Serpent's Kiss: A Dragonfire Novel

by Deborah Cooke

  The guy winced in sympathy. “You said he loved her.” His words were quietly uttered, as if that explained everything.

  She should have given that detail more emphasis earlier. Humans had a strange respect for love.

  Just as the Pyr did for their firestorms. It was irrational, but endearing in a way. She glanced down at Thorolf, not having to pretend to find him attractive, and the guy misinterpreted her expression. “You like him a lot,” he said softly. “That’s why you’re looking for him.”

  It was as good an excuse as any. Chandra nodded as if it were true. “But he keeps thinking about her.”

  “Okay,” the man said abruptly. “Okay, you take him back to the hospital and make sure he gets his meds and I won’t call the cops. It sounds like he’s got enough trouble as it is.” He gave her a smile. “I’d like to think that if I needed a second chance one day, someone would give it to me.”

  “I’m sure they will.” Chandra didn’t have to pretend to be relieved. “Thank you!”

  The guy fingered his throat. “Not much harm done, anyway. Just make sure he doesn’t come back here. Ever.”

  “I promise.”

  Thorolf stirred just then, his eyes opening slowly. His gaze darted over the apartment in confusion, then he spotted Chandra and smiled. That smile was like a dart to her heart. To have his attention focused solely on her, to see such admiration and desire in his eyes, was strangely affecting. She could almost understand the appeal of the firestorm. Chandra found herself smiling back at him, as if inviting his attention. It wasn’t like she could reveal the truth, not with the apartment guy watching so closely.

  The weird thing was that she found herself standing taller, feeling beautiful, wanting his caress again. She felt the firestorm’s heat grow with dizzying speed and crouched beside Thorolf, putting her hand in his before she even thought twice. The jolt of raw lust made her catch her breath. She heard Thorolf do the same, then his thumb slid across the back of her hand. He was warm and strong and powerful. The firestorm glowed brilliantly between them, making her narrow her eyes against its brightness.

  Thorolf grinned, a gleam of sexual intent lighting his eyes and making her mouth go dry. He had a dimple below one corner of his mouth, a dimple that made him look like a whole lot of trouble. Which he was, but that didn’t seem to diminish his appeal. Chandra had never felt anything like this before, and she didn’t want the feeling to stop.

  She thought of his kiss and her heart fluttered in an uncharacteristic way. It was easy to believe Thorolf was a dragon shifter when his eyes glinted as they were doing now, never mind that he had passion and appetites. The firestorm made her wonder why her vow of chastity had ever seemed like a good idea.

  It made her hunger for another kiss, no matter what the price.

  Thorolf planted a kiss against her palm, his warm lips smooth against her skin. His expression turned sultry and a little bit wicked as a very definite surge of desire took Chandra’s breath away.

  And he knew it. Thorolf’s eyes gleamed, his gaze fell to her lips, he braced his weight on his elbow and reached for her again—yet even knowing what he meant to do, Chandra was powerless to move away. She found herself leaning closer, meeting him halfway. She was fascinated by him, by his intent, by her own desire to taste his kiss again. She could have been someone else, someone passionate and impulsive, someone with no ability to think rationally at all.

  Someone a lot more like Thorolf.

  The scary thing was that Chandra didn’t care. The firestorm burned, capturing them in a golden haze of desire that drove everything sane from her mind. Her heart raced in anticipation of what would happen after that kiss. Right here, right now, they could satisfy its demand. Chandra licked her lips and Thorolf chuckled, just as the warmth of his fingers brushed her cheek. A flurry of orange sparks exploded from the point of contact, a delicious heat racing through Chandra, and she closed her eyes in surrender just as the apartment resident swore.

  “What the hell is that light anyway?” the guy demanded, sounding fearful.

  His exclamation recalled Chandra to her senses. She pulled her hand from Thorolf’s grip and the firestorm’s heat faded enough that she could think straight. She leapt to her feet, turning her back on Thorolf, but still felt strangely unsettled. “What light?” she demanded, as if she had no idea what he meant.

  “That light. It, like, sparks between you. It’s weird.”

  “There’s no light,” she insisted, sensing a losing battle. She heard her voice rise. “It must be your imagination.”

  “No, there’s light. What’s really going on here? Who are you both?” He backed away as he punched numbers into his cell phone.

  No matter what the emergency code was here, it would be short. Chandra couldn’t risk him making that call.

  So much for negotiation and subtlety. She leapt across the room and seized his phone, flinging it so it shattered the window and fell to the street below.

  Problem solved.

  If not in her usual discrete manner.

  “Great shot,” Thorolf said with admiration as he got to his feet. He shoved his hand through his hair and grinned at her, the sight of his stupid dimple making her pulse go crazy again. “We’re going to get along just fine,” he declared as he seized her hand.

  And she was looking at his mouth, like a besotted idiot.

  What was the firestorm doing to her?

  “Hey!” the guy protested. “That’s a new phone! Do you know what it cost me…”

  Chandra responded quickly and instinctively once again. She pulled her hand from Thorolf’s, backed the man into a corner and grabbed his chin, compelling him to meet her gaze. She felt him swallow as he fell silent, saw his shock that her grip was so strong.

  “You saw nothing,” she whispered with force. “There was no light.”

  “I know what I saw…”

  “Sparks flying between people would be illogical.” Chandra dropped her voice to a hiss. “Only crazy people see lights where there aren’t any. That’s what they’ll say if you tell anyone.” She smiled as fear lit his eyes. “Maybe we’ll meet again at the hospital. I could make sure you two share a room.”

  His terror was tangible, then he nodded quick agreement. “No light,” he said, holding up his hands. “I saw no light. Just get out of here!”

  “Done.” When Chandra released him, the guy fled into the bathroom again and locked the door.

  Thorolf was rubbing the back of his head. He smiled at Chandra with obvious admiration, any concussion evidently not interfering with his plans for satisfying the firestorm. If he laid another sizzling kiss on her, there was no telling what she’d do. She already felt that she was out of control. “You could teach me about beguiling,” he said easily then reached for her hand again.

  Chandra panicked as desire melted her knees. Nothing was going right.

  When Thorolf looked at her like that and the firestorm’s radiance glowed between them, Chandra could easily forget her quest.

  But there was too much at stake for that.

  “We have to go,” she said. “Right now.”

  “Anywhere specific?”

  She spoke firmly and loudly, ensuring that the guy in the bathroom could overhear. “I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

  “I’m all yours.” Thorolf squeezed her hand and smiled down at her, his expression so proprietary that Chandra felt a rare thrill. “How about we get something to eat first? Build up our stamina?” He lifted a brow, looking like trouble in spades, and Chandra couldn’t take a breath. She was keenly aware of her gender, as she seldom was, and her mind was filled with the prospect of pleasures she’d never explored before.

  One thing was for sure: this would be the last time she didn’t work alone.

  Chapter Two

  Chandra and Thorolf left the apartment quickly, darting down the stairs to the street. A group of people were gathered around the cell phone, several pointing up at the broken window as they compare
d what they’d seen.

  Chandra bit back the urge to swear. She shouldn’t have revealed her strength by chucking the phone hard enough to break window glass.

  She indicated the direction away from the crowd, then released Thorolf’s hand. She couldn’t think clearly with the warmth of his fingers closed around hers, with the firestorm feeding her awareness of him. She liked tall men and strong ones, she liked muscle and she liked blue eyes. A lot. Never mind dimples. The thing was that her choices had been historically about eye candy, not about satisfying any desires. Hunks made for better views, that was it. Her vow of chastity was resolute. With the firestorm on Thorolf’s side, raw lust was making it impossible to strategize.

  And that could ruin everything.

  Already a voice in her mind was whispering about new experiences and stones left unturned. Chandra refused to listen. She felt a rising edge of panic. Everything was spinning out of control, the carefully constructed plan shredding before her eyes, and she had to think.

  “Where are we going?” Thorolf asked, amiable and amorous. He was completely at ease, his mood so at odds with her own that Chandra was incredulous. “There used to be a great chicken place a couple of blocks away…”

  “No. We’re going somewhere private,” she said flatly. As an afterthought, she offered him a smile that she hoped was enticing. She didn’t have a lot of practice with seduction. She didn’t want any, but she needed to get Thorolf to move. She couldn’t just convince him to shift shape in the middle of a busy street so they could disappear.

  She’d manage some subtlety on this day, if it was the last thing she did. Questions would attract attention, and the firestorm was enough of a liability in that way. She’d need the element of surprise on her side to triumph. She had to get him to her sanctuary and find out what he knew.

  Fast.

  Was it true that the Pyr could all feel the heat of the firestorm? That Slayers were drawn to it, like moths to the flame? She couldn’t even imagine the complication of a gathering of dragon shifters—more enemies to battle and more consensus to build.

  Chandra felt her anxiety increase even more.

  They ducked into an alley, the firestorm’s radiance lighting its dingy shadows like a beacon. It was about as subtle as a nuclear blast. Chandra could practically sense curious mortals looking out windows for the source of the light. She walked faster. The alley was narrow, lined with doorways to cheap apartments. Crockery was stacked outside the nearest door, a pile of metal pails just behind them. Laundry was strung back and forth overhead, although it wouldn’t dry in this damp darkness. The pavement was wet underfoot and smelled of fish. She could hear a market at the other end of the alley.

  The light between them shone like the golden glow of forgotten treasure.

  “Aren’t Slayers attracted to the firestorm’s heat?” Chandra asked before she could stop herself.

  Thorolf caught her shoulders in his hands, sending a jolt of desire through her body that weakened her knees. He spun her to face him as if he couldn’t resist her, a wonderful sensation. The stupid thing was that she couldn’t step away, even knowing she should. His hands were strong on her, but his touch was gentle. Possessive. She was tempted to lean into his embrace and surrender to the firestorm’s heat.

  Just one more kiss. That’s what the voice in her mind suggested.

  This Pyr was trouble.

  “I can think of a better reason to satisfy it,” Thorolf murmured, his voice pitched so low that it made something hum deep inside her. Chandra felt as compliant as a kitten, unable to resist his allure or even step away. His blue eyes sparkled and his smile was mesmerizing.

  That treacherous voice in her mind was quick with a tantalizing suggestion. After the firestorm was satisfied, she could resume her quest. It sounded so sensible—even if the sensations kindled by the firestorm felt far from it.

  She had to pull it together. “We need to get to my sanctuary,” she said, amazed by the breathless sound of her own voice.

  “We can spare a minute or two,” Thorolf whispered. He pushed his fingers into her hair again and drew her closer, the possessive gesture just about killing her. Who had ever defended her? Who had ever thought of doing it? Thorolf tugged her against his rock-hard chest and lifted her to her toes. Chandra felt small, fragile, feminine and desired, all alien qualities to her life. Maybe that was part of Thorolf’s allure.

  “What’s your name?” he whispered.

  “Chandra,” she admitted, the word falling from her lips with ridiculous speed.

  “Chandra,” he repeated and she liked how he said it. His gaze darkened. “My mate.”

  The word sent a shock through Chandra. She was independent and free, beholden to no man or Pyr. She had to remember that the firestorm was about making more Pyr, about the mate conceiving a son…

  Her gaze fell to Thorolf’s mouth. He had a great mouth, firm lips that curved readily to a enticing smile. She found her fingertips on his face, sliding over that dimple and leaving a burning trail of sparks. His smile broadened, both knowing and wicked. He had no shortage of confidence, that was for sure. But then, maybe they had that in common.

  It was a smile filled with promise and intent.

  A smile that made her mouth go dry and her heart thunder.

  Thorolf whispered Chandra’s name again, folded her into his embrace and bent his head to claim a kiss. He certainly knew how to go about a seduction, and his mix of tenderness and power drove everything else from her mind. She could feel that he wanted her with the same vigor as she wanted him. She was sizzling from head to toe, hot and compliant and burning for a satisfaction that only he could give her. She was blind and deaf to the rest of the world. It was irrelevant. There was only Thorolf and the incredible feeling of the firestorm.

  According the Pyr lore, their partnership was destined. She knew better than to doubt the power of destiny. A long chain of events had brought them both to this point, a chain that culminated in the fiery heat of the firestorm. Chandra found her head falling back, her lips parting, her eyes closing, her body melting with the need to be claimed.

  She was his for the taking.

  For better or for worse.

  “There!” shouted the familiar voice of the apartment’s current resident. “There’s the guy who attacked me and the woman who broke my phone!”

  Thorolf swore. He shoved Chandra behind him and spun to confront the speaker. There was a police officer with the guy from the apartment, who was now wearing jeans, flip flops and an open shirt, as well as a small crowd of onlookers in pursuit. Chandra recognized several who had been gathered below the broken window.

  So much for a covert escape.

  The police officer stepped into the dark alley in pursuit and Thorolf blocked its width with his body. There was something very pleasing about his determination to protect her. The police officer pulled his gun warily.

  “Run,” Thorolf advised in a low tone as he visibly braced for a fight. “I’ll find you.”

  Chandra shook her head. “Not in this city.” The place was a warren. If she left him now, they might never find each other again. She’d just spent close to two years looking for him and wasn’t going to let him out of her sight until she learned what she needed to know.

  Thorolf leveled a look at her. “Didn’t I find you before?”

  He had, on the night she’d stolen Viv’s purse to learn what name the viper was using. Chandra knew theoretically about the keen senses of the Pyr, but even better, Thorolf reminded her that she’d seen them at work. Thorolf had tracked her down, once upon a time, following her through the maze of the city at night, when it shouldn’t have been possible for him to track her.

  Plus now there was the firestorm’s heat to guide him.

  It had to be good for something.

  And a little distance might clear her thoughts.

  “I’m right behind you,” he commanded. “Go!”

  Chandra retreated down the alley. She wasn’
t used to running from a fight, but she wasn’t used to having a partner either.

  She told herself not to get used to it. To her relief, the firestorm cooled with distance, letting her mind settle so she could make a plan. If this was the market she suspected it was, it would be crowded and busy. They could cross it to…

  She heard sounds of a fight behind her, followed by a yelp and a crash of pottery. She glanced back to see that Thorolf had tossed the police officer into the stacked crockery and that the others were backing away from him. The cop wasn’t hurt but he was surprised.

  A little old lady emerged from behind the broken pots and began to berate Thorolf in rapid Thai. At another time, it would have been amusing that her indignation made her so fearless, while the others were frightened, but Chandra wanted only to get away.

  The faint glow of pale blue that surrounded Thorolf’s body wasn’t a good sign. She knew the Pyr weren’t supposed to let humans see them shift shape, but that blue light could only mean that he was on the cusp of change.

  Trust her luck to be trying to save a passionate and impulsive dragon.

  Maybe the most passionate and impulsive of the Pyr.

  Subtle might be completely out of the question.

  “Thorolf!” Chandra whispered his name urgently, counting on his keen hearing. Thorolf jolted slightly, a sign that he’d heard her. The blue light dimmed as he reached into his pocket. He flung some cash at the old lady before backing away. He hauled down a load of laundry into the alley, kicked over the metal pails to slow pursuit, then pivoted to charge toward Chandra.

  His triumphant grin nearly stopped her heart. It ought to be illegal for a man to have such an effect on her.

  No, the firestorm ought to be illegal.

  She raced onward at full speed, confident that they’d escape together.

  As for how she’d deny the firestorm after they were secured and alone in her sanctuary—after he carried her there in his dragon form—Chandra would worry about that detail later.