Never Deal with Dragons

by Christensen, Lorenda

  “Who cares that my father was a drunk, and that he often stole from people to help support his habit? I’m not. His actions have no bearing on who I am today. It’s taken me a long time to admit this, and I still struggle with how I’m perceived by others. But listen to me now. I will not allow what others think to dictate my actions in life. I am who I am, and if they can’t accept that, so be it.”

  Trian smiled and raised a hand to cup my jaw. “You are by far the bravest, most interesting woman I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. I’ll be honored to play your love interest for as long as the media is interested. And for what it’s worth, Lord Relobu wants you at the trial, but if you’re not comfortable facing Hian-puo, I will personally take you anywhere you want to go.”

  I pulled back to meet his eyes. “Relobu wouldn’t like it.”

  “No. He wouldn’t. But I’ve learned some things, too. I’ve learned that no amount of disapproval compares to the pain of living without you. Instead of trusting you to make the decision to share that photo or not, I chose the easy way, and hurt you badly in the process. I can’t go back and fix the past, but I’d love the opportunity for an attempt at the future.” He smiled tiredly and shrugged his shoulders. “Well. This is me. Every depressing secret I’ve ever had, I’ve told you. I’m an open book.”

  “And an enormous black dragon to boot.”

  The weight on my chest eased when I saw the flash of humor. “That, too.”

  Well, here he was. Back when he’d first disappeared, I’d dreamed of a moment like this, when Trian would come to me, admit he was wrong, and ask for my forgiveness. Granted, in my imagination, he’d been sobbing in desperation, wearing his heart on a sleeve at a perfect kicking level. Depending on my mood, I’d either graciously accept his apologies, or laugh in his face to cause him the same hurt I was experiencing.

  But here, now, I just wanted to know if I could trust him.

  “Well,” I nibbled my lip and prepared to jump off yet another emotional ledge. “I’ve always wanted to see Australia.”

  I watched him carefully as my words sank in, steeling myself for the crushing disappointment when he found another reason to do his master’s bidding.

  Trian’s eyes widened in surprise, but he smiled. “Australia’s a good choice. I’ve met Lord Illim on a couple of occasions. He prefers staying in Darwin most of the time, so we’d have no trouble if we settled somewhere on the south side of the continent.”

  His forehead creased. “He’s present for the council meeting. I could approach him quietly and request his permission to relocate. But if Lord Relobu wants me back and actually pushes the matter, I’m not sure Illim would be willing to let me stay. No, I think it’s best that we fly in under the radar. I’ll find a job, you can—”

  “Trian.” I couldn’t help but smile. He hadn’t brushed me off. There’d been no lies. No excuses. He hadn’t tried to coax me into compromising on my wishes. He’d instantly, unequivocally chosen me.

  “I guess if we’re baring our souls, I have a few secrets I’ve been keeping from you, too.”

  He tensed slightly. “What is it?”

  I leaned closer to whisper into his ear. “I never stopped loving you. I don’t want to live in Australia. And I’ve always wanted to kiss a dragon.”

  He laughed then, and clasped me to his chest. “I can take care of that right now.”

  I sighed as his lips touched mine. This was how it was supposed to be. Love with no regrets, no secrets, no guilt. Tonight, right now, Trian and I were the only people who mattered. The worries of the day—Hian-puo, my mother, tomorrow’s trial—they didn’t even rate remembering.

  Trian deepened the kiss, his mouth opening over mine until we were both out of breath. I spread my hand across his chest, searching for the buttons of his shirt. I leaned into Trian’s hands as they traveled the long path of my spine. It was all I could do not to groan at the touch. It had been so long since I’d had a man’s hands on my body.

  Who was I kidding? Since I’d had this man’s hands on my body.

  “I missed you.” The words came from my throat on a gasp, as Trian’s deft hands parted my robe and cupped my breasts.

  His breath was moist on my skin when he laughed. “I can tell. And I’ve missed you too.” Calloused fingers brushed my nipples lightly, causing the sensitive peaks to harden even further. His lips began to follow, and I groaned.

  “Ah, you’ve got to stop that.”

  “Why?” He moved his lips to the side of my neck, tracing a warm path up before he nibbled at the spot just behind my earlobe.

  Sometimes it sucked when the guy already knew all your hot buttons.

  I grinned. “Because I’ll never manage to get your clothes off at this rate.”

  He laughed, the vibration sending shivers along my bare skin. “I can live with that.” My robe was gone, tossed to the floor who knows when. His lips moved south. I couldn’t let them reach their destination. If I did, I’d likely lose the small amount of brain function I still possessed.

  I smiled. Sometimes it helped to already know all the guy’s hot buttons.

  I placed my hand on Trian’s leg, just above his knee. His muscles were hard and unyielding, his body displaying every inch of the strength and discipline required to lead an army of humans and dragons alike. It was his turn to moan as I slid my hand up his thigh, closer and closer to the hard length of flesh just behind his zipper.

  His breath came out on a groan. “On second thought, it is a little hot in here.” He cupped my rear and mock-tossed me into the center of the mattress before shrugging out of the shirt I’d almost managed to unbutton completely. The last fastener yielded to its fate and flew across the room, landing somewhere behind the desk tucked into the corner. Trian wasted no time removing his remaining clothing, and soon his lean, hard body was tucked intimately against mine.

  His voice whispered against my ear. “Now this is what I missed most.”

  It was my turn to laugh. “Typical male.” But he was right. This is what we’d been dancing around for weeks.

  Trian lay still for several moments, allowing me a moment to simply relearn the feel of my body against its counterpart. Rock solid muscle against the soft give of flesh, calloused fingers twined with paint-tipped nails, the rough scrape of stubble on his chin rubbing against the thin skin of my face: every spot on my body seemed to exult in the foreignness of its opposite.

  I ran my hand along the broad expanse of his back, dipping lower to caress the slight swell of hip and rear. Just as I had a year ago, I marveled at his perfection, at the amount of sheer power wrapped in such a pretty package.

  I sat up to trace the rest of his skin, the pads of my fingers running across a wealth of scars, both old and new. I touched the pale white skin just under his ribcage, the one he told me was from a bicycle accident when he was seven.

  “Claw mark. From my early combat training.” He smiled. “You weren’t the only one to get a few bumps and bruises from old Plob.”

  I moved to the spot just above his belly button.

  “Sword. Got that chasing down one of Relobu’s more aggressive offenders. I should’ve known better than to take my eyes off the bastard. He stuck me while I was talking to one of my guards.” His lips quirked into a very male smile. “His scar is bigger.”

  I reached up to the thin line near his right eye. “Now that one I really did get trying to fly off the roof. The only difference was, I didn’t try it with only a cape.”

  He grasped my hand and moved it to his chest, just over the center of his heart. He waited until my gaze locked with his.

  “This one I got a year ago. I was stupid and thought running was a better option than talking.” Still holding tight to my hand, Trian used his other hand to tuck a stray curl behind my ear.

  “It hurt worse than all the others. I’ll be careful not to repeat that mistake.”

  My vision went blurry with tears. I leaned up and kissed him hard on the lips. “You make s
ure of it.”

  “Oh trust me, I will.” He gathered me up, rolling until my back was flat against the bed. And with those words, he slid our bodies together in one smooth stroke.

  The feel of him was incredible. I gasped. “Oh, wow. Did I mention I missed you?”

  Trian was out of breath when he answered. “I believe you might have said something of the sort.”

  “Well, if I didn’t, I should have.” I tilted my hips, a silent invitation.

  Trian accepted. He began to move, and soon we were both gripping each other tightly, riding out the twin waves of lust and love.

  Chapter Sixteen

  I stepped into the crowded conference hall of the hotel and gawked at the sight before me. The room had been transformed into the gaudiest of courtrooms, studded with banners and golden flags galore. Even with no notice, Lady Adelaida knew how to set a stage.

  At the request of that same lady, hotel management had erected a large platform where the dragon council would sit, presiding over the trial of Lord Lin Hian-puo. The rest of the space was filled with a hodgepodge of chairs and dragon perches, ensuring an excellent view for anyone in attendance.

  I scanned the crush of guests. Even with Carol’s excellent wardrobe choices, I still felt underdressed compared to some. The ladies were clad in all-out evening wear, and I spotted more than a few of the gentlemen dressed in black-and-white tuxedos, some complete with full tails and top hats.

  The dragons were likewise turned out, sporting an eclectic mix of dragon armor and elegant silk capes with matching tea hats that would rival those at a royal wedding, if the British monarchy still existed. The excitement in the room was palpable. Both dragons and humans wandered around the enormous hall, chatting and laughing like old friends as they waited for the trial to start. Translators buzzed around the space like bees, trying to keep up with the constant demand.

  Who would have believed a possible death penalty would serve to unite the two races? I wondered whether Lord Relobu had noticed. I sincerely hoped he had not. Although his goals were pure, his methods were sometimes a bit bloodier than I preferred. I wouldn’t put it past the dragon lord to do anything necessary to keep the relationships growing—including scheduled gladiator matches.

  The mood of the guests struck me as more appropriate for a garden party than a panel for justice. I half expected to see waiters meandering through the crowds with trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres. I couldn’t decide whether to be glad or disturbed that everyone seemed to be getting along so well.

  “Well, hello, dearest Myrna. Strange that we would meet again under such…extreme circumstances.”

  I turned to see one of my new reptilian guards stepping between me and a very angry Hian-puo in dragon form. He must have entered while I was taking in the crowd. Here was the part of the day I’d been dreading.

  “Can I assume that Liam was the general more inclined to help you?” Hian-puo asked, referring to the brown dragon who was good friends with Rime.

  I didn’t answer. They’d somehow managed to keep the identity of the dragon who’d turned on Hian-puo a secret. That was good news. Hopefully the poor dragon wouldn’t suffer the same experience as Rime—or worse.

  Trian had warned me that Hian-puo would be here, but nothing could have prepared my nerves to face the Chinese lord. Hian-puo stood before me, in dragon form and unfettered. He wore a gold breastplate studded with colored jewels, and appeared ready to enjoy the festive atmosphere.

  But party or no, he could easily kill me with a quick flick of his enormous claw. Especially as my guard seemed to be the only one in the room who recognized the dragon as the one shortly to be on trial. The rest of the room’s occupants continued their interactions, without a clue that a half-crazed killer stood only feet away.

  I hid my hands behind my back so he wouldn’t see them tremble. “Lord Hian-puo. I’d say it was nice to see you again, but considering our last meeting, I’m afraid my greeting wouldn’t sound sincere. Neither would my apology, if you were expecting one.”

  I don’t know what had caused me to actually bait the dragon—my stupidity never ceases to amaze me—but the dragon lord hissed and lunged at my face, knocking my guard to the floor with awesome speed. Just when I expected the pain of my bowels being ripped open, Hian-puo halted his advance, and I felt a warm hand touch my back. Trian stood beside me, his thin silver blade denting Hian-puo’s leathery hide just below the dragon’s neck.

  Trian’s voice was harsh. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Attacking an honored guest of Lord Relobu at a public function will get you killed even faster than this trial.”

  “Step out of the way, mongrel. This is none of your concern.”

  Trian’s hand curled around my hip. He looked down at my face, keeping his sword poised over Hian-puo’s heart, but deliberately ignoring the angry dragon lord. “Are you okay?”

  I heaved out a breath. “Yeah. Thanks.” My guard had regained his footing and now gripped Hian-puo’s right claw, forcing the dragon lord to stop his forward movement or get his arm twisted off. I nodded to the guard, silently thanking him for serving as an added barrier between the furious dragon and me.

  Hian-puo must have realized he was outnumbered, because he stepped back and shook off the guard’s hold. He made a minute adjustment to his breastplate, which had listed to the right during the fracas, and then addressed Trian.

  “I’d be very careful, Mr. Chobardan. Sometimes, the things we hold most dear end up…broken.” The dragon lord looked to me, making it obvious I was the “dear,” before turning and walking through the open space made by the hushed crowd.

  I shivered at his words, knowing full well that I didn’t stand a chance against him alone.

  Trian met my eyes. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t think he’d be so rash as to confront you here. If you’d like, I can speak to Lord Relobu. He’ll likely allow you to testify tomorrow if you’re not feeling up to it. We can postpone the trial.”

  “No. I want it over with.” I was tired of jumping at shadows, and of being trailed by a full squadron of dragons armed with more steel than I’d need to rebuild the Empire State Building. The faster this was finished, the faster I could move on.

  Trian sheathed his sword, and cupped my face in his hands. The action was likely for the benefit of our rapt audience, but I reveled in the feel of his warm grip. “Promise me you won’t leave the courtroom without me.”

  “I promise.” Because I could see Trian was just as worried as me, I gave him a quick kiss on the nose. “So you really can hide a sword under a tuxedo, huh?”

  He grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “I can hide a lot more than that.”

  I laughed. “After this fiasco is over, I expect to see proof.” It was always funny to me how the very serious Trian had no problems making horrible jokes.

  Trian leaned down and kissed me for real this time. “I’ll be glad to provide it.” His words sent a thrill through me, my body remembering last night’s encounter. I could feel myself blush.

  And now what we were providing was one more show for the crowd. Today was a regular soap opera. With kissing, and dragons. Super-hot, tuxedo-clad dragons hiding…things under their jackets.

  Trian grinned. “Oh, what I wouldn’t give to know what’s running through your head right now.”

  His words made me blush even more, and he laughed. Then his head came up.

  I followed his gaze. Lady Adelaida had entered the room, her canary-yellow scales paired with a gorgeous drape of green silk. “Looks like you’re officially on the clock.” I nudged him toward the dragon queen. “Go on, I’ll be fine.”

  He looked at me, worry clouding his eyes. “I’m not sure what her schedule is today, but I know she has meetings late into the night. I can’t tell you when I’ll be off.”

  “It’s not a problem.”

  “If it’s too late, I’ll come pick you up for breakfast.”

  “Sounds good. And don’t worry. This
guy,” I pointed at my guard, “will take good care of me until you’re back.”

  Trian gave my guard a look of warning before joining his charge, leaving me standing by myself like a lovesick fool.

  The description wasn’t so far off the mark.

  I spotted Carol near the back of the hall. Her arms were wrapped protectively around her waist, and she stared longingly at something just over my shoulder. Worried that yesterday’s dragonback flight had made her sick, I started toward her, but before I could reach my friend, a loud roar filled the hall.

  It was Lord Relobu calling the meeting to order. One by one, the members of the dragon council joined in the shout, until my ears were ringing so much I was afraid I’d never hear anything else.

  Relobu addressed the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, dragons and dragonettes, we ask that you please be seated. For the trial, the proceedings will be conducted in dragonspeak.

  “For those of you not blessed with the talent, in-ear translators will be provided. Please see my official near the back of the room.” A human male repeated Lord Relobu’s words in English and Chinese, and gestured to the door.

  I twisted my head to find Richard distributing tiny headpieces to the human guests, smiling like a politician.

  I looked back to Carol. She wasn’t happy, and I was pretty sure Richard was to blame. Unfortunately, a man approached and asked to show me to the area reserved for those providing testimony. I waved off his offer of a translator, and headed for my chair. I didn’t have time to speak to either half of the couple.

  I took my seat and watched as Hian-puo made his way slowly toward the defendant’s table, his posture as straight and proud as if he were the finale in a grand parade. I rolled my eyes.

  The arrogance of the dragon was unbelievable. I pretended the chill of fear I’d experienced from the hate in his eyes was due to the air conditioning. But who was I kidding? Half the room was filled with cold-blooded reptiles. If anything, the heaters were on. It felt like a sauna in here.