lips curled in a subtle sneer that Sophie had seen him use when he felt he had the upper hand. She didn’t like it.
“Gentleman,” she said, standing also. “I really need both of you to leave. I’ve got forty animals to feed, a horse that needs exercising, and an elderly lady coming in an hour who may have to put her ancient Shepard down. I need time to prepare myself for that.”
Michael’s gaze softened. “I understand. I’ll get back to you about the research project.” He turned to Robert. “After you.”
Robert did not move for a moment and Sophie was afraid he was going to stubbornly insist upon staying and talking. Attorneys were nothing if not persistent. But something in her look must have convinced him this was not the day.
He moved toward the door. “I’ll be getting back to you too,” he said.
* * * *
In her relief that there had not been a dragon sighting, Sophie almost forgot her appointment with Toby Clark until Janie announced him on Wednesday morning.
“Thank you for seeing me,” he said after she’d invited him to sit down.
“I’m still not sure why you would want to do a human interest story on me,” Sophie replied. “Especially since nothing has happened since that one time.” She pointed toward the windows. “There’s only one or two media types lingering out there.”
“As I mentioned, I’m new at this. I think the fact that you are a vet—used to caring for animals—and this dragon appeared at your doorstep is an interesting angle.” Toby shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out something wrapped in tissue. “I saw this and thought you might like it.”
She unwrapped the tissue and held up a keychain with a crystal-eyed dragon dangling from it. “Thank you,” she said.
Toby blushed to the roots of his fair hair. “I hope I didn’t offend you. I thought you might think it funny.” He looked very earnest. “You will use it, won’t you?”
Sophie looked at the small dragon again. “It is rather cute.” She sensed that he was waiting, like a small boy hoping to please her. She picked up the keys to the office that were lying on the desk and clipped the ring to it. “There. All set to go. You were sweet to think of it.”
His blush deepened and then he coughed and brought out his notepad. “I know you’re busy, so I’ll just get started,” he said.
They spent about fifteen minutes discussing how Sophie had decided to become a vet and how important having a no-kill animal shelter was. As she watched him leave, she thought about how very different he was from the other reporters she’d had to deal with. He seemed to lack the aggression and persistence that most of them had, but who was she to fault him for that?
“Good luck,” she said to his retreating back.
* * * *
“Any problems today?” Michael asked Stephanie, Sara’s middle-aged assistant, late that afternoon as he checked into the agency.
“None. We had thirty temps working, including a new guy with the cutest smile. Too bad I’m not twenty years younger,” she said with a wink
“What’s his name?” Michael asked, “and what does he do? Did you run background?”
She looked slightly miffed. “Of course. No criminal record. The name is Troy Sutton and he has a degree in Ancient History. Apparently it’s almost as useless as yours. I sent him to the library since they’re needing someone to help catalog what is going digital.”
“He knows computers?”
“Seems to. The head librarian didn’t have any complaints when I talked to her earlier.”
“Good. Maybe he can help out here.” Michael glanced over the neatly stacked folders of their clients. “I may have to leave for a few weeks as soon as the semester is over.”
“No problem.” She gave him a quick smile. “I’ve managed this office for three years. Going on vacation?”
“Not quite. A…friend of mine and I need to retrieve something for Mr. Smith.”
She frowned at that. “Sara was working for him when she disappeared.”
“Sara hasn’t exactly disappeared,” Michael said. “She’s safe-guarding a very valuable object in a secluded location.”
“She hasn’t called or anything,” Stephanie replied.
He knew she was worried about Sara. He was too, but he had to trust that Nimue knew what she was talking about, even if she was a fickle faerie. But how to explain to Stephanie?
“You know cell phone transmissions can be picked up pretty easily,” Michael answered. “So she can’t call.”
She looked dubious, but didn’t say anything. Michael retreated to the small office behind the main desk and closed the door. He needed to make sure he hadn’t missed anything that Sara might have left behind concerning Balor. The bastard kept himself incognito, just like he did when he was running the money-laundering scheme that kept terroristic organizations supplied with cash. To the outside world, Baylor operated a very successful brokerage in London. To the few who really knew what he was, the “inside” money was all dirty, taken from the drug cartels of Mexico and South America as well as the opium business in Afghanistan.
Michael wished he didn’t need to drag Sophie into this. It was dangerous enough work for him and he’d had centuries to hone his warlock skills. Sophie was completely unaware of her magical power from what he could tell which meant she didn’t know how to use it either.
Thoughts of Sophie made him wonder about the ex-husband. The man was arrogant, but he clearly thought he was going to be a part of her life again. Did she harbor feelings for him? Or was he the jerk who had hurt her? She had made no comment, one way or the other.
Something that felt dangerously close to a knife pierced his gut. The idea of
another man’s hands roaming over Sophie’s naked flesh, kneading her breasts, teasing her nipples to hard nubs with his tongue, and then spreading her legs made Michael want to smash a fist into the guy’s face. His aura expanded, flickering shards of dark red and black. He took a deep breath, pulling the negative energy back in and neutralizing it with a spell. Balor fed off those kind of emotions—would feel them across space— if Michael let his anger loose he would endanger everyone around him.
Michael finished searching the small office with no luck. He shut off the lights and went into the lobby. Dusk was already falling and Stephanie had gone home.
He had just switched on the ignition in his car when something red flashed across the sky. This time he didn’t need the police scanner to tell him what it was. Putting the car in drive, the tires squealed as he headed for Sophie’s clinic.
* * * *
Sophie arched her back, stretching tired muscles, as she closed the door to the kennel area. All the animals had been fed and had fresh water. Most were already cur
led up and snoozing contently. It had been a long day, but knowing that these dogs and cats, at least, would be comfortable and safe made the work worth it.
She’d even managed to take Augustin for a good ride. It was odd how she could relate to the horse, almost as if he understood everything she said. He’d even nickered and tossed his head when she tried to explain how crazy her world had become.
She yawned as she sat down at her desk and checked the email. A couple of adoption applications and the usual jokes and political comments of the day. She deleted a cutesy note from Robert. At least there were no nasty little queries about whether she was insane or just out for publicity that had been coming in the past week. No crank phone calls either, tying up her receptionist. The interview she had given Toby never appeared in the paper and she had mixed feelings about that. It probably was not of that much interest since the media had moved on to other stories. She was a dim memory.
But she did remember what had happened. Try to deny it she might, but that dragon had been real. Only Michael seemed to accept that.
Michael. She tried not to think about how her skin tingled at the mere brush of his fingers or how his body heat had enveloped her while they were at the computer a few days ago—her traitorous body had waited in anticipation of his hands running over her shoulders, down her arms and encircling her waist as he pulled her up against him…
Sophie toyed with a pencil absently. Michael had not touched her. Why would she want him to? Physical attraction only led to disastrous results. For men, sex was a conquest and a carnal release of momentary passion. She had experienced that during her single years of dating more than once. For her, sex was an emotional investment—putting her faith and trust in someone who would share all of his life with her. And she had thought Robert was the one. Even though he turned women’s heads just walking through a room, he had kept his attention riveted on her. He had said and done all the right things to make her feel special… In the end, it had all been a sham. She had just been another trophy he wanted to acquire.
No, physical attraction needed to be restrained. Definitely.
The Immortals II: Michael Page 4
